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The best memoirs from 5 wars

No Bell Podcast

Veterans Chronicles

John Dailey remembers the day he decided to become a U.S. Marine. He was a young boy at a U.S. bicentennial parade in 1976. When he saw the Marine in dress uniform, he was hooked. Eleven years later, fresh out of high school, Dailey enlisted in the Marines. Soon he was guarding the U.S. embassy in Hungary while the Iron Curtain was teetering and later held the same role in Argentina. He also passed sniper and reconnaissance training. But in his first 14 years of service, he never saw combat. That is until 9/11 happened while he was half a world away. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Dailey tells us how he learned of the devastating attacks on our nation, how he was among the first Marines in Afghanistan, and the judgment and decisiveness he exercised in his first combat duties there. Then Dailey explains how he helped to stand up a U.S. Marine Corps recon unit and get it ready for service in Iraq. He also takes us along for the ride as he recounts what it took to find and capture high value targets in Iraq and how he put his sniper skills to use against allies of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Finally, Dailey details why the special operations unit was disbanded after he returned to the U.S. and how he soon worked to help establish the the Marines' own special operations command (MARSOC) and the current generation of Marine Raiders. He is also the author of "Tough Rugged Bastards: A Memoir of a Life in Marine Special Operations."

Former Action Guys

John Dailey is a retired Marine sniper who served with the experimental MARSOC Detachment 1 as the Chief Sniper. He was an original member of the unit and helped build their Sniper program from the ground up. In 2004, he and his team served in Iraq as part of a Navy Seal task unit and the snipers were successfully used to eliminate targets in Najaf.

LitWar

In this episode, we sit down with retired Marine Corps veteran John A. Dailey to delve into his debut memoir, Tough Rugged Bastards. Dailey’s powerful narrative offers a unique exploration of the gritty realities of military life, leadership, and the unyielding spirit of those who serve. Join us as we discuss his role in the early days of the Marine Corps' most elite unit, formed in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. He takes us through his military career, the transition to an MFA creative writing program, and the journey to publication. Dailey shares his insights on the intersections of leadership, resilience, and the human cost of conflict, offering listeners a profound understanding of the forces that shape military servicemen and women and their decisions. Whether you're a fan of military memoirs, leadership lessons, or personal stories of perseverance, this conversation is not to be missed. His views are his own and do not reflect those of SOCOM, MARSOC, or the DOD.

The Protectors podcast

Discover the evolution of Marine Corps special operations with our special guest, John Dailey, a seasoned Force Recon and MARSOC Marine. John narrates his journey through the ranks, culminating in the transformative period post-9/11. His firsthand accounts of deployments, particularly in Afghanistan, shed light on the dramatic shift in military tactics and the increasing value of MARSOC in high-stakes direct action operations. John's upcoming book, "Tough Rugged Bastards," serves as a testament to the resilience needed in these elite roles.

We Fight Monsters

Underrated reads review by Christopher Lynch