Vanguard of the Crusade: The US 101st Airborne Division in WWII

Rating:
Summary: Vanguard is a gem
Review: whether you are a seasoned historian or a weekend book warrior you will love this book.this book flows from front to back taking you from prior to D-Day right on thru the war for the famed 101st Division. you live,eat,sleep, and fight alongside some of the toughest soldiers this country has ever produced.The pics are amazing and you get tons of them-something that is missing with other books.Many exploits of Medal of Honor,Distinguished Service crosses, Silver Stars are shown in detail how they got them and in some cases did'nt get them but deserved them.Personal glimpses into the fighting mans life in WW2 from interviews given by the author are abundant thruout the book as well as references to other works. A section on paratrooper gear as well as german divisions who went up against the 101 were added as well to give the reader a full rounded view of life in the 101. I own many, many books on history of all periods but this one has quickly become my favorite and deservedly so. This book is unique and a must-have.A word of caution-once you start reading this you will start dodging bullets and jumping into a foxhole next to your reading chair and you will find yourself re-packing your chute and reading it again. Find out for yourself why they call them the "battered bastards of Bastogne" and the "Screaming Eagles".