Free Republic

How do we make tangible demonstrations of support for our troops? The question was posed recently at Palmdale Barnes & Noble when author and fighting Marine David Danelo turned out to talk about his book, "Bloodstripes: The Grunt's View of the War in Iraq." Danelo was at the dais with Marine Jason Howell, a Highland High School grad now in the Sheriff's Department, who fought the hot war in Anbar Province in 2004. We have an opportunity at the Antelope Valley Fair, which signals the peak of the summer season leading to Labor Day. "Postcard to the Troops" involves stationing...

The Marines pride themselves as being no better friend, no worse enemy. David J. Danelo’s book “Blood Stripes: The Grunt’s View of the War in Iraq” respectfully shows both sides of that picture. “Blood stripes” is the term for the red stripe that runs down each side of the dress blue pants of non-commissioned and commissioned officers in the Marine Corps, and it is a fitting title for this book. The text focuses on a handful of Marine NCOs, who wear those “blood stripes” between February and September 2004 when they, their men or the enemy are bloodied in and...

GET this book. Get it and read it. "Blood Stripes" is exactly what the subtitle claims: a grunt's view of combat in Iraq. You'll never get a better one. There already have been plenty of books about our recent wars - most written by (and, of course, starring) generals and journalists. "Blood Stripes" isn't about the generals' war. It's about the Marine corporals' war: bare-knuckles-close and brutal. Author Danelo served as a USMC junior officer in Iraq, commanding convoys and studying his comrades. He doesn't write about himself, but about Marines he knew - the men who did the fighting...