Sons of the Arghandab

Top Guns in the Devil's Playground

By: Joseph J. Fontenot

Narrated by: David de Vries

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.

©2025 Joseph J. Fontenot (P)2025 Tantor Media

survivors guilt

this is an impeccable book. told from the unusual perspective of an enlisted soldier in an artillery battery. many assume artillerymen don't get involved in combat. this is dramatic true documentation against that theory. this book shows what many experienced in their own special way.

emotionally gripping

I listened to this one after listening to 2 Charlie's story in the valley. they were both tough to listen to. we need a better way to find ied's. the ending of the book is very emotional. its so sad to hear about all those that lost the battle years later. my heart goes out to all. the author added is real life post war struggles at the end and im so happy to hear he won..

An actual human POV of war and the fight that ensues long after it's "over"

This is so well written, I found myself Unexpectedly emotional and unable to not finish it. it's rare that I fully finish an audio book so quickly.

Amazing firsthand account of one of the biggest battles of the war

This is a story worth telling just like the big battles in wars past. Many Americans know about the big battles in RC East against AQ but after 2007 the Taliban had regrouped and the orchards of RC South saw some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war. Joseph does a great job in bringing perspective to what those soldiers went through and is a must read for anyone interested in the war in Afghanistan