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Operation Overlord
This story is of a teen age boy inducted into the army during WWII. It tells of the molding of an inexperienced boy into a young soldier in a few short months. It deals with his progress through basic training, his shipment overseas and his experiences in Great Britain. His story continues with a landing on Omaha Beach, assignment to the Fifteenth Field Artillery Battalion and his war experiences. He fought through battles in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes (The Battle of the Bulge), Rhineland and Central Europe. His war experiences culminated with Germany's surrender while his Battalion was in Czechoslovakia.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 12, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 5, 2012
Honest, Understated Reflections of WW II
Jack Patterson is 86 years old and that fact adds immensely to the near sanctity of this book OPERATION OVERLORD. There are countless books written about World War II - books as novels, poetry collections, memoirs, screenplays - many are excellent and each has a different vantage form which to recall a war for impact. But Jack Patterson is not a trained writer, not does he have a co-writer to oversee his efforts. This is writing from the gut, from the at times slightly warped recall of incidents, colored by the wash of time and emotional bruising that 67 years of time unveils.
Patterson volunteered at the young age of 18, trained in the rigors of Fort Bragg, and due to a freak accident of nature he was spared being shipped to the Pacific theater, instead being pressed into action in a 'replacement pool' (men prepared to replace the casualties of the Allied attack on the European theater). Patterson manages to muster the realities of war as he and his friends endured the seasickness of the meager transport boat to England, paints the image as they marched into the space in Europe opened by the soldiers now in body bags, and proceeded to serve their country in Operation Overlord after Omaha Beach was fresh history and stay the course through battles in Normandy, Brest, the North of France, The Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland and Central Europe - in place in Czechoslovakia when the Germans surrendered. The fascinating aspect of Patterson's writing, or the working of his memory, is focused on his knowledge and experience as a front artilleryman specializing in the Howitzer gun - likely his way of walking through these experiences concentrating on his duties instead of being shredded by the painful memories of the war.
For some this short book may seem inconsequential - another report on what WW II was like from the soldier's vantage. But read this book and for those who have never had to be a part of a war on the battlefield, this is some of the most immediate sense of the madness of war - primarily because it is related to us with the simplicity of a simple man who lived through it and returned. Yes, there is emotion here, too: the last of the book recalls the eventual break in the strength of holding back tears and even the opportunity the elder Patterson had of visiting the sites of his war experiences on a nearly free trip to Europe. OPERATION OVERLORD in the gentle, homespun telling by Jack Patterson will live like shrapnel in the minds of those fortunate enough to share the experience of a gentle soldier's memory.
Grady Harp,
Jack Patterson is 86 years old and that fact adds immensely to the near sanctity of this book OPERATION OVERLORD. There are countless books written about World War II - books as novels, poetry collections, memoirs, screenplays - many are excellent and each has a different vantage form which to recall a war for impact. But Jack Patterson is not a trained writer, not does he have a co-writer to oversee his efforts. This is writing from the gut, from the at times slightly warped recall of incidents, colored by the wash of time and emotional bruising that 67 years of time unveils.
Patterson volunteered at the young age of 18, trained in the rigors of Fort Bragg, and due to a freak accident of nature he was spared being shipped to the Pacific theater, instead being pressed into action in a 'replacement pool' (men prepared to replace the casualties of the Allied attack on the European theater). Patterson manages to muster the realities of war as he and his friends endured the seasickness of the meager transport boat to England, paints the image as they marched into the space in Europe opened by the soldiers now in body bags, and proceeded to serve their country in Operation Overlord after Omaha Beach was fresh history and stay the course through battles in Normandy, Brest, the North of France, The Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland and Central Europe - in place in Czechoslovakia when the Germans surrendered. The fascinating aspect of Patterson's writing, or the working of his memory, is focused on his knowledge and experience as a front artilleryman specializing in the Howitzer gun - likely his way of walking through these experiences concentrating on his duties instead of being shredded by the painful memories of the war.
For some this short book may seem inconsequential - another report on what WW II was like from the soldier's vantage. But read this book and for those who have never had to be a part of a war on the battlefield, this is some of the most immediate sense of the madness of war - primarily because it is related to us with the simplicity of a simple man who lived through it and returned. Yes, there is emotion here, too: the last of the book recalls the eventual break in the strength of holding back tears and even the opportunity the elder Patterson had of visiting the sites of his war experiences on a nearly free trip to Europe. OPERATION OVERLORD in the gentle, homespun telling by Jack Patterson will live like shrapnel in the minds of those fortunate enough to share the experience of a gentle soldier's memory.
Grady Harp,
April 18, 2018
The story follows Pat, an 18 year-old high school dropout, as he volunteers for the draft during World War II. As a member of the 1st howitzer gun crew of A Battery, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division follow Pat as he goes from Normandy just six days after D-day through France, into Germany, and eventually Czechoslovakia. As the story unfolds Pat faces the difficulties of war including but not limited to: the fear of battle, going days without sleep, constant relocation and emplacement, and watching as friends become casualties of war. Shortly after the end of the war Pat finds himself discharged from the military, however those experiences stay with him throughout his life. In fact, forty-nine years later he finds himself back in Europe retracing his journey and recounting those events.
I found it easy to visualize the events taking place, thanks to the author’s excellent use of description. The characters were well written, and I found myself invested in their well-being. Dialogue between characters offered some much needed comic relief in the midst of some tense, dramatic scenes.
Although the story moved forward at a decent pace there were just a few places where it seemed a bit slower than necessary.
Overall, a compelling read that I would recommend to anyone who has an interest or curiosity in the events of war.
I found it easy to visualize the events taking place, thanks to the author’s excellent use of description. The characters were well written, and I found myself invested in their well-being. Dialogue between characters offered some much needed comic relief in the midst of some tense, dramatic scenes.
Although the story moved forward at a decent pace there were just a few places where it seemed a bit slower than necessary.
Overall, a compelling read that I would recommend to anyone who has an interest or curiosity in the events of war.
January 30, 2013
Jack Patterson was just a boy at a time when history needed him to be a man. No, he wasn’t the only one of such stripes, but he was definitely one of the few and the proud who stepped up in a time of global crisis unmatched in current memory. Hitler and his minions were on the march. Japan had dealt America a suckerpunch, bombing Pearl Harbor and throwing the nation into immediate chaos and fear. Still, what emerged from these events were a people united against the ultimate Fascist threat. Jack and those like him answered the call to arms, stood up, and proudly made history by living the smaller moments – within the much bigger picture – on the front lines, in the trenches of combat.
(NOTE: the following review may contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
So many of the ‘Greatest Generation’ just never spoke about what happened over there – wherever ‘there’ was, be it France, Germany, or any number of islands in the Pacific. My father-in-law was one of them, as well. No matter how many times I asked – even when he was at his weakest suffering from an invasion of cancer that slowly took him away from us about a decade ago – it was just a subject he wouldn’t talk about. Oh, he’d happily tell in general terms about ‘where’ he was and ‘who’ he was with, but putting the war into words – bringing it to life in such a way that someone who wasn’t there could actually imagine it – was something that never interested him.
In OPERATION OVERLORD’s conclusion, Jack explains why he personally believes that is. His character, Pat (the book is entirely based on his experiences, but, having told it in the form of a novel in order to take a few artistic steps with it), suffers an emotional breakdown – he finds himself crying uncontrollably – once back in the States and far from those distant lands of his battles. As he reflects upon his experiences, he comes to the realization that there are, simply, just no words that could honestly bring what he and so many others endured to life for any audience. Consequently, it was never talked about.
And that’s the subtle beauty of OVERLORD. What Mr. Patterson sees as a modest accounting of his days in the European theatre is fascinating to readers because they are experiences in many ways we can’t relate to much less comprehend the magnitude of what these sacrifices meant. He’s filled his pages with as many misadventures as he does adventures because that is truly the substance of life. Even in times of strife, his noble Pat can’t help being who he is, even when that means staying out late (after curfew) to have a cup of tea with a local man, even when that means unintentionally risking punishment for disobeying orders. Sure, he broke a few rules, but who didn’t? And who didn’t live a better life because of it?
Pat is the ultimate everyman – a regular Joe, if you will – and it’s easy to read, understand, appreciate, and grasp his daily life in the trenches, with his bunkmates, stuck on a hillside in Czechoslovakia defending his country. His experiences are the kind of narrative missing from most truly historical accounts of the war: it’s one with a name and a face that make sense to the average reader. It’s easy to understand how he feels. And it’s easy to see why any reader could wish more G.I.s would tell their stories, as well.
