House to House - by David Bellavia (Paperback)

About the Book

A nominee for the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross, Sgt. Bellavia tells the raw, compelling story of how he miraculously survived a brutal tour of duty in Fallujah, Iraq. b&w photographs.

Book Synopsis

THE CLASSIC SOLDIER'S MEMOIR FROM MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT STAFF SERGEANT DAVID BELLAVIA

"A rare and gripping account of frontline combat."--LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster, author of Dereliction of Duty

"They used to say that the real war will never get in the books. Here it does, stunningly." --Thomas E. Ricks, author of Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq and Making the Corps

"To read this book is to know intimately the daily grind and danger of men at war."--Anthony Swofford, New York Times bestselling author of Jarhead

One of the great heroes of the Iraq War, Staff Sergeant David Bellavia captures the brutal action and raw intensity of leading his Third Platoon, Alpha Company, into a lethally choreographed kill zone: the booby-trapped, explosive-laden houses of Fallujah's militant insurgents. Bringing to searing life the terrifying intimacy of hand-to-hand infantry combat, this stunning war memoir features an indelibly drawn cast of characters, not all of whom would make it out alive, as well as the chilling account of the singular courage that earned Bellavia the Medal of Honor: Entering one house alone, he used every weapon at his disposal in the fight of his life against America's most implacable enemy. Bellavia has written an unforgettable story of triumph, tragedy, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Review Quotes

"House to House is a charged and honestly stark view down the rifle-sights of an infantryman during a crucial period in Iraq. Ballavia is our man with boots on the ground. To read this book is to know intimately the daily grind and danger of men at war."

-- Anthony Swofford, author of Jarhead

"House To House is a terrifically realistic account of the hardest kind of combat known to man. Staff Sergeant Bellavia puts you right there with his men as they see it. This is a must read."

-- Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin, USMC (Ret.), author of Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper

"A hair-raising tale of men in battle. House to House is about as raw and real as it gets."
-- Evan Thomas, author of Sea of Thunder

"Bellavia is the legend from Iraq. He went house-to-house in Fallujah killing the terrorists -- alone! MUST reading for all grunts."

-- Bing West, author of No True Glory

"David Bellavia shows us the stairways and alleys of Fallujah through the sights of his M-4. Politics and strategy are impossible luxuries for the combat infantryman, but Bellavia writes about even bigger themes: courage, fear, brotherhood, and duty. This is a humbling story, brilliantly told."
-- Nathaniel Fick, author of One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer

"Like St. Mihiel, Normandy, Inchon, and Khe Sanh before it, Fallujah is one of the most horrific and hard-fought battles in U.S. history. SSG David Bellavia's riveting, poignant, and at times even humorous firsthand account vividly emphasizes why this battle must never be forgotten. And why, because of the breathtaking courage of Bellavia and his fellow troops, it was won."
-- Andrew Carroll, editor of War Letters and Behind the Lines

"Staff Sgt. Bellavia brings it. This is life in the infantry, circa right now. They used to say that the real war will never get in the books. Here it does, stunningly. You may not agree with it, or like what he has to say. Read it anyway -- and then sit silently for an hour or so and contemplate what he has done on behalf of his country."
-- Thomas E. Ricks, author of Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq and Making the Corps

About the Author

Staff Sergeant David Bellavia spent six years in the US Army, including some of the most intense fighting of the Iraq War. He has been awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star for his actions in Iraq, and nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross. In 2005 he received the Conspicuous Service Cross and was inducted into the Veterans Hall of Fame. In 2019 he was awarded The Medal of Honor, the nation's highest medal for valor in combat that can be awarded to members of the armed forces. He lives in western New York.

John R. Bruning is a prolific military and aviation historian who is the author and collaborator of many bestselling books.