Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Team House
Episode: 1000+ Missions with the 75th Ranger Regiment | Nicholas Moore
Date: November 19, 2025
Hosts: Jack Murphy & David Bark
Guest: Nicholas Moore (Ranger Regiment Veteran, Author of "Run to the Sound of the Guns")

Overview

This episode is a deep-dive oral history of U.S. Army Ranger Nicholas Moore, who served from private to platoon sergeant in the 2nd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He recounts over a thousand missions and 13 combat deployments, touching on pivotal moments including the Jessica Lynch rescue, Operation Red Wings and the recovery of Marcus Luttrell, the Extortion 17 disaster, and the evolution of Ranger operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Moore discusses leadership, trauma, brotherhood, and changes in special operations culture, offering a firsthand, unvarnished account of 21st-century warfare.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life and Ranger Entry

• Nicholas's Motivation to Join: Grew up in Newton, Kansas; pragmatically saw the Army as a means to avoid student loans and embrace adventure. Inspired by a recruiter and the active lifestyle of the Ranger Regiment.

• “Some of us do it and end up going to school, and some of us don’t, and we just end up staying in the military.” [02:23; Nicholas]

• Family Military Service: Mostly Navy-affiliated family; he and his identical twin brother broke the tradition by joining the Army and pursuing the Rangers.

• “My grandpa didn’t talk to me for, like, three weeks because he was mad, really, we didn’t join the Navy.” [04:33; Nicholas]

• Joining with His Twin: Both went through basic, Airborne, and RIP together, stayed together in 2/75 until their careers split in 2004-05.

Training & 9/11

• RIP Experience (1999, Pre-9/11): Reflects on a challenging, comrade-driven experience, emphasizing the mental resilience learned.

• “You have a starting point to learn what suck is.” [05:50; Nicholas]

• Ranger School During 9/11:

  • Initially thought the news of the attacks was a motivational ploy.
  • Realization came after being allowed to watch live news.
  • Training accelerated after attacks; pass rates adjusted to get soldiers back to units for war.
  • “At that point, the RIs knew the writing on the wall... the point was to get the guys back to the units as fast as possible.” [09:58; Nicholas]

First Deployments – Afghanistan and Iraq

Afghanistan (2002)

• Quiet First Tour:
  • Deployment focused on building U.S. bases, expanding the initial footprint.
  • Few engagements; enemy largely observing U.S. tactics from across the border.
  • Relied on a Ukrainian former Soviet Army member for historical context of the area.
  • “We did one operation…the engagement lasted five seconds and that was it.” [16:10; Nicholas]

Iraq (2003)

• Invasion & Jessica Lynch Rescue:

  • Initial roles included cross-border ops and Humvee patrols.
  • Participated in Jessica Lynch rescue; describes how the mission came suddenly after a long op, and confusion over how a maintenance unit ended up on the front lines.
  • Briefed for roles as blocking force; regular Army and Navy coordination.
  • “First successful POW rescue in over 40 years.” [25:04; Nicholas]

• Operation Reindeer:

  • Classic Ranger “smash everything, kill everyone” raid; first WIA with a team leader wounded by an RPG.
  • “Other than Matt getting hurt, it worked the same way it does in training.” [31:23; Nicholas]

Afghanistan, 2003-2004: "Suck" Defined

• Konar/Pesh Valley Winter Ops:
  • Extended operations at altitude in rugged mountains, defined by physical hardship and primitive logistics (pack mules, lack of supply infrastructure).
  • Local villagers believed Russians still occupied the land—a testament to isolation.
  • “For those of us later on…that kind of became the baseline for the word ‘Suck.’” [38:16; Nicholas]
  • SEALs’ different operational approach; relied on helicopters for minor terrain moves.

Iraq, Transition to Counter-IED and Urban Warfare

• Spring 2004:

  • Introduction to IEDs: increasing vehicle armor, shift in threat landscape.
  • Nearly fatal blue-on-blue incident with a tank's gun barrel.
  • “You know, blue on blue isn’t always just friendly fire. Sometimes it’s these incredibly random events like that.” [42:00; David]

• Mosul & Ramadi:

  • “Fast and Less Furious”: Missions become more surgical.
  • Emphasis on silent entry and non-kinetic target takedowns—making captures rather than kills for intel.
  • “Mission success is now not how much can we smash, but...can we do it silently.” [73:05; Nicholas]
  • Boat ops in Ramadi using SWCC (Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen) craft to approach urban targets from new axes.

Operation Red Wings & Recovery (2005)

[46:29+]

• Setting: Marcus Luttrell’s SEAL team compromised, subsequent QRF Chinook (Turbine 33) shot down.
• Rangers’ Role:
  • Moore’s platoon inserted via long rope (40-80ft) under challenging conditions to secure crash site and recover bodies.
  • Search for and eventual encounter with Marcus Luttrell. Describes the frustration and gravity of confirming fate/location of other SEALs.
  • “Regardless of whether you like us or hate us, we brought them home.” [137:33; Nicholas]
  • Long, arduous recovery and the impacts of mountainous terrain and weather.