OVERLORD may never sit on the library shelves owned by academics or war historians because maybe it lacks the facts, figures, and statistics they prefer when analyzing what happened when nations collided, but it’s exactly the type of book that should.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. In ways, history is the harshest mistress of them all because no man (or woman) ever escapes her charms. Inevitably, we all pass from this world into what waits beyond, and, with each passing year, the number of surviving G.I.s from World War II grows smaller and smaller. Eventually, they’ll all be gone, but, thankfully, some of them have graciously decided after much time and reflection to commit their experiences to books. I’ve long argued how important it is for the good, the bad, and the ugly to be written up and passed down from generation to generation if for no other reason that we forget what those who came before us endured and suffered so that we, today, may enjoy a better life. OPERATION OVERLORD may not be every historian’s cup of tea – maybe it lacks the big picture narrative of the blockbuster novel, maybe there are a few typos, or maybe it isn’t as ‘politically correct’ as modern scholars would like it to be – but, for this reader, it’s as much a welcome diversion from my daily pursuits as it is a chilling reminder of what life was like for ‘the greatest generation.’
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that Mr. Patterson himself contacted me and personally requested for me to read and review the account of his experiences during World War II. He provided me with a digital copy of OPERATION OVERLORD.
(NOTE: the following review may contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last two paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
So many of the ‘Greatest Generation’ just never spoke about what happened over there – wherever ‘there’ was, be it France, Germany, or any number of islands in the Pacific. My father-in-law was one of them, as well. No matter how many times I asked – even when he was at his weakest suffering from an invasion of cancer that slowly took him away from us about a decade ago – it was just a subject he wouldn’t talk about. Oh, he’d happily tell in general terms about ‘where’ he was and ‘who’ he was with, but putting the war into words – bringing it to life in such a way that someone who wasn’t there could actually imagine it – was something that never interested him.
In OPERATION OVERLORD’s conclusion, Jack explains why he personally believes that is. His character, Pat (the book is entirely based on his experiences, but, having told it in the form of a novel in order to take a few artistic steps with it), suffers an emotional breakdown – he finds himself crying uncontrollably – once back in the States and far from those distant lands of his battles. As he reflects upon his experiences, he comes to the realization that there are, simply, just no words that could honestly bring what he and so many others endured to life for any audience. Consequently, it was never talked about.
And that’s the subtle beauty of OVERLORD. What Mr. Patterson sees as a modest accounting of his days in the European theatre is fascinating to readers because they are experiences in many ways we can’t relate to much less comprehend the magnitude of what these sacrifices meant. He’s filled his pages with as many misadventures as he does adventures because that is truly the substance of life. Even in times of strife, his noble Pat can’t help being who he is, even when that means staying out late (after curfew) to have a cup of tea with a local man, even when that means unintentionally risking punishment for disobeying orders. Sure, he broke a few rules, but who didn’t? And who didn’t live a better life because of it?
Pat is the ultimate everyman – a regular Joe, if you will – and it’s easy to read, understand, appreciate, and grasp his daily life in the trenches, with his bunkmates, stuck on a hillside in Czechoslovakia defending his country. His experiences are the kind of narrative missing from most truly historical accounts of the war: it’s one with a name and a face that make sense to the average reader. It’s easy to understand how he feels. And it’s easy to see why any reader could wish more G.I.s would tell their stories, as well.
OVERLORD may never sit on the library shelves owned by academics or war historians because maybe it lacks the facts, figures, and statistics they prefer when analyzing what happened when nations collided, but it’s exactly the type of book that should.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. In ways, history is the harshest mistress of them all because no man (or woman) ever escapes her charms. Inevitably, we all pass from this world into what waits beyond, and, with each passing year, the number of surviving G.I.s from World War II grows smaller and smaller. Eventually, they’ll all be gone, but, thankfully, some of them have graciously decided after much time and reflection to commit their experiences to books. I’ve long argued how important it is for the good, the bad, and the ugly to be written up and passed down from generation to generation if for no other reason that we forget what those who came before us endured and suffered so that we, today, may enjoy a better life. OPERATION OVERLORD may not be every historian’s cup of tea – maybe it lacks the big picture narrative of the blockbuster novel, maybe there are a few typos, or maybe it isn’t as ‘politically correct’ as modern scholars would like it to be – but, for this reader, it’s as much a welcome diversion from my daily pursuits as it is a chilling reminder of what life was like for ‘the greatest generation.’
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that Mr. Patterson himself contacted me and personally requested for me to read and review the account of his experiences during World War II. He provided me with a digital copy of OPERATION OVERLORD.
January 6, 2013
Today we live in the shadows of a tree called "Freedom", but this very tree was planted on hundreds probably thousands of soldiers death bed. We take our freedom for granted and forget that there was time not so long in past when you had to fight with your life to earn this freedom. Operation overlord by Jack Patterson is a historical novel which spellbinds its readers to the era of World War II wherein life and death were just a step away, when villages and cities were burned to dust over night. This is a story of a young soldier (author himself) who enrolled in military to serve his nation in time of need. Story highlights life of a soldier through his friendship his courage and his dedication for his nation.
