The silence of a pre-dawn October morning at Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan was a fragile illusion. Staff Sergeant Clinton Romesha, a man with a welder's hands and a soldier's heart, knelt to check on his men. Seconds later, everything changed.
A cataclysmic barrage of gunfire, rockets, and mortars. A flash of chaos. Silence. The Battle of Kamdesh had just begun.
But this wasn't just a battle-it was the beginning of something greater.
Amid the smoke and chaos, he rallied his small force. Wounded and outnumbered, he led a desperate counterattack to reclaim the outpost, fighting inch by bloody inch. His voice was strong. His message was clear. We are still here.
Clinton's story isn't just about war. It's about grit. It's about brotherhood. It's about honor. From a quiet life in California to the highest military honor, Clinton Romesha became a voice for the forgotten heroes-and an example of how to turn unimaginable loss into powerful purpose.
Today, millions know him from his book, "Red Platoon," or his tireless advocacy for veterans. But long before that, he was just a kid from Lake City with big dreams, a stubborn spirit, and a heart full of service.
This book tells the story of a soldier who gave everything to his men, and in doing so, found a whole new path. It's about the road back-through grief, hard-won triumphs, and the quiet truth of what it means to be a hero. And most of all, it's about enduring courage.