BOOK REVIEW: NOTHING BUT COURAGE The 82nd Airborne’s Daring D-Day Mission and Their Heroic Charge Across the La Fiere Bridge
By: James Donovan / Dutton Caliber
Reviewed by: Major General Jack Leide, USA (Ret)
The Reviewer: Major General Jack Leide is a veteran of 37 years of service in the U.S. Army. He has been inducted into four different military halls of fame. He had four combat tours - three as an airborne company commander and the fourth as Director of Intelligence for the U.S. Central Command during Desert Storm. He is the author of “Professional Courage: My Journey in Military Intelligence Through Peace, Crisis and War.”
REVIEW — Having served as a combat airborne infantry and intelligence officer in the 82nd Airborne Division, I was mesmerized from beginning to end by Jim Donovan’s latest book“Nothing But Courage”. Donovan set out to tell the full story of one of the most operationally critical, although lesser-known, stories of World War II and one that would play a key part particularly in the eventual success of the D-day landings. His book is filled, end to end, with incredibly researched depictions of valor by the paratroopers and glider-men of the 82nd Airborne Division. It is very evident, from beginning to end, that he religiously assumed a writer’s noble responsibility to tell this story accurately and honestly, in order to properly honor to the men who bravely fought, and especially those that died, during the fierce individual battles he so vividly describes.
Donovan’s book vividly provides exhaustive descriptions of the little known, but crucial actions of the intrepid troopers of the 82nd Airborne Division during the battle to capture and hold the small La Fiere bridge in the vicinity of the rural French town of St Mere Eglise. He describes their individual and unit combat actions in mesmerizing detail. The paratrooper’s actions and orders were vital in preventing German reserves from counterattacking American forces taking part in the Utah Beach sector landing during the Normandy invasion. Donovan provides a unique insight into the initial tactics, plans and order of battle for both the allied and German forces poised to clash during the Normandy invasion. He also provides incredibly insightful and intricate descriptions and actions of, not only the allied and German military forces arrayed against each other, but how the operation affected many of the local French residents and resistance forces as well.
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Within the intense scenarios in his book, Donovan clearly illustrates the importance of intelligence leading to the success or failure of military operations. One of the most intriguing parts of the book described C-47 drop aircraft that were far off course for a number of reasons: it was nighttime, pathfinders were off course, equipment was not working or lost, they were being shot at and dropped almost all of the airborne “sticks” off course — and in some cases very much so. Donovan describes in detail how many of the pre-drop assessments of the conditions and locations of the landing zones were dangerously erroneous. Many of the drop zones, labeled as being “muddy” were actually filled with unusually high level of water. The fact that the airborne landing terrain assessments were not terribly accurate resulted in dangerous and almost virtually unacceptable combat situations. The allies did not have the type of intelligence collection capabilities that we have today, but much of the intelligence assessments during and after the jump were almost inexcusable. That situation led to a difficult mission, extremely dangerous and almost tactically impossible to accomplish. The most critical time of an airborne operation is when the boots hit the ground. No more so than when you are jumping into the wrong place at the wrong time-especially at night.
Donovan describes in detail the entire operation, from the view of both sides — the 82nd Airborne and the various German participating units countering this operation. He proves without a doubt the devastating effect of little, wrong or no intelligence prior to and even after the airborne operation, and the potential value of solid, worthwhile and predictive intelligence, both at the tactical and operational levels. The Germans on the other hand were basically forced to hold back counterattacking units because of the allied deception plan that convinced them that the invasion would occur at the Pais de Calais, not Normandy. Additionally, Donovan describes how the German commanders, including Rommel, did not think, that the landing would take place when it actually did because of the relatively bad weather. As a result, they were all attending map exercises or on leave in Germany. But German counteroffensive units were still in the area.
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Despite a spate of difficult and oft times almost impossible situations, the paratroopers of the 82nd, in the end, proved the daring elan of the American paratrooper can overcome great odds, and a high number of casualties, to accomplish a seemingly impossible mission. In proof, Donovan describes in great detail the heroic actions of individual troopers and units of the 82nd Airborne Division. He described the gritty combat division leadership of Major General Mathew Ridgeway and Brigadier General James Gavin and their individually courageous traits, leading from the front to inspire the various battling units of the 82nd. In the final attack and occupation of the area around the bridge, Gavin assigned the glider-men of the 325th Infantry to make an almost impossible last push to take the key terrain. They fought with true grit, boundless courage and great sacrifice, eventually achieving the final occupation of the causeway and the bridge. My former unit, the 3rd Battalion of the 325th suffered at least 55 percent casualty rate while succeeding in their incalculably dangerous attack into the teeth of the German defenses around the causeway and the vital bridge.
Jim Donovan’s incredibly detailed narrative serves as a sobering reminder of the complexities and human sacrifices during conflict, especially at the lowest of tactical levels, which can, in the end, affect at the operational stage and eventually ultimate victory at the strategic levels of warfare. If you are looking for a book that will not only hold your interest throughout and provide a sense of pride in the American spirit and valor as well, Jim Donovan’s “Nothing But Courage” is the read for you.
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