Synopses & Reviews
On October 12, 2000, eleven months before the 9/11 attacks, the USS Cole docked in the port of Aden in Yemen for a routine fueling stop.and#160; At 1118, on a hot, sunny morning, the 8,400-ton destroyer was rocked by an enormous explosion. The shipandrsquo;s commander, Kirk Lippold, felt the ship violently thrust up and to the right, as everything not bolted down seemed to float in midair. Tiles tumbled from the ceiling, and the ship was plunged into darkness, beginning to sink. In a matter of moments Lippold knew that the Cole had been attacked. What he didnandrsquo;t know was how much the world was changing around him.and#160;The bombing of the Cole was al Qaedaandrsquo;s first direct assault against the United States and expanded their brazen and deadly string of terrorist attacks throughout the Middle East. In this gripping first-person narrative, Lippold reveals the details of this harrowing experience leading his crew of valiant sailors through the attack and its aftermath. Seventeen sailors died in the explosion and thirty-seven were woundedandmdash;but thanks to the valor of the crew in the perilous days that followed, the ship was saved.and#160;Yet even with al Qaedaandrsquo;s intentions made clear in an unmistakable act of war, the United States government delayed retaliating. Bureaucrats and politicians sought to shift and pin blame as they ignored the danger signaled by the attack, shirking responsibility until the event was ultimately overshadowed by 9/11.and#160;Front Burner captures a critical moment in Americaandrsquo;s battle against al Qaeda, telling a vital story that hasandmdash;until nowandmdash;been lost in the fog of the war on terror.
Review
William J. Perry, 19th Secretary of Defense
"Front Burner is a personal story of loss, and pain - but it is also a story of courage, determination, respect, honor, and integrity that each and every man and woman on the USS Cole demonstrated that day, on September 11, 2001 and indeed today. This book and the story of the men and women that it recounts is an inspiration.”
Kirkus Reviews
Lippold delivers a personal, opinionated account of the last outrage before 9/11 which should have galvanized our leaders but didnt.”
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
Compelling and poignant
[Lippold] ends his main narrative on a high note, writing, The crew of USS Cole saved their ship and their shipmates. All of them are my heroes. Reading this book or passing the somber Cole memorial at Norfolk Naval Station, one can feel only that they are our heroes as well.”
Huntington News
"Front Burner" is an important work of military history and stands as an essential recounting of a critical moment in America's battle against Al Qaeda.”
History Net
An earnestly told tale of bravery and determination. It provides gripping detail about the Cole attackmuch of it not previously revealedas well as its grisly aftermath
It opens a pre-9/11 window into the government's failure to share intelligence with those most in need of it. Lippold saves his most generous words for his crew's magnificent performance in casualty assistance and damage control during the days following the attack, when the flooding of two of the ship's engine rooms threatened to sink it. His pride in the crew's performance is palpable.”
Synopsis
The former Commander of the USS Cole tells the full story of the deadly terrorist attack on his ship and its frustrating, fateful aftermath
Synopsis
On October 12, 2000, eleven months before the 9/11 attacks, Al Qaeda detonated a bomb alongside the USS Cole in the port of Aden in Yemen. The ships commander, Kirk Lippold, knew in a matter of moments that the Cole had been attacked. What he didnt know was how much the world was changing around him.
In this gripping first-person narrative, Lippold reveals the details of his harrowing experience leading a crew of valiant sailors through the deadliest terrorist attack on an American warship in history. Hell also explain how bureaucrats and politicians reacted to the attack, ignored the dangerous warning signs it foretold, and avoided responsibility before the event was overshadowed by 9/11. An essential recounting of a critical moment in Americas battle against Al Qaeda, Front Burner details a crucial story that has until now been lost in the fog of the war on terror.
About the Author
Commander Kirk Lippold was the commanding officer of the USS Cole during Al Qaeda's attack in October 2000. Lippold's personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon, among others. He retired from the Navy in 2007 and remains active in current events and national security affairs. He lives in Carson City, Nevada.