Jesse Odom

represented by Holly McClure

Through Our Eyes

When the first ground assault on Iraq began, Jesse Odom was only 19 years old. He sat in the commander’s seat of one of the huge converted amphibian vehicles that hauled American Marines across the desert from Kuwait to the Iraqi boarder.

Inside the vehicle they called a ‘track.’ were 18 young Marines and enough supplies to last several days. They would fire the first shots and take the first prisoners and capture Sadam’s palace. One of them would be the first American to die. In this frank and personal account, you will come to know some remarkable Marines and see a view of the war in ways you won’t see on the news.

From a review on Amazon by norm Ivey :

This is written from the heart by a man who loves his country, his fellow Marines, and his cultural place in the world. Gung ho from the start

to the end, Odom describes the intense training and preparation for the war, and the incredible chaos, excitement and boredom of the war itself. As I read of Odom’s experiences, I began to feel as if he were writing for catharsis, and indeed he confesses as much midway through the book. I am proud of and horrified by the tales he tells. It was, through most of the book, what I would have expected from a good ol’ Southern boy with a deep and abiding love for his country and family.

What I didn’t expect was the emotions and impact of the final two chapters. I wept unashamedly and anguished with Odom as he explored the war and its aftermath on him, his family, our nation, and his fellow Marines.

It matters not what your views on the war are. This book will confirm them and cause you to question them simultaneously.