Extortion 17 (2011): The Worst Night

[85:28+, 101:53+]

• Lead-Up:
  • Surge deployment; cooperating under SEAL Team 6 (Gold Squadron) command at FOB Shank.
  • A high-risk operation in the notoriously dangerous Tangi Valley (which “guaranteed a gunfight”).
• Incident:
  • Gold Squadron deployed as QRF; Chinook Extortion 17 shot down en route, all 38 aboard killed (SEALs, support, aircrew).
  • Moore's platoon moves rapidly, at great risk, to the flaming wreckage.
• Recovery Operations:
  • Hours spent recovering remains from fire and debris under bleak conditions.
  • Inventory and identification of remains posed both emotional and procedural challenges.
  • “Hollywood couldn’t have written anything more graphic.” [109:48; Nicholas]
  • Tension with higher leadership over body accountability, leading to a rare apology after Moore spoke up as PL was grilled.
• Aftermath:
  • Emotional toll on platoon; psychological support initiated, but "toughest moment" was getting back on the helicopters.
  • Team was back in the Tangi Valley within weeks, suffering more casualties, including death of a team leader.

Leadership, Legacy, and Injury

[119:00+]

• Leadership After Loss:

  • Moore discusses need for professionalism (“no shenanigans”) even after traumatic loss.
  • Notes evolution in Ranger Regiment culture from “door-kickers” to sophisticated, partnered SOF force.
  • “Nobody wants to be under the microscope… what we’re doing [now] is carrying on that legacy of what we started 20 years ago.” [121:25; Nicholas]

• Wounding and Chapter’s End:

  • 2011: Wounded by burst fire in Iraq—hit in the leg, armpit, and helmet, plus fragmentation from a grenade.
  • “A dual tube night vision…when I flipped it down, everything was offset… I know what a baseball feels like when someone hits a home run.” [126:04; Nicholas]
  • Describes self-aid, evacuation, and psychological impact of loss of operational awareness.
  • Long recovery and challenges of survivor guilt; emotionally charged meeting with Gold Star families.
  • Eventually left Army after being advised to stop before permanent disability; last assignment running the sniper platoon.

Reflections & Notable Quotes

• Commitment to Add-Capabilities:

  • "When we do commit the force, it is…with all the odds can be stacked in our favor as best as possible." [67:18; Nicholas]

• Recovery and Respect for Lost Teammates:

  • “That’s one of those tough situations…they could hate you for life or embrace you. We brought them home.” [135:41; Nicholas]

• Cultural Change in Special Operations:

  • “You know, we can do all that old stuff, but we are so much better at fitting into the operational roles that we have now.” [122:25; Nicholas]

• On Professional Conduct After Trauma:

  • “We’re going to give it to them in the right way, within the rules of engagement…there's not going to be any shenanigans.” [119:09; Nicholas]

Notable Anecdotes & Moments

• Brotherhood: Nick’s induction and close journey alongside his identical twin brother until their careers diverged.
• Jessica Lynch Rescue: Reflection on the speed and fog of a historic POW recovery.
• Humor Amid Hardship:
  • David: “Blue on blue isn’t always just friendly fire…sometimes it’s these incredibly random events like that.” [42:00]
• Operations with SEALs & Tier 1 Units: Moore preferred working with Delta due to cultural overlap and prior service pipeline; observed the unique cultures of each elite unit.

Timestamps

• 02:23: Motivation for joining; family background
• 09:58: 9/11 during Ranger School
• 16:10: First, quiet Afghan tour
• 22:47: Jessica Lynch rescue
• 25:04: Debrief on the operation
• 33:05: "Suck" defined—Konar ops
• 74:00: Mosul & evolution of silent entry
• 46:29: Operation Red Wings (Marcus Luttrell, recovery)
• 85:28: 2011, Extortion 17 shootdown intro
• 101:53: Extortion 17, recovery operation, aftermath
• 123:33: Moore wounded in action, details of injury
• 135:41: Survivor’s guilt; communicating with Gold Star families
• 139:48: Transition out of Army, rehabilitation
• 141:15: Reflections on working with Tier 1 units

Closing

• Moore’s post-injury career, exit from the Army, and contributions to veteran charities (GallantFew.org).
• Book plug: “Run to the Sound of the Guns”—praised for its firsthand detail and rare modern Ranger photos.
• Q&A segment: Working with Delta, SEAL Team 6, and reflections on leadership.

Summary prepared for The Team House community and anyone seeking a personal, honest, and instructive window into special operations combat and culture.