Alexander, Mark J. and John Sparry. JUMP COMMANDER: In Combat with the 505th and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments, 82nd Airborne Division in World War II. (Philadelphia, PA, 2010) Captioned Photos, Narratives, Endnotes, Sketches, Maps, Bibliography, Index. 288 pages.
This 299 page hardback book is a detailed recounting of the action of the airborne and glider soldiers of the 505th and 508th Regiments of the 82nd Airborne Division. The story starts with individual training to parachute, and pilot training for engine-driven and glider parachute drops just prior to shipping overseas. The story ends with the end of fighting in Europe.
While Robert M. Murphy’s No Better Place To Die is a highly detailed description of one pivotal battle during the D-Day invasion of France, Mark J. Alexander and John Sparry give an excellent overview of the entire war in the European Theater, emphasizing all the fighting of the 505th and 508th Regiments that lead up to the action in the Battle for La Fiere Bridge. This book is an excellent background book for better understanding of the book No Better Place To Die.
This book is available from major online booksellers.
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