Dagger 22

U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan

By: Michael Golembesky

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Level Zero Heroes, Michael Golembesky's best-selling account of Marine Special Operations Team 8222 in Bala Murghab, Afghanistan, was just the beginning for these now battle-hardened special operations warriors.

The unforgiving Afghan winter settled upon the 22 men of Marine Special Operations Team 8222, call sign Dagger 22, in the remote and hostile river valley of Bala Murghab, Afghanistan. The Taliban fighters in the region would have liked nothing more than to once again go dormant and rest until the new spring fighting season began. No chance of that - this winter would be different.

Along with Afghan and International Security Forces (NATO), the marines of Dagger 22 continued their fight throughout the harsh winter to shape the battlefield before the Afghan ground began to thaw. From one firefight to the next, the noose began to tighten around the village of Daneh Pasab and the Taliban command cell operating there. On April 6, 2010, a ground force consisting of US Army Special Forces, Afghan commandos, and Marine Corps special operations conducted a night assault to destroy the heavily entrenched Taliban force, breaking their grip on the valley and stopping the spring offensive before it even began.

But nothing in Bala Murghab comes easily, and combat operations wear on the operators of Dagger 22 as they lean on each other once again in order to complete their mission in one of the most brutal environments on earth.

©2016 Michael Golembesky (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

Not how Marines tell stories!!

As a former Marine it was really hard for me to get into this audio book. I'll have to buy the book and read it to get the hard charging, ass kicking, filthy mouth, Jarhead lingo for myself! Semper Fi Golembesky!

Great book and great story. SF

Where does Dagger 22 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks pretty high on my list, the story is great and reminds me of my time in Iraq and Afghanistan.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator is one of the worst ones I have heard. His voice is super annoying and almost made me stop listening. He tried too hard to add gruff to his voice.

true Battlefield Warriors and heroes

great example of how Battlefield Warriors Rose above all the red tape and political handcuffs we faced in Afghanistan to get the mission done the battle not only lies with the Taliban but in cases directly with our Commanders dagger 22 operators we're heroes because they defeated both the Taliban and the red tape placed on them

Couldn't stop listening

The narrator Peter Berkot is the best I've heard so far on Audible. Golembesky is a great writer, and the story is one everyone should hear. Overall great book.

Great account and story!

Loved the story however, I found the theatrics of the narrator painfully annoying almost to the point I couldn't listen to it anymore! The story was good enough to continue, but ugggh the narration in my opinion was terribly distracting!

Love it!

Listening to both his books on Audible. Narrator is spot on! Highly recommend! If you are on the fence about either book, get them both! I listen in the car and when I go running.

outstanding

As a marine veteren before the days of MARSOC, I found it to be a very good look into that world. The political landscape of war from 2009 to 2016 did not surprise me.
SSgt Ski tells a very good story. I highly recommend Dagger 22

Great book

Reading is overdramatic, breathy, and not at all the voice you hear while reading the book. The book is first rate

Great book, a tiny bit of mispronunciation.

Amazing story of Marines in combat. The only problem I had was with some of the narrator's pronunciation. The abbreviation of Observation Post, OP, is pronounced "Oh Pee", not "op", and defilade is pronounced "deh-fil-aid", not "dee-fil-odd". The mispronunciations were like nails on a chalkboard to another Marine combat vet. Otherwise, A+.

great book. horrible narrator

the book itself is excellent. great detail by the author. however, the narrator was awful. I can not express enough how bad the nararation was. mispronounced words, unfamiliarity of military language, overly emotional expression of statements, annoying tough guy gruff voice acting, overall just terrible nararation. It was very hard to focus on the story because of the over acting. The content was great though. If it wasn't for that fact I would've stopped early into the book. I completed it and it was a rough listen due to the narrator.