Generation Kill
Front Cover
|
|
| Author | Evan Wright |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Military history |
| Publisher | Putnam Adult |
|
Publication date
|
June 17, 2004 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 368 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 54826116 |
| 956.7044/3 22 | |
| LC Class | DS79.76 .W75 2004 |
Generation Kill is a 2004 book written by Rolling Stone journalist Evan Wright chronicling his experience as an embedded reporter with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion of the United States Marine Corps during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. His account of life with the Marines was originally published as a three-part series in Rolling Stone in the fall of 2003. "The Killer Elite", the first of these articles, went on to win a National Magazine Award for Excellence in Reporting in 2004.
Wright spent two months with the battalion, having persuaded a commander that he could cope with such an assignment. The Marines of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion were initially hostile and suspicious but soon warmed to him and treated him as one of their own. He gained their respect through his refusal to quit in the face of combat. Often riding in the lead vehicle, a lightly armored Humvee, Wright was in real danger for much of the time, and at one point carried a weapon, though he did so reluctantly.
Wright encounters members of the battalion from all ranks, but the "main players" can be narrowed down to just six from Bravo Company: Sergeant Brad Colbert, Lance Corporal Harold James Trombley, Sergeant Rudy "Fruity" Reyes, First Lieutenant Nathaniel Fick, Sergeant Antonio Espera, and Corporal Josh Ray Person.
Sergeant Antonio J. Espera claimed he was forced to leave the battalion and Staff Sergeant Eric Kocher claimed he was disciplined for statements attributed to him in Wright's reporting. Kocher worked as an adviser on the adaptation of Wright's book into a miniseries and stated that Wright earned credibility because he stayed with the Marines for "every firefight".
Despite initial doubts, Marine commanders later encouraged the officers of 1st Reconnaissance to read the book and the articles to get an insight into the reality of war.
...
Wikipedia