Fortune Favors Boldness | the Story of Naval Valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom

By Barry Costello

'Fortune Favors Boldness' is the motto of the U.S. Navy's Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1 (CCDG-1). That team led the Constellation Strike Group throughout 2002-2003, when 'America's Flagship, ' USS Constellation (CV 64), made its historic last deployment to the Arabian Gulf to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. FORTUNE FAVORS BOLDNESS--this book--documents the incredible professionalism of the Sailors and Marines who operated in harm's way in the dangerous waters of the Northern Arabian Gulf, on the ground in Iraq and in the air over the country in 2003. It tells a story of epic events and bravery from the perspective of retired Vice Admiral Barry Costello, the commander of this force.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adducent
• Release date: Jun 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986085920

Barry Costello

Vice Admiral Costello retired from the U.S. Navy in 2007 after serving 34 years on multiple ships, ultimately commanding the U.S. 3rd Fleet, responsible for naval operations in the eastern Pacific. While serving in the Pentagon, Vice Admiral Costello felt the building shake on September 11, 2001, when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 77, a cowardly act by terrorists. He led the Constellation Strike Group to war in 2003 during OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM to execute the United States mission in the Global War on Terrorism. Today, he consults with a variety of companies and pursues his passion for leadership by mentoring U.S. and international military leaders in courses sponsored by the Naval War College. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Book preview

Dedication

To the men and women of the Constellation Strike Group and all the Sailors, Marines, Coastguardsmen, Airmen, and Soldiers they represent, who deploy for extended periods of time away from their families on behalf of their country. They are motivated by patriotism and love of freedom, appreciating that freedom is not free. Their dedication inspired me every day and night during combat operations and continues to make me proud to have worn the cloth of our nation with them.

Introduction

Fortune Favors Boldness is the motto of the U.S. Navy’s Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1 (CCDG–1). That team led the Constellation Strike Group throughout 2002–2003. This is when "America’s Flagship," USS Constellation (CV 64), made its historic last deployment to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This story of epic events and bravery of Sailors and Marines in harm’s way is told from the perspective of retired Vice Admiral Barry Costello who was the commander of this force. It reflects his view on the planning, preparation, and execution of operations in wartime. Leadership lessons are provided throughout this story.

Foreword

The seeds of Fortune Favors Boldness were planted by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Citizens awoke the next day to a new world reality, that fortress America was no longer impervious to the terrorism that was plaguing countries around the world.

Citizens came together and volunteers from all walks of life flooded military recruiting stations with a sense of duty to protect our foundation of freedom. Many volunteers became part of the Constellation Strike Group. They came from all parts of the country, and from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This team of 7,500 men and women became the heart and soul of the ships that constituted the strike group fighting force.

This group would begin training in June 2002 and would emerge five months later as a seasoned team focused on the details of warfighting. The hard-fought lessons learned off the waters of San Diego would prove to be critical. The subsequent transit west across the Pacific and Indian oceans provided additional opportunities to sharpen the sword. By December 2002, as the strike group transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Arabian Gulf, they were ready to take command of Task Force 50–directing coalition naval operations at sea in the Naval Forces Central Command/United States 5th Fleet area of operations, headquartered in Bahrain.

The Constellation Strike Group leadership team had experienced many deployments to the Arabian Gulf. As commander of 5th Fleet, I folded this talented group into my team as we prepared for a military response in Iraq against terrorism. Months of coordination at all levels by the U.S. military and coalition partners were required to groom war plan 1003V–named Operation Iraqi Freedom. Wartime operations would be dangerous. There was much to take into consideration to fight against a dug in adversary who could be expected to fight with chemical and mine warfare. We had the solemn responsibility of ensuring mission success while minimizing loss of life of our servicemen and the Iraqi people.

The opening days of Operation Iraqi Freedom were dynamic as we executed a complex war plan that involved thousands of moving parts at sea, in the air, and on the ground. The pace of success of the initial military operations against Saddam Hussein’s forces exceeded all expectations.

Fortune Favors Boldness tells this story from Vice Admiral Costello’s perspective at sea on Constellation. He provides insights into the thinking at all levels, from President Bush to the Sailors who plied the waters and dominated the airspace of the Northern Arabian Gulf and Southern Iraq. Like Admiral Costello, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve during this critical time in our nation’s history and to have had the honor to lead. My note to the Sailors and Marines of 5th Fleet on 18 March 2003 set the tone for all that was to follow:

"… You will be called upon for sacrifice, for strenuous labor, for gut-wrenching, split-second decisions. You will make the right call; you will find a reservoir of strength and wisdom. I know you will because you have been schooled in the traditions of our glorious service, our United States Navy.

Now it is time for us to go to work. Do so aggressively, intelligently, with audacity and courage. Go fully confident that you have earned the support of your countrymen and of millions of freedom-loving people around the world.

May God continue to bless you and your families, and may He hold each of you in the palm of His hand now and always."

I hope you enjoy reading this story that captures the heroic combat action of the Navy/Marine/Coast Guard/Coalition team at sea as they supported the ground advance to Baghdad in 2003. Today’s Navy continues to benefit from Operation Iraqi Freedom lessons learned as it prepares for potential future conflict in an increasingly dangerous world marked by great power competition.

–Timothy J. Keating, Admiral, USN (Retired)

July 6, 2018

Reflections of a Blackshoe Sailor

There is a long tradition associated with the color of shoe worn by naval officers. Surface and submarine officers wear black, while aviators wear brown (originally approved in 1913)—the distinction noted by each community with pride.

This poem, Reflections of a Blackshoe Sailor, captures my love of the adventure of the sea. It was sent to me by retired Operations Specialist Senior Chief Ed Loudenslarger, a seasoned leader who fully appreciated his responsibility to train junior officers. He was wonderfully patient with Ensign Costello (gunnery liaison officer) on my first ship, the mighty USS Brownson (DD 868) in 1974. We were shooting for the Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS) qualification and succeeded because of his steady hand on the oar during the effort. Now it was 2002, and I was in command of the Constellation Strike Group. He thought it appropriate to remind me of my roots. This poem summarizes the experience of going to sea and encompasses my frame of reference for Fortune Favors Boldness.

I liked standing on the bridge wing at sunrise with salt spray in my face and clean ocean winds whipping in from the four quarters of the globe—the ship beneath me feeling like a living thing as her engines drove her swiftly through the sea.

I liked the sounds of the Navy—the piercing trill of the boatswain’s pipe, the syncopated clangor of the ship’s bell on the quarterdeck, the harsh squawk of the 1MC (microphone), and the strong language and laughter of Sailors at work.

I liked Navy vessels—darting destroyers, fleet auxiliaries and amphibious ships, sleek submarines and steady, solid aircraft carriers.

I liked the proud names of Navy ships: Midway, Lexington, Saratoga, Coral Sea, Antietam, Valley Forge, Bunker Hill—memorials of great battles won and tribulations overcome.

I liked the names of Navy tin-cans—Milius, Higgins, Thach, Elliot—mementos to heroes who went before us.

I liked the tempo of a Navy band blaring through the topside speakers as we pulled away from the oiler after refueling at sea.

I liked liberty call and the spicy scent of a foreign port.

I even liked the never-ending paperwork and the all-hands working parties as my ship filled herself with the multitude of supplies, both mundane and exotic, which she needed to cut ties to the land and carry out her mission anywhere on the globe where there was water to float her.

I liked Sailors, officers and enlisted from all parts of the land, farms of the Midwest, small towns from New England, from the cities, from the mountains and the prairies, from all walks of life. I trusted and depended on them as they trusted and depended on me, for professional competence, for comradeship, for strength and courage. In a word, they were shipmates then and forever.

I liked the surge of adventure in my heart when the word was passed: Now set the sea and anchor detail—all hands to quarters for leaving port, and I liked the infectious thrill of sighting home again, with the waving hands of welcome from family and friends waiting pier side.

I liked the serenity of the sea after a day of hard ship’s work, as flying fish flitted across the wave tops and sunset gave way to night.

I liked the feel of the Navy in darkness—the masthead and range lights, the red and green navigation lights and the stern light, the pulsating phosphorescence of radar repeaters—they cut through the dusk and joined with the mirror of stars overhead. And I liked drifting off to sleep lulled by the myriad noises large and small that told me that my ship was alive and well and that my shipmates on watch would keep me safe.

I liked quiet midwatches with the aroma of strong coffee—the lifeblood of the Navy—permeating everywhere.

I liked hectic watches when the exacting minuet of haze-gray shapes racing at flank speed kept all hands on a razor edge of alertness.

I liked the sudden electricity of General Quarters, General Quarters, all hands man your battle stations, followed by the hurried clamor of running feet on ladders and the resounding thump of watertight doors as the ship transforms herself in a few brief seconds from a peaceful workplace into a weapon of war—ready for anything.

I liked the sight of space-age equipment manned by youngsters clad in dungarees and sound-powered phones that their grandfathers would still recognize.

I liked the traditions of the Navy and the men and women who made them. I liked the proud names of Navy heroes: Halsey, Nimitz, Perry, Farragut, John Paul Jones, and Burke. A Sailor could find much in the Navy: comrades in arms, pride in self and country, and mastery of the seaman’s trade. An adolescent could find adulthood.

In years to come, when Sailors are home from the sea, they will still remember with fondness and respect, the ocean in all its moods—the impossible shimmering mirror calm and the storm-tossed green water surging over the bow. And then there will come again a faint whiff of stack gas, a faint echo of engine and rudder orders, a vision of the bright bunting of signal flags snapping at the yardarm, a refrain of hearty laughter in the wardroom and chief’s quarters and the mess decks.

Gone ashore for good they will grow wistful about their Navy days when the seas belonged to them, and a new port of call was ever over the horizon.

Remembering this, they will stand taller and say, I was a Sailor once. I was a part of the greatest Navy the world has ever seen, and the Navy will always be a part of me!

–Vice Admiral Harold Koenig, USN (Retired)

[with slight modifications]

Prologue

Tradition

I often say that I am the luckiest guy on the planet. This is true for many reasons. In the context of this book, it is because the Navy leadership allowed me the privilege to command three units with sacred history. These were units led by heroes Elliot, Burke, and Halsey.

USS Elliot (DD 967) (I served as the captain in 1992). This Spruance class destroyer was named after Lieutenant Commander Arthur J. Elliot II, commanding officer of Patrol Boat River Squadron 57, killed in action in Vietnam in 1968. Elliot was a native of Maine, the oldest of three brothers. They all served in Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement and professional skill and courage, and the Purple Heart for his actions. His commander in Vietnam, former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Elmo Zumwalt Jr., attended the ship’s commissioning ceremony.

Destroyer Squadron 23, the Little Beavers (I served as the commodore in 1996). This squadron received its nickname from Commodore Arleigh Burke during South Pacific operations in the early days of World War II. Burke led this squadron of destroyers to victory against the Japanese surface force, turning the tide of the fight for control of the waters in the Coral Sea northeast of Australia. He developed warfighting techniques that resulted in success for the remainder of the campaign. This tactical acumen and dynamic leadership in combat foreshadowed his later success as chief of naval operations.

3rd Fleet (I served as commander in 2005). This fleet was made famous because of its exploits in World War II. Hit hard, hit fast, hit often, was Fleet Admiral Bull Halsey’s guidance to the force as they took the fight to the Japanese in the Pacific. He was the driving force at sea, and his persistence led to the capitulation of the Japanese navy.

Tradition runs deep in our United States Navy. I am truly honored and humbled to follow in the footsteps of these three American Navy heroes. This story and lessons from my command of Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1, the Constellation Strike Group, and Task Force 55 follow the long tradition of learning from our predecessors.

