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Williams-Ford Texas A&M University Military History Series #136
Glider Infantryman: Behind Enemy Lines in World War II
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.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2011
11 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 16, 2018
Glider Infantryman written by Donald J. Rich and Kevin Brooks is a great true story about WWII that left me wanting to know what would happen next. Donald J. Rich is 17 year old who is from a small town in Iowa called Wayland. During WWII, Donald(also know as Don) was drafted to serve and to become part of the Screaming Eagles 101st Airborne Division as a bazooka gunner. Later Don would go on to be in combat during D-Day, where he was wounded and nearly killed in the largest military operation by sea in history. I would recommend this book to people who like historical non-fiction and action. This book gives you a good understanding of the horrifying and deadly events that the soldiers faced during WWII.
August 31, 2021
A great read!
I wanted a book about glider operations , but this book was about the 101st in combat. This person was a glider soldier, but was seldom involved with gliders. He was a foot soldier, rode gliders to war. The book was well documented and a great reference document. A good read it you want to understand the American soldier.
wanted a book about glider operations. This book outlined the activites
I wanted a book about glider operations , but this book was about the 101st in combat. This person was a glider soldier, but was seldom involved with gliders. He was a foot soldier, rode gliders to war. The book was well documented and a great reference document. A good read it you want to understand the American soldier.
wanted a book about glider operations. This book outlined the activites
September 4, 2025
Rich tells the story of his WW2 military service in the US Army Infantry, which included landing at Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and the occupation of Germany.
March 31, 2024
Falling in between memoir and biography (Rich basically dictated his story to Kevin Brooks), Rich spent the years since World War II coming to terms with his battle with PTSD, and apparently made something of a ministry about it. This book is a way of bearing witness once Rich's time is done. As to why I picked this story to read, it's that there's relatively little out there about the glider gang as compared to the parachutists, and I was satisfied with this account.
One thing that is striking to me is that the 327th does not seem to have been a particularly happy unit, or blessed with much inspirational leadership. This is keeping in mind that Don Rich was never that impressed with authority even before he was in the army, according to Brooks' afterword. Part of this is no doubt due to the conflict between the "elite" paratroopers and the dragooned gilder infantry that lasted until the "Screaming Eagles" actually went into combat. However, there also seems to have been a strong sense of favoritism in Rich's company depending on whether you were with the "in crowd" (mostly Southern men), or not (as was Rich).
Originally written: September 4, 2019.
One thing that is striking to me is that the 327th does not seem to have been a particularly happy unit, or blessed with much inspirational leadership. This is keeping in mind that Don Rich was never that impressed with authority even before he was in the army, according to Brooks' afterword. Part of this is no doubt due to the conflict between the "elite" paratroopers and the dragooned gilder infantry that lasted until the "Screaming Eagles" actually went into combat. However, there also seems to have been a strong sense of favoritism in Rich's company depending on whether you were with the "in crowd" (mostly Southern men), or not (as was Rich).
Originally written: September 4, 2019.
November 8, 2012
Definitely one of the best peronal story books in this genre.
Brooks knows how to write an interesting and flowing story, and it is remarkable to read how many facts and stories Don Rich was able to tell.
One of my favorites for sure.
Brooks knows how to write an interesting and flowing story, and it is remarkable to read how many facts and stories Don Rich was able to tell.
One of my favorites for sure.
February 26, 2014
Very unique personal account of the experiences of a glider infantryman. Much different, personal view of the authors feelings and thoughts while fighting with the 101st AD. I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews