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Hammerhead Six by Ronald Fry

Hammerhead Six

How Green Berets Waged an Unconventional War Against the Taliban to Win in Afghanistan's Deadly Pech Valley

Ronald Fry, Tad Tuleja

Hachette Books · Print & ebook · January 19, 2016

The incredible story of the Green Berets' "hearts and minds" counterinsurgency in Afghanistan's notorious Pech River Valley, told by the unit commander who led Hammerhead Six.

Military LivesSpecial Forces HistoryAfghan War (2001-)military
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memoir
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Who it’s for
Ronald Fry recounts a Green Beret campaign where cultural respect was central to the fight.
Genres
Afghan War (2001-), Special Forces History, Military Lives
Published
Hachette Books, January 19, 2016

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About this book

The incredible story of the Green Berets' "hearts and minds" counterinsurgency in Afghanistan's notorious Pech River Valley, told by the unit commander who led Hammerhead Six. In 2003, the Special Forces soldiers entered an area later called "the most dangerous place in Afghanistan." Here, where the line between civilians and armed zealots was indistinct, they illustrated the Afghan proverb: "I destroy my enemy by making him my friend."

Continue reading

Captain Ronald Fry recounts how they were seen as welcome guests rather than invaders. Soon after their deployment ended, the Pech Valley reverted to turmoil. Their success was never replicated. Hammerhead Six finally reveals how cultural respect, hard work (and the occasional machine-gun burst) were more than a match for the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Read more

A Hard-Won Balance

Ronald Fry recounts a Green Beret campaign where cultural respect was central to the fight.

Come here for

  • A commander’s account of counterinsurgency built on cultural respect and hard work
  • The uneasy line between civilian life and armed conflict

Expect

  • A first-person view of service in Afghanistan’s Pech Valley
  • A candid mix of patient engagement and occasional force

Where it sits

Afghan War (2001-)86%
Special Forces History75%
Military Lives55%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Authors
Ronald Fry, Tad Tuleja
Publisher
Hachette Books
Published
January 19, 2016
Format
Print & ebook