Rating: 
Summary: honest slice of combat experience
Review: I have read O'Donnell's Into the Rising Sun which I thought was a superb book that gives you the honest slice of combat experience as told by the veterans. This book was written before that one so I expected the same and was not disappointed. Many of these stories get told 45-50 years after the fact, memories may fade but experiences and understanding of combat does not. Once more, this book collects a short set of stories as told by the veterans of their combat experiences. The stories were short but honest and with far more insight then most World War II movies put together. Some of them come with a late hour confessions of killing of enemy POWs or wounded enemy, some time in the heat of battle, some time out of need for survival. One man even kept photos of the three dead Germans from their paybooks. Maybe some of the more negative reviews didn't like that, after all it was more comfortable to know that ONLY Germans and Japanese troop were the ones that murdered POWs and shoot defenseless wounded soldiers. Shocking that we Americans did something like that in war. (It also allowed me to have a new perception whenever I read about enemy soldiers shooting American POWs or woundeds in battle...maybe they felt anger and hatred toward the Americans who were killing their buddies, comrades and mentors. Who say war was fair, eh?)The book is written in a very readable form, its well organized and quality of the stories varies in details. But you will get a good slice of understanding of what it may be like, to be a soldier in war. Reading a book like this may also give an understanding that soldiers of other nations, even our enemies may have gone through the same experience.
Rating: 
Summary: An absolutely amazing book
Review: I just finished Beyond Valor. It is such an amazing book. I am planning on sending it as Father's Day gifts since the dads in my life will definitely enjoy it. They can read the stories of WWII ranger and airborne vets who fought the same war, but in a different area than my grandfather. This is a must-read for all generations!
Rating:
Summary: "Beyond Valor" shows war's ugly face
Review: I just finished reading the book so my feelings of it are quite fresh. It's a bloody book and some of it made an impact on me - as this review will indicate. Having (myself) served 4 years as an Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne's 504th and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments and 16 years in other units - including armor, I found this book of great interest. In fact, one of the men in this book (Funk) used to visit my unit in the 82nd Airborne every year to drink beers, swap stories, and enjoy the comraderie with soldiers of his old unit from WW2 years. But there is one aspect of this book that opened my eyes to another image of WW2. While I appreciate and honor the soldiers and their sacrifices depicted this book, I was also shocked at the amount of cold-blooded and deliberate killing (murdering) of unarmed POWS and wounded German soldiers who begged for medical treatment and mercy outright. Yes, these things happen in a war of the magnitude of WW2. But I don't see any 'valor' in killing the wounded and unarmed POWS - there wasn't any valor in it. In fact, I see something "Beyond Valor" - but in the different direction - towards the despicable. In certain cases it can be argued that these men's airborne mission put them in strategic positions where taking prisoners was more diffucult than conventional soldiers - but that was not the case most of the time. If you think I am being squeamish, read the book and see if you aren't shocked as well at some of the recollections. It shows another side to our American War Hero's from WW2. I think that revealing these incidents of attrocities marries us with the rest of the world's humanity - as we often vainly think, possibly through Holloywood, that our soldiers possess golden, savior of the world-like qualities. Just because they all wore the same uniform does not imply that they were all alike in any way. Beyond the uniform, the youthful face, resides an individual. "Beyond Valor" is proof that war brings out the best and worst. Now at the same time, these same men, many decades later feel a great remorse and burden over such acts - in most cases sobbing elderly tears to this day when recollecting such things for the book. They see their faces and it haunts. I think that these were decent, 'normal' men and that the 'attrocicties' they reflect upon only serves to show another sacrifice they made - perhaps their souls - or at least their human conscience - that the war inflicted upon their young lives. Put in their situation, how would today's generation act? I don't judge them. "Beyond Valor" actually opened my eyes to what the ugly face of war can do to a man's psyche. I consider this aspect of their service - this less-than Valor like aspect - a hidden, silent sacrifice that these men made for America and freedom's cause - and therefore, while being appalled, further respect them - though under American military law - then and now - what some of them did to POWS and wounded was illegal and - Beyond Valor. Because I am a 20-year Army veteran with 4 as an airborne squad leader in some of the same units these men served in - I want to make it clear that I do NOT judge them for these things but rather honor them for the silent and hidden sacrifice they made that this book revealed. The war stories in themselves - combat operations of great courage, eating crappy K-Rat's, getting drunk, getting wounded, seeing buddies killed - the immense trauma of it all, while historically informative and interesting, did not show me any new revelations of war than I have not experienced or at least read about. Ultimately, if the reader honestly reads what these guys went through and banishes all romantic or even patriotic notions he may have about war, Beyond Valor makes a huge anti-war statement. It is said, that only the living continue to suffer while the dead rest in peace - I think that this book proves and exemplifies that saying - and it does it in spades. I salute you veterans - All the Way - Airborne!
