Company Commander

By: Charles B. MacDonald

Narrated by: Tristan Morris

Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

As a newly commissioned captain of a veteran US Army regiment, MacDonald's first combat experience was war at its most hellish - the Battle of the Bulge.

In this plainspoken but eloquent narrative, we live each minute at MacDonald's side, sharing in all of combat's misery, terror, and drama. How this green commander gains his men's loyalty in the snows of war-torn Europe is one of the most unforgettable war stories of all time.

©1947 Charles B. MacDonald (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A Real Look At Combat Command

Excellent book on what war is like on a Company level . Honestly told, warts and all. Captain MacDonald saves the best for the last two chapters. I have read other books that describe the effect of the end of the war but the emotion of how the troops felt when they liberated towns made me feel a pride in those troops that transcends the "thank you for your service " comments of today. Very well communicated.

Triston Morris did a very good reading. Doubt it could have been improved upon by anyone else.

Bad Bad Bad editing

I don't know how so many first and second takes wound up being recorder. But to make the final cut with double lines, so many I lost count, is unreal.

Small unit combat

Narration is clear although rhythm does not vary, rather sing song. Tenor tonality incompatible with gravity of descriptions.

Much interesting detail and descriptions of small unit combat.

I find it incongruous to hear vivid descriptions of combat spoken by narrator whose voice is that of an adolescent. If that does not bother you then this is a fine selection.

Inspirational, same as Band of Brothers

I read this book 50 some years ago, before I joined the USMC and became a rifle platoon commander and then a rifle company commander, so when I listened to it this time the words seemed just as fresh today as it did then, but this time I knew them to be true. I would recommend this to anyone thinking of accepting a commission in any of the uniformed service but especially into one of the combat components. Especially noteworthy are his observations on officer-enlisted dynamics. While you can never be their friend, you can and should treat them with respect and dignity, and look out for their welfare--and they will look out for yours. One thing I noticed this time around is how similar in context it was to the Band of Brothers, though it pre-dated BofB (1947 v 1990), and maybe a bit more home-spun and less polished, but even more than the literary comparison is that while the 506th Parachute Infantry of the storied 101st Airborne Division was an elite unit, the 23rd Infantry of the 2nd Division was just a regular grunt outfit with no pretensions to elite status, but the sacrifices, the attention to duty and the sheer elan was every bit as great as any Airborne Unit. Both books are about a single infantry company, fighting in the same theater, even the same terrain, and while the 101st gained much glory as the Battling Bastards of Bastogne, the 2nd ID held the flank of the "Bulge" and prevented the expansion of the German Offensive, with a lot less fanfare, but with just as much effectiveness (at several points the company even had to resort to searching the dead for ammunition in order to hold their positions). In the final analysis Companies E and I of the 23rd Infantry was every bit as "elite" as Company E of the 506th Parachute Infantry, and they had a Medal of Honor winner and the Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation to boot!

Good story, wimpy narration

Solid history and insight. However, narrator’s effeminate reading was a constant distraction. Good articulation and pacing, but totally inappropriate for a combat commander. Every sentence hinted at upward inflection or tailed off softly. If reading the book is out, then go ahead and buy this narration, the story is worth accessing. Reading should be your first choice.

Great book if you have an interest in WWII!

It was all about the GI’s learning how to deal with a new commander and he them.

Worth your time

This is a very moving record of two infantry companies during the last year of the war in Europe.

Exceptional story

An incredible first person account of a company commander in a World War II. The story brings to life the actions of the 2nd division in the final year of the war with riveting action.

Well-written narrative annoyingly delivered.

Maybe it’s just me, but I cannot stand this narrator’s voice, especially in the context of a grueling war story. His whiny inflections grate on my nerves so badly, I don’t want to listen anymore.

Enjoyable read

I listened to the book 4x before claiming I was finished with it because there are parts of it where the narrator speaks too fast and key information is lost. The storyline itself is well told and the performance is gripping. If you're looking for your next listen and you want an entertaining story that dives into and develops the characters, then this one may work for you. I'll most likely listen to it again in a few weeks just to make sure I got it all.