All American, All the Way: A Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II: From Market Garden to Berlin [Paperback]

Phil Nordyke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 11, 2010

On Sunday, September 17, 1944, the 82nd Airborne Division jumped into history with the First Allied Airborne Army in a daring daylight parachute and glider-borne assault to capture key bridges at the start of Operation Market Garden. Following weeks of heavy combat in Holland, the All Americans (the name of the division in World War I when Sgt. Alvin York was one of its soldiers) were withdrawn from the frontlines for a well-deserved rest, which was almost immediately interrupted by the Battle of the Bulge, where they once again found themselves in the thick of the action, a position that remained familiar to them for the rest of the war. Following VE Day, the 82nd became part of the Allied forces occupying Berlin.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

The 82nd Airborne Division parachuted into history on 9 July 1943 when they led Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. Less than a year from their formation in August 1942, the All Americans (the name of the division in World War I when Sgt. Alvin York was one its soldiers) found themselves in the thick of the action, something that would become familiar to them for the rest of the war. Heavy combat followed on the Italian mainland. Then came the main event of the war: D-Day!

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Phil Nordyke has written a remarkable book about the 82nd Airborne Division that captures the experience of the men who did the fighting. . . . Readers will find themselves engrossed in the pre-jump tensions and vivid recollections of parachute drops and glider landings as well as the close combat on the battlefields in Sicily, Italy, [and] Normandy. . . . The stories of the participants provide the reader a front-row seat to some of the harsh realities of combat, but also to some of the most courageous and selfless acts. . . . The author does an excellent job of piecing together the various personal accounts into a coherent, readable story. . . . This book is a fitting tribute. Historians will find All American, All the Way a welcome addition to their libraries.

—On Point, The Journal of the Army Historical Foundation

 

From the book:

Sergeant Dan Furlong [Company H, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment] was the assistant jumpmaster on his C-47 carrying eighteen troopers. “The plane I was in got hit three times by an 88 and killed three and wounded four in the plane before I got out. The first one hit the right wing. It took about three feet off of the tip of the wing. The next one hit right alongside the door and took the light panel off; the red, white and green lights on the panel. And then the next one went through the floor and it blew a hole about two feet across the floor and then hit the ceiling and exploded in the plane. That’s the one that killed them. It was a delayed action fuse that goes through and then blows up. Basically, it just about cut the plane in half. There was so much confusion in there you didn’t know what was going on because there was smoke, static lines, and parachutes all over the inside of that airplane. . . . ”

 

PHIL NORDYKE was voted in as official historian of the 505th Regimental Combat Team (RCT) at the association’s at annual reunion, held in Colorado Springs in 2003. In addition to All American, All the Way he is the author of Four Stars of Valor: The Combat History of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War II, More Than Courage: Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Anzio, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe: The Combat History of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in World War II,and The All Americans in World War II: A Photographic History of the 82nd Airborne Division at War. He lives in McKinney, Texas, with his wife Nancy.

 

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Zenith Press; First edition (March 11, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076033823X
• ISBN-13: 978-0760338230
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read and a must have, September 2, 2009

By 

Wesley C. Anderson (McDonough, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All American, All the Way: A Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II: From Sicily to Normandy (Look Back in Time) (Paperback)

All American, All the way is a fantastic read for any World War 2 or 82nd Airborne enthusiast, I would say that this is a must have. This book (part one) is a release of the large volume under the same name and the second will be released in 2010 (From Market Garden to Berlin).

I think it was a great marketing decision to split this into a two volume set, while both books will still be in excess of 400 pages it does make it manageable to read and may bring in some readers that were scared off by the all in one volume which was almost 900 pages. Ok, enough of the marketing of the book, lets talk about what you will find inside.

Phil Nordyke brings this story in our history to life giving different perspectives but continuing the story. It offers a wealth of firsthand accounts and tells the story through the eyes of the men who were there. He really hit my style of reading; there is enough information that you can follow this easily on a map and have a clear understanding of the timeline in which the campaign plays out, while at the same time the accounts are not drowned out the story because they are the story.

This is truly a great read and in my opinion a must have for any World War II fan, student or researcher. Our history is rich with the everyday way of life, the great heroics of people put into situations that really did not want to be there, but made the best of what they had. This book through its accounts brings American metal to bear and gives us a glimpse of what they sacrificed for us. It captures that moment in time and allows there and our history to be shared.

Craig Anderson
Our History Project

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for any in-depth military history holding, June 18, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All American, All the Way: A Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II: From Market Garden to Berlin (Paperback)

All American All the Way: From Market Garden to Berlin provides a fine World War II military history survey focusing on the experiences of the 82nd Airborne Division. Personal reports and unit histories blend with facts and a complete bibliography and index perfect for any in-depth military history holding.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent combat history of the 82d Airborne Division in World War II, October 18, 2009

By 

J. Rudy "Major, USAF" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All American, All the Way: A Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II: From Sicily to Normandy (Look Back in Time) (Paperback)

Phil Nordyke captures the combat history of the 82nd Airborne Division in the paperback reprint of his work "All American All the Way: From Sicily to Normady". In this case, you can judge this book by its cover -- this title exactly describes the contents of this book. What the title fails to capture is the talented writing abilities of Nordyke.

Stephen Ambrose popularized the World War II airborne troops with his work "Band of Brothers", which follows the exploits of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment from its training in Georgia through its employment across the European Continent. Nordyke's book, written with the same flowing style captures the exploits of the entire 82d Airborne Division from its employment in North Africa, in Sicily, and on to Normandy.

As I was reading the book, it struck me that it was rather difficult to keep up all the soldiers as they fought their way across Europe. The reality of the situation is that many of these line combat units had 200% or more casualty rates; in simple terms, for evey 100 soldiers assigned to a company, at least 200 soldiers were killed or wounded. This book really drives home the point of how many men it took to win the war.

The book is superbly organized, well-written, and well-supported with appropriate graphic aids. Nordyke includes many black & white photos and charts showing the approximate positions of the companies and battalions as they fought each of the battles. For readers who enjoyed "Band of Brothers : E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest", by Stephen Ambrose, this book would be perfect for your library. Another outstanding book on the exploits of the 82d Airborne is "NO BETTER PLACE TO DIE: Ste-Mere Eglise, June 1944-The Battle for la Fiere Bridge", by Robert Murphy.

Zenith Press provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.