Thirteen Soldiers

A Personal History of Americans at War

By: John McCain, Mark Salter

Narrated by: John McCain

A personal history of war from bestselling authors John McCain and Mark Salter, told through the stories of thirteen remarkable American soldiers who fought in the nation’s major military conflicts, from the Revolution of 1776 through the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

As a veteran himself, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and a long-time student of history, John McCain brings a distinctive perspective to the experience of war. With Mark Salter, Thirteen Soldiers tells the stories of real soldiers who personify valor, obedience, enterprise, and love. You’ll meet Joseph Plumb Martin, who at the tender age of fifteen fought in the Revolutionary War; Charles Black, a freeborn African American sailor in the War of 1812; and Sam Chamberlain, of the Mexican American War, whose life inspired novelist Cormac McCarthy. Then there’s Oliver Wendell Holmes, an aristocratic idealist disillusioned by the Civil War, and Littleton “Tony” Waller, court-martialed for refusing to massacre Filipino civilians.

Each story illustrates a particular aspect of war, such as Mary Rhoads, an Army reservist forever changed by an Iraqi scud missile attack during the Persian Gulf War; Monica Lin Brown, a frontline medic in rural Afghanistan who saved several lives in a convoy ambush; and Michael Monsoor, a Navy SEAL, who smothered a grenade before it could detonate on his men in Iraq. From their acts of self-sacrifice to their astonishing valor in the face of unimaginable danger, these “inspirational accounts of thirteen Americans who fought in various wars…aptly reveal humanizing moments in such theaters of cruelty” (Publishers Weekly).

Critic reviews

“Inspirational accounts of 13 Americans who fought in various wars….McCain and Salter aptly reveal humanizing moments in such theaters of cruelty.”

"Messrs. McCain and Salter have chosen a thoughtful array of subjects....the authors have drawn a diverse group portrait of 'ordinary Americans'....Following ancient and medieval precedent, their hope is simply to use each soldier's deeds to represent a particular aspect of war: fear, duty, honor, comradeship, sacrifice and so on....We can all agree...to admire Messrs. McCain and Salter's 'ordinary people doing extraordinary things.'"

"Discerning and praiseworthy."

“The wide variety of characters involved makes for many fascinating accounts….The bulk of each section contains the history of the featured individual's engagements, pleasantly interwoven with their personal experiences. The text as a whole offers insights into life during battle….Casual readers interested in a wide sampling of U.S. military history should enjoy this book.”

“Written with thrilling immediacy, insight, and reverence for the men and women who have risked and sacrificed their lives for their country. Much more than a military history, Thirteen Soldiers brings famous battles and campaigns down to the individual scale, enhances our understanding of the costs and consequences of battle, and introduces a human dimension to the history of armed conflict.”

“Deeply personal stories that track real soldiers through conditions of trying morale…. A patriotic though unsentimental look at the major wars fought by the United States as told through the difficult experiences of ordinary soldiers…. Arizona Sen. McCain and his longtime staffer and co-author Salter again sound the themes of courage and honor represented by the regular Americans of all branches of the military.”

“These are great and powerful stories that deserve to be retold, and McCain and Salter do an admirable job of showing us why.”

“An intriguing read covering a wide swath of military history, much of it probably little known to many Americans. It takes a microscopic, individualized look at famous battles, describing them from the point of view of the soldiers who fought them…. "13 Soldiers" whets the appetite for history lovers, blending lesser-known facts into well-known battles. But it's approachable for novices, too…. McCain and Salter, a long time storytelling duo, have crafted a worthwhile read that abstains from romanticizing war yet instills a sense of pride that will touch any reader.”

"Highly enlightening."

“This instructive book is crammed with battlefield details, struggles, and strategies, along with an intriguing cast of characters and their untold stories.”

Stories of courage

John McCain, a Senator from Arizona and a former Navy aviator wrote this book about thirteen soldiers. The author identifies a single soldier, sailor, airman, or marine from each of American’s thirteen major wars to eulogize for courage under fire. The chapters follow the books basic format, setting the world stage, recalling the principal person’s prewar life and then describing the person’s performance of duty.

For example, the Civil War the authors chose Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. For the 1898 Spanish American war Edward Baker, a Buffalo Soldier cavalryman and Medal of Honor recipient. Persian Gulf War Mary Rhoads a reservist and the Afghanistan War medic Monica Lin Brown. The war of 1812 a black seaman named Charles Black. From the Viet Nam war Leo Thorsness an F-105 wild Weasel pilot, prisoner of war and Medal of Honor recipient.

The Wide variety of characters from different race and gender from each military service makes for many fascinating stories. The book as a whole offers insights into life during battle. The authors cover ordinary soldiers going through difficult experiences. The story I enjoyed the most was of Medic Monica Lin Brown. I was familiar with most of the other story told. John McCain narrates the book.

Great Story

John McCain, as much as I respect him and his service to this country, he shouldn't be reading anything for other people to listen to.....Sorry John.....

excellent read. First person accounts!

wonderful flowing account of many under looked wars, battles, and famous historical events. Strongly recommended.

All around average listen

What did you like best about Thirteen Soldiers? What did you like least?

Hearing about the soldiers from the most recent conflicts. Just returned from a deployment, interesting to hear their perspective.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Covered more of what life was like for those people in the conflicts. Too much history was covered.

Would you listen to another book narrated by John McCain?

Probably not

Was Thirteen Soldiers worth the listening time?

Yes, but it didn't grip me as much as other books I've listened to. I used it for when I was doing chores around the house and didn't mind missing some of the audio.

Fascinating and Insightful

I found the history of various individuals who fought in America's wars to be insightful and tragic as well as moving. I served as a nurse at the 91st Evac Hospital in Chu Lai, South Vietnam. I heard the stories and saw the results of men who gave all to save their comrades. The stories in this book moved me deeply. Two stood out for me, the story of the African American sailor who served so gallantly in the war of 1812 and the story of Corporal Red Cloud in Korea. Men who in their own country were often despised and faced terrible discrimination but gave their all to serve that country. Thank you for telling their stories.