Remember the Ramrods: An Army Brotherhood in War and Peace

The Iraq Wars only living Medal of Honor recipient, Staff Sergeant Bellavia, reveals the untold story of the remarkable brotherhood behind one of the wars legendary acts of valor. In 2004, he stormed an enemy stronghold to save his platoon, and fourteen years later, his unit reunited and saved him. This is their story.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 04 January 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc

The Iraq Wars only living Medal of Honor recipient, Staff Sergeant Bellavia, reveals the untold story of the remarkable brotherhood behind one of the wars legendary acts of valor. In 2004, he stormed an enemy stronghold to save his platoon. Fourteen years later, his unit reunited and saved him. This is their story.

Acting on instinct to save the members of his platoon from an imminent threat, Staff Sergeant Bellavia ultimately cleared an entire enemy-filled house. So reads the Medal of Honor citation describing one of the Iraq Wars most celebrated acts of heroism. But the full story of the brotherhood at the heart of these events is untold and far more remarkable.

In 2004, David Bellavia's U.S. Army unit, an infantry battalion known as the Ramrods—2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division—fought and helped win the Battle of Fallujah, the bloodiest episode of the Iraq War. On November 10, 2004, Bellavia single-handedly cleared a fortified enemy position that had pinned down a squad from his platoon. Fourteen years later, Bellavia got a call from the president of the United States: he had been awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions in Fallujah and would receive America's highest award for bravery in combat during a ceremony at the White House.

The news was not welcome. Bellavia had put the war behind him, created a quiet life for himself in rural western New York, and lost touch with most of his fellow Ramrods, who were once like brothers to him. The first time they gathered as a unit after the war was at Bellavia's medal ceremony, six days in Washington, D.C., that may have saved them all. As they revisited what they had seen and done in battle and revealed to one another their journeys back into civilian life, they discovered that the bonds had not been broken by time.

The Ramrods had been through hell and back together. They had seen their friends die, been injured themselves, and witnessed the horrors of war. But through it all, they had remained close, supporting each other through the toughest of times. They had formed a bond that was stronger than any other they had ever known, and it was this brotherhood that had saved Bellavia's life fourteen years later.

As they sat together in Washington, D.C., the Ramrods reminisced about the battles they had fought and the memories they had made. They talked about the fear and the adrenaline that had rushed through their veins as they charged into enemy fire, and the sense of accomplishment that had come with victory. They talked about the long hours of training and the sacrifices they had made to become the best soldiers they could be.

But they also talked about the toll that the war had taken on them. They talked about the nightmares and the flashbacks that had haunted them for years after they had left the battlefield. They talked about the difficulty of adjusting to civilian life and the challenges of finding work and building a life in a world that had changed so much since they had enlisted.

Despite the hardships they had faced, the Ramrods remained committed to each other. They knew that they could count on each other in times of need, and that their bond was stronger than any other. They had created a family, a brotherhood, that would last a lifetime, and they were proud of the legacy they had left behind.

As they said their goodbyes in Washington, D.C., the Ramrods knew that they would never forget the lessons they had learned in the war. They knew that they had been tested in ways that they could never have imagined, and that they had emerged stronger and more resilient than ever before. They knew that they had been blessed to have each other, and that their brotherhood would always be a source of strength and inspiration.

In the years that followed, the Ramrods continued to gather together, to celebrate their victories and to honor their fallen comrades. They raised money for veterans' organizations and supported each other through the struggles of civilian life. They knew that their brotherhood was a gift that they would cherish for the rest of their lives, and that they would always be grateful for the memories they had made together in the war.

The story of the Ramrods is a testament to the power of brotherhood and the resilience of the human spirit. It is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope and that there is always someone who will stand by your side. It is a story that will inspire generations to come, and a reminder that the bonds of friendship and loyalty can withstand even the most challenging of circumstances.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 203 x 135 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780063048669