Overview

The previously unpublished wartime diary of Lieutenant General James Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. ""General Gavin was a very brave man who had great faith in his men. The battle or the weather never stopped him from going to check the troops. He would go in the rain or snow. If the battle was severe, he would crawl from foxhole to foxhole to talk to his men to let them know he was with them. Words cannot explain the love and pride I had for General Gavin."" - Walter Woods, World War II aide to General Gavin Lieutenant General James Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division during WWII, is one of the best-known figures of the war. Beginning as the commander of the 505th Parachute Combat Team that spearheaded the American assault on Sicily in July 1943, Gavin advanced to division command and finally command of US forces in Berlin. Throughout this time he kept a wartime diary that starts in April 1943, as the unit was preparing to go to northern Africa, and continues through to his final entry on 1 September 1945 during the occupation of Berlin. During the war years, Gavin came into close contact with virtually all the leading airborne commanders and many others who would advance to the top levels of Army leadership. His diary includes observations on fellow military and political leaders, such as General Dwight Eisenhower and the British Field Marshal Montgomery, Army operations, and the general's personal life. Gavin was an officer who led by example: on four combat jumps - into Sicily, at Salerno, then Normandy and the Netherlands - he was the first man out the door. Two Distinguished Service Crosses, two Silver Stars, and the Purple Heart rewarded his service. For decades, Gavin kept the existence of the journal a secret; the general's family discovered it among his belongings after his death. Editor Lewis ""Bob"" Sorley has worked closely with the Gavin family and the Army Heritage Center to prepare the diary for publication. His edited and annotated version includes a prologue and epilogue to frame the entries within the wider scope of the general's life. AUTHOR: Lewis Sorley is a third-generation graduate of the United States Military Academy who also holds a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University. During two decades of military service he led tank and armored cavalry units in Germany, Vietnam, and the United States, held Pentagon staff assignments in the Offices of the Secretary of Defense and the Army Chief of Staff, and was on the faculties of West Point and the Army War College. Following service as a senior civilian official at CIA he became a leading historian of the Vietnam War. 30 photographs

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9781636240244

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Reviews

'Airborne All the Way!' That was Major General Jim Gavin's ethos when he commanded the 82nd Airborne Division during the toughest battles of World War II. For years, many wondered about the man behind the legend. What made this airborne leader who he was? Now we know the answer in the general's own words, courtesy of Gavin's newly revealed wartime diary. West Point graduate, Vietnam War veteran, and acclaimed historian Lewis S. Sorley, III has masterfully edited this unique look into the mind of one of America's greatest combat commanders. --Daniel P. Bolger, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired and author of The Panzer Killers

Gavin's writing provides a primer on leadership and reminds us that it is a constant cycle of learning and improving, coupled with the moral obligation to make difficult personal choices. * ARMY Magazine 07/12/2022 * Gavin at War is a must have addition to the library of anyone interested in airborne operations, combat leadership, or the history of the Second World War. It is a rare opportunity to understand the experiences of a renowned combat leader in his own words. * ARGunners 02/12/2022 *

Dr. Lewis S. Sorley, III, himself a West Point graduate, Vietnam War veteran, and acclaimed historian, has masterfully edited this unique look into the mind of one of America's greatest combat commanders. * On Point: The Journal of Army History * All readers who are interested in World War II will find much to enjoy in this book, and it is highly recommended. * Journal of America's Military Past * Gavin’s writing provides a primer on leadership and reminds us that it is a constant cycle of learning and improving, coupled with the moral obligation to make difficult personal choices. * ARMY Magazine 07/12/2022 * Gavin at War is a must have addition to the library of anyone interested in airborne operations, combat leadership, or the history of the Second World War. It is a rare opportunity to understand the experiences of a renowned combat leader in his own words. * ARGunners 02/12/2022 *

Author Information

Lewis Sorley is a third-generation graduate of the United States Military Academy who also holds a Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University. During two decades of military service he led tank and armored cavalry units in Germany, Vietnam, and the United States, held Pentagon staff assignments in the Offices of the Secretary of Defense and the Army Chief of Staff, and was on the faculties of West Point and the Army War College. Following service as a senior civilian official at CIA he became a leading historian of the Vietnam War. His books include A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America's Last Years in Vietnam and biographies of Generals Creighton Abrams, Harold K. Johnson, and William Westmoreland.

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