They Called Us ""Lucky""

The Life and Afterlife of the Iraq War's Hardest Hit Unit

By: Ruben Gallego, Jim DeFelice

Narrated by: Ruben Gallego, Stephen Graybill

From the Arizona Congressman, a 21st-century Band of Brothers chronicling the eternal bonds forged between the Marines of Lima Company, the hardest-hit unit of the Iraq War.

At first, they were “Lucky Lima”. Infantryman Ruben Gallego and his brothers in Lima Company—3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, young men drawn from blue-collar towns, immigrant households, Navajo reservations—returned unscathed on patrol after patrol through the increasingly violent al Anbar region of Iraq, looking for weapons caches and insurgents trying to destabilize the nascent Iraqi government. After two months in Iraq, Lima didn't have a casualty, not a single Purple Heart, no injury worse than a blister. Lucky Lima.

Then, in May 2005, Lima’s fortunes flipped. Unknown to Ruben and his fellow grunts, al Anbar had recently become a haven for al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. The bin Laden-sponsored group had recruited radicals from all over the world for jihad against the Americans. On one fateful day, they were lured into a death house; the ambush cost the lives of two men, including a platoon sergeant. Two days later, Ruben’s best friend, Jonathon Grant, died in an IED attack, along with several others. Events worsened from there. A disastrous operation in Haditha in August claimed the lives of 13 Marines when an IED destroyed their amphibious vehicle. It was the worst single-day loss for the Marines since the 1983 Beirut bombings. By the time 3/25 went home in November, it had lost more men than any other single unit in the war. Forty-six Marines and two Navy Corpsmen serving with the battalion in Iraq were killed in action during their roughly nine-month activation.

They Called Us “Lucky” details Ruben Gallego’s journey and includes harrowing accounts of some of the war’s most costly battles. It details the struggles and the successes of Ruben—now a member of Congress—and the rest of Lima Company following Iraq, examining the complicated matter of PTSD. And it serves as a tribute to Ruben’s fallen comrades, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

©2021 Ruben Gallego and Jim DeFelice (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Good story

It was a good depiction of the author’s experiences in the war. However, the performance leaves me wishing that they had hired a professional to do the reading. Dozens of mispronunciations, a strange speech rhythm made it harder to follow.

Important read for all

I really enjoyed Ruben’s story of himself and our military. He is an example of someone who pulled himself up by his bootstraps but he also knows compassion for folks that have little options for success. His reading the story kept me listening, long past my daily dose. He has a strong voice with a nice cadence. He and Lima Company suffered horrible losses which should never be forgotten.

I don’t see this as a political read but administrations made mistakes in Iraq given our long war. Politicians do need to think of the men and women who give all for this country. Families of the Fallen receive so little attention. This book would be a good read for anyone who wants to serve. Especially high schoolers. It also would be good for a civilian working with the military. I am going to buy a hard copy for my library.

Not what you think

As a former Marine I can sympathize with what this guy went thru, but this book wasn’t so much about that as much as it was in my opinion to boost his political career. Not to take away from what he went thru, but this book was about him.

Ok listen

It was a decent recollection of Lima Company, and the men who fought both in the war and after the war. I enjoyed the book on its historical value. However the book failed the instant it turned to a political platform, and a “one party bad, our party good” trumpeting. I just wanted a book about the marines in Iraq, not a political platform that added zero value or substance to the book.

A heroic story humbly told!

I suspect Representative Gallego would most desire that we simply regard him a good Marine. I am happy to oblige, speaking for myself. That said, I would add good American at a time when our domestic politics are chaotic and frightening, even terrifying. Whether we collectively know it or not, the future of this great country rests on his shoulders and those who share his values and integrity.

Story grabs your attention

Listen to the whole book in a day. Wish there was more books written like this.

Soulful writing and a vulnerable performance

I easily imagined talking side by side with the author about his life story, and felt honored to hear stories of his personal losses. I valued his perspective as a hard working Lcpl, a rare perspective one seldom has access to. A great option for a guided book club, discussing loss, military to civil transitions, a focus on military familys, mental health in the military and USMC History.

Semper Fi

These were the days that forged young Americans in the crucible of fire. These men and women are the definition of what American patriotism is. Thank you to all who served and are currently serving. God bless you and the United States of America. Semper Fi do or die!

Not bad

This wasn't a bad book per se. Rather it was more or less okay. The narration is below average, and the story had too much liberal trite for book on the Iraq War. God bless Gallego and the sacrifice he made, but he told a mediocre story.

Finally got the truth!

For years no one ever knew what really happened Aug 3 2005 to the boys of 3/25, that IED explosion changed the lives of every single friend and family of those marines, and all they would say is it was an ied, finally a marine telling us how it was and how he felt about leadership and lack of the right equipment is a much needed truth.