Echo in Ramadi: The Firsthand Story of U.S. Marines in Iraq's Deadliest City

Huesing tells it like it is…unvarnished and be damned with political correctness. We need more men like him and all of Echo Company leading our military.

This is an excellent book. Compelling, well written, I give the book five stars. Bravery, comradery, pride and love of country are all aspects in this book that are important to me as an American and should be to you also!

This was a great read. Very well written. The author does a great job describing the events he experienced. Highly recommended.

It is often said that for combat veterans, the return home to civilian life isn’t always a relief -- it’s often nightmarish. Leaving the violence and ops tempo of a war-zone for the stability of home can be difficult, in my experience – and impossible for friends and family to understand. Flashbacks and post-traumatic stress wrought by violence haunt soldiers and Marines for years, sometimes lifetimes. Few people can begin to comprehend the traumatic events suffered by our military in Iraq over a decade ago. And even fewer can effectively communicate the experience of such violent combat to others.Scott Huesing is one of these few. In his book, Echo in Ramadi, the retired U.S. Marine infantry major gives a raw and captivating account of his time commanding Echo Company throughout the 2006-2007 fight to secure Al Anbar Province. Having witnessed some of the locations and events described therein, Scott’s book is not only a riveting account of recent Middle East war history, but also an indispensable read for all Americans, today.Huesings’s depictions of daily life in the war-torn city of Ramadi -- surviving IEDS, duct-taping casualties to ‘gurneys’ made from ladders, notifying the families of the fallen -- are unthinkable to most. But throughout the horror, he weaves a distinctly human thread: Marines play X-Box, savor roast beef sandwiches, and cheerfully embrace foul language. Huesing’s voice is gritty and unrelenting, yet compassionate - and at moments, emotional. By this, he reveals his own narrative -- but he also tells his comrades’ stories as if they were his own. This mastery of perspective presents his comrades-in-arms as more than just numbers; Echo in Ramadi is the story of a soulful, hopeful brotherhood.Huesing’s narrative memorizes the lives lost in Ramadi, be they U.S. Marine, Iraqi interpreter, or friend. None is less important than another, nor is one forgotten more quickly. Even after 24 years of service, Huesing writes, the funerals never become less painful. Now, though the harsh conditions and constant exhaustion have faded, death remains stamped on the hearts and minds of these Marines, forever. Huesing’s book maintains a sense of healing power, however, and serves as a tribute to those who’ve risked it all for our freedom. While Echo in Ramadi is difficult to read, it’s even harder to put down: the heroism and pride displayed on every page makes for a uniquely American story -- and a victorious one.

This was an amazingly well-rounded recollection of the experience of not only Huesing, but of the Marines and their families that are in the book with him. After reading quite a few modern military memoirs about Iraq and Afghanistan during this time period, I have to say that though they mentioned the people they encountered, they rarely if at all, gave the perspective of the other people. As an example, Espinosa with his interesting journey back to his men after being injured is one of my favorite parts. You can tell that Huesing went beyond expectations and had thorough communications with the Marines he worked with and their families. For instance, his outreach to Mrs. Downing and the Sanchez family. Not only is it reflected in his style of writing, but his impeccable leadership and sense of brotherhood demonstrate his empathy and humility throughout the book like with a funny theory between two of my favorite guys: Spencer and Velez. Huesing added the crude Marine humor and language that I have grown comfortable with without letting it overwhelm the experience. I would definitely recommend this book to fellow military spouses or anyone interested in the military genre. I think it should be read beyond that to people in leadership as Huesing's concepts are admirable and should be taken on in any leadership role.

I purchased and read “ECHO IN RAMADI” in one sitting and I was unable to put it down. This book accurately captures the myriad of emotions that one who has served in combat experiences during their time in the theater of operations. Scott Huesing paints a picture with intricate and amazing detail of what it is to “Locate, close with and destroy...” He tells it from the often unseen perspective of an Officer in command who has to walk the tightrope of sending his boys, the Marines he loves, into harms way. When I read Huesing’s words, I’m reminded of one of the main characters in James Webb’s “FIELDS OF FIRE”, Lt. Robert E Lee Hodge; he never wavers in his duty to his Marines or to his duty to his country. Like the fictional Hodges, these two ideas are one and the same to Scott Huesing.This book had me alternately reminiscing of my time as a Grunt; living on Rip-its, Copenhagen and adrenaline, and weeping as he described the acute sting of the loss of a Marine.As a Marine, when we earn the title Marine, we inherit a legacy that goes back 244 years. Scott Huesing accurately articulates the feeling of that legacy so that someone who has never served might understand with clarity.“ECHO IN RAMADI” deserves a place on the Commandants Reading List, right alongside “GATES OF FIRE” by Steven Pressfield, and “FIELDS OF FIRE” by James Webb. It’s a phenomenal book.

This book was so great & so riveting. my cousin fought alongside the authour and it gave me a better understanding of what he and his fellow marines had to endure in their time in Iraq.