10 Movies And 10 Books To Consider Enjoying This Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend we take time out to remember and honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice so we can experience the freedoms we have in America.  Words can never express how grateful we are for their service and the price they paid.

Thank you.

Once again, those two words are not nearly enough but they come from a place located deep in the bottom of our hearts.  We honor you and your families.  You have our ultimate respect and admiration.

The following are 10 Movies And 10 Books To Consider Enjoying This Memorial Day Weekend.  As you take advantage of these resources, take a moment and thank God for the brave men and women of our armed forces.

We sleep better at night and go peacefully about our lives because of their skill, sacrifice, and bravery.

Movies 

The price paid by those featured in these films along with the bravery they were forced to show is simply astonishing and unexplainable.  Thank you to the movie industry for telling their stories.

1. Saving Private Ryan – A true classic from Steven Spielberg with an iconic performance from Tom Hanks. Opening with the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion under Cpt. Miller fight ashore to secure a beachhead. Amidst the fighting, two brothers are killed in action. Earlier in New Guinea, a third brother is KIA. Their mother, Mrs. Ryan, is to receive all three of the grave telegrams on the same day. The United States Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, is given an opportunity to alleviate some of her grief when he learns of a fourth brother, Private James Ryan, and decides to send out 8 men (Cpt. Miller and select members from 2nd Rangers) to find him and bring him back home to his mother.
2. Lone Survivor – Marcus Luttrell, a Navy Seal played by Mark Wahlberg, and his team set out on a mission to capture or kill notorious Taliban leader Ahmad Shah, in late June 2005. After running into mountain herders and capturing them, they were left with no choice but to follow their rules of engagement or be imprisoned. Now Marcus and his team are left to fight for their lives in one of the most valiant efforts of modern warfare.  For more on this film click 15 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Lone Survivor Movie.
3. 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story Of The Horse Soldiers – Starring Chris Hemsworth, this is the true story of the Army’s Special Forces “Green Berets”, who within weeks responded to the 9-11 attack. Green Berets, with the help of the 160th SOAR(A), took over the country and allowed other Special Forces and the rest of the conventional military to begin the more publicly visible war.  For more click 21 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers.
4. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers Of Benghazi – Libya, 2012. At an unofficial CIA base in Benghazi a group of ex-military contractors are providing security. In the aftermath of Gaddafi’s downfall a power vacuum exists and the climate is volatile. Military weapons are freely available. The US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, makes a visit to the area, staying in a compound near the CIA base. On the night of 11 September, 2012, the Ambassador’s compound is attacked by hordes of heavily armed locals. The only forces willing and able to defend it are six CIA contractors. For more click 19 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.
5. We Were Soldiers – Directed and starring Mel Gibson, this is a telling of the 1st Battalion, 7 Cavalry Regiment, 1st Calvary Division’s battle against overwhelming odds in the Ia Drang valley of Vietnam in 1965. Seen through the eyes of the battalion’s commander, Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore (played by Mel Gibson), we see him take command of the battalion and its preparations to go into Vietnam. We also see how the French had, years earlier, been defeated in the same area. The battle was to be the first major engagement between U.S. and N.V.A. forces in South Vietnam, and showed the use of helicopters as mobility providers and assault support aircraft.
6. Hacksaw Ridge – Also directed by Mel Gibson, this is the true story of Desmond T. Doss, the conscientious objector who, at the Battle of Okinawa, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his incredible bravery and regard for his fellow soldiers. We see his upbringing and how this shaped his views, especially his religious view and anti-killing stance. We see Doss’s trials and tribulations after enlisting in the US Army and trying to become a medic. Finally, we see the hell on Earth that was Hacksaw Ridge. For more click 32 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Hacksaw Ridge.
7. Greyhound – This is the second film starring Tom Hanks. Based upon the novel The Good Shepherd by C S Forester, this is the thrilling story of an Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic in 1942 as it faces relentless attack by a German submarine wolf pack. The leader of the convoy’s destroyer screen is a US Navy commander making his first Atlantic crossing. The story focuses on the his command responsibility as he fights the cold, the relentless night, the brutal sea, and his deep fatigue as he chases down the attacking submarines in the deadly game of cat and mouse. The exciting story, a thrilling ride-along with the beleaguered captain, so deeply portrays the elements of battle command that for a long period of time the book was used as a text at the US Naval Academy. For more click 25 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From The New Tom Hanks Movie Greyhound.
8. Unbroken – The life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete who joined the armed forces during the second world war. Only to be captured by the Japanese navy after a plane crash in the Pacific. During his capture, Louie must continue his fight by surviving through the war. For more click 23 Leadership Quotes And Principles From Unbroken The Movie.
9. Midway – This movie centers on the Battle of Midway, a clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy which marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater during WWII. The film, based on the real-life events of this heroic feat, tells the story of the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome the odds.  Fore more click 17 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Midway The Movie.
10. American Sniper – In this Oscar nominated film, Chris Kyle, played by Bradley Cooper, was nothing more than a Texas man who dreamt of becoming a cowboy, but in his thirties he found out that maybe his life needed something different, something where he could express his real talent, something that could help America in its fight against terrorism. So he joined the S.E.A.L.s in order to become a sniper. After marrying Tara, Kyle and the other members of the team are called for their first tour of Iraq. Kyle’s struggle isn’t with his missions, but about his relationship with the reality of the war and, once returned at home, how he manages to handle it with his urban life, his wife, and kids.

