Customer Reviews

Silent Wings- Savage Death

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The use of gliders in combat was unique to World War 2. Entering battle in a plywood box with wings, a soldier put his life in the hands of the glider pilot to land the glider safely and smoothly behind enemy lines. It was a harrowing experience which many did not survive.

Silent Wings Savage Death chronicles the story of one of those glider units during World War 2, the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalions (GFAB) of the 82nd Airborne Division. The book begins with an in depth look at the development of gliders for combat and their application during Germany's Blitzkrieg and continues with a look at other GFAB units in the U.S. Army. Although gliders have long since been relegated to back shelf of history, this book is a great resource and testament to a unit that is still in the thick of combat today in Iraq. Reading this book, one feels a sense of tradition and esprit de corps thread its way through the history and personal accounts of some of the men who entered combat this way.

This book records for posterity the brave men of these specialized units so that they will not be forgotten or overlooked in the annals of history. I highly recommend this book for those interested in understanding the danger and self-sacrifice that the men of these specialized units faced during the war.

Dominic T Biello
Webmaster
US Airborne during WW2
[...]

Not only was PFC Alfred "Fritz" Nigl my Grandfather, he was a hero in my eyes. The book chronicles the harrowing feats and horrible events surrounding the 319th during WWII. I am proud to have known him and hear all of his stories about the war and after reading this book I could not have been prouder of the fact that my Grandfather fought for his country and all of the men who made the ultimate sacrifice for my freedoms. He will always be the Ultimate American HERO. Airborne, All American All the Way.

This a fine book on the Glider Pilots and Glider Riders of WWII and what they did. Would love to see the troops today being told they were going to be droped behind enemy lines at night in a plane made of canvas,plywood, and metal tubing with NO engine.

Walter Cronkite rode one into Normandy and wrote later, "if going into combat, parachute, walk or swim if you had to but do not set foot in a glider".

My father made 4 combat drops and hundreds of pratice,training drops. He and his friends have hair raising tails to tell.

Nice salute to those who made the flights and didn't make it home. Go to the Silent Wings Musuem in Lubbock Texas to see the whole story.