Currahee!: A Screaming Eagle at Normandy 
asked by megafan on October 31, 2006 4:15 AM
Seven days in hell
In June 1944, the Allies launched a massive amphibious invasion against Nazi-held France. But under the cover of darkness, a new breed of fighting man leapt from airplanes through a bullet-stitched, tracer-lit sky to go behind German lines. These were the Screaming Eagles of the newly formed 101st Airborne Division. Their job was to strike terror into the Nazi defenders, delay reinforcements, and kill any enemy soldiers they met. In the next seven days, the men of the 101st fought some of the most ferocious close-quarter combat in all of World War II.
Now Donald R. Burgett looks back at the nonstop, nightmarish fighting across body-strewn fields, over enemy-held hedgerows, through blown-out towns and devastated forests. This harrowing you-are-there chronicle captures a baptism by fire of a young Private Burgett, his comrades, and a new air-mobile fighting force that would become a legend of war.
In June 1944, the Allies launched a massive amphibious invasion against Nazi-held France. But under the cover of darkness, a new breed of fighting man leapt from airplanes through a bullet-stitched, tracer-lit sky to go behind German lines. These were the Screaming Eagles of the newly formed 101st Airborne Division. Their job was to strike terror into the Nazi defenders, delay reinforcements, and kill any enemy soldiers they met. In the next seven days, the men of the 101st fought some of the most ferocious close-quarter combat in all of World War II.
Now Donald R. Burgett looks back at the nonstop, nightmarish fighting across body-strewn fields, over enemy-held hedgerows, through blown-out towns and devastated forests. This harrowing you-are-there chronicle captures a baptism by fire of a young Private Burgett, his comrades, and a new air-mobile fighting force that would become a legend of war.
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This, along with Mr Burgett's 3 other works are simply the best first person accounts of combat in North west Europe ever written. I notice many other reviewers here point out that this book is similar to Band of Brothers, this is misleading, because Burgett's books predate those of Ambrose by decades. This is gut-wrenching, heart-pounding, sweat inducing writing of a young man in combat - no false heroics, no overviews, no discussion of strategy and planning - just plain-talking real experiences.
I cannot recommend this and Mr Burgett's other books highly enough.
I cannot recommend this and Mr Burgett's other books highly enough.
reviewed by anexpert on November 23, 2006 3:35 PM
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This book is a quick read and a good account by someone who was actually a paratrooper in the Normandy invasion. It is not nearly as comprehensive as the Band of Brothers and other books on Major Winters. You may be disappointed if you have read them already.
reviewed by perfect10 on November 26, 2006 6:17 AM
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This is another one of the "band of brothers" type narratives. Burget wasn't in E company, but was in the same battallion and went through the same training.
His descriptions of the training he went through were informative.
Other than that, this is a great firsthand memoir of another solider in the 101st airborne.
His descriptions of the training he went through were informative.
Other than that, this is a great firsthand memoir of another solider in the 101st airborne.
reviewed by mags on November 27, 2006 9:17 PM
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A narrative of suspense, action, and horror set inside the mind of Donald Burgett as he struggled to become one of the members of the elite 101st Airborne Division and ultimately survive through World War II. Currahee is written such that one feels as if he is following the main character, Burgett, step by bloody step. This first person narration by the hardened war veteran, Burgett, adds a suspense and gritty realization to the horrors of war. Every chapter focuses around Burgett's adventures and deadly battles he encountered regularly. He describes in detail every action he took, and every shot he fired so that the reader can never miss a beat. He explains his training and how damn near impossible it was to become a paratrooper. The joke going around during his first day of boot camp in 1942 went, "If two doctors were on each side of you lookin' in your ears and could see each other, you were a new member of the 101st Airborne!" At only 18 years old, Burgett had the heart and mind of sure will and determination. He did whatever he had to do in order to pass the required training and receive his jump wings, qualifying him as one of the best in the army. I am convinced that Burgett and his entire generation who were tough enough to make it into the 101st became the most admirable "bunch of guys" this nation has ever had for now and generations to come. We, the people, of the United States of America owe them our solemn gratitude and utmost respect that they laid down their lives so that your children, and my children, might be able to live in freedom for years to come.
I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 15. Not only can the language be foul, but the amount of detail in the actual WWII fighting can become too much to endure for young teenagers. The amount of agony, blood, and gore described even left me sick to my stomach and filled with sadness over the amount of death of those brave American soldiers. These citizen soldiers were just like you and I, working part time at the grocery store and helping their parents clean the table after supper. But when the time came, they all went out to defend their country without hesitation, without remorse for the enemy. That is the beautiful part of this book, that men such as Burgett would answer the call and damn well know that they were risking their lives for the sake of their mothers, fathers, and all of people who lived in this country. That is why every time I read this book I cannot put it down because I know that Burgett was MY AGE when he was in the fields of Normandy risking his life to preserve the sacred word, freedom. With such eminent detail, I often find myself ducking my head thinking that those bullets are going to strike me. I often wondered, "He was killing Germans while I am still learning Math, how weak and insignificant I must be compared to him." When I read the first page, I could not stop until I reached page one hundred and fifty. So please, pick up a copy of Currahee and become engulfed with a true story about how self-sacrifice and military excellence ultimately won World War II and preserved freedom to this day.
I would not recommend this book to anyone under the age of 15. Not only can the language be foul, but the amount of detail in the actual WWII fighting can become too much to endure for young teenagers. The amount of agony, blood, and gore described even left me sick to my stomach and filled with sadness over the amount of death of those brave American soldiers. These citizen soldiers were just like you and I, working part time at the grocery store and helping their parents clean the table after supper. But when the time came, they all went out to defend their country without hesitation, without remorse for the enemy. That is the beautiful part of this book, that men such as Burgett would answer the call and damn well know that they were risking their lives for the sake of their mothers, fathers, and all of people who lived in this country. That is why every time I read this book I cannot put it down because I know that Burgett was MY AGE when he was in the fields of Normandy risking his life to preserve the sacred word, freedom. With such eminent detail, I often find myself ducking my head thinking that those bullets are going to strike me. I often wondered, "He was killing Germans while I am still learning Math, how weak and insignificant I must be compared to him." When I read the first page, I could not stop until I reached page one hundred and fifty. So please, pick up a copy of Currahee and become engulfed with a true story about how self-sacrifice and military excellence ultimately won World War II and preserved freedom to this day.
reviewed by fusionz on November 29, 2006 6:21 PM