JUMP: INTO THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW: The War Memories of Dwayne Burns Communications Sergeant-508th P.I.R. [Hardcover]

Leland Burns (Author), Dwayne Burns (Narrator, Drawings)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2006

When Dwayne Burns turned 18 during World War II, he decided that he wanted to fight alongside America's best. He joined the paratroopers and was assigned to the 508th Regiment of the 82d Airborne Division. Little did he suspect that a year later he'd be soaring in a flak-riddled C-47 over Normandy, part of the very spearhead of the Allied drive to seize back Europe.

Burns landed behind German lines during the dark, early hours of D-day, and gradually found other survivors of his division. The paratroopers fought on every side in a confused, running battle through the hedgerows, finally making a stand in a surrounded farmhouse. With one room reserved for their growing piles of corpses, the paratroopers held their ground until finally relieved by infantry advancing from the beaches.

After being pulled out of Normandy, the airborne troops were said to be "burning a hole in SHAEF's pocket," and thus were launched into Holland as part of Montgomery's plan to gain a bridgehead across the Rhine. This daytime jump was less confused than the nocturnal one, but there were more Germans than expected and fewer Allied forces in support. It was another maelstrom of pointblank combat in all directions, and though the 82d achieved its objectives, the campaign as a whole achieved little but casualties.

The 82d had hardly refilled with replacements when the Germans broke through the U.S. front in the Ardennes. The 82d's paratroopers were put aboard trucks and hastened to stand in the way of the panzer onslaught. Passing through Bastogne they went farther north to St. Vith, where the U.S. 7th Armored and other divisions were reeling. The 82nd held its own with quickly assembled defense perimeters, allowing other units to escape. After beating off massive attacks by German SS, the paratroopers were disgusted to hear that they, too, had been ordered to retreat. They didn't feel they needed to, but Monty was determined to "tidy up the battlefield." On January 3 they counterattacked through the freezing hills, sealing off the Bulge and pursuing the Germans back into the Reich..

In this work, Dwayne Burns, assisted by his son Leland (U.S. Army, 1975-79), not only relates the chaos of combat but the intimate thinking of a young soldier thrust into the center of several of history's greatest battles. His memories provide a fascinating insight into the reality of close-quarters combat.

REVIEWS

" I was glad to see this book...tells his story from the bottom side. It looked different from a foxhole. The book is told in the form of a bunch of little stories, not a day by day diary. This makes it much more interesting, and I recommend it highly. Books-On-Line,02/2007

"... Sadly DWAYNE passed away just hours before the full account went to press. The BURNS team produced a book that keeps the reader's interested from cover to cover... As you read Jump into the Valley of the Shadow, a prominent theme, the Brotherhood of the paratroopers, is apparent and runs through the whole book: You will notice their concern for each other and their grief over their fallen comrades. "The Static Line,02/2007

"Destined to Become a Classic World War II Memoir... a masterful job of taking the reader along on a compelling journey...It is war, as seen from the foxhole and is destined to become a classic World War II memoir."Phil Nordyke ([e-mail]), A reviewer,06/2007

"A true member of the Greatest Generation, Burns' fascinating story is well worth reading." Flight Journal, 10/2008

"...riveting and insightful...extremely human recollections..." Air, Power, History, Winter 2009

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Casemate (September 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932033491
• ISBN-13: 978-1932033496
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #666,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent memoir of a WWII paratrooper, October 21, 2006

By 

Ellen Peters (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: JUMP: INTO THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW: The War Memories of Dwayne Burns Communications Sergeant-508th P.I.R. (Hardcover)

An excellent view of life on the frontlines from the perspective of a foxhole. I have read many personal accounts from combat soldiers and "Jump" is one of the best. Mr. Burns really takes the reader into the foxholes with him. At times the book is both edge of one's seat exciting and very poignant. One gets a true sense of the terror a soldier experiences while undergoing an artillery barrage, as well as moments of humor on the front lines. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the life of a combat soldier.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DIABLO!!! All the way!!!, January 6, 2007

By 

Doshu L. Tokeshi (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: JUMP: INTO THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW: The War Memories of Dwayne Burns Communications Sergeant-508th P.I.R. (Hardcover)

OK! This is one man's story about the "Oh Eight" the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (P.I.R.), 2nd Bn, Fox Co. Mr Burns jumped into France, Operation Neptune (D-Day) and Market-Garden (Holland) two jump stars earned the hard way. There are a lot of "soldiers stories" in the book, being with your buddies, goofing off, military life, as well as the stories about combat. Books like these put a human face on anonymous mens faces of black and white photos taken 60+ years ago. It shows they were pretty much the same as most young men, full of life and hopes and dreams, except their lives were forged in the fires of the Depression. It is a good read and a page turner, there are "flashback" type parts of the book, that may disagree with some readers. But I was most humbled and impressed by his story and the stories of other men I have met, ironically from Easy Co. 508th PIR, Mr Burns' sister Co to his own Fox Co. I am glad some of these men have told their story, because too many never have or got the chance to live long enough to. Thier story is told by rows of silent crosses in France, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and a thousand other lonely places where American boys fought and died. Read this book if you want to know the story of one man's journey through a pivotal time in human history.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding and Riveting Memories from Training to Combat, December 16, 2006

By 

Elizabeth Farrell - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: JUMP: INTO THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW: The War Memories of Dwayne Burns Communications Sergeant-508th P.I.R. (Hardcover)

I highly recommend this book. Dwayne Burns brings to life his memories from elite training as a paratrooper to his feelings and emotions of actually going into combat. Along the way, he shares his personal life stories and how all of this shaped the person he was to became. The incredible bond that paratroopers have which started in their training and lasts to this day is very inspiring. Reading this book reinforced my genuine thanks to these men that "Jumped Into the Valley of the Shadow" along with the rest of the "Greatest Generation" that helped bring peace back to this world in the uncertain time of WWII.