"Operation Overlord" was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German occupied western Europe during World War II by allied forces. Author is a veteran from World War II and in this book he is describing his first hand experience to describe war itself.
Pat was 18, young and inexperienced. He joined army to be a soldier and to defend his nation while leaving behind his education. Book describes Pats progress through basic training, his shipment overseas, and his experiences in Great Britain. Story continues with pats landing on Omaha Beach, where he was assigned to the Fifteenth Field Artillery Battalion, there his experience with his battalion. Later He fought through battles in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He saw Germany's soldiers surrender while his battalion was in Czechoslovakia. And as the war comes to an end his return to his home. But after almost 50 years to the war Pat returns to his once battlefield and pays his respects for lost loved ones.
In War one has to fight to protect the things that mattered like family, friends and nation. Reading Jack Patterson's account of his wartime experiences is truly phenomenal. At times this book made my eyes moist and others I was left with smiling face. Story is filled with Light humors between comrades and fascinating yet terrifying deeds of WWII. This book is a must read to anyone who want to know more about WWII. This story is worth every star out of 5 stars.
"Operation Overlord" was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German occupied western Europe during World War II by allied forces. Author is a veteran from World War II and in this book he is describing his first hand experience to describe war itself.
Pat was 18, young and inexperienced. He joined army to be a soldier and to defend his nation while leaving behind his education. Book describes Pats progress through basic training, his shipment overseas, and his experiences in Great Britain. Story continues with pats landing on Omaha Beach, where he was assigned to the Fifteenth Field Artillery Battalion, there his experience with his battalion. Later He fought through battles in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He saw Germany's soldiers surrender while his battalion was in Czechoslovakia. And as the war comes to an end his return to his home. But after almost 50 years to the war Pat returns to his once battlefield and pays his respects for lost loved ones.
In War one has to fight to protect the things that mattered like family, friends and nation. Reading Jack Patterson's account of his wartime experiences is truly phenomenal. At times this book made my eyes moist and others I was left with smiling face. Story is filled with Light humors between comrades and fascinating yet terrifying deeds of WWII. This book is a must read to anyone who want to know more about WWII. This story is worth every star out of 5 stars.
February 3, 2013
The author has chosen to write this account as fiction, because now he is in his late 80s he is worried that he might get facts mixed up.
I wish he had chosen to write it as a memoir and in first person. The details he remembers are quite remarkable when you think about the fact that we are talking about events that took place over 68 years ago.
What is evident in the story is the level of emotional detachment.It is quite common for veterans of war to distance themselves emotionally from their experiences. That coping mechanism and not speaking about it, is probably what keeps the majority sane. The human mind and body is unsuited for the horrors of warfare. That makes their tales, memoirs and often brief trips down memory lane so very precious. It is hard to relay in words, both vocally and in writing, what they must have experienced. For the reader or listener it is also just as difficult to comprehend completely without actually having been part of it or through something similar themselves.
The flow of the story seems a little rigid and there is a strong focus on weaponry and the strategic warfare. That is something which will garner interest from history buffs, especially the details of specific guns, bombs and equipment used during WW2. It mentions certain well-known battles and devastating wartime losses that many will recognise from history losses. Often the author mentions them in passing and I wonder what kind of an impact that must have had upon him and others at such a young age.
We are coming to an era now in 2013 that sees us saying goodbye to the few remaining brave soldiers of those historical events. The author is one of those few and that is enough reason to read this book.
I received a free copy of this book for my review.
I wish he had chosen to write it as a memoir and in first person. The details he remembers are quite remarkable when you think about the fact that we are talking about events that took place over 68 years ago.
What is evident in the story is the level of emotional detachment.It is quite common for veterans of war to distance themselves emotionally from their experiences. That coping mechanism and not speaking about it, is probably what keeps the majority sane. The human mind and body is unsuited for the horrors of warfare. That makes their tales, memoirs and often brief trips down memory lane so very precious. It is hard to relay in words, both vocally and in writing, what they must have experienced. For the reader or listener it is also just as difficult to comprehend completely without actually having been part of it or through something similar themselves.
The flow of the story seems a little rigid and there is a strong focus on weaponry and the strategic warfare. That is something which will garner interest from history buffs, especially the details of specific guns, bombs and equipment used during WW2. It mentions certain well-known battles and devastating wartime losses that many will recognise from history losses. Often the author mentions them in passing and I wonder what kind of an impact that must have had upon him and others at such a young age.
