The Lost Paratroopers of Normandy: A Story of Resistance, Courage, and Solidarity in a French Village

by Stephen G Rabe, David Colacci (Reader)

The fateful days and weeks surrounding June 6th, 1944, have been extensively documented in histories of the Second World War, but less attention has been paid to the tremendous impact of these events on the populations nearby. The Lost Paratroopers of Normandy tells the inspiring yet heartbreaking story of ordinary people who did extraordinary things in defense of liberty and freedom. On D-Day, when transport planes dropped paratroopers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions hopelessly off-target into marshy waters in northwestern France, the 900 villagers of Graignes welcomed them with open arms. These villagers--predominantly women--provided food, gathered intelligence, and navigated the floods to retrieve the paratroopers' equipment at great risk to themselves. When the attack by German forces on June 11th forced the overwhelmed paratroopers to withdraw, many made it to safety thanks to the help and resistance of the villagers. In this moving book, historian Stephen G. Rabe, son of one of the paratroopers, meticulously documents the forgotten lives of those who participated in this integral part of D-Day history.

Audio CD

Published April 25, 2023

Reviews

[Euan Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, certainly an episode of D-Day of which I was unaware, and I am glad to become familiar with.

The book is a lovely intertwining of civilian and military lives and stories set to the dramatic backdrop of the Normandy invasion in 1944. Great source material and research and a nice easy book to read.

Yet another great example of how many phenomenal stories of personal heroism there are from this period, incredibly morally courageous individuals both civilian and military who may largely be unremembered by history; but whose stories will (I hope) live on in writing such as these and be passed down from generation to generation by their no doubt proud families.