The events in this book are all true.
Parts of my story have been retold publicly by third parties in books, in the Hollywood film Act of Valor, and in various media reports. Prior to the release of these books, media reports, and film, I was never consulted, nor did I provide any details about my story to any of these third-party reports. The complete firsthand account of what happened to me and my SEAL platoon on April 6 and 7, 2007, and the events before and after that time, have never been released until now. I have constructed the dialogue from various sources, including my own memory. Thus, the dialogue may not be exactly word for word; however, the meaning of what was said is accurate. Lastly, for security reasons I have changed the names of many of the key people and places in this story.