Customer Reviews

All American, All the Way: The Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

As the fortieth and fiftieth anniversaries of the climatic D-Day invasion graced our television screens with dedications, speeches by honored dignitaries, and surviving veterans gathered on once blood soaked battlefields, serious efforts were already being undertaken to tell their stories, in their own words. Teams of academic historians and their assistants embarked upon immense oral history projects, combed the nation, for World War II veterans, conducted extensive interviews, recorded and transcribed their testimonies, and housed them in various university archival depositories. Soon places like the National D-Day Museum and Eisenhower Center in New Orleans, U.S. Army Military History Institute at Carlisle Barracks, Ohio State University, and Rutgers University in New Jersey, just to name a few, were stacked with thousands of oral histories of members of the "greatest generation" who fought and survived in the bloodiest war of the twentieth century.

And there they sit. Ordinary readers are not usually apt to travel to one of these great archival houses to delve into these oral histories. It takes the diligent and time consuming work of historians to compile and assimilate this vast storehouse of individual experiences into a readable format, and pass it on to the general reader. This is exactly what Phil Nordyke has done in _All American All the Way: The Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II_.

At first sight, this massive book, 776 pages of written narrative, with over sixty pages of notes is impressive. An unknown author, and publishing house, for this reviewer, usually sends red flags flying as to the quality of its content, however. Not so in the case of this masterfully written chronicle. Nordyke's work is sure to take its rightful place alongside the classic unit and D-Day histories of World War II.

There are countless pitfalls that an author/historian can easily get swallowed into when undertaking such a project. Oral histories, though significant, are not the most enthralling testimonies going. It is amazing the peculiarities and incidentals a soldier focuses on and finds interesting in his small place of history, while an all-important battle rages all around him. And he is usually the only participant in that particular locale, and his input is sorely needed, and all he can do is complain about the contents of a K-ration box. They can bore the reader to death quickly. Nordyke has skillfully avoided these pitfalls, and weaved a captivating story together like a delicate ancient Norman tapestry. From recruitment and training; painful early lessons in North Africa, debacle at Sicily, near defeat at Salerno, and Anzio; the scattered night drop in Normandy to spearhead the invasion of France; the massive daylight drop in Holland opening "Operation Market-Garden;" to the Huertgen Forest, Battle of the Bulge, and the link-up with the Russians, Nordyke utilizes the skills of a veteran military historian, introduces the operations, and places the veteran's testimonies in proper perspective. Nordyke appreciates the value of good quality maps, and has sprinkled a generous amount of them throughout the book. Good quality glossy photographs are also present, reminiscent of older days, when publishing was taken more seriously.

This work is not for the faint of heart (over 200 pages cover the first week of June 1944 alone). Yet when I find myself wanting to read a few pages before bedtime, and two hours later I cannot put it down, says something about the content of this awesome unit history. The author has provided a valuable service to the veterans, their families, and World War II readers in general. There are tons of marginal quality military history books out there; this one is destined to become a classic. I cannot recommend it enough.

If you were an American or British soldier, this is the infantry division you wanted in front of you and on your flank (that's right, after airborne troops land, they're infantry). After moving the front lines in Normandy for 33 days Gen. Gavin said of his men "The troopers had been splendid; resourceful and courageous in the attack, resolute in the defense, they fought superbly".

Phil Nordyke, in what was obviously a labor of love, painstakingly collected and corroborated oral histories and consolidated and interwove them with many existing written sources to be presented in this SUPERBLY organized and highly engrossing book. The situation maps in particular are better than any I've seen,including official U.S. Army maps (you can thank modern printing techniques for the subtle shadings).

I've walked through the woods, fields and towns of Cheneux, Trois Ponts, Baraque-de-Fraiture, Reharmont, Fosse, Goronne and Thier-du-Mont, Belgium. In Holland: Grave, Groesbeek, Beek, Mook, Plasmolen/Riethorst, Hunner Park, the Waaldyke and Oosterhout. Normandy contributed such towns as St.-Mere-Eglise, Chef-du-Pont, La Fiere Manoir, Cauquigny, Amfreville, Pont l'Abbe, Les Rosiers and St.-Sauveur-le-Vicomte. These places will live forever in the annals of WWII warfare and are a testament to the bravery and resolve of the men from this legendary airborne division who contributed so much to the final Allied victory in Europe.

Finally, we can thank recent movies and a TV miniseries for giving us a realistic visual glimpse of close quarters-no quarter airborne infantry combat in the towns and woods of Europe during WWII. Nordyke's book brings alive the voices, thoughts and experiences (some humerous) of those men. Every front line infantry division of WWII wishes they had a permanent document of their exploits as exceptional as this.

I met Phil Nordyke in Reading, PA, in early June 2005 at a book signing with 82nd Airborne Vets. I looked at the thick, 800 + page book and thought, like I always do with books this big, "It has to be filled with a lot of B.S." When I had the chance, I asked 2 of the vets what they thought of the book. One said "someone finally got it right", the other said "it's our complete story and it's all true". I bought the book and was not disappointed. In fact, it's better than any book I've read on WW2, Stephen Ambrose books included. Phil obviously spent an enormous amount of time collecting the facts, double checking the facts, and having the vets re-check what he had written before releasing this book. It full of facts and stories from vets like no other WW2 book I've read.
Phil told me in Reading, "it's their story, I just wrote it down". He did more than write it down, he organized it and put it down in a fashion so that the events flow perfectly and the book reads easily. When you are done, you'll swear it was only 200 pages. It's how a book like this should be written.
If you are a WW2 buff, get this book. You'll fall in love with the 82nd Airborne, which is tough for me to say since I'm a 101st re-enactor.

The 82nd Airborne Division...World War II...What other unit in the history of the United States Army had a more profound statement and impact then the 82nd Airborne Division did during this time period? NONE!!! When I first received an autographed copy of the book from Phil Nordyke, I took one look at the 800 or so pages and thought, "Wow, this is only about WWII?" Much to my surprise, it was an extremely captivating account of soldiers stories, from enlisted to officers, during World War II along with a lot of other facts that I was not aware of or heard before; I literally did not want to put it down! I am by no means a Military History major, but after reading more than my fair share of military books on World War II and the 82nd Airborne Division, I have to say that this one is the most comprehensive and thorough account of both. As a former member of the 82nd Airborne Division, 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, I believe that Phil has captured the essence and spirit of the "All Americans" during WWII. I would encourage all troopers, Airborne and Legs alike, to make this a must read.

Airborne...Strike Hold!

Michael Lester
Vice Chairman
Col. Reuben H. Tucker Chapter
82nd Airborne Division Association

In my view, Phil Nordyke's All American All the Way is the finest history to date of the 82d Airborne Division legendary WWII combat record. Not a just rehash of previously recounted veterans' stories mixed in with the tactical and operational record of the division's actions during WWII, All the Way provides new insights and in-depth portrayal of the individual soldiers and leaders'combat actions and contributions at the small unit level on which the battalion, regiment and division's legendary combat successes were based. He skillfully provides a comprehensive and integrated story of the nose-to-nose fight, while clearly describing the fight 82d's campaigns at the tactical and operation level against a tough and determined foe from Sicily to Berlin. The author accomplishes this without getting bogged down in minutae. As General Bradley said to Ridgeway watching 82d paratroopers of the 505th PIR, under withering enemy fire, closing on the enemy in Ste Sauveur le Vicome,Normandy, "My God,Matt, can't anything stop these men? The answer was (and still is) "NO!"

Not only a solid history, All American All the Way is a great read. Five stars.

Michael E. Ekman
Colonel, US Army
(Ret)

I am halfway through this book and had to write a review. I had a relative who fought in the 82nd, and the voices of the many soldiers - their stories and their incredible fighting feats - are almost hard to believe in this book. Each page is filled with a jaw-dropping fight story, hilarious and sad soldier comments, facts and maps, and more. I am taking my time with this book and it is truly one of the greatest reads on American military history I have ever had the pleasure of owning. Great photos throughout too.

"All American All The Way" written by Phil Nordyke is the most comprehensive and compelling account ever written of the history of the 82d Airborne Division in WWII. The author's dedication of telling the story of the most celebrated Division in the U. S. Army in WWII is an encyclopedia on every unit and campaign of the All American Division. Nordyke's research of over 2,000 veterans and the collecting of over 1,000 oral and written accounts takes the reader through the entire chain of command from the top General to the private in the rifle squad where the decisive actions of the war were taken. "All American all The Way", relates the macro aspects of the Divisions six major campaigns of over two years of bloody fighting from Sicily to the blood soaked sands of the Anzio beachhead into Germany and the occupation of Berlin, but the focus is on the soldiers, NCOs and Junior Officers in the rifle squads and Platoons. They carried the heaviest burden and paid the highest price. I am impressed by the author's skill in weaving the individual stories from men of every unit in the Division into a cohesive account of the war, which is masterfully written and as exciting as it is revealing. This book is destined to become a classic on airborne warfare for historians, scholars and future generations of airborne soldiers. As a fellow author and a veteran of the 82d I strongly recommend it's reading for every history and WWII buff.
James Megellas, author
"All The Way To Berlin"
h504maggie@aol.com

Not since 1948 has a comprehensive effort as All American been done. Phil Nordyke on his first jump has joined the ranks of Rappaport and Norwood, Breuer, Ryan, Koskimaki, Anderson and Bando. He has brought forth a work that both the public at large and historians will find engrossing and entertaining. Future generations will look at this work of scholarship as the starting point for any research into the 82nd's WW 2 story. I found it a most enjoyable read and very hard to put down. I hope that Mr Nordyke will engage us with more about the 82nd in the near future.

This is a must buy for WW II History Buff's and 82nd Airborne enthusiasts. Phil Nordyke has not only told the story of the Division but the story of the Combat Soldier of the 82nd. From the PFC to Gen. Gavin this history is a vivid, stirring portrayal of life in the 82nd during WW II.

When you are finished with the many first hand accounts of these men in their own words you will realize our country reared some truly great men and why that generation has been given the title as "The Greatest".

My father served in the 504th in WW II and I count this as one of the best narratives on the 82nd.

Regards,
Jim McNamara

I've read a lot of unit histories about numerous units in action during World War II. But I don't think I've ever read one that was 880 pages long. Then again, this one was about the 82 Airborne.

The 82nd was Sergeant Alvin York's division in World War II, and was reactivated as an airborne unit during WW II. The European theater of operations in WW II was just about a "You name it, the 82nd was there."

This book picks up the story of the 82nd when Omar Bradley and Matthew Ridgway were assigned to form up the division. When you start a unit with men of that caliber and the unit is all volunteers you can expect good things. One of the first things they did was to invite Sgt. York to visit the division and make a speech.

Of course after the speech the training was hard, then later the fighting was hard. The unit was first in action in the med, then came Overlord, Market Garden, and the Bulge.

Perhaps the most famous story of the 82nd came from the bulge.

As a tank destroyer from the 7th Armored Division moved west from Salmchateau on the highway toward Fraiture, the commander spotted a lone trooper from the 325th digging a foxhole for an outpost near the road. The commander stopped the vehicle and asked him if this was the frontline.

The trooper, PFC Vernon L. Haught, with Company F, looked up and said, "Are you looking for a safe place?"

"Yeah."

Haught then said, "Well buddy, just pull your vehicle behind me. I'm the 82nd Airborne, and this is as far as the bastards are going."

My only complaint, the author refers a lot to the 82nd as being the premier combat division. My uncle, who was with the 101st at Bastogne, just might have taken exception to that.

Great Book!