Discover Legally Popular Titles Full Audiobooks in History, Military

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Title: Vanished

Subtitle: The Sixty-Year Search for the Missing Men of World War II

Author: Wil S. Hylton

Narrator: Chris Sorensen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-13

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

In the fall of 1944, a massive American bomber carrying eleven men vanished over the Pacific islands of Palau, leaving a trail of mysteries. According to mission reports from the Army Air Forces, the plane crashed in shallow water - but when investigators went to find it, the wreckage wasn't there. Witnesses saw the crew parachute to safety, yet the airmen were never seen again. Some of their relatives whispered that they had returned to the United States in secret and lived in hiding. But they never explained why.

For sixty years, the U.S. government, the children of the missing airmen, and a maverick team of scientists and scuba divers searched the islands for clues. They trolled the water with side-scan sonar, conducted grid searches on the seafloor, crawled through thickets of mangrove and poison trees, and flew over the islands in small planes to shoot infrared photography. With every clue they found, the mystery only deepened.

Now, in a spellbinding narrative, Wil S. Hylton weaves together the true story of the missing men, their final mission, the families they left behind, and the real reason their disappearance remained shrouded in secrecy for so long. This is a story of love, loss, sacrifice, and faith - of the undying hope among the families of the missing, and the relentless determination of scientists, explorers, archaeologists, and deep-sea divers to solve one of the enduring mysteries of World War II.

Members Reviews:

A fabulous History

Where does Vanished rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

The entire book was well-read, well- written and gave us glimpse of the horrors of WWII.

What did you like best about this story?

Description of the search efforts after extensive research.

What does Chris Sorensen bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Someone reading a book on "tape" always bring the book to life.

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Title: Black Ops

Subtitle: The Rise of Special Forces in the C.I.A., The S.A.S., and Mossad

Author: Tony Geraghty

Narrator: Mirron Willis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-28-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 18 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

A hard-hitting history of special-forces operations over the past fifty years in the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel.

After eight challenging years in Afghanistan, the new U.S. strategy, aimed at winning hearts and minds rather than search-and-destroy, refocuses the conflict on Special Forces: unorthodox soldiers who work outside of traditional military forces to combine secret military operations with nation building.

Tony Geraghty, an expert author in this field for almost thirty years, unveils the extraordinary evolution of this refined style of war-making from its roots in anti-guerrilla warfare in Ireland and Palestine, by way of the creation of the C.I.A., the S.A.S., the Green Berets, Americas Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.), and many others, including Mossad.

This history is more than a tale of derring-do, although James Bond-like characters stalk every page. It is a sweeping examination of Black Ops at a time when they represent the future of an open-ended global war against terrorism.

Editorial Reviews:

Former soldier and war correspondent Tony Geraghty takes a comprehensive look at the evolution of special-forces units and covert operations from the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel. With extensive research and hard-hitting prose, Geraghty outlines the history of Black Ops units from the Cold War's use of espionage to fighting off guerilla warfare in Vietnam and America's current tactic of nation building under the specter of terrorism. Mirron Willis gives Geraghty's complex history a refreshing clarity with his precise performance; his delivery of the fascinating material is explanatory while being methodical and sharp.

Members Reviews:

Favorite Part was the Epilogue...

First book in my life where th epilogue, the Commentary after it all, the conclusion, was my favorite part. The book was ok...kinda boring and I did struggle to get through a few parts...many actually. . .and the narrator surely wasn't helping, he sounded stiffer than the sheets of paper he was reading off of, but the Epilogue made sense to me so that's what I'm taking from this. Now was it worth this entire book to get me to that point? To listen to one chapter? I can think of quite a few other much better ways to get there.

You Paid The Guy To Narrate This?

If you could sum up Black Ops in three words, what would they be?

Great Historical Information

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Mirron Willis?

Dick Hill (actually almost anyone would have been a better choice)

Any additional comments?

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, it just wasn't a good choice as a narrator. I usually don't write reviews, but when I spend money to listen to a book - I expect that the person hired to narrate the book is going to do a decent job. This book is hard to listen to because the narrator isn't conversational - it's like reading one word at a time, thus the narration provides no sense of engagement. It is very mechanical with has no rhythm.

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Title: Moment of Battle

Subtitle: The Twenty Clashes That Changed the World

Author: Williamson Murray, James Lacey

Narrator: Kevin Foley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-21-13

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

In the grand tradition of Edward Creasy's classic Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, James Lacey and Williamson Murray spotlight only those engagements that changed the course of civilization. In gripping narrative accounts they bring these conflicts and eras to vivid life, detailing the cultural imperatives that led inexorably to the battlefield, the experiences of the common soldiers who fought and died, and the legendary commanders and statesmen who matched wits, will, and nerve for the highest possible stakes.

From the great clashes of antiquity to the high-tech wars of the twenty-first century, here are the stories of the twenty most consequential battles ever fought, including Marathon, where Greece's "greatest generation" repelled Persian forces three times their numbers-and saved Western civilization in its infancy.

Adrianople, the death blow to a disintegrating Roman Empire Trafalgar; the epic naval victory that cemented a century of British supremacy over the globe; Saratoga, the first truly American victory, won by united colonial militias, which ensured the ultimate triumph of the Revolution; Midway, the ferocious World War II sea battle that broke the back of the Japanese navy; Dien Bien Phu, the climactic confrontation between French imperial troops and Viet Minh rebels that led to American intervention in Vietnam and marked the rise of a new era of insurgent warfare; Operation Peach, the perilous 2003 mission to secure a vital bridge over the Euphrates River that would open the way to Baghdad, and many more.

Historians and armchair generals will argue forever about which battles have had the most direct impact on history. But there can be no doubt that these twenty are among those that set mankind on new trajectories. Each of these epochal campaigns is examined in its full historical, strategic, and tactical context-complete with edge-of-your-seat you-are-there battle re-creations.

With an eye for the small detail as well as the bigger picture, Lacey and Murray identify the elements that bind these battles together: the key decisions, critical mistakes, and moments of crisis on which the fates of entire civilizations depended. Some battles merely leave a field littered with the bodies of the fallen. Others transform the map of the entire world. Moment of Battle is history written with the immediacy of today's news, a magisterial tour d'horizon that refreshes our understanding of those essential turning points where the future was decided.

Critic Reviews:

"Engaging, well written, and thoroughly researched, this book will appeal to amateur and professional historians alike." (

Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

worth every minute

I consider myself to be fairly well-educated on history and especially military history, but I learned so much from this book. I am sure some people will argue about whether some battles should have been included and others excluded , but in any event, the selected battles are covered in historical, political, and societal detail and the authors really leave you with a complete picture of how the battle happened and why it mattered then and why it matters today.

In Depth

Each battle is discussed in depth, with details that are not available easily elsewhere.

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Title: Command and Control

Author: Eric Schlosser

Narrator: Scott Brick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-17-13

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 18 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Command and Control, a ground-breaking account of the management of nuclear weapons from Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. Read by the award-winning narrator Scott Brick.

A ground-breaking account of accidents, near-misses, extraordinary heroism, and technological breakthroughs, Command and Control explores the dilemma that has existed since the dawn of the nuclear age: how do you deploy weapons of mass destruction without being destroyed by them? Schlosser reveals that this question has never been resolved, and while other headlines dominate the news, nuclear weapons still pose a grave risk to mankind.

Command and Control interweaves the minute-by-minute story of an accident at a missile silo in rural Arkansas, where a single crew struggled to prevent the explosion of the most powerful nuclear warhead ever built by the United States, with a historical narrative that spans more than fifty years. It depicts the urgent effort by American scientists, policymakers, and military officers to ensure that nuclear weapons can't be stolen, sabotaged, used without permission, or detonated inadvertently.

Schlosser also looks at the Cold War from a new perspective, offering history from the ground up, telling the stories of bomber pilots, missile commanders, maintenance crews, and other ordinary servicemen who risked their lives to avert a nuclear holocaust. At the heart of the book lies the struggle to prevent the explosion of a ballistic missile carrying the most powerful nuclear warhead ever built by the United States. Drawing on recently declassified documents and interviews with men who designed and routinely handled nuclear weapons, Command and Control takes listeners into a terrifying but fascinating world that, until now, has been largely hidden from view. It reveals how even the most brilliant of minds can offer us only the illusion of control. Audacious, gripping, and unforgettable, Command and Control is a tour de force of investigative journalism.

Members Reviews:

Gripping and insightful

What made the experience of listening to Command and Control the most enjoyable?

Interweaving the long and evolving history of nuclear weapons with the dramatic events that took place over a single day in rural Arkansas in a chapter by chapter fashion. Also the narrators voice was perfect for the material.

Which character as performed by Scott Brick was your favourite?

Jeff Kennedy (although a real person rather than a character).

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

So many.

Any additional comments?

I would have liked to hear the narrator quote 'Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds'. I was surprised the author didn't include this quote. Without a doubt though, this is an excellent listen. It covers many angles including the history, science and politics surrounding nuclear weapons and command and control systems. Incredibly insightful and revealing - I was shocked by so much of it. I would highly recommend this book.

Great eye opening read

You will find many and scary facts in this book that will hopefully let you become a more informed citizen

One of the best books I've ever listened to.

Faultless narration.

Gripping topic.

I would highly recommend this book.

If you are considering it then just go for it. You won't regret it.

amazing that we survived the cold war

decent book... good story.

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Title: A Soldier's Passion for Order

Subtitle: Sherman

Author: John F. Marszalek

Narrator: Kevin Charles Minatrea

Format: Unabridged

Length: 20 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-12-13

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 29 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

General William Tecumseh Sherman has come down to us as the implacable destroyer of the Civil War, notorious for his burning of Atlanta and his brutal march to the sea. A probing biography that explains Sherman's style of warfare and the threads of self-possession and insecurity that made up his character.

Critic Reviews:

"John Marszalek's no-nonsense biography covers all the bases." (Washington Post Book World)

"A thoughtful and generally sympathetic biography of one of the Civil War's most controversial commanders." (USA Today)

In Sherman, John F. Marszalek has written the premier biography of the brilliant Civil War general. Based on exhaustive research, written smoothly, and argued intelligently, it easily surpasses any existing volume on William Tecumseh Sherman's lengthy and controversial life. (Journal of American History)

Members Reviews:

An Honest Study of a Flawed Hero

Would you listen to A Soldier's Passion for Order again? Why?

I might. It's a good model in thorough research and dispassionate treatment of the record. The author does make a compelling case for Sherman's lifelong effort to attain the order and respect that he felt he lost in his own boyhood. If I were to criticize Marzalek's approach, it would be for focusing so narrowly on that one motivation. I think there were opportunities in the record to examine companion motivations more thoroughly.

What other book might you compare A Soldier's Passion for Order to and why?

I've read a fair amount about Winston Churchill, another deeply flawed hero. I don't think, apart from the fact that they both carried the wounds of childhood far into adulthood, Churchill and Sherman had much in common. But studying their lives has given me the opportunity to think about what I can admire and learn from in leaders who were so great in in some ways and so wanting in others.

What does Kevin Charles Minatrea bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

The narrator is largely invisible. He just tells the story. He's clear without being showy or a distraction in any way. That can be hard to do, and he's to be congratulated for his professional delivery.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I don't think anybody can listen to 20 hours straight in one sitting. It took me a little more than a week. As military history, it's not that dense.

Any additional comments?

I've always despised that Southern Sir Walter Scott garbage, that lie about Southern chivalry that so blithely romanticizes white supremacy, that justification of slavery. I've always thought the South, especially South Carolina, deserved the March to the Sea for provoking and prolonging the war, and I still do. So I've always admired Sherman.

I admire him less now. He was a great soldier, but he was also narrow and sometimes mean, not in the sense of being cruel -- although he could be that, too -- but in the sense of being petty and selfish. There's an account in the book where Sherman, entering a conquered city, is approached by a former subordinate turned Confederate soldier.

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Title: Stupid Wars

Subtitle: A Citizen's Guide to Botched Putsches, Failed Coups, Inane Invasions, and Ridiculous Revolutions

Author: Michael Prince, Ed Strosser

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-17-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 12 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

When winners write history, they sometimes "forget" to include their own embarrassing misjudgments. Fortunately, this take-no-prisoners edition of history isn't going to let the winners (or the losers) forget the mistakes of the past. Be prepared to laugh out loud - and gasp in horror - at the most painfully idiotic strategies, alliances, and decisions the world has ever known. These stupid wars have been launched by democracies as well as monarchies and dictatorships, in recent decades just as often as in less "enlightened" times.

The ridiculous and reckless conflicts chronicled in Stupid Wars include the misdirected Fourth Crusade, the half-baked invasion of Russia by the U.S., the U.K.'s baffling Falklands War, Hitler's ill-fated Beer Hall Putsch, several incredibly foolish South American conflicts, the Bay of Pigs fiasco, and many more. Whether you're a future dictator, war-mongering politician, royal mistress, or history lover, these blow-by-stupid-blow accounts will teach you the valuable lessons you need to stay off the list, including:

Members Reviews:

How stupid can leaders be?

What made the experience of listening to Stupid Wars the most enjoyable?

I marveled at how stupid and short sighted people are when put into positions of responsibility

Who was your favorite character and why?

The guys to tried to kill Hitler. Just one stupid mistake after another.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the American Army invaded Siberia. I know that some presidents are idiots and a lot of people of serve them are just yes men, but this was over doing it.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

If parts were not so pitiful, it would be funny

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Title: Beyond War

Subtitle: Reimagining American Influence in a New Middle East

Author: David Rohde

Narrator: Patrick Lawlor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-18-13

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Beyond War: Reimagining American Influence in a New Middle East distills eleven years of expert reporting for the New York Times, Reuters, and The Atlantic into a clarion call for change. Here Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist David Rohde exposes how a dysfunctional Washington squandered billions on contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, neglected its true allies in the war on terror and failed to employ its most potent nonmilitary weapons: American consumerism, technology, and investment. The author then surveys post-Arab Spring Tunisia, Turkey, and Egypt, and finds a yearning for American technology, trade, and education. He argues that only Muslim moderates, not Americans, can eradicate militancy. An incisive look at the evolving nature of war, Beyond War shows how the failed American effort to back moderate Muslims since 9/11 can be salvaged.

Members Reviews:

Short, engaging, clear read

Clear prose and rapid treatment of the subject sometimes feels like skimming over the surface but a very thoughtful read of America's efforts to put nations back together in the time after 9/11.

Two Stars

Not very good and does not discuss policy options...

Beyond War by David Rhode - Book Review

David Rohde, a distinguished journalist who has covered the Middle East extensively, has written a book examining US policy and behavior in the Middle East with a particular emphasis on post 9/11 activity. In Beyond War: ReimaginingAmerican Influence in a New Middle East (Viking, 2013, 240 Pages, $27.95) David Rohde explores the systematic failures of policy in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan which have led to worsening relations in the Middle East. He concentrates on the extensive reliance on employing military contractors to undertake activities which should be dealt with by the military, intelligence, and diplomatic arms of the government, but which have become relied upon because of reduced funding and the difficulty of responding to specific needs posed by the arcane hiring practices in today's underfunded government. The examples he presents are chilling in their depiction of the devolution of U.S. influence where success would have been achievable under different circumstances. Read the rest of my review over on my blog [...]

Important Message in a Subtle Way:

In the core of Mr. Rohde's recommendations is the good old rule of "live and let live." The only way to earn respect is by giving it to others. Guns can earn you fear, but you can't expect them to love you and respect you in return. We Americans have got to learn to respect the difference of values, norms and opinions. The era of imperialism is long gone. Mr. Rohde has tried to convey this message in a very subtle way. If it doesn't look exactly like us, doesn't walk quite like us, doesn't talk like us, it may still be a human being and may have right to live!

Perplexing

Mr. Rohde is a fine experienced journalist who unfortunately had to spend months in the captivity of Islamists. His book is a good summary of what has taken place in the mideast and some of the problems that remain there.

Unfortunately his answer to the problems of Tunisia is typical of his approach to other countries. He wisely advises the US to refrain from invading other Muslim countries.

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Title: Nomonhan, 1939

Subtitle: The Red Army's Victory that Shaped World War II

Author: Stuart D. Goldman

Narrator: John FitzGibbon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-10-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 69 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Stuart Goldman convincingly argues that a little-known, but intense, Soviet-Japanese conflict along the Manchurian- Mongolian frontier at Nomonhan influenced the outbreak of World War II and shaped the course of the war. The author draws on Japanese, Soviet, and western sources to put the seemingly obscure conflict - actually a small undeclared war - into its proper global geo-strategic perspective.The book describes how the Soviets, in response to a border conflict provoked by Japan, launched an offensive in August 1939 that wiped out the Japanese forces at Nomonhan. At the same time, Stalin signed the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, allowing Hitler to invade Poland. The timing of these military and diplomatic strikes was not coincidental, according to the author. In forming an alliance with Hitler that left Tokyo diplomatically isolated, Stalin succeeded in avoiding a two-front war. He saw the pact with the Nazis as a way to pit Germany against Britain and France, leaving the Soviet Union on the sidelines to eventually pick up the spoils from the European conflict, while at the same time giving him a free hand to smash the Japanese at Nomonhan.

Goldman not only demonstrates the linkage between the Nomonhan conflict, the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, and the outbreak of World War II , but also shows how Nomonhan influenced Japan's decision to go to war with the United States and thus change the course of history. The book details Gen. Georgy Zhukov's brilliant victory at Nomonhan that led to his command of the Red Army in 1941 and his success in stopping the Germans at Moscow with reinforcements from the Soviet Far East. Such a strategy was possible, the author contends, only because of Japan's decision not to attack the Soviet Far East but to seize the oil-rich Dutch East Indies and attack Pearl Harbor instead. Goldman credits Tsuji Masanobu, an influential Japanese officer who instigated the Nomonhan conflict and survived the debacle, with urging his superiors not to take on the Soviets again in 1941, but instead to go to war with the United States.

Members Reviews:

Nomonhan: Why Japan Demurred

Where does Nomonhan, 1939 rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Very high.

What did you like best about this story?

The surprising descriptions of how well the Russians fought. I thought the Russian armies of pre-WW2 were universally mediocre. Obviously not. The Russians sure checked an arrogant Japanese offensive that might well have presaged a different WW2 outcome.

Which character as performed by John FitzGibbon was your favorite?

None. All good.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I am accustomed to multiple sittings, but I listen to the same excellent audiobooks over and over again.

Any additional comments?

Very interesting selection. Highly recommended.

ALONZO

Well written, brings to light a page in history little known in the West. One would have to suggest this campaign may well have been a reason for Japan not entering the war against Russia, this in spite of Hitlers frequent requests. Once again highlights the preparedness of the Russian military to sacrifice all in defence of the Motherland. It has been suggested it kept Zukov out of Stalins way during the great purges of the late thirties.

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Title: Kimberly's Flight

Subtitle: The Story of Captain Kimberly Hampton, Americas First Woman Combat Pilot Killed in Battle

Author: Ann Hampton, Anna Simon

Narrator: Johanna Parker

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

U.S. Army Captain Kimberly N. Hampton was living her dream: flying armed helicopters in combat and commanding D Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry, the armed reconnaissance aviation squadron of the 82nd Airborne Division. An all-American girl from a small southern mill town, Kimberly was a top scholar, student body president, ROTC battalion commander, and highly ranked college tennis player. In 1998 she was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army. Then, driven by determination and ambition, Kimberly rapidly rose through the ranks in the almost all-male bastion of military aviation to command a combat aviation troop.

On January 2, 2004, Captain Hampton was flying an OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter above Fallujah, Iraq, in support of a raid on an illicit weapons marketplace, searching for an illusive sniper on the rooftops of the city. A little past noon her helicopter was wracked by an explosion. A heat-seeking surface-to-air missile had gone into the exhaust and knocked off the helicopter's tail boom. The helicopter crashed, killing Kimberly.

