An infantry company commander in the U.S. Army's heralded 1st Infantry Division, Capt. Joseph Turner Dawson led his men through some of the most brutal battles of World War II. From the invasion of North Africa in late 1942 through Sicily and the assault on Normandy to the push toward the German frontier late in 1944, his length of service on the frontlines was extraordinary, and his heroism while holding off the Germans on a ridge near Aachen, Germany, is legendary. Based on Dawson's own combat journal, this book focuses on leadership in combat during the greatest human drama of the twentieth century. Dawson is at the heart of the drama as he describes the strain of constant combat and its effect on the combat infantryman. His writings have been edited by the former chief military historian at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Col. Cole C. Kingseed, who succeeds masterfully in capturing the essence of combat leadership through the actions of this citizen-warrior. Although Dawson was an Army officer, the lessons his journal offer cut across service lines to help readers understand what makes a good frontline commander. The book is published in cooperation with the Association of the U. S. Army.
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About the Author
Col. Cole C. Kingseed, USA (Ret.), is a thirty-year Army veteran who commanded at the platoon, company, and battalion levels. A former history professor at West Point, he holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University and is the author of The American Civil War and Eisenhower and the Suez Crisis of 1956, among other books. He lives in New Windsor, NY, where he serves as president of Brecourt Leadership Experience, Inc.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Story of the Best in Small Unit Leadership,
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This review is from: From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge: The Combat Journal of Captain Joe Dawson (Hardcover)
Capt. Dawson was was the company CO of G Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Regimental Combat Team, of the Big Red One. He went into Omaha Beach at H-Hour, D-Day. He was the first off of his LCVP, followed by his communications sergeant and his company clerk. Then an artillery shell struck the boat, wiping out the remaining thirty-three men. That was Omaha.
Of course they didn't land where they intended, but began the war where they landed. They were among the first ashore, among the first to move off the beach, among the first to scale the ridge behind the beach and start cleaning out the German defenders firing down on the beach. They fought across France and into Germany. Five months later Company G spent thirty nine days defending a ridge along the outskirts of Eilendorf, Germany that has gone down in the history of the Big Red One as Dawson's Ridge. This book was put together by Col. CC Kingseed, former chief of military history at West Point, from the letters Capt. Dawson wrote home. It is a tale of the very best of small unit leadership.
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A five-star salute for this outstanding combat journal,
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This review is from: From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge: The Combat Journal of Captain Joe Dawson (Hardcover)
This book is a splendid addition to the library of anyone interested in World War II. Joe Dawson was an inspiring member of "The Greatest Generation" and his story is vividly told here in his own words and the descriptions of Cole Kingseed.
The letters Dawson sent home reveal the tremendous strains and demands placed on a small unit infantry commander. In "From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge" we find a courageous, reflective and compassionate young soldier from Texas who reacts quickly, professionally and humanely under the most adverse and crucial conditions. The First Infantry Division was constantly thrust into intense fighting and harrowing situations. Dawson shares his most personal thoughts before and after the Big Red One's engagements from North Africa, Sicily, Normandy and the bloody road to Germany. Kingseed adds key perspective along the way. Joe Dawson's hunger for mail from home should encourage anyone who has a loved on in harm's way to pick up a pen and start writing to them now. This country has truly been blessed by the likes of so many wonderful veterans like Joe Dawson and so many other brave World War II veterans. We are fortunate that Cole Kingseed discovered and published this treasure from Joe Dawson. I can't wait to read Kingseed's forthcoming book written with Dick Winters of "Band of Brothers" fame.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge,
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This review is from: From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge: The Combat Journal of Captain Joe Dawson (Hardcover)
This is a well written memoir with excerpts from letters home and a wealth of information about the combat experiences of Captain Dawson. He was very articulate and had a keen eye for observing the details and emotional struggles around him (as well as his own inner moral struggles with the war he was fighting). If you're looking for remembrances of D-Day and the fighting in Normandy, as well as a part of the campaign in N.W. Europe that has not previously been published, I highly recommend this book.
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