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The Bedford Boys
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Outstanding!
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December 1944: Deep in the Ardennes forest, a platoon of 18 men under the command of 20-year-old lieutenant Lyle Bouck huddle in their foxholes. Under attack and vastly outnumbered, they repulse three German assaults in a fierce day-long battle, killing more than 500 Germans. Only when Bouck's men run out of ammunition do they surrender. As POWs, Bouck's platoon experience an ordeal far worse than combat: trigger-happy German guards, Allied bombing raids, and a daily ration of thin soup. Somehow, the men of Bouck's platoon all miraculously survive.
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More Proof of why they are called the Greatest Generation, so young so brave so tough and what miracles.
- By cbr man on 09-12-18
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Every Man a Hero
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- Length: 7 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seventy-five years ago, he hit Omaha Beach with the first wave. Now, Ray Lambert, 98 years old, delivers one of the most remarkable memoirs of our time, a tour de force of remembrance evoking his role as a decorated World War II medic who risked his life to save the heroes of D-Day.
-
-
Incredible. Highly recommend.
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Spearhead
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- By: Adam Makos
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Overall
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From the author of the international best seller A Higher Call comes the riveting World War II story of an American tank gunner’s journey into the heart of the Third Reich, where he will meet destiny in an iconic armor duel - and forge an enduring bond with his enemy.
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The leafy Avenue de Foch, one of the most exclusive residential streets in Nazi-occupied France, was Paris' hotbed of daring spies, murderous secret police, amoral informers, and Vichy collaborators. So when American physician Sumner Jackson, who lived with his wife and young son, Phillip, at Number 11, found himself drawn into the Liberation network of the French resistance, he knew the stakes were impossibly high.
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Gripping, inspirational, and informative!!
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The Few
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World War II had been raging for nearly a year. Hitler was now planning an invasion of England to seal Europe's fate. Though the United States was still neutral, a few Americans decided they couldn't remain on the sidelines. They joined Britain's Royal Air Force - with the future of civilization hanging in the balance. The Few tells the dramatic story of these Americans who defied their own country's neutrality laws and risked their very citizenship to fight side-by-side with England's finest pilots.
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Fantastic
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D-Day
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Stephen E. Ambrose draws from hundreds of interviews with US Army veterans and the brave Allied soldiers who fought alongside them to create this exceptional account of the day that shaped the twentieth century. D-Day is above all the epic story of men at the most demanding moment of their existence, when the horrors, complexities and triumphs of life are laid bare and courage and heroism come to the fore.
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What an epic story what great men
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Escape From the Deep
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In the harrowing war saga Escape from the Deep, he recounts the incredible exploits of the U.S. Navy's deadliest World War II submarine, U.S.S. Tang. From one end of the Pacific theater to the other - dodging mines and depth charges from hundreds of enemy vessels along the way - the 80 men of the Tang became legends.
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Gripping Story of Survival from WW2 Submarine Sink
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Landing on the Edge of Eternity
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Performance
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When Company A of the US 116th Regiment landed on Omaha Beach in D-Day's first wave on June 6, 1944, it lost 96 percent of its effective strength. Sixteen teams of US engineers arriving in the second wave were unable to blow the beach obstacles, as first wave survivors were still sheltering behind them. This was the beginning of the historic day that Landing on the Edge of Eternity narrates hour by hour.
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#lestweforget
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Countdown to D-Day
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In December 1943, with the rising realization that the Allies are planning to invade Fortress Europe, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel is assigned the title of General Inspector for the Atlantic Wall. His mission is to assess their readiness. His superior, theater commander, crusty old Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, who had led the Reich to victory in the early years of the war, is now fed up with the whole Nazi regime. He lives comfortably in a plush villa in a quiet Paris suburb, waiting for the inevitable Allied invasion that will bring about their final defeat.
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should have included Rommel in the title...
- By jacob on 10-24-19
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Masters of the Air
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This is the dramatic story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, this is a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden. Fighting at twenty-five thousand feet in thin, freezing air no warriors had encountered before, bomber crews battled new kinds of assaults on body and mind. Air combat was deadly but intermittent: periods of inactivity and anxiety were followed by short bursts of fire and fear.
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Facts and Emotions Masterfully Combined
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Helmet for My Pillow
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The celebrated 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific, winner of eight Emmy Awards, was based on two classic books about the War in the Pacific, Helmet for My Pillow and With The Old Breed. Audible Studios, in partnership with Playtone, the production company co-owned by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and creator of the award-winning HBO series Band of Brothers, John Adams, and The Pacific, as well as the HBO movie Game Change, has created new recordings of these memoirs, narrated by the stars of the miniseries.
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Should be required reading in high school
- By Randall on 04-03-19
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The Dead Drink First
- By: Dale Maharidge
- Narrated by: Dale Maharidge
- Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
- Original Recording
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Dale Maharidge’s father, like many World War II veterans, never talked about “the good war”. There was just one clue to his dad’s experience as a US Marine - a portrait with a close friend that hung permanently in their home. In The Dead Drink First, Dale, now a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, recounts his 18-year quest to find and repatriate the missing remains of his dad’s buddy, Herman Walter Mulligan, 73 years after he was killed in action.
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read it even if it's not your usual genre
- By Kindle Customer on 06-07-19
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Voices of the Pacific
- Untold Stories from the Marine Heroes of World War II
- By: Adam Makos
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- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Chronicling the United States Marine Corps’ actions in the Pacific theater of operations, Voices of the Pacific presents the true stories of heroism and honor as told by such World War II veterans as Sid Phillips, R. V. Burgin, and Chuck Tatum - whose exploits were featured in the HBO miniseries The Pacific - and their marine buddies from the legendary First Marine Division.
