US World War II Parachute Infantry Regiments

US World War II Parachute Infantry Regiments
Author: Gordon L. Rottman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2014-01-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1780969163

The parachute infantry regiments were among the most highly decorated US Army units of World War II, and between them they saw action right across the world. The elite nature of these units led to them being committed to action not only in the way that had been intended; their quality tempted commanders to keep them in the line longer than their light armament justified, and they were tested to the limit. This engaging study traces the story of each of the 17 regiments, from their creation and training in the USA, through their deployments overseas, to their combat jumps and all their battles. The book is illustrated with wartime photographs, many previously unpublished, and eight full-colour plates detailing the specifics of their uniforms, insignia, and equipment practices, which often differed from unit to unit.

More Than Courage

More Than Courage
Author: Phil Nordyke
Publisher: Zenith Press
Total Pages: 500
Release: 2008-10-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780760333136

Drawing on many oral and unpublished written accounts from veterans of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Phil Nordyke brings the history of the regiment to life, conveying with remarkable immediacy and power what it was like to be there. This is history as it was lived by the men of the 504th, from their pre-war coming of age in the regiment, through the end of World War II, when they marched in the Victory Parade down Fifth Avenue in New York. The 504th earned three bronze stars for their parachute wings, one for each of their combat jumps.

Four Stars of Valor

Four Stars of Valor
Author: Phil Nordyke
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group USA
Total Pages: 495
Release: 2010-11-12
Genre: History
ISBN: 161060072X

Hailing from the big cities and small towns of America, these young men came together to serve their country and the greater good. They were the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division (the All Americans). Phil Nordyke, their official historian, draws on interviews with surviving veterans and oral history recordings as well as official archives and unpublished written accounts from more than three hundred veterans of the 505th PIR and their supporting units. This is history as it was lived by the men of the 505th, from their prewar coming of age in the regiment, through the end of World War II, when they marched in the Victory Parade up Fifth Avenue in New York, to the postwar legacy of having been part of an elite parachute regiment with a record unsurpassed in the annals of combat.

Glider Infantryman

Glider Infantryman
Author: Donald J. Rich
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2013-01-18
Genre: History
ISBN: 1603449620

A member of the famed Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division, Donald J. Rich went ashore on D-Day at Utah Beach, was wounded in the bloody conflict at Carentan, landed in a flimsy plywood-and-canvas glider on the battlefields of Holland, and survived the grim siege with the "Battling Bastards of Bastogne" during the Battle of the Bulge. Glider Infantryman is his eyewitness account of how he, along with thousands of other young men from farms, small towns, and cities across the United States, came together to answer the call of their nation. It is also a heartfelt tribute to the many thousands who gave their lives in this struggle. Coauthored by Kevin Brooks, the son of Rich's best friend and World War II comrade, Glider Infantryman covers a span of nearly three years; his return home, five months after the war's end, as a toughened bazooka gunner and veteran of five campaigns. Rich's first-person narrative includes vivid coverage of the action, featuring an especially rare account of arriving on a combat landing zone by glider. Detailed, day-to-day depiction of some of the heaviest fighting in Holland follows, including the action at Opheusden, the center of the infamous "Island." Later highlights include the Battle of the Bulge, where Rich recounts his experiences in some of the hottest defensive fighting of the European Theater, including the epic tank battles at Marvie, Champs, and Foy.

Put Us Down in Hell

Put Us Down in Hell
Author: Phil Nordyke
Publisher:
Total Pages: 588
Release: 2012-08-29
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780984715138

Presents a comprehensive history of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, an elite regiment attached to the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II.

Silk Chutes and Hard Fighting

Silk Chutes and Hard Fighting
Author: Jon T. Hoffman
Publisher:
Total Pages: 38
Release: 1999-10-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 9780756718497

This volume is a brief narrative of the development, deployment, & eventual demise of Marine parachute units during World War II. It is published to honor the veterans of these special units & for the information of those interested in Marine parachutists & the events in which they participated. Chapters: the jump into parachuting; rendezvous at Gavutu; Tasimboko; Edson's Ridge; recuperation & reevaluation; Choiseul; Bougainville; & the closing shock. Illustrated with black-&-white photographs & maps.

US Army Airborne 1940–90

US Army Airborne 1940–90
Author: Gordon L. Rottman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2012-09-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1846037395

The first 50 years of the US Army airborne arm is a story of continuing battles with the nation's enemies, of battles within the Army's hierarchy, of change, and of adaptation. If there is any single attribute the airborne soldier can claim as his most sterling, it is his uncanny ability to adapt – his flexibility. The very nature of a paratrooper demands this ability to adapt. The motivation and ésprit de corps it develops within these units is something not to be taken lightly. The first class pairing of Gordon L. Rottman and Ron Volstad bring to life the history of these remarkable troops.

US Airborne Units in the Pacific Theater 1942–45

US Airborne Units in the Pacific Theater 1942–45
Author: Gordon L. Rottman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 97
Release: 2013-02-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472802233

This book examines the wide variety of airborne units that served in the Pacific Theater. Among the units covered are the 12,000-strong 11th Airborne Division; the elite 1st Special Service Force; the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (Separate); and the 1st Marine Parachute Regiment. The nature of the enemy and the terrain in the PTO, and long distances that had to be covered, provided significant and diverse challenges to both Army and Marine Corps parachute units. Internal organization, weapons and equipment, command and control, training, combat missions, and combat operations including the 11th Division's fighting in the Philippines, and the 503rd PIR's legendary jump onto Corregidor and recapture of the island are all covered.

US World War II Parachute Infantry Regiments

US World War II Parachute Infantry Regiments
Author: Gordon L. Rottman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 105
Release: 2014-01-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1780969171

The parachute infantry regiments were among the most highly decorated US Army units of World War II, and between them they saw action right across the world. The elite nature of these units led to them being committed to action not only in the way that had been intended; their quality tempted commanders to keep them in the line longer than their light armament justified, and they were tested to the limit. This engaging study traces the story of each of the 17 regiments, from their creation and training in the USA, through their deployments overseas, to their combat jumps and all their battles. The book is illustrated with wartime photographs, many previously unpublished, and eight full-colour plates detailing the specifics of their uniforms, insignia, and equipment practices, which often differed from unit to unit.