The Road to Cisterna: Darby’s Rangers and Their Most Consequential Battle in World War II

by David Lyle Williams

The Road to Cisterna is the story of Darby's Rangers, an elite American army unit in World War II, selected for toughness and specially trained in beach landings and lightning raids deep behind enemy lines. Commanded by Colonel William Orlando Darby, the 1st Ranger Battalion spearheaded landings in North Africa and helped defeat German general Erwin Rommel--the Desert Fox--in Tunisia. Its success inspired the creation of two more battalions led by Darby in the invasions of Sicily and the Italian mainland. The Rangers' record of victories ended in central Italy at the Battle of Cisterna, where a force of almost sixty thousand Germans wiped them out. The German forces captured all but a few of the survivors, but many Rangers made daring escapes from prisoner-of-war camps. Of the Rangers who fought that battle, forty-six tell their stories in this book.

David Lyle Williams spent over two decades collecting the memories of Darby Rangers, enabling him to compile an unprecedentedly thorough history of the unit. Unlike previous accounts, more than 160 Rangers speak here in their own words and voices, giving an intimate picture of their combat experiences, enabling the reader to know them as individuals.

400 pages, Hardcover

First published September 26, 2025

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Truly the definitive history. The author has passion and connection to this esteemed organization but the telling is a muddle. Doesn't flow. Barraged with lots of names. A paragraph develops a direction and then followed by unrelated info. Often I was left wondering what happened next.

What a debacle Cisterna was. Two battalions of Rangers captured. Poor intel. Misuse of their special skills.

So many unbelievable but true stories of perseverance in combat and in captivity. The stories of some amazing men.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author’s passion for the topic is deeply personal and it was felt throughout the text. The maps, glossary and appendices were a nice accompaniment to written words and first hand accounts from the rangers. I have always been interested in WWII (movies, books and the museum in New Orleans); however, I did not know much about the rangers until now. I highly recommend this book for WWII enthusiasts.

[Adelbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written from an informational and research aspect. It dragged in spots and read like an after-action report. Good information, but could have been fleshed out.