Combat Jump: The Young Men Who Led the Assault into Fortress Europe, July 1943 [Hardcover]

Ed Ruggero (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 2003

The hair-raising, frontline account of the first American airborne invasion of World War II and of the young paratroopers who risked their lives for freedomBy 1943, the war in Europe had reached a turning point. General Dwight Eisenhower was given orders to invade Sicily and head north. To achieve this, Ike had a new weapon: U.S. paratroopers. Their mission was to seize the approaches to the invasion beaches and to hold off German attacks.

Combat Jump tells the little-known story of these paratroopers and how they changed the American way of war. It takes readers on their journey from civilians to citizen soldiers, through training in the United States and later in North Africa, and then shows their daring jump into the darkness over enemy-held Sicily.

By first light on D-day, July 10, 1943, it looked as if the mission would fail. Inexperienced pilots, lost or blown off course, dropped 80 percent of the troopers from one to sixty-five miles from their targets. The American commander, James Gavin, landed so far from his objective that he was not even sure he was in Sicily. Arthur Gorham, commanding 500 men of the First Battalion, encountered two surprises when the sun came up. He and just over 100 of his men were the only GIs -- out of 3,400 dropped -- near their objective. He also discovered that the Germans on Sicily had tanks. The lightly armed paratroopers, with their rifles and hand grenades, were not equipped to take on the forty-ton panzers. But against all odds, they did. The costly lessons they learned shaped the war in Europe, for without Sicily, there might have been no airborne invasion of France in June 1944.

Combat Jump recounts the extraordinary contributions these young men made when their country called them to war, and it tells a classic tale of military action and remarkable courage.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Based on veteran interviews and backed by published sources, thissuspenseful history recounts the first paratrooper invasion inAmerican history. In July 1943, when Eisenhower was ordered to invadeSicily, he dropped the soldiers of the 505th Parachute InfantryRegiment behind enemy lines in order to prepare the way for hissubsequent naval assault. The paratrooper outfit endured ferociouscombat during the first four days of the campaign, combat that Ruggeroaccurately and vividly describes using the recollections of more than20 veterans of the 505th. The book is filled with reconstructedservice anecdotes and "army stories" of hair-raising combat behindenemy lines: soldiers against German tanks, soldiers against soldiershand to hand, and the desperate battle to hold Biazza Ridge againstattacking German tanks and infantry. James Gavin, the regiment'scharismatic commander and, later, an ambassador to France during theKennedy Administration, features prominently throughout the book. Thismini-biography is complemented by Ruggero's engaging backgroundhistories of the development of the paratrooper force in theU.S. Army, the training of paratroopers at Fort Benning and thedevelopment of the "airborne culture" in the U.S. Army. But themajority of the book focuses on the combat action surrounding of thejump itself, which was poorly executed by the Army Air Force anddropped many paratroopers far from their targets, leaving them to fendfor themselves. Readers in the market for good war stories would dowell to put this volume on their reading lists. (Nov.)
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From Booklist

It won't surprise dedicated military-history readers that Ruggero's new book is a winner. The author of two texts on leadership and five excellent novels is up to writing a good military-unit study if anyone is. The unit in focus is the 505th Airborne Infantry: its organization, training, and combat debut in Sicily in July 1943. The training reflected highly on the regiment's CO, Colonel James Gavin, later a lieutenant general and one of the unsung heroes of World War II. But no amount of good training could completely counter the bad weather, faulty navigation, and limited intelligence that eventuated in the jumpers fighting Tiger tanks with bazookas. Scattered as it was, the 505th reorganized and carried out its mission, in the process so disorganizing German units that they could not carry out theirs. Its casualties were serious, but its success won paratroopers a permanent place in the American arsenal. Ruggero's thorough research, including interviews with many survivors, and excellent writing earn this book a permanent place in any WWII collection. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1st edition (October 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060088753
• ISBN-13: 978-0060088750
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #923,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Following graduation from West Point, Ed was commissioned in the United States Army and served as an infantry officer in a variety of positions, including an assignment teaching at West Point. Following his service, Ed pursued a career as an author and public speaker, engaging audiences around the world in discussions on leadership and leader development. He also leads a Gettysburg and a Normandy Leadership Experience, where participants walk the ground of these great struggles to learn battle-tested leadership lessons that will help them meet their own challenges. Ed lives in Wallingford, Pennsylvania with his wife, Marcia Noa and a bunch of dogs. For more information, see www.edruggero.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging story of the first major test of the US Airborne, March 25, 2004

By 

Mannie Liscum (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Combat Jump: The Young Men Who Led the Assault into Fortress Europe, July 1943 (Hardcover)

