Jerome Preisler's reputation precedes him. The 30 books under his belt include several NY Times Best Sellers. He has put his pen to work on the Tom Clancy Power Plays and CSI series. He’s even been a Yankees analyst on the YES network. We’re fortunate to have such an accomplished author on our show.
We are really excited about Jerome's most recent book, First to Jump. It tells the story of the Pathfinders from the 101st. They were the first soldiers to land in Fortress Europe. They jumped in before (BEFORE!) the first wave of paratroopers dropped into combat. These guys went on missions with expected casualty rates of 80 to 90%. One stick (a group of paratroopers) had their plane shot down with them still in it. Some still managed to get out, and they never lost sight of their mission.
The men of the Pathfinders faced so many incredible variables. At the heights they were jumping, there was no room for error. They jumped from abnormally dangerous heights into the most hostile territory, often with little intelligence, and into terrain riddled with dangerous obstacles. It was an accomplishment to survive the jump, and when they did, they were usually battered and facing an alerted enemy with superior numbers and firepower. That’s what it meant to be a Pathfinder.
The unit was full of misfits. Their leader was a troublemaker named Jake McNiece. His exploits, and the way he led his men, are worth celebrating.
These warriors are of a different ilk. They volunteered, not to protect themselves, but to stand by and protect their brothers. You can’t save your neck in situations like this. You put your faith in those around you, you fight as hard as you can, not to ensure that you get home okay, but to ensure that the mission gets done so that those who come next will have a chance to do their job. That’s what the Pathfinders did in World War II.
If you want to understand what they did, read the book. Read about D-Day and know that the Pathfinders jumped in first. Then read about the liberation of the Netherlands and, again, the Pathfinders jumped in first. Operation Market Garden, once again, saw the pathfinders paying high costs to pull off the impossible.
Finally, at the Battle of the Bulge, McNasty and his boys led the crucial supply planes in to save the 101st from annihilation. The Germans had already sent their envoy to accept terms of surrender from the Americans, and the Pathfinders jump in to save this unit from certain death. Incredibly, Pathfinders, the 101st, and Patton’s tanks found a way to win that battle, and ultimately the war, in Europe.
We love that Jerome has chosen to tell this story. Go listen to the show, and click on the link to buy this magnificent book. You’ll get a heroic tale told beautifully, and you'll support an important author and a great dude.
We are really excited about Jerome's most recent book, First to Jump. It tells the story of the Pathfinders from the 101st. They were the first soldiers to land in Fortress Europe. They jumped in before (BEFORE!) the first wave of paratroopers dropped into combat. These guys went on missions with expected casualty rates of 80 to 90%. One stick (a group of paratroopers) had their plane shot down with them still in it. Some still managed to get out, and they never lost sight of their mission.
The men of the Pathfinders faced so many incredible variables. At the heights they were jumping, there was no room for error. They jumped from abnormally dangerous heights into the most hostile territory, often with little intelligence, and into terrain riddled with dangerous obstacles. It was an accomplishment to survive the jump, and when they did, they were usually battered and facing an alerted enemy with superior numbers and firepower. That’s what it meant to be a Pathfinder.
The unit was full of misfits. Their leader was a troublemaker named Jake McNiece. His exploits, and the way he led his men, are worth celebrating.
These warriors are of a different ilk. They volunteered, not to protect themselves, but to stand by and protect their brothers. You can’t save your neck in situations like this. You put your faith in those around you, you fight as hard as you can, not to ensure that you get home okay, but to ensure that the mission gets done so that those who come next will have a chance to do their job. That’s what the Pathfinders did in World War II.
If you want to understand what they did, read the book. Read about D-Day and know that the Pathfinders jumped in first. Then read about the liberation of the Netherlands and, again, the Pathfinders jumped in first. Operation Market Garden, once again, saw the pathfinders paying high costs to pull off the impossible.
Finally, at the Battle of the Bulge, McNasty and his boys led the crucial supply planes in to save the 101st from annihilation. The Germans had already sent their envoy to accept terms of surrender from the Americans, and the Pathfinders jump in to save this unit from certain death. Incredibly, Pathfinders, the 101st, and Patton’s tanks found a way to win that battle, and ultimately the war, in Europe.
We love that Jerome has chosen to tell this story. Go listen to the show, and click on the link to buy this magnificent book. You’ll get a heroic tale told beautifully, and you'll support an important author and a great dude.
RSS Feed