Rating:
Summary: I call them heroes
Review: I know the paratroopers and the Rangers Patrick O'Donnell writes about in his book would just say they were doing their jobs but I say they are heroes. What these men did to preserve freedom is nothing less than heroic and Patrick O'Donndell brings this out so well in his book with the use of oral histories. Everyone with an interest in WW2 history needs to read this book. The paratroopers and Rangers in WW2 did incredible things and we owe them alot!
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Summary: Oral History Collection of Elite Soldiers
Review: I often don't enjoy oral histories. They tend to be choppy, and under- or over-edited, and don't read well. They also have a can't-see-the-trees-for-the-forest weakness that's almost inevitable, given the way they are collected. They do tend to be valuable at assessing what affect various things had on front-line troops, and things like that. However, this book got good reviews, so I thought I would read it. The book is divided into chapters, each covering a campaign in which the United States Army airborne or ranger forces participated. There are also a few sections dealing with the 1st Special Service Force, which served in Italy and southern France. The book deals with only these forces, and this is probably my biggest criticism of the book: the elite forces get all of the book's attention. A couple of paratroopers who have told their stories elsewhere recount new anecdotes here. There is one account of the landing in southern France from a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's anti-tank platoon, because they landed in gliders during the invasion. This points up one of the weaknesses of focusing on the "elite" forces the way the book does: the 442nd wasn't elite, but this anti-tank platoon becomes elite when they land in a glider. I think many would differ from this conclusion. Given that, and the weaknesses that all oral histories have, the book is still very good. There are moments in the accounts when you just want to cry, given what happened in particular situations. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in World War II, especially those interested in combat involving these formations.
Rating:
Summary: Learn what it's like to be in the action
Review: I read this book in a few evenings. I couldn't put it down. I can start to understand the utter confusion and fear of intense battle. These poor guys went through Hell! It makes me savor my freedom all the more. As I read, I came to understand that these were "ordinary" guys doing extraordinary things. I would highly recommend reading this book and the sequel, "Into the Rising Sun" by the same author.
Rating: 
Summary: I Hate to Do It
Review: I really do hate to pan this book, but I have to. The author has done a great job collecting first hand accounts from veteran airborne, rangers and special forces soldiers from World War II. He has transcribed them, ordered them by campaign/battle and provided some context so that the reader can place them within the broader scope of the war. The problem I have is that that is all he has done, and while this preserves these first hand accounts and provides a valuable resource, it does not make for a readable treatment of the subject. There is a reason most of these men have not written books telling their story and a reason why you cannot just dictate a book. It makes for difficult and sometimes even painful reading. I don't want to be mean or vicious, and the author has done a great service by collecting all of these first hand accounts, but it almost seems as if he lost his motivation when it came to putting it all together and telling the story. O'Connell, has basically served as little more than an editor piecing together collected episodes, making little effort to put it all together into a comprehensive story, leaving the reader with a disjointed rambling. As a readable history, I have to pan this book. The saving grace is that authors and researchers will have the collected material to use in future works. P-)
Rating:
Summary: Beyond Valor Equals Great WWII Book!
Review: I thought this book was a great book! It seriously brought out some great stories of the Rangers! There are so many details that are brought out in the book that are great. With maps showing how invasions were planned was great. It also had some great pictures that the war veterans had taken. I rate this book FIVE STARS! Awesome,it's a must read book if your a WWII fan or just want to learn some things.
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Summary: History from those that made it......
Review: I was amazed and shocked by this account of sacrifice and bravery from those Americans that fought in Africa and Europe. Never have I been so appreciative of my grandfather's generation for countless sacrifices they made in WWII. I've read numerous historical accounts of WWII and none of my prior readings affected me the way that this book has. If you want to know what really happened from those Americans that survived some of the most brutal battles of the African and European theater, this is a must read. Be prepared for an honesty that will take you into taboo subjects like prisoner execution that you won't read about in mainstream history books.
Rating:
Summary: Ten Stars!
Review: I was having a rough time finding a book on World War II to hold my interest. Beyond Valor changed that, I was able to finaly figure out what all of the other books were missing...the voices of the men themselves. Filled with chapter upon chapter of gripping stories that will fill you with pride & bring you to tears, all withinn the span of a few pages. Patrick O' Donnel has done what few historians tend to do. With the stories contained herin he takes you to the front lines of the most brutal of conflicts, and tells the untold story.
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