Kimberly's Flight is the story of Captain Hampton's exemplary life. This story is told through nearly 50 interviews and her own emails to family and friends, and is entwined with Ann Hampton's narrative of loving and losing a child.

Retired award-winning journalist Anna Simon was been a reporter with The Greenville News in South Carolina for 21 years. She received the South Carolina Press Association's first place award for Reporting in Depth for 2009, and is a past recipient of multiple awards in education reporting, the press association's Judson Chapman Award for Community Service, and other news and feature writing awards.

Kimberly's mother, Ann Hampton, first met Anna Simon at the bleakest point in her life, immediately following her daughter's death, when Ms. Simon wrote a series of stories for The Greenville News about Kimberly's life and the reaction in the small Southern town of Easley, SC to her death. Ann has traveled twice to Iraq, in 2010, as a Gold Star Mom in a "Hugs for Healing" program sanctioned by the U.S. State Department, where American and Iraqi mothers grieving the deaths of their children worked side-by-side on humanitarian projects, and in 2011 on a humanitarian mission with "Friends of Kurdistan".

Members Reviews:

Most Moving Story I Have Read in 20 Years

Would you consider the audio edition of Kimberly's Flight to be better than the print version?

Probably not, but don't let that stop you. The only knock on this is the narration, but the story is so good, it makes no difference. The narration is not horrible, just a little wooden.

What did you like best about this story?

The individual details and in-depth sharing of her life.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Real Life Story of An American Soldier Who Gave it All

Any additional comments?

I can't put into words why this was so good. I think it has to do with the reality of it. Just give it a listen and if you can turn it off I would be amazed.

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Title: Jump Commander

Subtitle: In Combat with the 505th and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments, 82nd Airborne Division in World War II

Author: John Sparry, Mark Alexander

Narrator: Mike Vendetti

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 22 votes

Genres: History, Military

Publisher's Summary:

Col. Mark James Alexander was the only airborne officer to lead three different battalions into combat in World War II, successively commanding the 2nd and 1st Battalions, 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 508 PIR, of the 82nd Airborne Division. A legend in his own time, he fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France, and even after being seriously wounded in Normandy, insisted on playing a role in the Battle of the Bulge. Airborne Generals Gavin and Ridgway recognized Alexanders superior battle skills and were more than happy to use him to plug holes in the ranks. His reputation excelled among the rank and file, right down to the lowest private. He led from the front, pressing the attack while simultaneously looking out for his men. In Sicily, Alexanders battalion landed 25 miles from its drop zone, into a network of Italian pillboxes, upon which the Colonel personally directed fire, thence captured hundreds of prisoners. Dropped into the desperate inferno at Salerno, he refused to give ground against German counterattacks, forming his paratroopers against enemy efforts to push Allied forces back into the sea. At Normandy one seasoned lieutenant, John Red Dog Dolan, 505 PIR, called him "the finest battalion commander I ever served under", after Alexander had led the 1/505 for 10 days through the bloody battle for La Fire Bridge and Causeway.

Alexanders passion and truest talent was leading men in the field, and he insisted on sharing their risks. On one occasion in Normandy he and his runner (he went through several) were caught behind German lines and encountered a platoon of SS. Opening fire, the Colonel killed or wounded several and brought the rest in as prisoners. An 88mm shell finally got the best of him, shrapnel tearing through his lungs, and while the 82nd was engaged in the Bulge, Alexander was only allowed to run its base camps in France - despite his protests - as General Gavin noted that he was still coughing up blood.

This memoir is based on the transcription of hundreds of hours of recorded interviews made by Alexanders grandson, John Sparry, over a period of years late in his life. Providing valuable insight into the beloved commander who led three of the most storied battalions in the US Army, Jump Commander also contains a wealth of new detail on 82nd Airborne operations, and casts insight on some of the most crucial battles in the ETO. This action-packed narrative may well be the last remaining memoir to be written in the voice of a major airborne officer of the Greatest Generation.

Members Reviews:

Great story, awful narrator

Where does Jump Commander rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

This was the hardest book I have gotten yet for listening because the narrator has a very deep voice. Even with the base turned down all the way in my car, I could not listen for long without getting a bit of a headache.