Book Review: Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, many young men and women, deeply affected by this mass slaughter of U.S. citizens, felt a moral obligation to join the military and help in the fight against Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda. One of these young men and women stood out from all the rest: Pat Tillman.
Pat Tillman was making millions of dollars playing safety for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL. He had just gotten married and he was beloved by all. Most people would be content with that life, but not Pat. Pat was always pushing himself to the limit, whether it was running marathons in the offseason, doing handstands on top of a roof, or climbing up to the top of a light tower in his college stadium just to find some peace of mind. He was a man who “thrived on David vs. Goliath challenges” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).
When two planes crashed into the World Trade Center on that fateful day, Tillman wasn’t going to be the one to sit around and do nothing about it. It wasn’t in his nature, the nature of a man who “spurned the riches of life… to pursue old-fashioned notions of honor and sacrifice” (Outside Magazine). Knowing that people were fighting and dying overseas while he was playing football bothered him too much.
So, in June 2002, Pat and his brother Kevin enlisted in the Army Rangers, one of the most elite special operations forces in the world. With a year left on his commitment, on April 22, 2004, Pat was killed by friendly fire while on duty in Afghanistan. Thus began the cover-up. The Army created a heroic, but false, tale of Pat being killed by the Taliban to save members of his platoon. They used his death as a propaganda tool to create support for the war.
In Where Men Win Glory, Krakauer details the remarkable life and death of Pat Tillman and the ensuing military cover-up “with alarming clarity and chilling details” (Boston Globe). He gets to the bottom of the Tillman death, revealing shocking truths about the war. It’s a book that you won’t want to put down until you finish. This “gripping, heartbreaking” book is a must read (The Christian Science Monitor).
With the tenth anniversary of 9/11 just around the corner it is necessary for us to remember the soldiers still fighting for our safety in the Middle East. It is important to never forget the daily sacrifices they make for us. The military got it wrong when they tried to paint Pat as a hero with a false story. It was completely unnecessary. Pat Tillman already was a hero before his death, just like all the rest of the men and women who enlist in the military to help keep this country safe. Through his life and death, Pat taught us to live life to the fullest and to always strive to be a better person.
