All American All The Way: The Combat History Of The 82nd Airborne Division In World War II

by Nordyke, Phil

• ISBN13: 9780760322017
• ISBN10: 0760322015
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-05-05
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl

Summary

The 82nd Airborne Division - known as the "All-Americans" - parachuted into history as America's first airborne division to see combat. Always at the forefront of some of the heaviest fighting in WWII, the 82nd helped spearhead the Allied drive to victory. This book is the first to tell the full combat history of these gallant All-Americans -- from their first perilous night drop into Sicily to their acclaimed victory parade up New York's 5th Avenue in 1946. Currently, the 82nd remains the only active American parachute division. The 82nd Airborne Division dubbed the All-Americans during WWI, when Sgt. Alvin York was among its soldiers parachuted into history on July, 9, 1943, as the opening salvo in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. This book, the first to tell the full story of the 82nd America's first airborne division to see combat, and the only American parachute division still active today follows these all-Americans from their first perilous drop to their victory parade up 5th Avenue in January 1946. From the shore of Sicily to the beaches of Normandy, from the Rhine to the Elbe to the German surrender and the U.S. occupation of Berlin, this is military history at its best, often told in the words of the soldiers themselves. It is a fitting and long overdue tribute to the valorous service of one of America's most celebrated fighting divisions.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	viii
Preface ``In Their Own Words''	xi
``Fierce Individualists''	1	(22)
``Ready''	23	(23)
``Destroy Him Wherever Found''	46	(27)
``We Had a Long Way to Go Yet, and Some of the Men Would Accompany Us No More''	73	(24)
``Retreat Hell!---Send Me My 3rd Battalion!''	97	(33)
``Wait Until a Triumphant Entry Is Organized''	130	(26)
``Devils in Baggy Pants''	156	(24)
``You Are About to Embark Upon the Great Crusade''	180	(20)
``Almighty God, Our Sons, Pride of Our Nation, This Day Have Set Upon a Mighty Endeavor''	200	(22)
``Wherever You Land, Make Your Way to Ste.-Mere-Eglise, and Together We Will Raise This Flag''	222	(24)
``This Was One of the Toughest Days of My Life''	246	(20)
``I Think It's Time to Get Our War Started''	266	(20)
``I Don't Know of a Better Place Than This to Die''	286	(17)
``Colonel, Aren't You Glad Waverly's on Our Side''	303	(21)
``Van, Don't Kill Them All. Save a Few for Interrogation.''	324	(19)
``Follow Me!''	343	(26)
``My God, Matt, Can't Anything Stop These Men?''	369	(21)
``Resourceful and Courageous in the Attack, Resolute in the Defense, They Fought Superbly.''	390	(18)
``Put Us Down in Holland, or Put Us Down in Hell, but Put Us Down All in One Place or I Will Hound You to Your Graves!''	408	(19)
``This Mighty Spectacle Deeply Impressed Me''	427	(18)
``Situation Well in Hand''	445	(21)
``We've Come a Long Way . . . Tell the Boys to Do a Good Job''	466	(22)
``The Nijmegen Bridge Must Be Taken Today; At the Latest, Tomorrow''	488	(19)
``A Day Unprecedented in the Division's Combat History''	507	(18)
``I Have Never Seen a More Gallant Action''	525	(18)
``The Finest Division in the World Today''	543	(19)
``I'm Sure Glad You Bastards Are Here''	562	(24)
``Let's Get the Sons of Bitches!''	586	(23)
``I'm the 82nd Airborne and This Is as Far as the Bastards Are Going''	609	(24)
``Sort Out the Battlefield and Tidy Up the Lines''	633	(23)
``Well Colonel, the Old Guys Got It Today''	656	(23)
``Sir, They're All Dead''	679	(19)
``Surrender, Hell!''	698	(18)
``The Closest to Hell One Could Get Without Entering the Gates''	716	(20)
``Refugees from the Law of Averages''	736	(21)
``You Wonder What Happens to a Magnificent Division of Brave Men after the War''	757	(20)
Notes	777	(58)
Bibliography	835	(3)
Index	838