Jim DeFelice

My latest book, CODE NAME: JOHNNY WALKER was hailed by Kirkus Review as a “fiery, insightful memoir from the former Iraqi translator who fought alongside U.S. Special Forces during the recent war in Iraq.” They also “a harrowing personal journey of courageous self-empowerment during wartime.” called it an “invaluable insider’s perspective of Iraq.

I wrote it with the real "Johnny Walker," who was born and raised in Iraq. His dream of building a better country after the ouster of Sadaam Hussein was dashed by religious and sectarian violence. He risked his own life to help US military track down religious terrorists who targeted innocent Iraqi civilians and American military installations. I first heard about him from Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (who I wrote AMERICAN SNIPER with, who credited Johnny with saving many American and Iraqi lives. Chris noted that Johnny had an uncanny knack for defusing volatile situations, uncovering the right perpetrators who might be hiding in plain sight, and saving several American team member’s lives under fire. With the help of concerned SEALs, Johnny and his family were safely relocated to the U.S., where they are now, as Johnny likes to say, “living the dream.”