Twenty-Five Yards of War: The Extraordinary Courage of Ordinary Men inWorld War II [Hardcover]

Stephen Ambrose (Author), Ronald J. Drez (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 2001

These accounts come from low-ranking soldiers rather than from the commanders who sent them into the fray. Featuring pivitol battles such as Midway and Normandy, as well as lesser-known operations that were also essential to victory, here is an extraordinary opportunity for fans of military history to understand what it really means to fightand live througha war.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Drez (Voices of D-Day), a research associate at the Eisenhower Center at the University of New Orleans, interviewed numbers of WWII veterans, and here compiles 10 accounts of a soldier's 25 yards the length and breadth of the war for him at any given moment. There are a few well-known stories here Ensign George Gay's recollections of watching the Japanese aircraft carriers get bombed at Midway; the sad tale of one of the Indianapolis's survivors but Drez has crafted several chapters that work popularly to overturn some of the "conventional wisdom" of WWII history. The tale of the Rangers who stormed Pointe du Hoc on D-Day is vastly different from that portrayed in the early '60s movie, The Longest Day. Marines who fought in the bloody battles of Tarawa and Iwo Jima bring the savage warfare of the Pacific theater into focus for readers who may not know many details about what it was like to fight an unseen enemy. An 18-man platoon of the 99th Division held up an entire German panzer column on the first day of the Ardennes Offensive, a feat not recognized until recently. Released to coincide with the Pearl Harbor attack's 60th anniversary, this is not a book of analysis or critique. Drez, a Vietnam veteran, is in sync with his interviewees, and his facile pen brings their stories to life. Stephen Ambrose provides a foreword. 16 pages of photos not seen by PW.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In Greatest Generation vein, Drez refracts the personal war experiences of a dozen Americans, but Drez bests Brokaw in that he's been a soldier himself, and the camaraderie of experience infuses his accounts. To be sure, some of these veterans' stories have been previously published (that of USS Indianapolis survivor Harold Eck was incorporated into In Harm's Way by Doug Stanton [BKL Mr 15 01]), but Drez manages to present them with freshness and adequate context. The conflicts include the Doolittle attack, recalled by an airman; the Battle of Midway, witnessed from amidst the Japanese fleet by the sole survivor of a destroyed torpedo squadron; the ghastly battles of Tarawa and Iwo Jima, remembered by a surviving marine from each; and other clashes such as DDay. In a palpable, unfeigned way, Drez extols their heroism and valor through his focus on the individual combat experience. Resonant reading. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (November 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786867833
• ISBN-13: 978-0786867837
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,269,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fine collection of personal accounts of WWII action, November 15, 2001

By 

Kenneth S. Smith (Goleta, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Twenty-Five Yards of War: The Extraordinary Courage of Ordinary Men inWorld War II (Hardcover)

This book contains accounts of 10 actions in WWII; some famous, some unknown. Some of the more famous actions covered are Doolittle's raid on Tokyo, the battles for Iwo Jima and Betio, and the 82nd drop into Normandy. My favorite account in this book is the little known stand made by Lt. Lyle Bouck and an I&R platoon from the 99th Infantry Division. This untested unit just happened to be at the town of Lanzerath when the Battle of the Bulge started. They were ordered to hold until relieved. The men fought hard until they were killed, overrun, or surrendered when out of ammunition. Although badly outgunned and outnumbered, they managed to hold up advancing German infantry and armored units long enough for engineering units at critical points behind them to blow up bridges and further delay the German advance. Their gallant stand bought time for reinforcements to arrive and stem the tide of battle. This is an enjoyable read and will appeal to anyone with an interest in WWII. The author was instrumental in the research for Ambrose's book, "D-Day June 6th, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Success of Twenty-Five Yards of War, April 13, 2004

By 

Laura Cindrich (Overland Park, Kansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twenty-Five Yards of War: The Extraordinary Courage of Ordinary Men inWorld War II (Hardcover)

In Twenty-Five Yards of War, Ronald J. Drez tells the heroic stories of 12 men who have shown inspiring courage in their contribution to the United States' World War II effort.

It was interesting that those men and all who contributed to the war were named "Warriors". These warriors were "called upon to bear unswerving allegiance to the nation...and to surrender part of their own rights and freedoms so the people they protect can better enjoy their own. And this service is predestined to be forgotten". This quote awakened me to the tremendous gratitude that is owed to all those who have unselfishly fought for their country. The warrior theme was appropriately carried out throughout the book. In every story, each soldier, no matter what branch he was in, pushed himself to the limit to get that victory for the U.S. He never worried about whether someone back home would appreciate his deed.

The book kept me engrossed in a way that truly made me excited about history, especially World War II. I had learned about the Doolitte Raid, Battles of Midway and Tarawa, Invasion of Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, and Iwo Jima, but the book expanded upon that knowledge in a way that was clear and easy to read. Also, focusing on one person's experience at each of the battles helped me to have a better understand of what hardships and successes the soldiers went through.

I encountered, for the first time, information on the development of U.S. submarines, like U.S.S. Barb, throughout WWII. I was shocked at the number of deaths occurring on both sides of the war. After every battle the numbers were listed off in the range of hundreds to thousands of men. It was sad for me to think that each man probably had a remarkable story to tell just like the 12 men featured in the book.

Overall, the book was exciting, and was good for me in clarifying basic information. For example, I correlated, for the first time, that The Battle of the Philippine Sea was the same thing as The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. The book is a good read for someone who is interested in World War II.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good review of pivotal points of WWII, December 24, 2001

By 

Richard Kendall (Westlake, OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Twenty-Five Yards of War: The Extraordinary Courage of Ordinary Men inWorld War II (Hardcover)

I'm an avid reader of WWII history, and found much to like in this volume. It covers 10 significant battles and key people who's actions were important to the eventual Allied victory. Covered are both Pacific and European Theatre battles, giving a good balance. This is a fine book to read if you're looking for a single volume that covers a lot of ground that can lead you to more in-depth books covering the battles that interest you most. The author works with Stephen Ambrose, and this volume is reminiscent of Ambrose' works. Enjoy!