• A Foot Soldier for Patton

  • The Story of a "Red Diamond" Infantryman with the US Third Army
  • By: Michael C. Bilder, James Bilder
  • Narrated by: Johnny Heller
  • Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (133 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
A Foot Soldier for Patton  By  cover art

A Foot Soldier for Patton

By: Michael C. Bilder, James Bilder
Narrated by: Johnny Heller
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A brutally honest depiction of day-to-day combat in World War II...

A rarely frank account of the US infantry experience in northern Europe, A Foot Soldier for Patton takes the listener from the beaches of Normandy through the giddy drive across France to the brutal battles on the Westwall, in the Ardennes, and finally to the conquest of Germany itself.

Patton's army is best known for dashing armored attacks; its commander combining the firepower of tanks with their historic lineage as cavalry. But when the Germans stood firm, the greatest fighting was done by Patton's long undersung infantry - the foot sloggers who were called upon to reduce enemy strong points and who took the brunt of German counterattacks.

Michael Bilder, a member of the 5th Infantry ("Red Diamond" division), played a unique role in the Third Army's onslaught. A rifleman foremost, he was also a German-speaker, called upon for interrogations and special duties.

Incidents common to the ordinary GI, but which seldom see the light of day in histories, are routinely related in this book, enriching the listener's sense of the true reality of World War II combat.

©2008 Michael C. Bilder and James G. Bilder (P)2018 Tantor

What listeners say about A Foot Soldier for Patton

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    116
  • 4 Stars
    8
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    106
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    112
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

good 1st person recounting

the narrative was very good and the story great. The author didnt pull any punches and told his remembrances well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A good be listen.

Honest and straight forward perspective from an average guy who saw terrible things and lived to tell about it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great audio biography

One of the best audio tracks about WW2. Very realistic analysis of one’s emotions and feelings of combat. Especially good details about life of an infantry soldier with Patton 3rd.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Bringing history to life!

My Uncle was in the 5th Infantry Division in WWII and is buried in St. Avold France in the Lorraine cemetery. This book really allowed me to understand better what his experience must have been. Thank you for writing this story!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well done

Well done. Story kept going and they did well to explain where they were but not so much to bore you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

good story

at first I found the narrator a little annoying but then I got used to his voice all in all a great story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

Great story of an ordinary infantrymen in Europe. Didn’t pull any punches of what he thought of his officers good and bad and the things he saw.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An Ordinary Man an Extraordinary Soldier

The amazing account of one American soldier who fought his way across the entire European continent in World War II.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

I've read mang many books on Ww2 and many on Patton. This is one of the best! i especially liked the way its ended and the fact that the author took the time to finish the book by bringing everything full circle. I've read few better books on Ww2. You'll enjoy this one!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

James Bilder, a beuatiful memoir for ones Dad!

I know the author, and in passing one day he shared that he wrote a book about his fathers life and exploits during WWII. As someone from the Chicago region, having the context of a local son off to war is lovely. The human experience is so complex and simple, sad and happy, ugly and beautiful. We are a dichotomy of events and war demonstrates this in ones life with magnification.

Thank you for sharing that you had a book for me to listen to, thank you for writing this memoir. Ed

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!