Customer Reviews

Seal!: From Vietnam's Phoenix Program to Central America's Drug Wars

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

SEAL is still one of the best memoires available today!!!
After completing this work, I was blessed to locate and actually spend some time with the author.
Put succinctly, Mike Walsh possesses more personal integrity, patriotism, and courageous resolve than most anyone above ground today.
His book is a gift to Americans concerned with guts, veracity, and acquiring an education from perceptions only viewable through the eyes of a highly intelligent and intrepid warrior.
The California clown that offers the "get over yourself" review below obviously is blind to understanding that even a humble man
like Mr. Walsh, tasked with attempting to record his extremely extraordinary life, will seem (to an ignoramus) to be boastful.
Mike Walsh is not a boastful man.
SEAL is the truthful product of a matured, religious individual whose personal discipline, devotion to country, and unpoliticized insights offers this nation's youth a measuring stick for honor.
Although my service was with the army, I would follow this naval 'Commander' into hell if he so desired.
SEAL is strong evidence that Mike Walsh knows all about that arena.
Americans need to read this one.
It'll make your chest stick out a bit further.

This book was riveting! It provided historical value with a personal component that truly engages the reader. The book gave insight to why certain missions were successful, and how some missions went wrong. Lt Mike Walsh has helped me to realize that our nation is not asleep! Now that we are engaged in war with Iraq, I was able to imagine the in's and out's of the recent successful SEAL mission to secure the two oil wells on 3/21/03. And finally, Lt Walsh's personal life-changing testimony is wonderful! Thanks, Lieutenant!

Two stars for the historical facts, zero for the self-admiring, self-adoring, self-aggrandizing tone that permeates every page. SEALS, the elite, the best, the true warriors, etc., etc. Gimmie a break. A touch of the short-man's complex, I think - Mike tells us in glorious detail how very wonderful he was and all of the great things that he did. The only folks portrayed in a better light in the book are "SEAL legends".... I mean, c'mon, let's have less bias, please! He makes brief mention of the Green Berets, Aplini, SAS and Aussie SAS in the book, praising them, but it's otherwise "SEALS rule, don't mess with us, we're fierce warriors!". Listen, Bud, if you need to keep telling everyone this all the time, it's obvious that you don't believe it yourself.

The true warriors are the ones that Mike doesn't know about - they do their job well and no one ever knows it was done. No mention of these truly elite operators in this book. The self-congratulatory tone is almost nauseating in many chapters. There are so, so many books about elite forces and Viet nam, all available on AMAZON, that are much better than this hymn to SEALS.

The story of an extraordinary man doing his daily job. This book provides insight into the elite fighting groups who defend our freedom. Included in this book are various pictures of Lt. Cmdr. Michael J. Walsh, USN, who is now retired. If you want to know what goes on behind the scenes, behind the news stories, read it.

a real insight into the mind of a true american warrior,thanks mike !

First and foremost this is a true life story that depicts events of an extraordinary nature. I can account for the fascination this book inspires because, not only am I ex military, I happen to know personally one of the individuals who fought aside our author in Vietnam. And yes, this person is pictured and mentioned in the book.

My (above mentioned) friend was the person who gave this book to me to read. After reading it I was very surprised to hear his reactions to my questions regarding the hardships endured during Vietnam. The one comment that sticks out in my mind was his answer to my question, 'How were you able to deal with the intense fear and stress of these kill missions?' to which he said something to the effect of, 'Well it is always never more (fear or stress) than we think it will be.' I was shocked at the matter-of-fact like manner in which those words rolled out of his mouth. But I had to agree with him because I could relate having been in the military.

When we read about the absolutely incredible events these guys went through we are amazed that they could do it. However when you are trained (mentally and physically) you deliver when the chips are down.

That's what this book is about, delivering when the chips are down. Coming through, overcoming, and succeeding. This is a true story of what great leadership is. What honor and valor truly mean in the heart of the skilled soldier.

I recommend this book to anyone searching for true stories of leadership in action, tremendous courage, teamwork, and behind the scenes information of the political corruption during the Vietnam war.

What I like about SEAL! is that it describes how Mike Walsh went from Vietnam painted-face, hard-living Commando to a leader of men with a sense of discretion and valor. His maturity as a fighting leader carries the day as he leads reconaissance missions on Grenada that did not go awary and even standing firm on ground truth before the pressures of senior leaders, which he did before the Panama raid on Noriega's plane at Punta Paitilla. LTCDR Mike walsh is a great military leader and human being we should all strive to emulate. The way he wanted to run the Punta Paitilla missions should be "SOF 101" for every warrior.

The best scene in the book, is the story of the SEAL who gets injured and is paralyzed. Walsh describes the invisible drive that makes a man a Navy SEAL, and that how when EVERYONE had counted this man "out", gone from the teams forever, that he slips from his chair into the pool and begins to swim and while everyone is stunned, raises his arm and cries HOOOYAHH!, the SEAL war cry. I don't do the scene justice so you are going to have to read it, but it makes the book entirely worthwhile.

As the book ends, Walsh describes boldly his change to a new set of values and he makes no hesitation to describe how his belief in God makes him a better SEAL and human being. If I could order every man and woman in the U.S. military to read this book, I would!

Airborne!

I have recently met many veterans, including some Navy SEALS. While we are of the same general age, their perspective and experiences are completely different from mine. As a woman, I observed the draft and Vietnam, but never personally experienced anything like what they went through to protect our country. I admire their exploits and their continuing commitment to excellence.

couldn't put it down.A must-read for any SEAL enthusiast

This is an exellent book for people who love reading about Special Operations. It uncovers the truth about what SEALS are and what they do.