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Pritchard' s excellently reported narrative details the bloodiest American military operation of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the fight for Nasiriyah. Impossible to put down, it is a gripping account of SNAFUs, chaos, and heroism in a savage fight between U.S. Marines and Iraqi forces in the heart of a densely populated city, with several hundred thousand civilians caught in the crossfire. Ambush Alley offers a disturbing view into the down-and-dirty level of warfare which at the time was largely hidden from the American public. --Evan Wright, bestselling author of 'Generation Kill'
Tim Pritchard writes about men in war like very few dare to try. By the tenth or so page into his book you are no longer simply observing the action from your couch potato ass, you are with the young Marines, riding along with them in the back of an AMTRAK troop transport, sensing the ' feel' of combat, taking indiscriminate RPG rounds, and fired on by misdirected, fearsome A-10 ground attack jets. Ambush Alley truly takes you into the crucible of battle. It gives a new meaning to ' kicking ass' and true sensitivity to the term ' fear factor.' --Richard Marcinko, bestselling author of Rogue Warrior 'From the Hardcover edition.'
Tim Pritchard writes about men in war like very few dare to try. By the tenth or so page into his book you are no longer simply observing the action from your couch potato ass, you are with the young Marines, riding along with them in the back of an AMTRAK troop transport, sensing the ' feel' of combat, taking indiscriminate RPG rounds, and fired on by misdirected, fearsome A-10 ground attack jets. Ambush Alley truly takes you into the crucible of battle. It gives a new meaning to ' kicking ass' and true sensitivity to the term ' fear factor.' --Richard Marcinko, bestselling author of Rogue Warrior 'From the Hardcover edition.'
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On March 23, 2003, US Marines from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force were caught in the most extraordinary battle of Operation Iraqi Freedom. What started off as a routine manoeuvre to capture two bridges in the town of Nasiriyah turned into a 24-hour-long nightmare urban battle in which 18 young marines lost their lives and over 55 others were wounded. It was the single, heaviest loss suffered by the US military during the entire combat phase of the war. It all started going wrong when the marines came across a burnt out US Army convoy which had got lost and had been ambushed by Iraqi forces just outside of the city. This was the convoy from which Private Jessica Lynch was captured. In an attempt to rescue the unaccounted for Army personnel, the marines charged towards the city with a half baked plan, no knowledge of what lay ahead, but plenty of guts. What happened next is a gripping and gruesome tale of blunders, tragedy and heroism. Huge M1 tanks leading the attack on Nasiriyah became mired in quick sand, then a company of marines took a wrong turn and ended up on a deadly highway known as ambush alley where it's armored personal carriers succumbed to devastating RPG fire. USAF planes bombed and strafed marines who had called in the support. The dead and dying stranded on 'ambush alley' only brought more marines into the slaughter. This was not a battle of modern technology. It was a brutal, close quarter urban knife fight which tested the marines' resolve and training to the limit. At the heart of the drama were 50 or so young men, most of whom had never been to war, who found themselves in a battle from which neither their commanders or the technological might of the US military could save them.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
No Plan Survives Contact With The Enemy,
By
This review is from: Ambush Alley (Mass Market Paperback)
The story of a battalion of Marines in the push on Baghdad is well told by Tim Pritchard, even if a few more maps might have helped follow the narrative. I suppose it is only fair that the lack of maps confused this reader when the theme of the book is the confusion of warfare.
The Marines suffer what must have been a rather bad run of luck. They lose contact with each other at vital moments (as the air waves are filled with radio traffic). The tanks that are a vital part of their strength have to pull back to refuel only to find that they can only use one pump. American aircraft attack American units. Vehicles are lost in a mud bog. And (of course) all of this happens in a town where Iraqi resistance is strong and forceful. The result is the sort of action that might remind one of Blackhawk Down, but in reality was much less of a disaster. Despite the bravery of the Iraqis the US troops had enough heavy support to hold their positions. But Pritchard is very good at representing the way extended combat eats even the most professional soldier's reserves of energy and enthusiasm. Solid reportage.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping tale of extraordinary bravery and shocking incompetence,
By
This review is from: Ambush Alley (Mass Market Paperback)
Expecting to roll through Al Nasiriyah on the way to Baghdad, being welcomed by open armed Iraqis, the US Marines' plans went awry before they had reached the first bridge to the South of the city.
The night before the planned manouver, an army convoy had made a wrong turn and stirred up a hornet's nest in the town. An oft used maxim is that "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy" and this book demonstrates this perfectly. Lack of communication, military intelligence and proper planning all contributed to a disaster that unfolds with horrifying predictability when read from afar. The author strings together a confusing and disorganised picture to give a more vivid experience than a movie. "Black Hawk Down", the debacle in Somalia involving US Army Rangers, is often referenced in the book; principally because the similarities are startling. Clearly, the lessons of that day in 1993 were not learned. Pulling no punches, the author has clearly spent a great deal of time and careful interviewing to bring the details together. Highly recommended, although beware as once you begin reading it is very difficult to stop.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Poor Bloody Infantry - You might not like what you read...,
By Metal Squaddie "Tobyjug" (Merseyside NW England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Ambush Alley (Mass Market Paperback)
I became tired of the gung-ho macho bs surrounding the majority of the arms of the illustrious American War Machine and its capabilities. Thats why this particular book is so crystal clear on the humanitarian side of combat. Its not all 'we can do this cos we are the best' as you usually encounter with most American Forces personnel. It actually tells a very descriptive story of what the British Army colourfully term a 'clusterf**k'. The best laid plans always go to pieces as soon as the first rounds go downrange. Task Force Tarawa's (TFT) plans were no different. Ambush Alley highlights the divide between narrow minded elitist higher ranks, the knock on effect of which brings unnecessary and unhealthy rivalry,friction and disregard of other rank's indepth experience within their chosen field and in the long run the problems that come from it. Sometimes the US Marine Corps aren't all they brag about. No communication between Army elements and TFT led to 507th Maintenance Company getting hammered, yet no-one knew about it. TFT then unknowingly stumbled into the kill zone. Extremely poor radio discipline from the Marines' own elements causes communications problems. That then in turn caused the battleplan to fall apart straight away. The rifle companies ended up spread out in different locations to what they had rehearsed, they couldn't contact each other as comms was impossible and the poor young Marines at the sharp end started taking casualties from a very dominate Iraqi force from an area the Marines' own Intelligence said wouldn't put up a fight. The area was in fact so hostile, even women and children were at the forefront of the urban battle. Then as if that wasn't bad enough, poor organisation and comms again led to the Marines' own Forward Air Controller clearing two US Air Force A-10 Warthog Tankbusters for gun runs against their own guys, claiming 75% of their inflicted casualties. The victims of this US military debacle is as always the young scared grunts on the ground.
Ambush Alley is a truly excellent read - very well written, fast paced, expertly detailed and most of all honest to the guys who experienced/suffered the failings of their own moronic chest beating higher ranks and ended up paying for their incompetence with a lot of unnecessary blood. This is the true description of war and what happens when its dogs are released. Very insightful although at times harrowing, if you enjoyed Black Hawk Down, this should be in your book case
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