A Bridge Too Far (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

Yes, it was The Longest Day. The other one was The Last Battle: the Battle for Berlin.

 

[maloyalo]

Thanks Jazzeum. Thats another one to look for! His others were such good works.

Here's another Question.

I read a book that seemed to be the basis of the D-Day landing segment of Saving Private Ryan. Just about every other visual comes from these eyewitness accounts the author tells the story with. Do you know the book by chance? I can't remember it.

 

[Tex]

To be honest, I know of several books with a number of similar visuals. One was in a "Dear America" series we had to read in 5th grade. It might just be a typical display of events.

 

[maloyalo]

That may be the case, that no one book was the basis, especially since the eyewitness accounts are the same, depending on which are presented.

I took this book out from Library & it was not an old book, but written maybe 1990 ? by a pretty old author.

It contained very detailed diagrams of the landing craft in the first waves and where they landed, in which sector, on Omaha.

It talked quite a bit about the worst sector, Dog Green ?
And the company that landed there taking 90+ % casualties along with some Rangers also there.

The stories I remember, men getting sick, in unison, not a single man making it out alive on one craft (machine gun fire?) A craft going up in flames and men on fire pouring out (I think) A flamethrower man bursting into flames, what men said when hit, engineers trying to blow up the beach obstacles men were hiding behind, and more I can't remember. I really thought it a blueprint for the first 20 minutes of SPR.

 

[Rob]

Last month i visited the Normandy beaches,and it was Dog Green sector that moved me the most.When you see how far they had to run up the beach and then look at the pillboxes,gun emplacements and the hills above the beach,you realise what little chance these young men had.The field of fire the Germans had was lethal,they could fire all the way along the beach.It was a miracle and an incredible display of bravery that some of the GI's fought their way off the beach and broke out later in the day.

Rob

 

[binder001]

One good book was "The Bedford Boys" by Alex Kershaw. He looked at a couple companies from the VA National Guard's 116th Infantry Reg't. They landed at the heart of the worst defenses and had huge casualties, and most of them were from ONE TOWN in Virginia! Keshaw looks at the boys, the action, and the effects on the town.

Gary

 

[maloyalo]

Last month i visited the Normandy beaches,and it was Dog Green sector that moved me the most.When you see how far they had to run up the beach and then look at the pillboxes,gun emplacements and the hills above the beach,you realise what little chance these young men had.The field of fire the Germans had was lethal,they could fire all the way along the beach.It was a miracle and an incredible display of bravery that some of the GI's fought their way off the beach and broke out later in the day.

Rob

I would like to go there one day. I am glad they preserved it.

In this unident book it talks about one machine gunner, not german, but in a foriegn unit in the german army (many of these, were used as defense troops) who expended all 10,000 rounds he had and then retreated. He was at the Omaha beach sector, and said he had many perfect targets.

The gist of the books presentation was it was not organized efforts per se that got up the bluffs and finally pushed the germans back. It says it was actually a series of tiny groups and even individuals, that slowly, after some hours, by trial and error slowly found ways up with cover to begin shooting at the german positions from flank. A few of these groups are identified and they tell how they did it.

Well I am way off topic I guess

 

[Tex]

One good book was "The Bedford Boys" by Alex Kershaw. He looked at a couple companies from the VA National Guard's 116th Infantry Reg't. They landed at the heart of the worst defenses and had huge casualties, and most of them were from ONE TOWN in Virginia! Keshaw looks at the boys, the action, and the effects on the town.

I think this might have been the basis for the 'Dear America' book I had to read. It was mentioned that they were all from one town in West Virginia.

 

[maloyalo]

One of the interesting side stories in the Bridge too Far book, was about the Glider pilots & co-pilots (I think there was a Co.)

There were a lot of them, at least 4-500, maybe twice that, and it was planned from the beginning for them to form 1 or 2 battalions after landing, and perform certain defensive duties.

I think the gist of it was that the idea did not work well.

It reminded me of Goring's Luftwaffe personnel formed into infantry regiments.

 

[binder001]

The US glider pilots were "orphans". They had to be able to piot a glider that one veteran described as having "the sink rate of a rock" and they were entrusted with the lives of 15-20 men or valuable equipment, but the training was rushed. Once on the ground the US didn't get as organized as the British formations. The Glider Pilot Regiment had definite duties and organization. The US pilots were supposed to be "recycled" rapidly back to their bases to be available for more missions, but in reality they "hung around" or were drafted into the infantry units.

Gary

 

[kilted vampire]

Last month i visited the Normandy beaches,and it was Dog Green sector that moved me the most.When you see how far they had to run up the beach and then look at the pillboxes,gun emplacements and the hills above the beach,you realise what little chance these young men had.The field of fire the Germans had was lethal,they could fire all the way along the beach.It was a miracle and an incredible display of bravery that some of the GI's fought their way off the beach and broke out later in the day.

Rob

One of these days I will go there. I am almost afraid of what will follow.

 

[Rob]

I would like to go there one day. I am glad they preserved it.

In this unident book it talks about one machine gunner, not german, but in a foriegn unit in the german army (many of these, were used as defense troops) who expended all 10,000 rounds he had and then retreated. He was at the Omaha beach sector, and said he had many perfect targets.

The gist of the books presentation was it was not organized efforts per se that got up the bluffs and finally pushed the germans back. It says it was actually a series of tiny groups and even individuals, that slowly, after some hours, by trial and error slowly found ways up with cover to begin shooting at the german positions from flank. A few of these groups are identified and they tell how they did it.

Well I am way off topic I guess

There was a tv programme about this guy,i believe i saw the pillbox he was firing from.They think he killed more allied soldiers than any other single German soldier in the whole of WW2.He killed hundreds and was screaming for help for hours.He eventually eacaped and in the end lived in the US in secret never revealing his story.The programme if my memory is right is called 'Slaughter at Omaha'.

Rob

 

[maloyalo]

I was at a bookstore today (Borders) and found that book I couldn't remember the title or author of. It was 'D-Day' by Stephan Ambrose (Well maybe it was Steven...see how I am forgetting already and the brain matter isn't even dry) It was in a special display with none other then 'The Bedford Boys' and ' A Bridge Too Far'.