List Books » Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle Nest
Authors: Stephen E. Ambrose, Cotter Smith
ISBN-13: 9780743541855, ISBN-10: 0743541855
Format: MP3 Book
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Date Published: July 2004
Edition: Abridged
An historian whose books prompted America to regard its war veterans with newfound reverence, Stephen E. Ambrose was as prolific as he was passionate about his country. His bestsellers chronicled our nation s critical battles and achievements, from his seminal war works D-Day and Band of Brothers to his fitting last love letter To America.
Easy Company, 506th Airborne Division, U.S. Army, was as good a rifle company as any in the world. From their rigorous training in Georgia in 1942 to D-Day and victory, Ambrose tells the story of this remarkable company, which kept getting the tough assignments. Easy Company was responsible for everything from parachuting into France early D-Day morning to the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden.
Band of Brothers is the account of the men of this remarkable unit who fought, went hungry, froze, and died, a company that took 150 percent casualities and considered the Purple Heart a badge of office. Drawing on hours of interviews with survivors as well as the soldiers' journals and letters, Stephen Ambrose tell the stories -- often in the men's own words -- of these American hereoes.
Ambrose (Pegasus Bridge) narrates in vivid detail the adventures, misadventures, triumphs and tragedies of a single U.S. Army infantry company over its span of organizational life. Formed in July 1944 and deactivated in November 1945, E Company was one of the most successful light infantry units in the European theater. Its troops saw their first action on D-Day behind the Normandy beachhead, took part in Operation Market Garden in Holland, held the perimeter around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, and were the first to reach Hitler's Bavarian outpost at Berchtesgaden. The book is enlivened with pertinent comments by veterans of "Easy Company,'' who recall not only the combat action but their relations with their officers (one company commander was a petty tyrant of the worst type, but his oppressive ways had much to do with the unit's impressive esprit de corps ) and their impressions of the countries through which they campaigned (hated the French, loved the Germans). This is a terrific read for WW II actions buffs.
Ch. 1 | "We Wanted Those Wings"; Camp Toccoa, July-December 1942 | 13 |
Ch. 2 | "Stand Up and Hook Up"; Benning, Mackall, Bragg, Shanks, December 1942-September 1943 | 28 |
Ch. 3 | "Duties of the Latrine Orderly"; Aldbourne, September 1943-March 1944 | 41 |
Ch. 4 | "Look Out Hitler! Here We Come!"; Slapton Sands, Uppottery, April 1-June 5, 1944 | 55 |
Ch. 5 | "Follow Me"; Normandy, June 6, 1944 | 70 |
Ch. 6 | "Move Out!"; Carentan, June 7-July 12, 1944 | 89 |
Ch. 7 | Healing Wounds and Scrubbed Missions; Aldbourne, July 13-September 16, 1944 | 108 |
Ch. 8 | "Hell's Highway"; Holland, September 17-October 1, 1944 | 124 |
Ch. 9 | The Island; Holland, October 2-November 25, 1944 | 143 |
Ch. 10 | Resting, Recovering, and Refitting; Mourmelon-le-Grand, November 26-December 18, 1944 | 168 |
Ch. 11 | "They Got Us Surrounded--the Poor Bastards"; Bastogne, December 19-31, 1944 | 182 |
Ch. 12 | The Breaking Point; Bastogne, January 1-13, 1945 | 199 |
Ch. 13 | Attack; Noville, January 14-17, 1945 | 218 |
Ch. 14 | The Patrol; Haguenau, January 18-February 23, 1945 | 229 |
Ch. 15 | "The Best Feeling in the World"; Mourmelon, February 25-April 2, 1945 | 245 |
Ch. 16 | Getting to Know the Enemy; Germany, April 2-30, 1945 | 255 |
Ch. 17 | Drinking Hitler's Champagne; Berchtesgaden, May 1-8, 1945 | 271 |
Ch. 18 | The Soldier's Dream Life; Austria, May 8-July 31, 1945 | 282 |
Ch. 19 | Postwar Careers; 1945-1991 | 300 |
Acknowledgments and Sources | 317 | |
Index | 321 |