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D-Day and Beyond: The Things Our Fathers Saw—The Untold Stories of the World War II Generation-Volume V
WHEN YOU STEP OFF THE LANDING CRAFT into the sea, bullets flying at 0630, how do you react to your vision of your mother opening the telegram that you have been killed?
WHEN YOUR GLIDER CRASHES AND BREAKS APART, what do you when you are shot and the Germans are bearing down on you, and you know your dogtags identify you as a Jew?
— “I had a vision, if you want to call it that. At my home, the mailman would walk up towards the front porch, and I saw it just as clear as if he's standing beside me—I see his blue jacket and the blue cap and the leather mailbag. Here he goes up to the house, but he doesn’t turn. He goes right up the front steps. This happened so fast, probably a matter of seconds, but the first thing that came to mind, that's the way my folks would find out what happened to me.
The next thing I know, I kind of come to, and I'm in the push-up mode. I'm half up out of the underwater depression, and I'm trying to figure out what the hell happened to those prone figures on the beach, and all of a sudden, I realized I'm in amongst those bodies!” —Army demolition engineer, Omaha Beach, D-Day
Dying for freedom isn’t the worst that could happen. Being forgotten is.
— “My last mission was the Bastogne mission. We were being towed, we're approaching Bastogne, and I see a cloud of flak, anti-aircraft fire. I said to myself, ‘I'm not going to make it.’ There were a couple of groups ahead of us, so now the anti-aircraft batteries are zeroing in. Every time a new group came over, they kept zeroing in. My outfit had, I think, 95% casualties.” —Glider pilot, D-Day and beyond
Maybe our veterans did not volunteer to tell us their stories; perhaps we were too busy with our own lives to ask. But they opened up to a younger generation, when a history teacher taught his students to engage.
— “I was fighting in the hedgerows for five days; it was murder. But psychologically, we were the best troops in the world. There was nobody like us; I had all the training that they could give us, but nothing prepares you for some things. You know, in my platoon, the assistant platoon leader got shot right through the head, right through the helmet, dead, right there in front of me. That affects you, doesn’t it?”
” —Paratrooper, D-Day and beyond
As we forge ahead as a nation, do we owe it to ourselves to become reacquainted with a generation that is fast leaving us, who asked for nothing but gave everything, to attune ourselves as Americans to a broader appreciation of what we stand for?
This is the fifth book in the masterful WWII oral history series, but you can read them in any order.
— “Somebody asked me once, what was the hardest part for you in the war? And I thought about a young boy who came in as a replacement; the first thing he said was, ‘How long will it be before I'm a veteran?’
I said, ‘If I'm talking to you the day after you're in combat, you're a veteran.’
He replaced one of the gunners who had been killed on the back of the half-track. Now, all of a sudden, the Germans were pouring this fire in on us. He was working on the track and when he jumped off, he went down, called my name. I ran over to him and he was bleeding in the mouth… From my experience before, all I could do was hold that kid’s hand and tell him it’s going to be all right. ‘You'll be all right.
WHEN YOUR GLIDER CRASHES AND BREAKS APART, what do you when you are shot and the Germans are bearing down on you, and you know your dogtags identify you as a Jew?
— “I had a vision, if you want to call it that. At my home, the mailman would walk up towards the front porch, and I saw it just as clear as if he's standing beside me—I see his blue jacket and the blue cap and the leather mailbag. Here he goes up to the house, but he doesn’t turn. He goes right up the front steps. This happened so fast, probably a matter of seconds, but the first thing that came to mind, that's the way my folks would find out what happened to me.
The next thing I know, I kind of come to, and I'm in the push-up mode. I'm half up out of the underwater depression, and I'm trying to figure out what the hell happened to those prone figures on the beach, and all of a sudden, I realized I'm in amongst those bodies!” —Army demolition engineer, Omaha Beach, D-Day
Dying for freedom isn’t the worst that could happen. Being forgotten is.
— “My last mission was the Bastogne mission. We were being towed, we're approaching Bastogne, and I see a cloud of flak, anti-aircraft fire. I said to myself, ‘I'm not going to make it.’ There were a couple of groups ahead of us, so now the anti-aircraft batteries are zeroing in. Every time a new group came over, they kept zeroing in. My outfit had, I think, 95% casualties.” —Glider pilot, D-Day and beyond
Maybe our veterans did not volunteer to tell us their stories; perhaps we were too busy with our own lives to ask. But they opened up to a younger generation, when a history teacher taught his students to engage.
— “I was fighting in the hedgerows for five days; it was murder. But psychologically, we were the best troops in the world. There was nobody like us; I had all the training that they could give us, but nothing prepares you for some things. You know, in my platoon, the assistant platoon leader got shot right through the head, right through the helmet, dead, right there in front of me. That affects you, doesn’t it?”
” —Paratrooper, D-Day and beyond
As we forge ahead as a nation, do we owe it to ourselves to become reacquainted with a generation that is fast leaving us, who asked for nothing but gave everything, to attune ourselves as Americans to a broader appreciation of what we stand for?
This is the fifth book in the masterful WWII oral history series, but you can read them in any order.
— “Somebody asked me once, what was the hardest part for you in the war? And I thought about a young boy who came in as a replacement; the first thing he said was, ‘How long will it be before I'm a veteran?’
