All American, All the Way: The Combat History of the 82nd Airborne Division in World War II

by Phil Nordyke

Brings to life the division's exploits on June 6, 1944, where, after spearheading the airborne invasion, the paratroopers proved invaluable as shock troops and were pulled out of combat only to mount... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0760322015
• ISBN13: 9780760322017
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Zenith Press
• Length: 868 Pages
• Weight: 2.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.8" x 6.3" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

A great read and a must have

All American, All the way is a fantastic read for any World War 2 or 82nd Airborne enthusiast, I would say that this is a must have. This book (part one) is a release of the large volume under the same name and the second will be released in 2010 (From Market Garden to Berlin). I think it was a great marketing decision to split this into a two volume set, while both books will still be in excess of 400 pages it does make it manageable to read and may bring in some readers that were scared off by the all in one volume which was almost 900 pages. Ok, enough of the marketing of the book, lets talk about what you will find inside. Phil Nordyke brings this story in our history to life giving different perspectives but continuing the story. It offers a wealth of firsthand accounts and tells the story through the eyes of the men who were there. He really hit my style of reading; there is enough information that you can follow this easily on a map and have a clear understanding of the timeline in which the campaign plays out, while at the same time the accounts are not drowned out the story because they are the story. This is truly a great read and in my opinion a must have for any World War II fan, student or researcher. Our history is rich with the everyday way of life, the great heroics of people put into situations that really did not want to be there, but made the best of what they had. This book through its accounts brings American metal to bear and gives us a glimpse of what they sacrificed for us. It captures that moment in time and allows there and our history to be shared. Craig Anderson Our History Project

Aren't You Glad Gen. Gavin & His Boys Were On Our Side?

If you were an American or British soldier, this is the infantry division you wanted in front of you and on your flank (that's right, after airborne troops land, they're infantry). After moving the front lines in Normandy for 33 days Gen. Gavin said of his men "The troopers had been splendid; resourceful and courageous in the attack, resolute in the defense, they fought superbly". Phil Nordyke, in what was obviously a labor of love, painstakingly collected and corroborated oral histories and consolidated and interwove them with many existing written sources to be presented in this SUPERBLY organized and highly engrossing book. The situation maps in particular are better than any I've seen,including official U.S. Army maps (you can thank modern printing techniques for the subtle shadings). I've walked through the woods, fields and towns of Cheneux, Trois Ponts, Baraque-de-Fraiture, Reharmont, Fosse, Goronne and Thier-du-Mont, Belgium. In Holland: Grave, Groesbeek, Beek, Mook, Plasmolen/Riethorst, Hunner Park, the Waaldyke and Oosterhout. Normandy contributed such towns as St.-Mere-Eglise, Chef-du-Pont, La Fiere Manoir, Cauquigny, Amfreville, Pont l'Abbe, Les Rosiers and St.-Sauveur-le-Vicomte. These places will live forever in the annals of WWII warfare and are a testament to the bravery and resolve of the men from this legendary airborne division who contributed so much to the final Allied victory in Europe. Finally, we can thank recent movies and a TV miniseries for giving us a realistic visual glimpse of close quarters-no quarter airborne infantry combat in the towns and woods of Europe during WWII. Nordyke's book brings alive the voices, thoughts and experiences (some humerous) of those men. Every front line infantry division of WWII wishes they had a permanent document of their exploits as exceptional as this.

All American, All The Way: The Combat History Of The 82nd Airborne Division In World War II

The 82nd Airborne Division...World War II...What other unit in the history of the United States Army had a more profound statement and impact then the 82nd Airborne Division did during this time period? NONE!!! When I first received an autographed copy of the book from Phil Nordyke, I took one look at the 800 or so pages and thought, "Wow, this is only about WWII?" Much to my surprise, it was an extremely captivating account of soldiers stories, from enlisted to officers, during World War II along with a lot of other facts that I was not aware of or heard before; I literally did not want to put it down! I am by no means a Military History major, but after reading more than my fair share of military books on World War II and the 82nd Airborne Division, I have to say that this one is the most comprehensive and thorough account of both. As a former member of the 82nd Airborne Division, 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, I believe that Phil has captured the essence and spirit of the "All Americans" during WWII. I would encourage all troopers, Airborne and Legs alike, to make this a must read. Airborne...Strike Hold! Michael Lester Vice Chairman Col. Reuben H. Tucker Chapter 82nd Airborne Division Association

The Best.

I met Phil Nordyke in Reading, PA, in early June 2005 at a book signing with 82nd Airborne Vets. I looked at the thick, 800 + page book and thought, like I always do with books this big, "It has to be filled with a lot of B.S." When I had the chance, I asked 2 of the vets what they thought of the book. One said "someone finally got it right", the other said "it's our complete story and it's all true". I bought the book and was not disappointed. In fact, it's better than any book I've read on WW2, Stephen Ambrose books included. Phil obviously spent an enormous amount of time collecting the facts, double checking the facts, and having the vets re-check what he had written before releasing this book. It full of facts and stories from vets like no other WW2 book I've read. Phil told me in Reading, "it's their story, I just wrote it down". He did more than write it down, he organized it and put it down in a fashion so that the events flow perfectly and the book reads easily. When you are done, you'll swear it was only 200 pages. It's how a book like this should be written. If you are a WW2 buff, get this book. You'll fall in love with the 82nd Airborne, which is tough for me to say since I'm a 101st re-enactor.

Proud Americans

In my view, Phil Nordyke's All American All the Way is the finest history to date of the 82d Airborne Division legendary WWII combat record. Not a just rehash of previously recounted veterans' stories mixed in with the tactical and operational record of the division's actions during WWII, All the Way provides new insights and in-depth portrayal of the individual soldiers and leaders'combat actions and contributions at the small unit level on which the battalion, regiment and division's legendary combat successes were based. He skillfully provides a comprehensive and integrated story of the nose-to-nose fight, while clearly describing the fight 82d's campaigns at the tactical and operation level against a tough and determined foe from Sicily to Berlin. The author accomplishes this without getting bogged down in minutae. As General Bradley said to Ridgeway watching 82d paratroopers of the 505th PIR, under withering enemy fire, closing on the enemy in Ste Sauveur le Vicome,Normandy, "My God,Matt, can't anything stop these men? The answer was (and still is) "NO!" Not only a solid history, All American All the Way is a great read. Five stars. Michael E. Ekman Colonel, US Army (Ret)