Alpha

Eddie Gallagher and the War for the Soul of the Navy SEALs

By: David Philipps

Narrated by: Andrew Eiden

An epic account of the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon, the startling accusations against their chief, Eddie Gallagher, and the courtroom battle that exposed the dark underbelly of America’s special forces—from a Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter

“An infuriating, fast-paced thriller.”—The Washington Post

By official accounts, the Navy SEALs of Alpha platoon returned as heroes after their 2017 deployment to Mosul, following a vicious, bloody, and successful campaign to drive ISIS from the city. But within the platoon a different war raged. Even as Alpha’s chief, Eddie Gallagher, was being honored by the Navy for his leadership, several of his men were preparing to report him for war crimes, alleging that he’d stabbed a prisoner in cold blood and taken lethal sniper shots at unarmed civilians.

Many young SEALs regarded Gallagher as the ideal special operations commando. Trained as a sniper, a medic, and an explosives expert, he was considered a battle-tested leader. But in the heat of combat, some in his platoon saw a darker figure—a man who appeared to be coming unhinged after multiple deployments in America’s forever wars. Their excitement to work with a tough, experienced chief soon gave way to a grim suspicion that his thirst for blood seemed to know no bounds and a belief that his unpredictability was as dangerous as the enemy.

In riveting detail, Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times correspondent David Philipps reveals the story of a group of special operators caught in a moral crucible—should they uphold their oath and turn in their chief, or honor the SEALs’ unwritten code of silence? It is also a larger story of how the SEAL Teams drifted off course after 9/11, and of the “pirate” subculture that festered within their ranks—a secret brotherhood that, in a time of endless war with few clear victories, made the act of killing itself the paramount goal. The investigation and trial following Alpha’s deployment—and Gallagher’s ultimate acquittal on the most serious charges—would pit SEAL against SEAL, set the Navy brass on a collision course with President Donald Trump, and turn Gallagher into a political litmus test in a hotly polarized America.

A compelling tale of battle, honor, and betrayal, Alpha is a remarkable exposé of the fault lines fracturing a country that has been at war for a generation and counting.

©2021 David Philipps (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Meticulously assembled and brilliantly written . . . [a] remarkable and engrossing book.”—The New York Times

“A dogged researcher and gifted writer, Philipps turns the story of Gallagher’s rise, his alleged war crimes and the botched Navy prosecution into an infuriating, fast-paced thriller.”—The Washington Post

“Shakespearean . . . An excellent read from a seasoned reporter who covered the entire saga [of] Eddie Gallagher.”—The San Diego Union-Tribune

very good book

I spent a lot of time listening to this book. I normally try to stretch them out so I don't run out of books to listen to, but I found myself wanting to hear more and chose it over my daily radio shows. it gave me a clear understanding of the NAVY SEALS culture and a better understanding of what really happened that was not in the news. i follow politics closely and didn't know of all the details in this book. I normally listen to political history and undercover agent stories. this was very interesting.

Well told

Great read. The moral struggle and the courage to do the right thing. Reminds me of Lone Survivor

Should be Required Reading

A manual for why doing the right thing is important, even in small things. I learned a lot.

Character and Integrity displayed by the few

I appreciate the research that went into this book, and the documentation and exposure of one of the most brazen and seemingly successful narcissistic sociopaths I’ve ever studied. Mandatory leadership reading to educate on the necessity of character, integrity, humility, and professionalism in the ranks to stop toxicity, corrosiveness, and corruption before it becomes entrenched

A shame...

It is a shame more of this info wasn't out for public consumption during the trial and subsequent fallout.

Anyone who has served in a premiere combat unit in the GWOT knows a senior leader like EG, unfortunately.

As a former Army Sniper, those descriptions surrounding the shooting just ring true to me. From shooting the wall around the loop hole to firing shots and claiming kills. I implore anyone in a dust covered desert environment to go set up a hide in a blown out building and take shots at 750 meters and call your own hits. Goodluck with the dust and the subsequent calls on your non human steel targets that don't move or run or scatter when you shoot at them.

The saying, "Real recognizes real" rings true here.

Hopefully the masses will read this and realize what a turd this dude really is. I feel bad for his kids and for the guys rolled in the wake left behind by this.

Garbage

Completely biased and poorly done. Phillips is a hack. Clearly this book is based on entirely too much conjecture to be given any credence. Listen to this if you want to hear a narrator affect comically caricatures of the SEALs who were “interviewed” for this drivel. Would avoid

Riveting profile

The story is riveting and reads well. The ending was moving and I found myself rooting for ‘the sheriff’ and other Seals from the platoon knowing they likely experienced a lot of internal turmoil during this process. As a psychologist I found the details Chief Gallagher’s behavior across multiple domains to be more telling than the culminating event. It doesn’t make him a “bad” person but it was clear how he was a product of this environment and how easily he had drifted. Really well done.

Conum Conumdrum on Stetoids

A compelling story told with seemingly credible sources to produce logical conclusions and not hypothetical bravado braggadociia and self serving motives. Will next read Gallagher's book to get horses mouth side of the story, although I suspect it will be self serving and introduced thru this book.

I have a new take on the Seals and culture it demands and produces. I liken this story to an iuncomfortable decision offering rock vs hard place as it's outcome. A decision between morals vs convenience as competing forces as seen from a total picture vantage point. The fact that a high road "fix'" was inserted into Seal training to guide leaders thru similar situations is admirable. Every organization and individual can benefit from inward introspection toward improvement. I liken this story and it's consequential actions to the debate over terrorism and Islamists jihady interpretation of Islam. Bad things happen but we can't criticize or honestly look at causation that comes from within. So sad.

so well-researched

the author both collected an incredible amount of detailed information and also wove it together into a real page-turner of a story. anytime I can learn some really interesting things about the world while being so entertained, I am happy. Just a great book. and a very impressive narration performance.

every junior NCO and officer in SOF should read

I would recommend every junior NCO and officer in SOF to read this. you have to be willing to stand up to people above you as much as the enemy for morally evil behavior. regardless of tank or position.

DOL