Paddy: The Colorful Story of Colonel Harry A."paddy" Flint

by Robert Anderson

Toting two carbines, an M-1 Garand, and shouting, "They couldn't hit me anyway," 39th Regimental Commander, "Paddy" Flint-far out in front of even his own pinned-down company-charged through the hedgerows pouring round after round into the tails of a now withdrawing enemy. He had to lead his regiment to the Marigny/St. Lo road crossing to help kick off "Cobra," General Bradley's operation for the Allied breakout of Normandy. The half-dozen German tanks and SS infantry in his way would not stop him from rallying his "Triple A-O" boys and being there on time! This is the story of Col. Harry A. "Paddy" Flint. A 1912 West Point graduate with extensive training and experience, Flint, according to an Army rule, was considered too old to serve overseas as a combat commander in World War II. Finally, with the help of some high-placed friends, such as Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., he was assigned command of the 39th Regiment in Sicily in 1943. There he created the famous battle slogan, "Anything, Anywhere, Anytime, Bar Nothing!" (A-A-A-O). Flint was the embodiment of a born soldier. He inspired many with his courage and valor, and met his destiny in the hedgerows of Normandy. With many never-before-published letters and photographs, PADDY captures the witty, the emotional-the more private sides-of such World War II power players as Generals Patton, Bradley, Eisenhower and others involved in Paddy's colorful life story.

242 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
See this thread for more information.

ROBERT ANDERSON was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1964. He grew up outside of Minneapolis and attended the University of Minnesota. He came to New York in 1986 and lived for many years in Times Square residential hotels–the Vigilant, the Woodward, and the St. James–while working as a cook and writing. His first book, the short-story collection Ice Age, won the University of Georgia Press’s Flannery O’Connor Award in 2000.