Author(s): Dillard Johnson

Military

As commander of the Carnivore - the most lethal Bradley Fighting Vehicle of the Iraq War - Dillard Johnson was at the forefront of the 2003 invasion. Awarded a Silver Star with Valor for his heroic efforts to save the crew of a crippled Bradley, he was personally responsible for 2,000 confirmed enemy kills. But surviving the enemy was only the beginning. Johnson would use the intensity, focus, and humor that kept him alive on the battlefield to fight stage 3 Hodgkin's Lymphoma - which developed from the radiation poisoning he suffered discharging 5,000 uranium rounds in combat-despite learning he had a 1 in 4 chance of survival. A man determined not to die, Johnson made a miraculous recovery - and then returned to Iraq for a second combat tour as an Army sniper. Performing overwatch protection for his fellow troops, he is officially credited with 121 snipers kills, believed to be the most ever by a U.S. Army sniper and second only (across all branches) to Chris Kyle. After finishing his 21-year career in the military in 2006, Johnson became a private contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now, in Carnivore, this decorated hero tells his amazing story.
Funny and exciting, Carnivore offers fresh insight into the mind and heart of a warrior and offers a look at the lives of troops on the ground not seen before. It is the story of a poor kid from Kentucky who has beaten extraordinary odds and a loving husband and a devoted father of four children, including a son with cerebral palsy. It is a story only one man can tell.