We are coming to an era now in 2013 that sees us saying goodbye to the few remaining brave soldiers of those historical events. The author is one of those few and that is enough reason to read this book.
I received a free copy of this book for my review.
December 18, 2011
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping Story!, December 4, 2011
By
Pacino23
This review is from: Operation Overlord (Paperback)
Operation Overlord is a great thought provoking and insightful look at soldiers, war and the effect they have on each other. In this novel by Jack Patterson a young man has enlisted and is shipped off to fight the enemy in a foreign land. Only a teenager himself, how is he to handle the mental and physical strain of war? If he does make it "out alive" how will his experience in the war effect him psychologically? These are all questions that are asked in this day and age but it is unfortunate that we knew nothing about PTSD during WWII (when this novel takes place).
Although this story is fictional, the author has drawn on his own knowledge of WWII when writing this book and it certainly reflects in the writing. I am not a huge history buff but it seems that the author has done a very good job of being historically accurate and his own experiences come to life via his characters making this story believable, engaging and heart wrenching. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading.
By
Pacino23
This review is from: Operation Overlord (Paperback)
Operation Overlord is a great thought provoking and insightful look at soldiers, war and the effect they have on each other. In this novel by Jack Patterson a young man has enlisted and is shipped off to fight the enemy in a foreign land. Only a teenager himself, how is he to handle the mental and physical strain of war? If he does make it "out alive" how will his experience in the war effect him psychologically? These are all questions that are asked in this day and age but it is unfortunate that we knew nothing about PTSD during WWII (when this novel takes place).
Although this story is fictional, the author has drawn on his own knowledge of WWII when writing this book and it certainly reflects in the writing. I am not a huge history buff but it seems that the author has done a very good job of being historically accurate and his own experiences come to life via his characters making this story believable, engaging and heart wrenching. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading.
October 3, 2013
I was honored to read this book when it was offered to me by the author in exchange for a review. The heroes of our Greatest Generation are passing away at a rapid pace, and this book memorializes their service and sacrifice.
Jack Patterson, the semi-fictionalized Pat in this story, recalls his experiences as a young artillery soldier in WWII. After 65 years, the memories of the horrors of war are still easy to call to mind, and I am grateful he made a record of his experiences so future generations can't forget the sacrifice that his generation made for our freedom. He wrote the book as a fictional account because he worried that the years had perhaps mixed up the facts as he remembers them. But he shouldn't have worried - the horrible reality of war as seen by Pat is truth itself.
The book could have used a little editing, but the way it's written makes the reader feel as if they're sitting in Jack's kitchen listening to him tell the story. To me, that's worth more than a slickly edited and polished story that bears little resemblance to the actual words of the man who lived it.
Jack Patterson, the semi-fictionalized Pat in this story, recalls his experiences as a young artillery soldier in WWII. After 65 years, the memories of the horrors of war are still easy to call to mind, and I am grateful he made a record of his experiences so future generations can't forget the sacrifice that his generation made for our freedom. He wrote the book as a fictional account because he worried that the years had perhaps mixed up the facts as he remembers them. But he shouldn't have worried - the horrible reality of war as seen by Pat is truth itself.
The book could have used a little editing, but the way it's written makes the reader feel as if they're sitting in Jack's kitchen listening to him tell the story. To me, that's worth more than a slickly edited and polished story that bears little resemblance to the actual words of the man who lived it.
January 16, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. Coming from a military family, I understood a lot of what was happening not only at the home front, but also as Pat was surviving Basic Training and learning about the military way of life. What really struck me was that I had an uncle serve in the Army-Air Force during WWII, and although he wasn’t in the Army Battalion A, he was in many of the places Pat and his company was. So, not only could I envision what the artillery teams were doing, I could also imagine my uncle there too.
This story takes us through the war, but luckily for me, it doesn’t show too many of the horrors of the war. This also gives a soldier’s perspective on war. Listening to my uncles’ tales of the war, gives me the perspective that this story is how most of the young men treated the war.
This historical account of the war from the soldier’s perspective is a must read for anyone interested not only in WWII, but also for those interested in the military.
This story takes us through the war, but luckily for me, it doesn’t show too many of the horrors of the war. This also gives a soldier’s perspective on war. Listening to my uncles’ tales of the war, gives me the perspective that this story is how most of the young men treated the war.
This historical account of the war from the soldier’s perspective is a must read for anyone interested not only in WWII, but also for those interested in the military.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews