Posted: Sept. 28, 2014

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
I will admit I am a little partial to any WWII books about the 82 Airborne. This is mostly about the 504 but it does talk about the 505, 508, and the Glider Company and an artillery unit assigned to the 82. This mission is named Market Garden or The Bridge too Far. The 82 was to jump 57 miles behind enemy lines and capture and hold four bridges, (7, 8, 9, &10), these bridges were over the Mass-Waal Canal and also included the longest bridge in Europe or longest span Nijmegen. The author starts off with the history of the 504, and how they took a beating with the two jumps in Italy, they would not jump in D-Day due to lack of personal. By September 17, they were ready to jump with the rest of the 82. My father was with the 508, and he did not talk much about the war but I do remember that when the movie came out we went to go see it and he did not say whether he liked it or not. He was very critical of other units not American, just felt that Americans always watched out for each other. He was also very vocal about the officers in the 82nd, saying that they would always be right there with you know matter what. That even in this battle Gen. Gavin got in the water with the men and that always impressed him. I found out that in many of his interviews that many of the family members did not know what their fathers or grandfathers did during the war, they just did not talk about it. They had a job to do and they did it. This book is filled with a lot of information, for example that some men would get crushed by the supply packs that weighed 1800 lbs. that was the first time I read about those. The 504 with grit and determination does take charge of the bridge. Crossing the river is really what cause the most casualties for they had to do this in daylight and at the same time make that the Germans did not try to blow the bridge. I know the author criticized Gavin for not having boats their right away, but let us not forget that this was Montgomery’s idea and how when the U.S. planed an invasion they were the ones responsible to have the equipment there when needed. The British did not have to request the day of the attack they should have known if you are expecting infantry to capture a bridge from the other side of the canal you need a boat. My father did tell me that the canal was like a river. The 82nd captured all of their objectives before the British were to arrive with their tanks. The day they arrive they stopped instead of going as far as they could until night fall. Why they stopped in the afternoon is knows idea. But what is known they never got to their own 1st division Paratroopers and from there it just seem to get worse. With the Germans sending in more troops and these were veterans that were combat experienced this fight would continue on for days. The 504 after a day’s rest was sent to relive and help the 508 north from where they were at to recapture a town this would go on back and forth. This is a fascinating story told by men who were there and though some have passed on since the Author interviewed them I feel privileged to have read their accounts. They were all heroes though they never thought that they were. A good book. I got this book from net galley.
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