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9781612002323

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'Frank Van Lunteren has crafted a superb book ... [he] should be considered as the authority on the subject of the World War II 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He has interviewed countless veterans of the regiment and has dug deeply to find previously little known accounts of the actions of the participants in the regiment's combat ... In addition to his great narrative, Frank has included a number of previously unpublished photographs of the 504th, the bridges, and the battlefields in the book. The Battle of the Bridges adds greatly to the known information of the regiment and of this battle. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the World War II history of the United States Army's airborne forces.' -- Phil Nordyke, author and historian * Phil Nordyke * 'The Battle of the Bridges is a seminal contribution to the gloried history and daring exploits of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment during Operation Market Garden, with special focus on the suicidal daylight crossing of the Waal River and subsequent capture of the bridges in Nimegen. ... Frank Van Lunteren's suspenseful writing compels the reader to share the intimate, desperate, unbelievable struggles of American soldiers fighting, bleeding, and dying to free Holland from years of pernicious Nazi occupation. In so doing, Van Lunteren reaffirms his stature among the very best military historians documenting the U. S. 82nd Airborne during WWII. One hopes that the remaining four volumes he is writing about the 504th will maintain the same high level of artful military history presented here.' -- James Louis Holt, Ph.D. * James Holt * 'A review cannot do justice to this book -- it must be read!' -- Col. William E. Weber, USA Ret, publisher of The Airborne Review * The Airborne Review *

'The Battle of the Bridges is a seminal contribution to the gloried history and daring exploits of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment during Operation Market Garden, with special focus on the suicidal daylight crossing of the Waal River and subsequent capture of the bridges in Nimegen. ... Frank Van Lunteren's suspenseful writing compels the reader to share the intimate, desperate, unbelievable struggles of American soldiers fighting, bleeding, and dying to free Holland from years of pernicious Nazi occupation. In so doing, Van Lunteren reaffirms his stature among the very best military historians documenting the U. S. 82nd Airborne during WWII. One hopes that the remaining four volumes he is writing about the 504th will maintain the same high level of artful military history presented here.' -- James Louis Holt, Ph.D. * James Holt * 'A review cannot do justice to this book -- it must be read!' -- Col. William E. Weber, USA Ret, publisher of The Airborne Review * The Airborne Review * 'Frank Van Lunteren has crafted a superb book ... [he] should be considered as the authority on the subject of the World War II 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He has interviewed countless veterans of the regiment and has dug deeply to find previously little known accounts of the actions of the participants in the regiment's combat ... In addition to his great narrative, Frank has included a number of previously unpublished photographs of the 504th, the bridges, and the battlefields in the book. The Battle of the Bridges adds greatly to the known information of the regiment and of this battle. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the World War II history of the United States Army's airborne forces.' -- Phil Nordyke, author and historian * Phil Nordyke *

'A review cannot do justice to this book -- it must be read!' -- Col. William E. Weber, USA Ret, publisher of The Airborne Review * The Airborne Review * 'The Battle of the Bridges is a seminal contribution to the gloried history and daring exploits of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment during Operation Market Garden, with special focus on the suicidal daylight crossing of the Waal River and subsequent capture of the bridges in Nimegen. ... Frank Van Lunteren's suspenseful writing compels the reader to share the intimate, desperate, unbelievable struggles of American soldiers fighting, bleeding, and dying to free Holland from years of pernicious Nazi occupation. In so doing, Van Lunteren reaffirms his stature among the very best military historians documenting the U. S. 82nd Airborne during WWII. One hopes that the remaining four volumes he is writing about the 504th will maintain the same high level of artful military history presented here.' -- James Louis Holt, Ph.D. * James Holt * 'Frank Van Lunteren has crafted a superb book ... [he] should be considered as the authority on the subject of the World War II 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He has interviewed countless veterans of the regiment and has dug deeply to find previously little known accounts of the actions of the participants in the regiment's combat ... In addition to his great narrative, Frank has included a number of previously unpublished photographs of the 504th, the bridges, and the battlefields in the book. The Battle of the Bridges adds greatly to the known information of the regiment and of this battle. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the World War II history of the United States Army's airborne forces.' -- Phil Nordyke, author and historian * Phil Nordyke *

'Frank Van Lunteren has crafted a superb book ... [he] should be considered as the authority on the subject of the World War II 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He has interviewed countless veterans of the regiment and has dug deeply to find previously little known accounts of the actions of the participants in the regiment's combat ... In addition to his great narrative, Frank has included a number of previously unpublished photographs of the 504th, the bridges, and the battlefields in the book. The Battle of the Bridges adds greatly to the known information of the regiment and of this battle. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the World War II history of the United States Army's airborne forces.' -- Phil Nordyke, author and historian -- Phil Nordyke Phil Nordyke 'The Battle of the Bridges is a seminal contribution to the gloried history and daring exploits of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment during Operation Market Garden, with special focus on the suicidal daylight crossing of the Waal River and subsequent capture of the bridges in Nimegen. ... Frank Van Lunteren's suspenseful writing compels the reader to share the intimate, desperate, unbelievable struggles of American soldiers fighting, bleeding, and dying to free Holland from years of pernicious Nazi occupation. In so doing, Van Lunteren reaffirms his stature among the very best military historians documenting the U. S. 82nd Airborne during WWII. One hopes that the remaining four volumes he is writing about the 504th will maintain the same high level of artful military history presented here.' -- James Louis Holt, Ph.D. -- James Holt James Holt 'A review cannot do justice to this book -- it must be read!' -- Col. William E. Weber, USA Ret, publisher of The Airborne Review -- William E. Weber, Col. USA Ret. The Airborne Review

Author Information

Frank van Lunteren was born and raised in Arnhem, the Netherlands. While studying history in Nijmegen, in the spring of 2001, he established contact with a WWII veteran of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Shortly after he graduated as a historian, Van Lunteren was guest speaker at the August 2007 Convention of the 504th PIR Association. There, veteran Francis Keefe (1924–2021) asked him to write “a book on the entire regiment.” The research process of over twenty years culminated in five volumes: Birth of a Regiment (May 1942–September 1943), Spearhead of the Fifth Army (September 1943–April 1944), The Battle of the Bridges (April 1944–November 1944), Blocking Kampfgruppe Peiper (November 1944–February 1945), End of an Odyssey (February 1945–January 1946). From activation to the New York Victory Parade, Colonel Reuben Tucker’s troopers are followed throughout World War II.

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