D-Day with the Screaming Eagles

De: George Koskimaki

Narrado por: Sean Runnette

In the predawn darkness of D-Day, an elite fighting force struck the first blows against Hitler's Fortress Europe. Braving a hail of enemy gunfire and mortars, bold invaders from the sky descended into the hedgerow country and swarmed the meadows of Normandy. Some would live, some would die, but all would fight with the guts and determination that made them the most famous US Army division in World War II: the 101st Airborne "Screaming Eagles".

George Koskimaki was part of the 101st Airborne's daring parachute landing into occupied France that day. Now, drawing on more than 500 firsthand accounts, Koskimaki re-creates those critical hours in all their ferocity and terror. Told by those who ultimately prevailed - ordinary Americans who faced an extraordinary challenge - D-Day with the Screaming Eagles is the real history of that climactic struggle beyond the beachhead.

©1970 George E. Koskimaki (P)2015 Tantor

A day to never forget in History.

My great grandfather faught in WWII and to hear this story makes me think about him. I loved it and reccommend it to others who want to listen about a day that the world wont forget.

CHIMO

101 st Review

The book so unblevable fantastic is all I can say! It makes you feel like you are jumping with the troopers of each stick.

Very in depth and personal

loved how the stories make you feel like you are tight in the action! I highly recommend.

Incredible!

Incredible story about incredible heroes on an unforgettable day in history. This book was absolutely stellar! And the narrator is top notch. He also read the things our fathers saw and was just as good there.

My Father jumped with the 101st on D-Day

Listening to this book took me right there with my Dad. The descriptions of paratroopers, many so young, coming from the sky, making their way in the dark and encountering the German soldiers were so vivid that I wept. Each death of a trooper was personal to me. The details of the hedgerows, the brave French people that helped the troopers, the sound of clickers going off in the night brought me right there with them. I am so proud of what my Dad and his buddies did. My Dad, Robert W. Ryals was 19 years old when he leapt into that night with his stick. His best friend, Henry Gullick was killed on the morning of June 6, 1944, and many years later my Dad still sobbed when talking about him.

A book unlike any other on the subject

George Koskimaki interviewed over 500 men who participated in the D-day invasion of hitler’s “fortress Europe” . In this book you get their experiences in their OWN words, not someone’s interpretation. God bless the late T5 Koskimaki, and all those who served as part of the Greatest Generation. It has been my life’s honor to get to know a few of them. ALL THE WAY!!!

Phenomenal Capture

The first person accounts that this book is made of brought me along as though I was with all who were there. Will definitely listen to this book again!

Very long and mostly boring for audiobook

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. The book really needed much tighter editing, especially for audio. Without any maps, it is very hard to keep track of what is going on where (much like the problem the paras had that first night and day). IT jumps so much from one person's story to the next that it is very jumbling. I finally gave up and returned it about 1/4 through. In some ways it is great to hear the personal accounts of all these men, but it does not make for an interesting audio book since the narrator's voice never changes whether in a firefight or eating rations.This could be a good nightstand hard copy book, as you could easily read a few or dozen pages, follow that on a map, then pick it up later. There are just too many short experiences for an audiobook this long.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

n/a

Would you be willing to try another one of Sean Runnette’s performances?

NO!

Could you see D-Day with the Screaming Eagles being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Actually it could be an interesting film or TV series like "Band of Brothers" which it actually is. Lt. Winters pops up several times in early events.

Any additional comments?

A better audio production and perhaps a companion file of maps could make this much more interesting. The narrator really needs to put more "moment by moment" life-death tension and excitement in the words.