Sons of the Arghandab: Top Guns in the Devil's Playground

by Joseph J. Fontenot Narrated by David de Vries

Overview

Recounts the harrowing experiences of the 1-320th Field Artillery "Top Guns" Battalion as they navigated the challenges of serving as provisional infantrymen in the hostile Arghandab Valley during 2010-2011.



Sons of the Arghandab tells the story of the 1-320th Field Artillery "Top Guns" Battalion, 101st Airborne, in the Arghandab Valley, 2010-2011.



The Arghandab River Valley is known for its lush vegetation from its grape furrows and its pomegranate orchards. It's also known as the birthplace of several Taliban leaders such as Mullah Omar and Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, and was a major crossing route for weapons coming from Pakistan into Kandahar. This hostile environment had already claimed the lives of many seasoned infantrymen. But the Top Guns weren't infantrymen, they were artillerymen, deployed without their usual weapons and with minimal last-minute training, redesignated as "provisional infantrymen." Painstakingly researched by one of the Top Guns and told through the perspectives of the men who survived that terrible year, this is the harrowing story of Alpha, HHB, and Bravo Batteries as they undertook the challenges of an artillery unit charged with an infantry mission in the most hostile killing fields in Afghanistan.

Editorial Reviews

Dale J. Knollinger

"For 10 months, I traversed the Arghandab River Valley, where I came face-to-face with evil on multiple occasions, watching as nearly half of my platoon was either killed or injured. When our time (82nd Airborne) came to an end, it was the men of the 101st who were next in line. We knew they weren’t ready. No amount of training could ever prepare anyone for the hell that lurked in what we had come to call the ‘Devil’s Playground.’ To make matters worse, they were an artillery unit tasked with an infantry mission, thrust into hostile terrain that demanded more than just firepower—it required relentless will and unyielding courage.

We did our best to impart every lesson we had learned, warning them of the brutal realities ahead, hoping to spare them the hardships we had endured. But in the end, they faced similar fates, forced to navigate the same dangers we had confronted. Even with the odds stacked against them, they pushed forward, carrying on the mission we had started. With unparalleled determination, they took the foothold we had seized and completed the task of securing the entire Arghandab River Valley. Their grit, their tenacity, and their sacrifice showcase the unbreakable spirit of the American soldier. This is their story.

Captain Zak Pantaleo

"Joseph’s words don’t just tell our story; they honor it. He gives voice to our struggles and the bonds that made those struggles bearable. This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand the reality of war, not the Hollywood version, but the kind that stays with you long after the shooting stops. And for those of us who were there, it is a testament to what we lived through and the men and women we fought beside.

This is more than a book. It’s a piece of our history. And I am grateful to see it preserved honestly and respectfully."

Tarpon S. Wiseman

"This perspective is invaluable for veterans to fully reintegrate with an American society still reconciling its role in the Global War on Terror. The Top Guns from this tour of duty are emblematic of a generation that redefined counterinsurgency while in contact. As they close in on their twilight years, Fontenot eloquently maps out what it took and continues to take to live. Sons of the Arghandab presents what seems like a divine source of the purpose, an echoing reminder of the reason why—a brother’s eternal love is worth treasuring.

SSG (Ret.) Dan Baker

"The bitter losses and hard-fought victories are beautifully woven together with the crises of courage and frustrating leadership challenges that so many Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans can readily relate to. The perseverance, tenacity, and adaptability of the men and leaders is as inspiring as it is astounding. Sons of the Arghandab is an exceptional testament to those who fought there; both those that made the ultimate sacrifice and those who will bear their wounds, seen and unseen, for the rest of their days."

General David Petraeus

"The skill, adaptability, initiative, courage, and sheer determination of the Top Guns enabled them to prevail in the densely vegetated, enemy-infested Arghandab, to hold the terrain once it had been cleared, and to return to the United States as one of the most decorated units in the history of the war in Afghanistan. It was a true privilege to observe (and decorate) them then and it is truly inspirational to read about them now 15 years after they commenced their extraordinary operations. Sons of the Arghandab is a great read!"

Scott C. Schroeder

"Sons of the Arghandab by Joseph J. Fontenot is a must read. This compelling work is written from the perspective of young leaders with the wisdom and maturity of more senior and seasoned combat Veterans. The narrative vividly portrays the experiences of front-line soldiers from a field artillery battalion who were trained and transformed into a dismounted infantry unit, facing the formidable challenges of a harsh environment against a relentless and determined enemy."

Product Details

BN ID:	2940193314684
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	07/08/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

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