No Better Place to Die - Ste-Mère Eglise June 1944: The Battle for La Fière Bridge

Robert M. Murphy

Summary

This “outstanding memoir” of a WWII soldier’s experience at Normandy gives “a fuller picture of what the 82nd [Airborne] accomplished on D-Day” (WWII History).   In the dark early hours of D-Day, nearly every airborne unit missed its drop zone, creating a kaleidoscope of small-unit combat. Fortunately for the Allies, the 505th Regimental Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division hit near its drop zone. Its task was to seize the vital crossroads of Sainte Mère Eglise and to hold the bridge over the Merderet River at nearby La Fière. The paratroopers reached the bridge only to be met by waves of German tanks and infantry. Reinforced by glider troops, the 505th not only held the vital bridge for three days but launched a counterattack to secure their objective once and for all, albeit at gruesome cost.   In No Better Place to Die, WWII veteran Robert M. Murphy provides a personal chronicle of countless acts of heroism by the men of the 505th. No World War II veteran is better known in 82nd Airborne circles than Robert M. “Bob” Murphy. A Pathfinder and member of A Company, 505th PIR, Bob was wounded three times in action, and made all four combat jumps with his regiment, fighting in Sicily, Italy, Normandy, and Holland. He was decorated for valor for his role at La Fière and is a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. After the war, he was instrumental in establishing the 505th RCT Association.  A selection of the Military Book Club.

Available since: 04/07/2009.

Print length: 284 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Conversations with RBG - Ruth...

Jeffrey Rosen

This program includes recorded conversations between Jeffrey Rosen and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.In this audiobook, Ruth Bader Ginsburg offers an intimate look at her life and career, through an extraordinary series of conversations with the head of the National Constitution Center.Conversations with RBG is a remarkable and unique audiobook, an informal portrait of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, drawing on a series of her conversations with Jeffrey Rosen, starting in the 1990s and continuing through the Trump era. Rosen, a veteran legal journalist, scholar, and president of the National Constitution Center, shares with us the justice’s observations on a variety of topics, and her intellect, compassion, sense of humor, and humanity shine through. The affection they have for each other as friends is apparent in their banter and in their shared love for the Constitution and for opera.With Justice Ginsburg’s approval, Rosen has collected her wisdom from their many conversations in which she discusses the future of the Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade, her favorite dissents, the cases she would most like to see overruled, the #MeToo movement, how to be a good listener, how to lead a productive and compassionate life. These frank exchanges illuminate the steely determination, self-mastery, and wit that have inspired women and men of all ages to embrace the “Notorious RBG”.Whatever the topic, Justice Ginsburg always has something interesting — and often surprising — to say. And while few of us will ever have the opportunity to chat with her face-to-face, Jeffrey Rosen brings us by her side as never before. Conversations with RBG is a deeply felt portrait of an American hero.

Show book

NO BETTER BUT DIFFERENT - Our...

Robert Lamp Jr.

Every family has a story. Like my father Robert Lawrence Lamp Sr. use to say, "we are no better, but different." My sisters and I, our children and grandchildren have all been impacted by the legacy of love our parents gave us. How does a family insure that future generations understand and adopt core values that will make their lives better and different. Robert Lawrence Lamp Jr., a musician and songwriter, chronicles a midwest family living and learning life's lessons, sometimes the hard way. Whether you're a family member, friend or someone wanting to pass on values to your own family, "No Better But Different" will prove an enjoyable musical journey and inside look at what matters most.
‘’A delightful and relatable family story including happy moments and challenges. Rob Lamp’s struggles with infertility, survival from cancer and a successful career navigation after a mid-life crisis are inspirational. Many life lessons for any individual or family.” — Lily Bengfort, Guided Autobiography Instructor
“Rob paints a clear and detailed picture of his life, the forces that shaped it, and the joys and travails that enriched it. While it is a story well-told, with rich language and original music to introduce readers to the many characters, Marsha and I can attest to its accuracy. Like the many tiles that create a strong and dramatic mosaic, Rob’s autobiography enhances the rich texture of our larger Lamp family story.” — Marsha Lamp Cochran and Jan Lamp Gehler, Rob Lamp’s Sisters

Show book

The Minotaur at Calle Lanza

Zito Madu

A "hauntingly effective" surrealist travel memoir about the mysterious transformations that may lurk inside us all (Library Journal, starred review).Venice, 2020. As a pandemic rages across the globe, Zito Madu finds himself in a nearly deserted city, its walls and basilicas humming with strange magic. As he wanders a haunted landscape, we see him twist further into his own past: his family's difficult immigration from Nigeria to Detroit, his troubled relationship with his father, the sporadic joys of daily life and solitude, his experiences with migration, poverty, foreignness, racism, and his own rage and regret. But as it is with all labyrinths, after finding its center, will he come away unscathed, or will he transform into the gripping, fantastical monstrousness that's out to consume him whole?With nods to Italo Calvino and Jorge Luis Borges, this surrealist debut memoir takes us into the labyrinth of memory and the monsters lurking there.

Show book

The 300 - The Inside Story of...

Daniel Wasserbly

Military and security expert Daniel Wasserbly introduces the elite unit tasked with protecting the nation from long-range weapons of mass destruction.Comprised of just three hundred soldiers, the United States Army’s 100th Missile Defense Brigade and 49th Missile Defense Battalion utilize sophisticated and cutting-edge technology to monitor the skies and seas surrounding the country and shield three hundred million Americans against any potential nuclear threat. Named for the number of Spartan warriors who defended Greece at the Battle of Thermopylae, these vigilant individuals endure rigorous, always-evolving regimens to maintain peak efficiency in the event of an actual nuclear strike.Assigned to extraordinary locations at Fort Greely, Alaska and Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, the 300 are responsible for the highest levels of homeland security. They not only maintain a never-ending watch via radar and sensor arrays, but receive continuous training in operating advanced interceptors designed to home in on and destroy in-flight ballistic missiles. It’s a complex—and occasionally unreliable—defense system that scientists and engineers are always improving and upgrading.With unprecedented access to the highly classified strategic nerve centers of U.S. Northern Command in Cheyenne Mountain, years of research, and dozens of exclusive interviews with normally inaccessible missile crews, Wasserbly reveals the incredible true story behind the 300’s essential defense operations.A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

Show book

Marie Antoinette - The True...

Liam Dale

Women in history, often queens born or married into power, have diverse narratives. Marie Antoinette, the renowned Queen of France, is a prominent figure who faced both admiration and criticism. 
 
Marie Antoinette is typically associated with luxury at Versailles while her subjects endured hardship, epitomized by the phrase "Let them eat cake." However, a deeper look reveals a complex story. 
 
In today's world, public figures, including royalty and politicians, endure media scrutiny and varying public opinions. Similarly, Marie Antoinette faced challenges in her time, which ultimately marred her historical reputation. 
 
Yet, contemporary historians are reevaluating her legacy, offering alternative perspectives. 
 
Discover: 
- Her life from beginning to end 
- Insights into her royal lineage 
- Factors influencing the French Revolution 
- The grandeur of Versailles 
- The intriguing diamond necklace affair 
- Marie Antoinette's final words before the guillotine 
- Her resting place

Show book

Ty Tabor

Steve Black

Ty Tabor, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for King’s X spoke with Steve Black in the spring of 2016.

Show book