Pegasus Bridge: June 6, 1944 (Paperback)

~ Stephen E. Ambrose (Author) "It was a steel-girder bridge, painted gray, with a large water tower and superstructure..." (more)
Key Phrases: John Howard, Wally Parr, Pegasus Bridge (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Noland Norgaard The Denver Post The best war story this reviewer has ever read. -- Review

Review

Los Angeles Herald ExaminerAll the vividness of a movie, and all the intelligence -- in every sense -- of fine military history.

Drew MiddletonThe New York Times Book ReviewAn illuminating account of an operation as strategically important as any fought on D-Day.

James PittsNew Orleans TimesA little gem. One that will be drawn from by historians of the future.

Noland NorgaardThe Denver PostThe best war story this reviewer has ever read.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Softcover edition (November 15, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671671561
• ISBN-13: 978-0671671563
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #41,852 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #13 in	Books > History > Military > World War II > Normandy
  #88 in	Books > History > Europe > France

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A bridge once forgotten., February 6, 2000

By	Scott Anderson "Sharpsburg" (Shepherdstown, WV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Stephen Ambrose has done a remarkable job in giving the reader a front row seat to the fighting at Pegasus Bridge. His writing takes you right to the action and flows over into the heat of battle as if you were there at the time of the attack.

He vividy describes the training leading up to the assault on bridge in such detail that you may need to set aside the book to rest, and catch your breath from the rigors of the last double time march.

Even though this aspect of the invasion (Pegasus Bridge) encompasses such a small area, the high level of detailed research lends itself to a wonderful account of the early morning hours of 6 June 1944.

This book is very easy to read and is a must for those intrigued by the battle that took place at this simple stone bridge over the Caen Canal in the Norman countryside.

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first battle of invasion vividly recounted, May 1, 2000

By	Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

If you've seen "The Longest Day" you may recall the scene in which a small band of glider-borne commandos seizes a bridge and defends it until relieved by Lord Lovett and his commandos. What you may not know is that this was a singular event- the very first combat engagement of D-Day and the first and only use of this technique by the Allies in the war.

Ambrose is one of the best contemporary historians to write about World War 2, always managing to be both accurate and entertaining. Here, he gives us profiles of the men involved on both sides of the battle, the development of the glider assault technique, a detailed minute-by-minute account of the fighting, and the story of the aftermath of the battle and the lives of the men (and women) after the war, up to the 50th Anneversary D-Day ceremonies in France.

If you're a history buff, this book is a must-have for your library. If you're interested in a more accurate verison of the details surrounding the battle than the movie presented, read the book. And if you simply want to understand a little better how ordinary men can acheive the extraordinary when called on to do so, read this book.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story and excellent guide book., April 21, 2002

By	Road King Rider (Galena, MD United States) - See all my reviews

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Having been stationed in Germany for three years I was fortunate enough to travel to many of the WWII battlegrounds that exist in Europe and the beaches that made up Operation Overlord is one trip that I will never forget. Before making the trip I read "Citizen Soldier," "D-Day" and "Pegasus Bridge" all written by Stephen Ambrose. I carried "D-Day" and "Pegasus Bridge" with me during my trip to use as a reference as I visited 4 of the 5 beaches involved in the D-Day invasion.
"Pegasus Bridge" is the story of the men from D company from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry Regiment of the British 6th Airborne Division. Ambrose does a masterful job of relating the story of these men and tying to results of the battle to the overall operation of D-Day. Ambrose gives the background on the training of the men, personal insights of many of the men, and the man who held them all together Major John Howard.
As good as Ambrose tells the story of D company nothing compares to actually standing on that bridge and the feeling that you get thinking that right here is where the D-Day invasion began! Ambrose has included some great photos and drawing of the gliders landing site. When you visit the bridge itself you will find markers indicating the locations of the first three gliders and it is only then you will realize what a magnificent job of piloting Staff Sergeant Jim Wallwork did in landing the nose of his glider "to break through the barbed wire" as requested by Major Howard. Some the machine gun nest are still there beside the bridge and gives you an idea of what the men faced. The original bridge, replaced with a modern bridge, but thankfully was saved and is located nearby as part of a museum.
"The first place liberated in France" is what the Gondrée's café has as a label according to a plague affixed over the entrance to the café. If you do not go inside you will miss a stunning collection of "Pegasus" military memorabilia! If you are lucky, you might even meet Madam Gondrée, who was a child at the time of the battle, and was still running the café at the time of my visit. She sat with friends and me and related a few stories concerning the story of the bridge and their current fight with the local government to preserve the café and other local building from a campaign to broaden the canal.
As I walk around outside the café and bridge site, I used Ambrose's book to take me through the battle almost moment by moment. I could almost hear Lt. Brotheridge's Sten gun rattle off as he killed one of the two guards on the bridge that night and sadly wonder if he knew what he and his men accomplished that night as he lay dying only moments after engaging the Germans.
If have any interest in the D-Day invasion then you cannot go wrong with this book. Ambrose does a wonderful job in presenting the story. The book is easy to read; I finished it in two days, yet does not insult your intelligence. If you do visit the Normandy region make sure you block out at least half a day to visit the bridge and Madam Gondrée's café you will not be disappointed. Ste.-Mère-Église is another place not to miss, but that is another story.