Books

These are all leadership books written from military historians, officers, and servicemen listed in alphabetical order.

1. It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff – When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Within months, he created a crew of confident and inspired problem-solvers eager to take the initiative and responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became “It’s your ship,” and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. How did Abrashoff do it? Against the backdrop of today’s United States Navy, Abrashoff shares his secrets of successful management.
2. Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram – John Boyd may be the most remarkable unsung hero in all of American military history. Some remember him as the greatest U.S. fighter pilot ever — the man who, in simulated air-to-air combat, defeated every challenger in less than forty seconds. Some recall him as the father of our country’s most legendary fighter aircraft — the F-15 and F-16. Still others think of Boyd as the most influential military theorist since Sun Tzu. 
3. The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell – In The Bomber Mafia, Malcolm Gladwell weaves together the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in central Alabama, a British psychopath, and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard to examine one of the greatest moral challenges in modern American history.  For more on this great book, click 23 Leadership Quotes From Malcolm Gladwell’s The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, A Temptation, and The Longest Night of the Second World War.
4. Navy SEALs: The Combat History of the Deadliest Warriors on the Planet by Don Mann – From their birth in World War II as combat swimmers clearing the beaches of Normandy to their evolution into fighting men who could operate anywhere in the world by sea, air, or land, the intrepid story of the US Navy SEALs is one of courage, sacrifice, and world-renowned toughness that echoes of other great military units of history—the Spartans, the Roman legions, or the samurai. Take a look inside to find out what makes the SEALs America’s deadliest warriors.
5. Leadership in War: Essential Lessons from Those Who Made History by Andrew Martin – Taking us from the French Revolution to the Cold War, Andrew Roberts presents a bracingly honest and deeply insightful look at nine major figures in modern history: Napoleon Bonaparte, Horatio Nelson, Winston Churchill, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, George C. Marshall, Charles de Gaulle, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Margaret Thatcher. Each of these leaders fundamentally shaped the outcome of the war in which their nation was embroiled. Is war leadership unique, or did these leaders have something in common, traits and techniques that transcend time and place and can be applied to the essential nature of conflict?
6. Turn the Ship Around!: A True Story of Turning Followers into Leaders by L. David Marquet – Since Turn the Ship Around! was published in 2013, hundreds of thousands of readers have been inspired by former Navy captain David Marquet’s true story. Many have applied his insights to their own organizations, creating workplaces where everyone takes responsibility for his or her actions, where followers grow to become leaders, and where happier teams drive dramatically better results.
7. Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis – Call Sign Chaos is the account of Jim Mattis’s storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East. Along the way, Mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas—and short-sighted thinking—now facing our nation. He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars.  Mattis divides his book into three parts: Direct Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Strategic Leadership.
8. Leaders: Myth And Reality by General Stanley McChrystal – Stan McChrystal served for thirty-four years in the US Army, rising from a second lieutenant in the 82nd Airborne Division to a four-star general, in command of all American and coalition forces in Afghanistan. During those years he worked with countless leaders and pondered an ancient question: “What makes a leader great?” He came to realize that there is no simple answer.  McChrystal profiles thirteen famous leaders from a wide range of eras and fields—from corporate CEOs to politicians and revolutionaries. He uses their stories to explore how leadership works in practice and to challenge the myths that complicate our thinking about this critical topic.
9. Walk in My Combat Boots: True Stories from America’s Bravest Warriors by James Patterson – Walk in my Combat Boots is a powerful collection crafted from hundreds of original interviews by James Patterson, the world’s #1 bestselling writer, and First Sergeant US Army (Ret.) Matt Eversmann, part of the Ranger unit portrayed in the movie Black Hawk Down.  These are the brutally honest stories usually only shared amongst comrades in arms. Here, in the voices of the men and women who’ve fought overseas from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, is a rare eye-opening look into what wearing the uniform, fighting in combat, losing friends and coming home is really like. Readers who next thank a military member for their service will finally have a true understanding of what that thanks is for.
10. Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink – Combat, the most intense and dynamic environment imaginable, teaches the toughest leadership lessons, with absolutely everything at stake. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin learned this reality first-hand on the most violent and dangerous battlefield in Iraq. As leaders of SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, their mission was one many thought impossible: help U.S. forces secure Ramadi, a violent, insurgent-held city deemed “all but lost.” In gripping, firsthand accounts of heroism, tragic loss, and hard-won victories, they learned that leadership―at every level―is the most important factor in whether a team succeeds or fails. 

I hope you enjoy these resources and don’t forget to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

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