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Excellent anecdotes and wonderful narration
- By Chuck D on 06-24-19
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Shattered Sword
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- By: Jonathan Parshall, Anthony Tully
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 24 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Many consider the Battle of Midway to have turned the tide of the Pacific War. It is without question one of the most famous battles in history. Now, for the first time since Gordon W. Prange's best-selling Miracle at Midway, Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully offer a new interpretation of this great naval engagement. Shattered Sword makes extensive use of Japanese primary sources. It also corrects the many errors of Mitsuo Fuchida's Midway: The Battle That Doomed Japan It thus forces a major, potentially controversial reevaluation of the great battle.
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Finally. It doesn't get any better then this
- By Preston Leonard on 04-17-19
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The Forgotten Soldier
- By: Guy Sajer
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 21 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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When Guy Sajer joins the infantry full of ideals in the summer of 1942, the German army is enjoying unparalleled success in Russia. However, he quickly finds that for the foot soldier the glory of military success hides a much harsher reality of hunger, fatigue, and constant deprivation. Posted to the elite Grosse Deutschland division, he enters a violent and remorseless world where all youthful hope is gradually ground down, and all that matters is the brute will to survive.
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A Beautifully Written Heartrending Tragedy
- By Gillian on 03-31-17
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Black Thursday
- The Story of the Schweinfurt Raid
- By: Martin Caidin
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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On Thursday, October 14, 1943, 291 B-17 Flying Fortresses set out for a strategic bombing raid on the factories in Schweinfurt. Sixty of those planes never returned and 650 men were lost during the course of that mission. It was the greatest failure that the United States Air Force had ever suffered and became known as "Black Thursday". Martin Caidin's Black Thursday: The Story of the Schweinfurt Raid is a brilliant account of that day that should never be forgotten. This audiobook uncovers in thrilling detail the build-up to that fateful raid.
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The Best Look at Bomb Groups of the 8th
- By Nicholas Robinson on 09-19-18
Publisher's Summary
Alex Kershaw's remarkable book brings to vivid, heartbreaking life the hitherto untold story of one small American town, their sons, and the brutal, bloody war that deprived them of their futures.
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Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Ron
- Lecanto, FL, USA
- 12-20-08
gripping narrative of a community sacrifice
The story of the first wave of D-Day and how it affected the small town of Bedford, Virginia. The community lost 21 young men in the invasion for it's nationalized National Guard unit was chosen to spear head the greatest invasion in history. One community's sacrifice and the men who made it. The story is well told and you can feel the anguish of those involved.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
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Overall
- Nighthawk
- birmingham, United Kingdom
- 04-19-11
excellent
Takes you to the front line - the description of the D-Day landing is totally engaging and leaves you in no doubt as to the true despair and horror of that place as well as the courage and spirit of the men who fought and died there
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall
- ken
- 07-17-10
What a story
This book is well written. It was a very enjoyable listen. After reading about this event in history we bought the book and listed on our way to Bedford VA for the DDay memorial.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Ronda
- 10-10-13
Loved it! A wonderful read or listen.
Any additional comments?
So glad I found out about the true story and sacrifice of these "boys". Very well written and narrated.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-10-19
Kershaw’s WWII Stories are the Best!
Each of Kershaw’s stories are fantastic, absolutely the best out there. Among his works, this is my least favorite, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t great...it means his books are all great and in choosing between his stories, choose others first. Great facts in this book, but it’s always the way he conveys the emotions of the people in his books that make them great. Other authors, eg Ambrose, convey the details as if you’re in a history class. Kershaw puts you in touch with the soldiers and their families. Of all his WWII books, the narrator of this one isn’t as good as the others. Only knock on the content is that it’s hard to keep track of which Bedford Boy is which when there’s over 20 of them. Very glad the story and emotions of the townspeople back in Bedford while their sons/friends/husbands were away was conveyed so thoroughly. I hope the descendants of Bedford enjoyed Kershaw’s memorialization of the incredible sacrifices of the Bedford Boys.
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Overall
- Julie Hill
- 06-10-19
Moving
Those young men represented the greatest generation. Their sacrifices should never be forgotten. God bless the Bedford Boys.
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- Wolfpacker
- Fort Mill, SC
- 05-03-17
Too Many Names
I spent the first half of the book worrying whether I would be able to remember the names. Second half of the book I realized I would never remember all the names and enjoyed it more. It is an amazing story!
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- Kelly
- Colorado Springs
- 01-26-17
It doesn't dig deep enough.
I loved this book for what was there but was disappointed that it didn't dig deeper. I really wanted more about the families of these men. I wanted to know more about how they dealt with the time their sons and husbands were at war and how they coped with the loss. I wanted to know more about the town itself and how it addressed the loss of so many. There must have been memorials. There must have been an unusual number of marriageable women who found husbands outside of the town. There must have been an upsurge in poverty, welfare, and the town must have been struggling to cope. I also wish there had been more about the few men who survived and how their lives went post-war. So, although the words that are on the page are hard-hitting and well-written; although I enjoyed every moment I cannot give more than 3 stars as I want more.
William Dufris narrates it well. I felt like I was listening to the author which alone makes it above average. However twice I found myself wishing that Edward Hermann had read it instead so I cannot give him 5 stars either.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
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- Davout
- Sydney Aus
- 12-05-11
I hope the author donates his interview tapes
What disappointed you about The Bedford Boys?
great material but poorly written. No analysis. Like reading a tabloid newspaper.Hopefully the interview material can be donated to other writer who could do a better job.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful
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Overall

- William
- 03-09-10
Sacrifice
Tells in gory detail and heartbreaking reference to the horror of war both at the front and at home where worry and lack of knowledge kindle burning fear. Future generations need to know about our mistakes to let them learn how we had to give up so many lives to achieve the peace that we all want. Todays political leaders should be made to read this.