I said, ‘If I'm talking to you the day after you're in combat, you're a veteran.’
He replaced one of the gunners who had been killed on the back of the half-track. Now, all of a sudden, the Germans were pouring this fire in on us. He was working on the track and when he jumped off, he went down, called my name. I ran over to him and he was bleeding in the mouth… From my experience before, all I could do was hold that kid’s hand and tell him it’s going to be all right. ‘You'll be all right.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2019
397 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 6, 2020
Great Read
My Dad was a army veteran of the ETO. He served throughout France, Belgium and Germany. When I was in the Navy during the early 70's I toured Normandy and gained everlasting respect for those who fought there. Your book needs to be read by all the descendants of that Greatest Generation.
My Dad was a army veteran of the ETO. He served throughout France, Belgium and Germany. When I was in the Navy during the early 70's I toured Normandy and gained everlasting respect for those who fought there. Your book needs to be read by all the descendants of that Greatest Generation.
January 2, 2021
I have read a few of these books now and the the similarities are hard to ignore. None of them wanted to go to war yet none of them would allow themselves to stay home. Great interviews.
I only wish more time was spent on the beaches of Normandy where my father landed.
I only wish more time was spent on the beaches of Normandy where my father landed.
January 11, 2023
The BEST of the series so far. The story of D-Day and the aftermath, demonstrated in the form of first-person interviews, is a sobering and memorable read, and it really demonstrates the humanity, and the inhumanity, experienced during WW II. At the same time, it is very much a history or those war years, and the entire book gave the reader a much better context of what D-Day and the months leading to the Battle of the Bulge meant to the war effort and the eventual end of the German Reich. We are lucky today that these men and women did what they did for America and the world. It's too easy to forget them and their efforts, which would be a disservice to these true American heroes.
February 22, 2021
This series of World War II books was written by a local author, a high school teacher at Hudson Falls. The books are almost entirely interviews with local residents who served in the war. And that is the power of the books: the basically unedited first hand stories of what war is really like. The accounts can be gruesome.
Several of the veterans interviewed became well known members of our local community, in politics, business.
This volume includes a conversation with General Patton, who is described by our local soldier as the best general in the war.
Several of the veterans interviewed became well known members of our local community, in politics, business.
This volume includes a conversation with General Patton, who is described by our local soldier as the best general in the war.
March 23, 2022
Needs to be read
One of the things that makes this book important, it's in the words of those who served. They hold nothing back. It's important that today's pampered generation be reminded why they can live their lives of ease because of those who went and defeated fascism. An excellent book.
One of the things that makes this book important, it's in the words of those who served. They hold nothing back. It's important that today's pampered generation be reminded why they can live their lives of ease because of those who went and defeated fascism. An excellent book.
February 18, 2024
Interesting quick reads
I have enjoyed this series. With the passage of time, these will become valuable, since they’re the only way to find out what things were really like there. It is interesting to hear of battles that were quite significant, but modern history has kind of overlooked.
I have enjoyed this series. With the passage of time, these will become valuable, since they’re the only way to find out what things were really like there. It is interesting to hear of battles that were quite significant, but modern history has kind of overlooked.
December 5, 2020
Heroes For Peace
This is my fifth book of the series, and each one gets better each time. I ask myself as a Vietnam Veteran of I could do what these men went through. I also think of what my Dad went through in WWII, as I cannot find many records.
This is my fifth book of the series, and each one gets better each time. I ask myself as a Vietnam Veteran of I could do what these men went through. I also think of what my Dad went through in WWII, as I cannot find many records.
April 8, 2021
This volume was difficult to put down, yet difficult to pick up. I got to know and love these men, and now their testimonies live on.
April 22, 2022
All tho my father never fought in Europe he did fight for the liberation of the Philippines. This series has helped me to understand what my father went threw. He would not talk about the war.
January 2, 2023
Incredible insight of what the greatest generation faced in ww2.
January 18, 2023
D Day and Beyond
Very personal review of individual actions. I enjoyed the "unrefined dialog" of the veterans' own statements. This is a very solid story of WWIi action.
Very personal review of individual actions. I enjoyed the "unrefined dialog" of the veterans' own statements. This is a very solid story of WWIi action.
June 21, 2023
excellent account
Nothing more accurate than the words of those who experienced it. Not far from the day these vets will be no more.
Nothing more accurate than the words of those who experienced it. Not far from the day these vets will be no more.
August 18, 2023
These books continue to provide great first hand accounts and experiences that are intriguing, interesting, and engaging.
June 29, 2025
I just couldn't get into the word for word 1st person account of what these soldiers did during the war.
August 16, 2025
This book series is outstanding!
October 27, 2025
Love this series!
Read
July 25, 2025Extremely interesting
Actual comments from Vets on the ground says it all! They exposed the horror and misery on the ground in infantry day to day life.
Actual comments from Vets on the ground says it all! They exposed the horror and misery on the ground in infantry day to day life.
March 15, 2021
Top notch storytelling from interviews of those who served.
Mr. Rozell did not disappoint on delivering another good read on WWII from the men who were there. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
Mr. Rozell did not disappoint on delivering another good read on WWII from the men who were there. I can't wait for the next book in this series.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews