Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest

I picked this book up after re-watching the HBO series and the accompanying podcast. I figured reading the source material would provide more insight into these extraordinary men and what they went through in their World War II campaigns.

The book starts off talking about all the training they went through. The Airborne were a new concept, the US had never had airborne divisions prior to World War II, so the whole thing was breaking new ground. The soldiers went through extensive training to become part of the US Airborne. Over 500 men volunteered as officers and over 5,300 for the infantry. Out of those counts, the 506th needed 148 officers and 1,800 infantry. To me, that's kind of incredible the training and hard work they had to put themselves through to make it. It was not for the weak of heart.

The book goes through the different campaigns and battles Easy Company went through, including D-Day and Normandy, Operation Market Garden in Holland, to Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge. The description of Holland and Bastogne were harrowing and really felt like they described the horrors of war. Miserable weather, stuck in trenches and foxholes for nearly three months with the lines barely moving avoiding artillery and mortar fire.

That officers and men broke under the constant strain, tension and vulnerability is not remarkable. What is remarkable is that so many did not break.

I think that sums up what many soldiers involved in World War II had to deal with and get through, is impressive in and of itself.

The book ends with this quote, featured in the TV series as well, which I think is a great way to end.

In one of has last newsletters, Mike Ranney wrote "In thinking back on the last days of Easy Company, I'm treasuring my remark to a grandson who asked 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?'

"No, I answerrd, 'but l served in a company of heroes.'"