BROTHERS FOREVER

BROTHERS FOREVER                             TOM MANION & TOM SILEO 
Posted:  May 12, 2014

Four weeks after Navy SEALs had killed Osama bin Laden, President Obama stood in Arlington National Cemetery to deliver his Memorial Day address. He extolled the heroism and sacrifice of the two men buried side by side in the graves before him: Travis Manion, a fallen US Marine, and Brendan Looney, a fallen US Navy SEAL. Although they were killed three years apart, one in Iraq and one in
Afghanistan, these two former roommates and best friends were now buried together—“brothers forever.”

Award-winning journalist Tom Sileo and Travis’s father, Marine Colonel Tom Manion (Ret.), tell the intimate and personal story of how these Naval Academy roommates defined a generation’s sacrifice after 9/11, and how Travis and Brendan's loved ones overcame heartbreak to carry on in their memory. From Travis’s incredible heroism on the streets of Fallujah to Brendan’s anguished Navy SEAL training in the wake of his friend’s death and acts of heroism in the mountains of Afghanistan, Brothers Forever is a remarkable story of friendship, family, and war.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

The way I feel about this book is that I don’t think any review will give it the full and true meaning of sacrifice, duty, honor that not only these young men had and their families, but also all of the lives they have touched. Both of these men Travis Manion and Brendon Looney, got to know each other as roommates at Annapolis (Navy Academy). From the book you find out that once they meet they would have a lifelong bound and that their families would be involved as well. Upon graduation Travis follows his father’s path and goes into the Marines. Brendon stays Navy and is assigned to Navy intelligence, after training he is sent to various posts around the world. Travis ends up going on his first tour to Fallujah. They stay in touch through e mails and Brendon’s girlfriend. It is during this time that Brendon puts in for Navy Seal training, his only drawback is being colorblind but he is working out ways to overcome that. Being home less than a year Travis is sent back to Fallujah for his second tour in 2007, one of the most deadly year for our service men and women. About half way through his tour he goes in with the team because one of the other Lt. is sick. This is no second guessing all need to be alert that is what he is looking at. Now this battle scene the way the roads and buildings are and the description of the action is exceptional. The author describes looking for someone like looking for someone wearing a NY cap in Yankee Stadium. You cannot get it explained any better. When they come under fire and start getting hit you feel like you are right there. The first soldier was the Navy medic and it made me think about our friend who we had just scene, Travis goes out and pulls him to safety, the man hit is corporal Segel. Both Albino the Navy core men (Doc), and Segel would live. When the other team got there to engage the enemy retreaded. When they found Travis he was down to firing his 9mm after using all of his other ammo. Rushing back to base and into the O. R. the doctor stopped working on him. When the commander got to the hospital nurses were in the hallway crying along with grown men, his team came through to pay their last respects and then news spread through camp and 1st Recon Battalion, Travis permanent unit started filling through. The emotions for the next few chapters are hard to describe. Brandon could not make it to the funeral because he was starting Seal training. He passes that and the rest of the training and is assigned to team 3. He gets married a few days he is to be deployed to Afghanistan. He even gave Travis’s mom his pin from graduation. Brandon was on 58 mission in contact with the enemy on just every one of them. On his last one before going home the chopper he was in with part of his team and some members of 101st airborne were shot down. What always gets me about a Navy Seals passing is the pounding of their Trident onto the top of the casket and his had over 50. As in school so to in passing Travis and Brandon are buried next to one another at Arlington. There is no way I can tell you how emotional this book was for me. This is a very good story about young men of this generation who are turning into the new greatest generation. Take the time and read this story. I got this book from net galley.