The book received wide acclaim and is on the required reading list for U.S. Marines and is on the Commandant's Professional Reading List.[1] Praise came from luminaries ranging from U.S. Marine Corps General Jim Mattis to award winning historians Carlo D'Este and Hampton Sides, among others.[2]
New York Times bestselling author Bing West wrote of We Were One, "A magnificent tale of combat--mixing valor, grit, love, blood, and sacrifice. This book defines what it means to be a Marine grunt."[3]
General Mattis declared the book: "a gritty, boots-on-the-ground account that enables readers to witness the overwhelming will and courage of Marines as they move against the enemy."[4]
And per the Marine Corps Times... "First-rate reading...Admirably depicts the brutal realities of street-to-street, house-to-house fighting...Captures the sensory details and emotional drama of good men killing and dying for one another and their country."[5]
That said, the book is not without its criticisms. Publishers Weekly writes "Though these Marines fought with great courage and the details of their battle make gripping reading, the author's uncritical cheerleading reduces their accomplishment to fantasy heroics."[6]
Kirkus Reviews states "Clearly reflects valor and courage, but this is hardly 'history' as most understand it."[7]
