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Strike and Hold: A Memoir of the 82nd Airborne in World War II
This fast-moving memoir of T. Moffatt Burriss shows his extraordinary role as a platoon leader and company commander with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Europe and North Africa during World War II. He saw a great deal of combat on Sicily, at Salerno, on Anzio Beach, in Holland during Operation Market Garden, and during the drive into Germany. This book portrays World War II as seen vividly through the eyes of the young American citizen-soldier.
254 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 22, 2016
Excellent book! One of those books that everyone, especially the current generation, needs to read.
October 2, 2022
I can't better than quote the end of his chapter on Operation Market-Garden (aka A Bridge Too Far):
"Upon returning to the battle scenes of World War II after fifty years, I felt a profound sadness as I stood in the American cemetery at Anzio and touched the white crosses marking the graves of my dead comrades. I felt the same way in Belgium, at the place where we had fought the Battle of the Bulge. But when I was standing in the Liberation Museum in Groosbeek near Nijmegen and looking at the bronze plaques that listed the names of all the men killed during Operation Market-Garden, my sadness and my admiration for the courage of those who died there was mixed with a bitterness and anger undiminished after half a century." p. 184
[Burriss is lamenting the failure of the British to exploit the capture of the Nijmegen bridges to push through German opposition to link up with the British and Polish Airborne at Arnhem, the "bridge too far."
"Upon returning to the battle scenes of World War II after fifty years, I felt a profound sadness as I stood in the American cemetery at Anzio and touched the white crosses marking the graves of my dead comrades. I felt the same way in Belgium, at the place where we had fought the Battle of the Bulge. But when I was standing in the Liberation Museum in Groosbeek near Nijmegen and looking at the bronze plaques that listed the names of all the men killed during Operation Market-Garden, my sadness and my admiration for the courage of those who died there was mixed with a bitterness and anger undiminished after half a century." p. 184
[Burriss is lamenting the failure of the British to exploit the capture of the Nijmegen bridges to push through German opposition to link up with the British and Polish Airborne at Arnhem, the "bridge too far."
March 31, 2021
Utterly inspired Well written
This ranks as one of the best narratives of the American soldier. Vivid in description and given perspective by the testimony of several brave soldiers who experienced all that any human could endure. Very informative. God bless these men They are indeed The Greatest Generation
This ranks as one of the best narratives of the American soldier. Vivid in description and given perspective by the testimony of several brave soldiers who experienced all that any human could endure. Very informative. God bless these men They are indeed The Greatest Generation
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews