That an artist was before his time has become cliché. A young reporter volunteered for the parachute infantry in 1941 so that he might write a book about the experience. Although he survived the war he did not survive the book editors who deemed his account of the daily grind of infantry life too boring to interest their readers. When he died under mysterious circumstances in 1965 his book remained unpublished. Thirty years later the producers of the mini-series Band of Brothers found his memoir filled with the perfect kind of minutia needed to flesh out their episodes. If you’ve read Ambrose' book or watched the movies when you read this book you will see where whole plot lines and scripts were lifted directly. Unfortunately the author was no longer around to collect his royalties.
When Supreme commander Eisenhower invaded Fortress Europe on D-Day he had so many troops he had to figure out how to deploy them so that they wouldn’t get in one another’s way. The Allies won by sheer dint of numbers, not necessarily by superior strategy. Just how true this was Webster makes clear. Differences in battle strategy, the chain of command, and latitude for independent action in the field made for frustrations when various groups needed to co-ordinate their actions. He matter of factly describes instances of friendly fire and forced marches in aid of troops that didn’t need it. He spares no ones feelings including his own in describing the foibles and failings of leaders and men alike. He frankly admits that self-preservation inspired his policy of always doing what was expected of him but never volunteering under any circumstances.
One way or another through wounds and recovery he manages to miss most of his unit’s major battles. He remains an observer and at all times an unwilling participant; freely admitting to never being on time and always looking for ways to be absent when it hit the fan. He even manages to get out on points before the rest of his company win their reprieve on the War in Asia being ended at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the end he does best what he set out to do in the first place; document the reality of being a ‘grunt’ in the American Army. To receive orders you know will get you killed, to perform useless tasks, to have your life saved due to an officer’s incompetence, to spend hours and days in tedious boredom waiting, to do make-work projects.... Throughout he manages to make it all sound interesting.
When Supreme commander Eisenhower invaded Fortress Europe on D-Day he had so many troops he had to figure out how to deploy them so that they wouldn’t get in one another’s way. The Allies won by sheer dint of numbers, not necessarily by superior strategy. Just how true this was Webster makes clear. Differences in battle strategy, the chain of command, and latitude for independent action in the field made for frustrations when various groups needed to co-ordinate their actions. He matter of factly describes instances of friendly fire and forced marches in aid of troops that didn’t need it. He spares no ones feelings including his own in describing the foibles and failings of leaders and men alike. He frankly admits that self-preservation inspired his policy of always doing what was expected of him but never volunteering under any circumstances.
One way or another through wounds and recovery he manages to miss most of his unit’s major battles. He remains an observer and at all times an unwilling participant; freely admitting to never being on time and always looking for ways to be absent when it hit the fan. He even manages to get out on points before the rest of his company win their reprieve on the War in Asia being ended at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the end he does best what he set out to do in the first place; document the reality of being a ‘grunt’ in the American Army. To receive orders you know will get you killed, to perform useless tasks, to have your life saved due to an officer’s incompetence, to spend hours and days in tedious boredom waiting, to do make-work projects.... Throughout he manages to make it all sound interesting.
