This book fills a void among the library of tales about US parachutists. The 82nd doesn't get as much attention as the 101st, so this was a good book in terms of exposure. Ridgway is a background figure and Gavin takes center stage. The book focuses on the invasion of Sicily and how it was a precursor to the grander scheme of Normandy and the crucial role the paratroopers had there. The author argues that without the Sicily jump and success the airborne would have become relegated to remain standard infantry. With their willingness to take on difficult tasks some of the more influential generals were able to recommend their continued utilization (Patton, Marshall, Bradley, not Eisenhower). Gavin comes off as earnest in his duty but with faults. The shoot down of the 504 out of the sky is not explained and so nothing could have been learned from it. It seems to have been swept under the rug. Some of the initial portions of the book are too detailed to be enjoyed but they do show a willingness to respect the memories of the troopers who gave their recollections. Since it isn't a memoir, the book lacks a certain single-mindedness. It is history book about men who would take on Tiger tanks with their own inferior weapons or die trying. The commanders were even denied knowledge that tanks were operating in the area. The book offers a ridiculous rationale for this. This was the weakest point in an overall wonderful book about men who were truly brave beyond telling. 16 pages of b/w photos, casualty list, Index, bibliography. ( )

A very readable book. The author clearly explains the evolution of the paratroopers and the use of airbourne forces in WWII. The book follows the enlistment and training of the first battalion, and their first action in Sicily, June 1943. Rather than getting bogged down in detail, the reader is pulled along at a fast clip, anxious to see what is beyond the next hill. The epilogue is well written and and a thoughtful addition. One of the follow-throughs was particularly notable as a historical footnote:

"Jim Gavin retired for the Army as a lieutenant general and served as ambassador to France under President John. F. Kennedy from 1961 to 1962. During Gavin's time in Paris, the irascible Charles de Gaulle decided he no longer needed a U.S. military presence in his country. He summoned Gavin and told him he wanted all the Americans out of France. Gavin, mindful of the American boys resting in cemeteries from Normandy fo the German border, replied 'Yes, Mr. President. Does that include our dead?'

James Gavin died in 1990 and is buried at West Point." ( )