Paratrooper: The Life Of Gen. James M. Gavin

by T. Michael Booth, Duncan Spencer

General James M. Gavin was a legendary military hero, a pioneer of airborne warfare, and one of the most brilliant battlefield commanders in World War II. Paratrooper is the first full biography of Gen. Gavin, written with the cooperation of his family and drawing on Gavin's own unpublished autobiography. James Gavin grew up as an adopted child in Pennsylvania coal country. After an unhappy childhood, he enlisted in the army at seventeen. He earned admittance into West Point, where he chose Stonewall Jackson as a model because of Jackson's success with speed and surprise. Gavin became fascinated by the new air power that was revolutionizing warfare and bringing Jackson's tactics to a new level. He decided to become a paratrooper. Gavin joined the Army's first paratroop units under the leadership of the man who became his mentor, Gen. Matthew Ridgway. Under Ridgway, Gavin rose to command the famed 82nd Airborne Division in World War II. Always the first to jump in combat, Gavin led his men on missions in Sicily, Italy, Normandy (providing support behind the German lines for the D-Day invasion), Holland (the tragic battle for the bridge at Arnhem, "The Bridge Too Far"), and the Battle of the Bulge. Superb in combat, Gavin earned praise from Eisenhower, Bradley, and other top commanders and became the youngest American major general since Custer. After the war, Gavin became a strategic planner at the Pentagon. An adviser to President John F. Kennedy, he was named ambassador to France. Gavin was a critic of the war in Vietnam and flirted briefly with politics. For many years he was chairman of the Arthur D. Little company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Gen. Gavin died in 1990. Paratrooper is the fascinating story of one of the most important and innovative military figures in American history.

Genres: Military Fiction, Biography, History, Military History

496 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1994

Reviews

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jumping Jim Gavin was an orphan, an entrepreneur, a womanizer, an excellent soldier, an opponent of the racial segregation in the U.S. Army, a pioneering paratrooper, a dedicated leader, and a true American hero! He was dedicated to the welfare of the officers and men under his command, and literally wrote the book on airborne warfare techniques for the World War II U.S. Army. I can't believe no one has made a major motion picture about this guy. Then again, no one these days would probably believe that men like this really existed.

[William DuFour · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book by a one of the youngest Major Generals of WWII. A lot of information about the General was new to me. Read the book.

[Megargee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a whole-life biography of James Gavin detailing his life before and after as well as during WW II. The primary focus is on his airborne service. Having created the paratroops, the high command felt obliged to utilize them. Unfortunately the missions were poorly planned (Market Garden) and the troops too often delivered to the wrong target (Sicily) or subjected to friendly fire (Italy). While Gavin was the first off the plane and carried an infantryman's M-1, other rear echelon commanders were more focused on military politics than on the grunts on the ground. This book provides insights into the character and personality of a combat leader.

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about Gen Gavin. It is the second book about him that I have read. This one talked about his chilhood and his life arter the Army. What I really liked was the facts about WWII. My father fought with the 82 (508), he spoke about Gen Gavin, as being one of the guys doing everything they were doing which is why those men and boys fought like they did. You get that from reading this book. You also get a real sense of what happened in the war not hollywoods. I hope more people would look for it to read.