9/11/2001

I was a rear admiral serving in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. My assignment on the Joint Staff was deputy director for strategy and policy in the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (J5). The day was sunny and clear. As we began the business of the day, the TV pictures of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center flashed on the screen. The gravity of this was not lost on any of us. We watched in horror as the second tower was attacked, and a new reality set in.

My mind instantly went to my son Aidan, who was in New York City attending the School of Visual Arts on the lower east side, a few blocks from the tragedy. He would later tell of the flood of dust that poured down the streets of Manhattan.

Then all hell broke loose. Airborne planes were contacted and grounded. The two that did not respond were headed to Washington D.C. The passengers of hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 heroically caused their aircraft to crash in a rural Pennsylvania field. Hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 was rerouted by the terrorists to a tragic path toward the Pentagon. Minutes later it impacted the western side of the building, and 125 Pentagon workers plus 64 on the airplane died as a result.

Citizens from more than 90 countries died that day from these acts of terror, innocent men, women, and children from across the globe. Stories of heroes displaying extraordinary acts of valor were the order of the day.

President Bush addressed the American people that evening:

Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts… These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation… America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.

September 11 was about a cowardly attack. September 12 was about the beginning of a focused response. That day, 22,000 people returned to a Pentagon building that was still burning, with smoke pouring forth. People streamed in with grim determination on their faces, ready to pick up the pieces. It was inspiring. I am reminded of the phrase… it is not what happens when you get knocked down that matters, it is how you respond and move forward when you get up that makes the difference.

The Pentagon repair team immediately adopted the slogan Let’s Roll, honoring the heroic words and actions of Todd Beamer on Flight 93 as he led the passengers to charge the terrorists. Proud to be an American stickers sprouted up everywhere.

President Bush came to the Pentagon that day to address the Joint Chiefs. Among his other messages, he looked at Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Richard Myers, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Staff of the Army General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff of the Air Force General John Jumper, Commandant of the Marine Corps General James Jones, and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Peter Pace, and said to each of them—one at a time—Do not ever forget what happened yesterday. One of the meeting attendees said it felt like the beginning of the next chapter in our nation’s history.

There had been no plan of action for how to deal with an attack originating from inside the country. Planning always had focused on combat operations overseas, with fortress America being secure. September 11 was the ignition switch for greater efforts to secure our borders and increase focus on fighting terrorism. The world would never be the same. The impact of the airplanes is still felt today.

Axis of Evil

It was evident that President Bush was prepared to take military action against countries that supported international terrorist groups. When he spoke to the American people in his State of the Union Address in January 2002, he stated, The price of indifference would be catastrophic. He used the Axis of Evil moniker to describe Iran, Iraq and North Korea—countries that supported terrorists.

In the case of Iraq, the economic element of national power had been used for years as an instrument to entice compliance with United Nations imposed sanctions. This had resulted in limited success. In 2002, the political and diplomatic elements were rising in priority. The press wrote frequent articles about the roles of the Congress, State Department, and Defense Department in advising the president on options for moving forward. All elements of the government decision-making process were engaged, with the Department of Defense and the military instrument now receiving additional attention.

Several factions emerged within the administration. Secretary of State Colin Powell led a group consisting of Brent Scowcroft, James Baker, Norman Schwarzkopf, and others. They insisted that if an invasion of Iraq were to occur, it must take place in the context of an anti-terrorism coalition. This group reflected the interests of European leaders as well as Arab states. They did not oppose an invasion, but the coalition integrity was preeminent.

On the other side was the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. They were convinced that the evolution in warfighting capabilities would allow an attack on Iraq without relying on either European or regional coalition partners. They proposed the use of special operations forces to topple the terrorist-supporting Iraqi regime, without the need for utilizing massive ground and air forces or allies in the region.

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice indicated where the president stood:

No one goes to the use of military force lightly, most especially this president who is deliberative, who, even when we were brutally attacked on 9/11, took his time in assembling a coalition, making sure we had a good military plan… And he will be deliberative here. He has not determined that the use of force is the best option.

Others clearly stated their positions:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers:

The only thing I would say, if the president decides that military action is needed against Iraq, the U.S. armed forces and our allies will prevail.

The Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Vern Clark:

The President of the United States said we are going to keep them on the run. The Commandant and I sent a letter to the secretary of defense that said, ‘Your answer to that is the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. If you’re going to keep them on the run, you’ve got to be out and about, and we are out and about’.

In the meantime, concerns were raised over the preparedness of the military services to execute a complex mission against a dug in adversary such as in Iraq. The Peace Dividend from the end of the Cold War had reduced the force significantly—by 40%. The Army had dropped from 750,000 to 460,000 Soldiers since 1991; the Navy moved from 450 to 315 ships, and aircraft carriers from 15 to 12; the Marine Corps had successfully preserved its size; while the Air Force was as small as it had been since its inception in 1949, with a fighter force average age per airframe of 20 years. Significant capability, and therefore responsibility, had been placed in the Reserves and National Guard in this interval. Questions were in the air as to the potential for a high number of casualties; whether U.S. armed forces were spread too thin based on the reduction and the continuing multiple commitments around with world; and most importantly would we be required to garrison forces in Iraq for years to come.

Plans for a possible attack on Iraq began materializing in 2002 and were groomed in early 2003. War planning efforts were led by the Central Command (CENTCOM) out of their Tampa, Florida headquarters. CENTCOM was responsible for U.S. military operations in the Middle East. General Tommy Franks was the commander, and he would run through many iterations of plans with Secretary Rumsfeld before the final plan was reviewed and approved by President Bush.

Coalition maritime forces would support both the land and air efforts in the overall campaign plan, called 1003V. Coalition ships would patrol the waterways around the Arabian Peninsula—from the Red Sea, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, to the Northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman, through the Strait of Hormuz, and ultimately the Arabian Gulf—such that troops and logistics could flow unencumbered into the fight. Additionally, naval aircraft would provide the preponderance of air support in the first days of major hostilities because they did not have to get permission from host nations but could fly directly into the fight from international waters.

Plans for the overall Global War on Terrorism evolved to deal with the Axis of Evil. Task Forces would be created. The mettle of every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and Coastguardsman would be tested. Now, serving as a strike group commander, I would lead a deployment to carry on the military’s engagement in the war on terror in the Arabian Gulf in the spring of 2003.

Genesis of Fortune Favors Boldness

A May 2014 article in Proceedings magazine by Lieutenant Commander Christopher Nelson entitled Where Have All the Naval Memoirs Gone? correctly suggests a dearth of writings from Navy leaders over the last several decades, from which the current and future generations can benefit. …someday a young officer is going to turn to the bookshelves and wonder what challenges the U.S. Navy faced in the early 21st Century, and all he or she will see will be gaping holes where there should be bowing shelves. Junior personnel have made it clear to me that they want to know what happened, why certain decisions were made, what was the thought process, and what can they learn from the operations in 2003. It is now July 4, and I want to respond to their requests for information.

In Edmund Morgan’s American Heroes, Profiles of Men and Women Who Shaped Early America, he writes about a wide variety of people who made a difference, with the common thread being their leadership. He focuses on the lesser known players in our history, who in their own way, contributed greatly. Similarly, here I tell the story of the brave service men and women who quietly led in the engine rooms, on the flight decks, in the combat centers, in rigid-hulled inflatable boats in the middle of the night, in the air, and on the ground in Southern Iraq.

The story of the U.S. Navy exploits in the Arabian Gulf in 2003 was well known across the Atlantic by our closest ally. In 2004, the Navy staff received a notice from the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. informing that Vice Admiral Tim Keating (the Navy Component Commander in the Gulf during Operation Iraqi Freedom) and I had been endorsed to receive the award of The Most Honorable Order of the Bath and the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire respectively. These are Honorary Orders of Knighthood, bestowed by Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II, who formally approved the awards on 25 January 2005.

