A selection of the Military Book Club Col. Mark James Alexander was the only airborne officer to lead three different battalions into combat in World War II, successively commanding the 2d and 1st Battalions, 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 508 PIR, of the 82nd Airborne Division. A legend in his own time, he fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France, and even after being seriously wounded in Normandy, insisted on playing a role in the Battle of the Bulge. Airborne Generals Gavin and Ridgway ...
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A selection of the Military Book Club Col. Mark James Alexander was the only airborne officer to lead three different battalions into combat in World War II, successively commanding the 2d and 1st Battalions, 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the 2nd Battalion, 508 PIR, of the 82nd Airborne Division. A legend in his own time, he fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France, and even after being seriously wounded in Normandy, insisted on playing a role in the Battle of the Bulge. Airborne Generals Gavin and Ridgway recognized Alexander's superior battle skills and were more than happy to use him to plug holes in the ranks. His reputation excelled among the rank and file, right down to the lowest private. He led from the front, pressing the attack while simultaneously looking out for his men. In Sicily, Alexander's battalion landed 25 miles from its drop zone, into a network of Italian pillboxes, upon which the Colonel personally directed fire, thence captured hundreds of prisoners. Dropped into the desperate inferno at Salerno, he refused to give ground against German counterattacks, forming his paratroopers against enemy efforts to push Allied forces back into the sea. At Normandy one seasoned lieutenant, John "Red Dog" Dolan, 505 PIR, called him "the finest battalion commander I ever served under," after Alexander had led the 1/505 for ten days through the bloody battle for La Fi???re Bridge and Causeway. Alexander's passion and truest talent was leading men in the field, and he insisted on sharing their risks. On one occasion in Normandy he and his runner (he went through several) were caught behind German lines and encountered a platoon of SS. Opening fire, the Colonel killed or wounded several and brought the rest in as prisoners. An 88mm shell finally got the best of him, shrapnel tearing through his lungs, and while the 82nd was engaged in the Bulge, Alexander was only allowed to run its base camps in France-- despite his protests--as General Gavin noted that he was still coughing up blood. This memoir is based on the transcription of hundreds of hours of recorded interviews made by Alexander's grandson, John Sparry, over a period of years late in his life. Providing valuable insight into the beloved commander who led three of the most storied battalions in the US Army, Jump Commander also contains a wealth of new detail on 82nd Airborne operations, and casts insight on some of the most crucial battles in the ETO. This highly readable and action-packed narrative may well be the last remaining memoir to be written in the voice of a major airborne officer of the Greatest Generation.
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Add this copy of Jump Commander: in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $3.67, good condition, Sold by Seattle Goodwill rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Seattle, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate.
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May have some shelf-wear due to normal use. Your purchase funds free job training and education in the greater Seattle area. Thank you for supporting Goodwill's nonprofit mission!
Add this copy of Jump Commander: in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $5.19, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate Pub.
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Add this copy of Jump Commander: in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $5.53, very good condition, Sold by BooksRun rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Philadelphia, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate Pub.
Add this copy of Jump Commander: in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $5.99, very good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate.
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Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp.
Add this copy of Jump Commander: in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $6.21, good condition, Sold by Coas Books, Inc. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Las Cruces, NM, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate.
Add this copy of Jump Commander: In Combat with the 505th and 508th to cart. $7.00, very good condition, Sold by Friends Walnut Creek Library rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Walnut Creek, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate.
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Very good in very good dust jacket. D/J has light scratch top to bottom on front cover. Minimal shelf wear. Clean pages. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 288 p. Contains: Unspecified, Illustrations, black & white. Audience: General/trade.
Add this copy of Jump Commander: in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $9.44, very good condition, Sold by MI Re-Tale rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dacula, GA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate Pub.
Add this copy of Jump Commander: In Combat with the 505th and 508th to cart. $13.50, like new condition, Sold by Ken's Collectibles rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Olmsted Falls, OH, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate.
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Fine in fine dust jacket. Glued binding. Paper over boards. With dust jacket. 288 p. Contains: Unspecified, Illustrations, black & white. Audience: General/trade. 2010 edition with DJ. Signed by Author (John Sperry). Book is LIKE NEW. No marks or writing. DJ shows light wear
Add this copy of Jump Commander in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $13.50, very good condition, Sold by Crossroad Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Eau Claire, WI, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate Publishers.
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Near Fine in Fine dust jacket. 1935149288. Binding clean. Faint discoloration on page top edges. Small colored pencil mark on front flyleaf. Else pages clean. DJ clean.; B&W Photographs; WLH19B; 288 pages.
Add this copy of Jump Commander: in Combat With the 505th and 508th to cart. $14.00, like new condition, Sold by Lavendier Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Foster, RI, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Casemate Pub.
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Like New. Size: 9x6x1; Casemate; Havertown, 2010. Hardcover. A Fine, black binding with gilt lettering on spine, binding firm, interior and extremities tidy, minimal use/handling marks, in a Fine, trace handling/scuff marks to panels, mild edge/corner wear, Dust wrapper. A nice, clean and unmarked copy. 8vo[octavo or approx. 6 x 9 inches]. 288pp., notes, bibliography, indexed, b&w illustrations. We pack securely and ship daily with delivery confirmation on every book. The picture on the listing page is of the actual book for sale. Additional Scan(s) are available for any item, please inquire.
