Alan C. Mack - Razor 03: A Night Stalkers Wars

RAZOR 03

A NIGHT STALKERS WARS

Dedicated to the Night Stalkers who lost their lives in the service of our country. They and their families paid the ultimate sacrifice Their bravery and dedication must not be forgotten.

They loved to fight, fought to win, and would rather die than quit. NSDQ!!

A NIGHT STALKERS WARS

Alan C. Mack

First published in Great Britain in 2022 by

PEN & SWORD MILITARY

An imprint of

Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Yorkshire Philadelphia

Copyright Alan C. Mack, 2022

ISBN 978 1 39901 869 2

The right of Alan C. Mack to be identified as Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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First, I could not complete this project without the support of my family, especially my sons, Stephen and Andrew, who, as Night Stalker Kids, endured my long and frequent deployments, all the while knowing I might not come home I cant believe they followed in my footsteps. As they grew, they reversed roles with me by joining the Navy and Army; Now, I had to worry about their safety in combat I could not be more proud.

My wife Pattis persistence and positive reinforcement were crucial to my success. But, if she was the driving factor in finishing the story, I have three men in mind that truly helped make this happen.

Jim DeFelice, the NYT Best Selling Author of American Sniper , was the person who convinced me I could write a book. Hed just finished interviewing me for a book that he was writing and asked a simple question. You tell a good story; Why dont you write a book?

I didnt think I had enough experience putting words on paper that would interest others. But months later, at the movie premiere for Doug Stantons Twelve Strong , Jim once again pressed me about writing; This time, he got me. The next day I started the memoir that would become Razor 03, A Night Stalkers Wars. His periodic reviews and comments helped shape the narrative along the way.

Steven Hartov, another bestseller, and author of In the Company of Heroes , looked at my work occasionally with an eye on style. His points had to do with emotion. After reading the first draft, he said, You special operators are all the same. You make getting shot at sound like youre buying bagels. Youve got to share your real emotions. Not what you said with bullets flying, but what you felt.

I took his opinion to heart and ran with it. My emotions such as fear, loss, happiness, friendship, and love are laid bare for you, the reader.

Another successful author, and editor, Chris Evans, believed in me and my work. He ultimately convinced me that I had an exciting and engaging story He was truly the key to publishing.

Other indirect support came from the Writers Guild Initiative and Wounded Warrior Project writing workshops. Their workshop that gave me a perspective on storytelling that quite frankly made me feel good about the tales I wanted to tell. In addition, the instructors and peer writers enjoyed my vignettes enough to offer encouragement that certainly influenced my decision to continue writing.

These are my memories. The events of this book are told from my perspective as a Flight Lead and have been reviewed by the DOD Office of Prepublication and Security Review. The views expressed in this publication are mine and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the US government. Though I owe a debt of gratitude to the pilots that followed me, my crew chiefs have a special place in my heart. Not only did they prepare our helicopters, but they rode into danger with no physical control of where or how I took them to a target or objective. Their trust in my abilities to drag them into potentially hellish situations and deliver them safely home is something I will never forget. Their attitude and bravery made my story possible

I dont want to forget that many others were involved. An old axiom floats around the special operations community I dont know who said it first. Dont determine your importance to the mission based on your proximity to the X. You may be shooting on the target, putting fuel in the helicopters, feeding the crew, making sure they got paid, or were a family member. It takes the entire unit to make missions happen. So, whether a mission consisted of fellow Night Stalkers, SEALs, Special Forces, Air Force, or Army Rangers, we were all part of something much bigger than ourselves. We represented America, stood for our service, and were there for each other in good times and bad.

Last and certainly not least, I thank God that Im here to tell my story Enjoy.

Night Stalkers Dont Quit!!

Alea iacta est (Let the die be cast)

Julius Caesar

My left leg tingled as I shifted in the pilots seat. My lower back ached from the weight of body armor Chinook cockpits were notoriously uncomfortable for such a long flight. I sighed as my Night Vision Goggles struggled to amplify enough light for a clear video. It was darker than I would have liked over the bayous of Southern Louisiana. I nervously tweaked the focus, hoping to improve the picture. The moon, if it were up, would have helped, but it was nowhere in sight. A quick glance across the cockpit revealed my copilot Jethros eyes reflecting an eerie green glow from his NVGs. Damn, its dark, he said to nobody in particular.

The spacious cockpit was lit only by four multi-function displays on the instrument panel. My radar was on, augmented with the forward-looking infrared sensor, known as a . This was as good as it would get. So, I turned my attention to our front, scanning the horizon for navigation cues and hazards.

I was the flight leader of two Special Operations Chinooks and had a mission to finish.

I was mad about the last back-and-forth conversation on the radio.

Id just argued with the Air Mission Commander riding in Chalk Two. He and I had distinct ways of doing things. He wanted me to abort the infil because he thought the poor weather would keep us from our intended target, and would rather cancel than fail. I took a second look at my map. We would not have a problem I was sure.