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In June 1944, the Allies launched a massive amphibious invasion against Nazi-held France. But under the cover of darkness, a new breed of fighting man leapt from airplanes through a bullet-stitched, tracer-lit sky to go behind German lines. These were the Screaming Eagles of the newly formed 101st Airborne Division. Their job was to strike terror into the Nazi defenders, delay reinforcements, and kill any enemy soldiers they met. In the next seven days, the men of the 101st fought some of the most ferocious close-quarter combat in all of World War II.
Now Donald R. Burgett looks back at the nonstop, nightmarish fighting across body-strewn fields, over enemy-held hedgerows, through blown-out towns and devastated forests. This harrowing you-are-there chronicle captures a baptism by fire of a young Private Burgett, his comrades, and a new air-mobile fighting force that would become a legend of war.
DURING THE WINTER OF 1942, MY OLDER BROTHER, Elmer, went into military service. Read the first page
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The book covers the period from his induction into the new paratroop regiment to the end of his fighting in Normandy through injury. The initial phase of his training outlines the brutal training regime and vividly illustrates the "who cares?" attitude of all involved. (for example, when he breaks his leg in a training jump, he is left to crawl home on his own)and then the initial deployment to England for further training. The whole exercise is enjoyed by the young recruits as if it was a big outward bound course, and the ironic detachment of the young men is illustrated when they witness a German torpedo attack on their own ships - they cheer the Germans for their audacity as they watch the ships sinking.
The entire first half portrays the process whereby the young men are violently reduced to a point of blind obedience and conditioned responses - they pass their spare time playing dangerous practical jokes on each other, and going into town to have violent fights with rival regiments and the military police; failing that they fight with each other.
The last half of the book concerns the actual combat experience, and it is a visceral and graphic account of the horrors of war. Even so, the narrator's over-riding characterisation of himself and his friends always seems to be the desire to do a good job, and not let the side down, even to the detriment of their humanity.
Burgett's accounts of the actual order of battle are not particularly clear, but his descriptions of individual events are terrifyingly vivid. He particularly brings to life the sounds and smells of the battlefield as much as the sights. If you want to know what combat is like, read this. If you want to find out how soldiers function under such circumstances, read this. It will probably shake every stereotype you have been exposed to before.
It also stands as witness testimony to the criminal acts of war, and the inevitable consequences of forcing soldiers and civilians alike to share in such numbing violence and brutality as should be experienced in any number of lifetimes. Yep - this is war!
This is a story of one man from the day he joins this unit, through the training in The States, billeting in England and then finally the drop into action.
It is very much a personal account and his memories recall stories of humour,heroism,sacrifice and graphic portrayals of the real horror of war. The latter point is most exemplified at one point in the book where they are attacking across an open field and his friend running near him is hit by a shell which removes the top half of his body, leaving the legs to run on for a few more steps !
A book which I could not put down and would thoroughly recommend to anyone who is interested in personal accounts of this period in our history.
It makes you feel that you are there in the thick of it. Read more
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