Ed Ruggero's "Combat Jump" is a wonderfully written and engaging piece of story-telling! Based mainly upon interviews with veterans of the 82nd Airborne Division (most specifically members of the 505th PIR), Ruggero has crafted a real page turner that takes the reader from the initial theoretical ideals of American Airborne forces to the first major combat - the Sicilian invasion of 1943 - seen by the fruits of the imaginative "fathers of the Airborne". Particularly interesting is the description of how initial concepts of the US Airborne Army were brought to fruition, and how a young West Point Captain, James ("Slim Jim") M. Gavin, played into these early events. Gavin is of course central to the entire story of the 82nd as he was a company commander in the 503rd PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) during training at Fort Benning, later regimental commander of the 505th PIR on its jump into Sicily and combat through Italy, and finally division commander of the 82nd Airborne (promoted to this post in August '44). While initially not of rank and stature to play a significant role in pushing the Airborne concept into reality, "Slim Jim" was certainly a major player in keeping the Airborne on the map - this is exemplified by his leadership of the 505th in the Sicilian campaign, which is so eloquently relayed here in "Combat Jump". It is the strong and steadfast picture of Gavin as a commander leading from the front that comes shinning through in "Combat Jump". It is no wonder that the US Airborne Army succeeded (in spite of many perceived tactical failures and let downs) with man like Gavin at the helm! Ruggero should be commended for bringing to life again the larger than life character that was Jim Gavin.

From the standpoint of precision of presented historical facts "Combat Jump" suffers in a fashion not uncommon in similarly presented second-hand "oral histories", such as works by Stephen Ambrose. Mr. Ruggero has no doubt taken the relayed oral histories of veterans at face value (in fact Ruggero essentially conveys this message in the last paragraph of his Author's Note at the end of the book) as historical inconsistencies are present in the text. One glaring example is the common reference to battles with numerous Tiger tanks during the first 3-4 days of battle in Sicily. No doubt lightly-armed paratroopers fighting as essentially as foot infantry without support of mechanized forces and little by way of supporting artillery would "see" any German tanks as the dreaded Tigers. In reality just 17 Tiger 1 tanks were actually present on Sicily at the time of the invasion on July 10, 1943, and were essentially rendered non-combatant by pressing US Naval Gunfire. Moreover, by D-Day+3 ten of these tanks were destroyed by the Germans themselves to avoid their capture (six of the remaining seven met a similar fate in the days that followed). It therefore seems almost certain that many of the "Tigers" fought by the 82nd on Sicily were in fact Mark IV or Panther tanks. This in no way diminishes the valor and bravery of the paratroopers who took on multi-ton armored vehicles, often with little more than adrenalin and a carbine, it merely points out that soldiers fighting in the field seldom see the events historically, but rather from the real perspective of life or death. To the trooper in the field any tank might as well be a Tiger when he was exposed without shelter and on his own. Neither Ruggero nor the veterans relaying their experiences can be particularly faulted for such errors. It is only pointed out here to illustrate the point from a "purity of history" vantage point.

Despite errors in precision of historical facts, "Combat Jump" is a wonderful read and worthy of attention as a tribute to the men who fought with the US Airborne, not just those of the 82nd Sicilian campaign. A solid read, not quite 5 stars but definitely 4 and three-quarters!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their Mission Almost Becomes Secondary, October 23, 2003

By 

Scott L. Reda (Harmony, New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Combat Jump: The Young Men Who Led the Assault into Fortress Europe, July 1943 (Hardcover)

Led by Legendary Colonel Jumpin' Jim Gavin, 3500 paratroopers jumped into the darkness on July 9th, 1943. "Combat Jump" by Ed Ruggero is the story of these young men who lead the assault into fortress Europe.

225 transports, 35 miles an hour wind, Mr. Ruggero describes in vivid detail with superior writing the incredible mission of the 82nd Airborne spread out over 60 miles, no where near their DZ (drop zone) in Sicily.

Their mission almost becomes secondary! You do not have to be an aficionado of World War II, to follow Mr. Ruggero's writings. You will come to know Jim Gavin, Jack Norton, and Ed Sayre...their mission, bravery, and most of all... their brotherhood.

I cried when I read the Epilog....watched Seinfeld, re-read the Epilog, and cried some more.

A must read.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-told Story of the First Major U.S. Airborne Battle, December 28, 2003

By 

Q. Publius (Annandale, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Combat Jump: The Young Men Who Led the Assault into Fortress Europe, July 1943 (Hardcover)

I've been fascinated by paratroopers since watching Band of Brothers on HBO and reading the late Stephen Ambrose's book that inspired this series. During one of the episodes of Band of Brothers, as the 101st Airborne is headed for Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, while the regular infantry is hightailing it to the rear, one of the members of Easy company explains why they're headed toward the sound of the guns when American forces are on the way to being surrounded: "paratroopers are always surrounded." My own terror in jumping from the parachute tower at Fort Benning also feeds my respect for paratroopers: they are among the best troops the U.S. produces. Combat Jump tells you why: the rigorous physical training, far more demanding than regular soldiers; the fighting spirit often manifest in rebellious trouble-making prior to deploying, and disdain for Army regulations and routine. Airborne history tends to focus on the later jump on D-Day. This book gives the scoop on the first major U.S. deployment of airborne, when the concept of using entire divisions of paratroopers was still in doubt. The author has done his research homework, yet tells a lively story of the personalities such as Colonel Jim Gavin, commander of the unit responsible for capturing a key crossroads to protect the regular Army's beach landings in Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. Few books focus on the airborne in this particular battle. It is entirely appropriate that airborne forces have such an outstanding reputation. This book tells the reader why, even from the initial use of mass formations of paratroopers, such a reputation is well deserved.