American Eagles

The 101st Airborne's Assault on Fortress Europe 1944/45 (Americans Fighting to Free Europe)

By: Charles Whiting

Narrated by: Dallas Britt

Of the 6,600 paratroopers of the 101st 'Screaming Eagles' Airborne Division who parachuted into France in the early hours of 6 June 1944—D-Day—some 3,500 were listed as missing by midnight that same night. Yet it was only the beginning of their 'rendezvous with destiny.'

American Eagles is the remarkable true story of the United States 101st Airborne Division. From their rigorous training in 'Old Jolly' (England) to their first operational jump in Normandy, Charles Whiting tells the story of this 'Band of Brothers', who fought, suffered, and died in the eleven-month campaign that followed. From Normandy and Holland through to the siege of Bastogne and their final triumphant capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest in the Bavarian Alps, we gain a picture of a brave elite division which kept on getting the tough assignments.

Drawing on eyewitness accounts, painstaking research, and his own youthful experiences when his regiment was under the command of 101st Airborne in Holland, Whiting delivers a powerful account of each of the 101st's major operations during the European campaign of 1944/45. He brings to life the full horrors of war while shining a spotlight on the courage and determination of the 'Screaming Eagles' and their role in the destruction of the Nazi regime in World War Two.

©2000 The Estate of Charles Whiting (P)2023 Tantor

A Historically Challenged Narrative

I found this book to lack depth it was a superficial reviews of the American Airborne troops in WWII. It misses so much that other books about the period covered. The author also has a different point of view than most historians about the history. He certainly has an axe to grind with the General George Patton. His depiction of Patton is not consistent with the myriad of other histories of the time. I felt that I learned very little except about the Nazi Martin Borman whom he spends an incredible amount of time describing instead of discussing the American Airborne leaders.

The travelogue at the end was also a useless waste of the reader’s time. All in all not a great listen.

Just Ok

The narrator was terrible. He sounds like a guy they found at the hardware store and asked if he wanted to narrate a book. He butchered most of the names and places. There was little or no prep for this as far as the names go. Plus: his pronunciation of "Screaming Eagles" comes out like Screameen Geagles". If I didn't love every word written about the 101st I would have returned the book- but my respect for the subject matter convinced me to just endure the bad narration.

I have heard these stories recounted much better from other authors.