Publisher's Weekly Review
A cross between Green Berets and 911 paramedics, Air Force pararescuemen-PJs for short-parachute or helicopter in, sometimes under fire, to treat and evacuate sick or wounded soldiers. Narrowly specialized, highly trained and bound by the credo "That Others May Live," PJs are the embodiment of the hyper-professionalism and leave-no-comrade-behind ethos of today's military. This gung-ho and often gripping account celebrates their exploits in the war in Afghanistan. Investigative reporter Hirsh loves to shoot the breeze with PJs while they regale him with anecdotes, brag about their maniacal training regimen and disparage other commando units, especially the Navy SEALs ("We don't think the world revolves around us," says one PJ. "Whereas the SEALs do"). Sometimes Hirsch lets his subjects go on too long, giving readers an all too vivid impression of a torpid day at the base. But when the action starts, he depicts their harrowing adventures with verve and insight, writing in a laconic, acronym-heavy military-ese that aptly conveys the cool-headed grit with which soldiers cope with the chaos of combat ("[Captain] Self began to sense that the shrapnel wound in his right thigh was going to cause mobility problems as the day wore on"). A Vietnam vet himself, Hirsh retains a certain scorn for the brass, especially when they evince a lack of faith in the PJ's ability to get the job done. Full of special-ops procedural, you-are-there detail, and moments of real pathos as soldiers confront the horrors of war, this book will delight military buffs. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Booklist Review
\rtf1\ansi\deff0\deflang1033\viewkind4\uc1d\f0\fs24 Medics in paratrooper gear, "PJs" are the air force's elite search-and-rescue personnel, ready in peacetime to save civilians (as recounted inack Brehm's That Others Might Live0 2000) titled after the PJ credo) and in war to save soldiers. Several missions in the latter category are covered in Hirsh's account, drawn from his interviews of pararescuemen mobilized for the war on the 9/11 terrorists in Afghanistan. Few details are left out in Hirsh's chronicle, which is dense with the minutiae of equipment, the specs of planes and helicopters, and at the crux of the matter, the medical status of the PJs' charges injured in the war zone. This detailed style might overwhelm casual readers of military affairs, but for those well acquainted with them, and with special operations in particular, Hirsh's approach captures the flavor of active duty life and the inner commitment to selflessness of the men it profiles: several PJs died on the exceedingly hazardous missions Hirsh reconstructs. In libraries where special-ops titles circulate, Hirsh's title merits consideration. 0 --Gilbert Taylor Copyright 2003 Booklist
