The 82nd Airborne Division saw about as much combat as any other formation in World War II, from the American Army anyway. It's one of the Army's more storied units, as a result, and the events that are recounted here are the beginning of many of the stories.
The unit served from Sicily through Italy (it jumped at Salerno), Normandy, Holland, and the Battle of the Bulge, before winding up fighting through the last days of the Third Reich. One of the regiments (the 505th) made 4 combat jumps in 14 months, and was the most experienced parachute unit in the U.S. Army. Frankly, I don't think units from any other army made as many drops during World War II, which would make it the most experienced unit, period.
Author Nordyke has tracked down countless veterans and interviewed them, searched archives looking for accounts that are filed in various places, and contacted the families of men who have passed on, using unpublished memoirs from several men. The result is a book where the author has several accounts of a particular event or action, and can follow the action from several points of view. The result is awesome, to be frank.
Books like this often suffer from a considerable amount of information about the U.S. Army unit involved, but they almost inevitably fight "the Germans". Occasionally a famous unit (the SS or something) will be mentioned, but other than that the Germans are treated as a group of shadows, and you can't tell one from another. Here, individual German regiments (sometimes even battalions) are mentioned, and strengths are discussed also. The tactical information is at times so detailed you marvel at the trivia involved.
I did have a few quibbles/suggested improvements. The book could have been better organized: a division into parts (covering pre-combat, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, Holland, the Bulge, Germany, and the aftermath) would have been a good idea. The chapters could have been headed with dates and times, in addition to the chapter titles themselves, which tend to be quotes from the chapter. I've seen books where the time and date are at the top of each page. And while the maps are excellent, they could have benefited from a master map, showing where each of the detail maps are in the European continent.
Don't let the above fool you, though: this is probably the best book of its type that I've ever read. It's incredibly detailed, very long, well-illustrated, and very well written. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in World War II.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
daniele ortali
82.a Divisione dalla Sicilia alla Normandia
Reviewed in Italy on February 17, 2016Stanley Backster
All American, All the way: The combat history of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2009Mr. Brian S. Cook
All the Way book 2
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2011
