When that failed and Gallagher’s story became major news, the Navy was still unable to discipline him, and the SEAL was embraced by high-level political figures, including then President Donald Trump. The institutional Navy’s response was to figure out a way to handle the situation quietly. Despite his justified fears of death, Gallagher’s concerned deputy went on to report the murder three times-only to have the Navy fail to act on each occasion. After the Mosul deployment, Gallagher was assigned to teach special operations urban warfare in the United States, and the compliant lieutenant was promoted to teach the art of command in such fights. It’s about a system that enables evil because it doesn’t want to look bad. But Gallagher’s immediate subordinate worried that if he vocally asked for an inquiry into the murder of the prisoner, Gallagher would find a way to kill him-which would be easy enough in a combat zone.īut Philipps’s book isn’t just about Gallagher. Indeed, when the commander of SEAL Team 7, Robert Breisch, was told of possible war crimes violations by members of Gallagher’s team, instead of pursuing their allegations, as was his clear and legally required duty, he told them to report the violations themselves. The chain of command above that officer was aware of Gallagher’s behavior but did nothing to constrain him. Gallagher’s immediate superior, a Navy SEAL lieutenant, was intimidated by him and went along with his misdeeds. Alpha: Eddie Gallagher and the War for the Soul of the Navy SEALs by David Philipps Crown, 480 pp.
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