Yet heroics of the U.S. Navy, while initially well covered by the embedded press, were not as well known by the American people. There had been a conscious effort by the leadership to downplay Navy successes in the interest of Jointness. The Army and Marine Corps were slugging it out on the ground, and the Air Force was frustrated by Saudi Arabian flying restrictions. Thus, chances to take photos of three or four carriers operating together in the Arabian Gulf did not occur, and other public affairs opportunities to highlight Navy successes were minimized.

Naval operations played a pivotal role in creating conditions for the initial success of the land and air campaigns. A force of 147 ships operated in the theater. Many of these ships were part of the coalition, while others independently supported operations.

This book tells the story of events carried out by sailors of many nations in the waters of the Arabian Gulf in the spring of 2003:

How Navy SEALs opened the war effort by capturing 41 Iraqi soldiers on the major oil terminals in the Northern Arabian Gulf—after learning from United Nations Oil for Food representatives that the Iraqis had orders to blow up these platforms. Today more than 90% of the economy of Iraq is derived from the oil that flows through those terminals.

How 802 Tomahawk missiles were fired from ships and submarines in the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea—with superb execution and flawless precision—to pave the way for our forces by knocking out radar sites, aircraft and airfields, and a wide variety of other critical command and control facilities.

How heroic aviators flew off the decks of three aircraft carriers in the Arabian Gulf (two others operated from the Mediterranean) 24-hours-a-day in all types of weather—challenging their skills honed over years of training—to provide air cover for Soldiers and Marines as they headed north to take Baghdad.

How young men and women patrolled the waters at the mouth of the Northern Arabian Gulf in rigid-hull inflatable boats 24-hours-a-day—capturing three tugs and a barge with 86 mines destined for the middle of the Gulf—saving countless lives and preventing the destruction of ships.

How coalition mine countermeasures ships and helicopters cleared hundreds of miles of waterspace, creating a swept channel that allowed the U.K. ship RFA Sir Galahad (L 3005) to transport humanitarian aid into Iraq.

How Sailors and Marines performed extraordinarily during every mission.

This is their story. I will do my best to tell the tale of how collectively naval leadership created the environment where they could succeed.

This is not meant to be an authoritative resource. It is my recollections from the deck of Constellation. If the book is remiss in any fashion, the mistake is solely mine, and for that, I take full responsibility. Fortunately, I have used my notes, daily activity briefings I provided to the embedded press, and the press accounts from news outlets broadcasting around the world. Additionally, many shipmates who were in the fight in the Gulf at the time, including from Australia, Kuwait, and the United Kingdom, have stepped forward to provide firsthand perspectives on events.

My goal is to place you on the deck of Constellation, in the air with pilots as they flew missions into the night over Iraq, with the brave Sailors who plied the waters of the Northern Arabian Gulf, and ashore in Umm Qasr as naval forces moved into Iraq. Along the way, I provide personal background and leadership lessons; lessons I continue to offer today to rising admirals and generals in courses around the world sponsored by the Naval War College. I also pass these lessons along to deploying strike group commanders as they head overseas to stand the watch and execute the National Military Strategy, and to officers assigned to fleet staffs. (These lessons will be noted in italics throughout the book.)

I write this story for those Sailors, Marines, and Coastguardsmen who served in the Arabian Gulf in this timeframe, to recount their stories. It is for veterans of all times and services, as they truly appreciate the challenges highlighted in coordinating operations across a wide theater with thousands of participants from many nations. It is for the American people, such that they can appreciate the sacrifices of their young heroes who stood the watch to protect their security. It is a leadership book, with an emphasis on lessons to help those who follow in our footsteps. And it is a great adventure story that deserves the light of day.

Military organizations are rich with acronym usage. I’ve provided a comprehensive glossary of terms at the end of the book as a navigational aid.

Finally, there are four Appendices:

Blessed: My background growing up in Vermont.

Mentors and Early Leadership Lessons: The talented people who helped mold my leadership style.

Letters from Commanders: Senior officer correspondence to the Constellation team.

Daily Press Briefings: A chronological detail of daily events.

Please take the time to read these as they are central to my goal of passing along lessons from my experience and those of others. I hope you enjoy the book and come away with a better appreciation of the events of that time, and the people who made a