Description
Le 505e PIR de la 82e Airborne Division est l’un des meilleurs régiment d’infanterie parachutiste a émerger de la seconde guerre mondiale. Son second bataillon a fait beaucoup pour gagner cette réputation, et l’intrépide commandant, le Lt. Col. Benjamin H. Vandervoort, y est pour beaucoup. Si besoin, ses deux Distinguished Service Cross sont là pour étayer cette allégation. Parmi les histoires d’héroïsme les plus fantastiques de la seconde guerre mondiale, l’on trouve celle du Lt. Col. Vandervoort, qui emmena son bataillon de parachutistes à la victoire malgré sa cheville cassée lors d’une chute à Ste. Mere Eglise le matin du 6 juin. Son sang-froid, son courage et ses initiatives exceptionnelles, lié à sa détermination sans limite contribua au succès des missions qui lui avaient été attribuées. Tout au long de la guerre, le Col. Vandervoort à acquit la réputation de commandant pouvant mener à bien n’importe quel mission avec un minimum de pertes. Le rôle du Colonel Vandervoort dans la campagne de Normandie fut immortalisée par l’acteur John Wayne dans le film « Le Jour le Plus Long », d’après le best-seller de Cornelius Ryan. Son nom rappelle désormais celui d’une légende des forces armées. Vandervoort avait été décrit par Gen. Matt Ridgway, Officier commandant de la 82e Airborne Division, comme « l’un des commandant les plus braves et les plus durs au combat que je n’ai jamais connu ». Oliver B. Carr, un lieutement qui se battit sous Vandervoort en Normandie déclara « Il avait le respect de chaque homme en uniforme. Il était très brave et très calme dans des situations où cela était extrêmement difficile de l’être. »
270 x 220 mm
couverture souple – 88 pages, 250 illustrations
ISBN 2-9600176-5-7
Reinout Waelput –
« I want to let you know the books arrived in a splendid condition.
At first I was rather sceptical about the ?Portrait? series, wondering whether they would be as interesting as other books, probably caused by not being used to the concept. Since I bought two in a shop in Ste-Mere-Eglise I know how terribly wrong I was in being so sceptical.
Beyond all doubt the 3 of the books I?ve read now are as good as it can get ! I?m very thankful for you immortalizing those paratroopers in such an extraordinary way.
I sincerely hope more books of its kind will follow.
Keep up the brilliant work ! »
Reinout Waelput, Belgium
Bob Moolenbeek –
« I have recieved my ordered book! Absolutely amazing book! »
Bob Moolenbeek, Holland
Owen Zeigler –
« I received the book today. Thank you for the fantastic service and the item was received without damage. Your service was better than any that I have received here in the states by far. Thank you. »
Owen Zeigler, USA
1LT Fergal O’ Reilly –
« I am the current Adjutant for the 2nd Battalion 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82D Airborne Division. I am working on a memorial for the Regiment that will honor LTC Vandervoort. The new battalion HQ will be named in his honor.
Thank you for the information. Your book proved to be a vital and indeed the core asset in getting the dedication
proposal approved by the Fort Bragg Public Works Commission. General Caldwell, the 82nd Division Commander, weighed in and got involved to help the project along. My Battalion Commander, LTC Parker, remembered meeting you and gave me your book to use. »
1LT Fergal O’ Reilly, USA
Glen Nakata –
« I just wanted to let you know that I received the book and it is outstanding. Thanks a million. »
Glen Nakata, USA
Mike Gorman –
« Your style of writing, supplemented by profuse illustration, has really impressed me. No matter what, please keep up the good work. »
Mike Gorman, USA
Tom Shockey –
« Thank you for your fabulous scholarship and dedication to preserving the history of our brave fathers. »
Tom Shockey, Canada
Ben Vandervoort Jr. –
« What a wonderful tribute to my Dad. Plus you covered aspects of his career that I was not even remotely aware of. I really wish that he were here to read The Way We Were. In that context, I also wish my Mom, Nedra, and a guy named Cornelius Ryan could go through it also. They would approve.
On a personal note, the « action figure » completely blew me away – well done. Thank you so very much. »
Ben Vandervoort Jr.
Virginia Mueller, –
« I have just received the book and doll and I am very impressed with the beautiful job you have done. My father, Charles Vandervoort, would have been very excited to see them and enjoyed them immensely. Thank you for all your hard work. It is truly appreciated. »
Virginia Mueller, Niece of Col. Vandervoort, USA
Charles Counts –
« I have just read one of the recent gems in Michel De Trez’s WWII paratroopers portrait series. This booklet details the remarkable military career of Benjamin H. Vandervoort. As many others, my introduction to Lt. Colonel Vandervoort was the larger than life portrayal of the Colonel by John Wayne in the epic film, The Longest Day. Even as a student of WWII paratroopers, it has been tough to get much detail of the « real » Lt. Col. Vandervoort, until now. Michel has presented the military career of Lt. Col. Vandervoort in his usual excellent mixture of first hand accounts, period photographs, and related artifacts. As it turns out, it is Lt. Colonel Benjamin Vandervoort who had the larger than life military career, not the other way around! Thank you Michel for giving us the story behind this well known, and courageous soldier. »
Charles Counts, USA
Bob Gillette –
« Vandervoort book arrived in good condition. It is EXCELLENT. All of us involved in that history owe you a great deal for collecting these photos and editing them so well. It is most amazing that it has been done by you, not a US historian. Thank you for a job well done. »
Bob Gillette, 505 PIR veteran, USA
Pete Herrera –
« I’m glad to see I ordered the book from you. For a long time, I’ve been an admirer of your work over on Trigger-Time as well as in print. I’ve got the Forrest Guth book here in my library.
Once I saw you wrote a book on LtCol. Vandervoort, who’s a long-time hero of mine, I knew I just had to have a copy of it. My hobby is historical miniature modelling. Again, I thank you for the book and all your efforts that have gone into your work »
Pete Herrera, USA
Glenn Stover SSG –
« I would like to thank Mr. de Trez for his awesome books perpetuating the history of the US Army airborne. His collections are tremendous and I treasure them. Thank you. »
Glenn Stover SSG, US Army XVIII Airborne Corps, USA