101st Airborne and related WWII books


BOOKS BY MARK A. BANDO:


Webmaster's New 7th book Now Out of PRINT




Update: May, 2011
The few remaining copies in stores are all that remain, so grab a copy if you see it. It contains 250 vintage 101st WWII photos (162 previously unpublished) accompanying a 50,000 word text of all 'new' war stories, which you have not read anywhere else.
This is a brief history of the entire screaming eagle division in WWII, similar to my 'Vanguard of the Crusade' book (now out of print), but with ALL DIFFERENT stories, text and information.
These stories give the reader insight into the detailed personal combat experiences of many screaming eagle soldiers, enabling the reader to better-understand why the 101st was a winning organization.
The last chapter of the book deals with collecting 101st artifacts, uniforms, insignia and other memorabilia and is illustrated in color photos.





TT Forum regular Rich Riley wrote the first review of my 7th book:

I have always enjoyed Mr. Bando's books, but his 7th, in my opinion, is the best to date. An absolute historical masterpiece. This book claims the distinction of 'can't put down' status, that is, once you start reading and viewing it, you won't stop until you reach the last word and the last picture on the last page. Once you reach this point, unquestionably, you will start all over again - it is truly that good!

This book will be enjoyed by those who have a thirst to learn about the history of the 101st for the first time, yet will be equally satisfying and thoroughly enjoyed by those who have studied this great Airborne Division for several years.

The 101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in WWII, masterfully weaves together the history of this elite Division, from it's inception to its deactivation. By utilizing unforgettable and widely published images of the 101st during WWII, and by introducing a plethora of photographs that have never been published before, the author truly has delivered a pictorial history of the 101st Airborne that is a classic.

But what this book it not, is simply a pictorial history. It is much more. What really brings this book home is the author's unparalleled and truly humbling knowledge of the history of the 101st in WWII, and the men who made it. The author has been interviewing these Great Americans since 1968, and through his life's dedication, he has enabled himself to unquestionably be the world's leading and most knowledgeable WWII 101st Airborne historian - and deservedly so. Just when you think Mr. Bando has revealed all that he has learned about the 101st, he skillfully delivers yet another book packed with a voluminous amount of 'new' riveting and historically important information about the Screaming Eagles. His amazing ability to recall and recite the history of the 101st is laden with such precise detail, that one would think the author actually lived out these events during the war. I couldn't help but feel while I was reading this book that I, the reader, was experiencing these events as well, as the precise detail delivered by the author, and the first-hand accounts from the Veterans truly deliver an exhilarating reading experience. The last time a book made me feel this way was Philip Caputo’s “A Rumor of War.” This book will make you laugh ("packing one's own parachute was done like porcupines make love...very carefully") and will make you cry. It will inspire you. It will humble you.

A nice touch is the section on collecting 101st Airborne artifacts, which to the unassuming and uninformed, is a treacherous and unforgiving minefield. This section is packed full of photographs of prized Airborne artifacts, and delivers extremely helpful information to the collector.
Bando's last words on collecting are quite prophetic: "preserve history to honor the troopers who wore and liberated the artifacts in question– that is the number one objective".
If only more people collected for this reason.

All you need to know about the 101st is here. Mr. Bando has truly delivered a classic, one that is a fitting and lasting tribute to the men he admires so much. It will stand the test of time, and will take its deserved place amongst the classics.



A Review from Rollie Wightman:AZ Attorney & Student of History

Fantastic, F***ing fantastic. Mark has now obviously come completely into his literary maturity, writng with the big dogs, and not outdone by any of them. The writing and content of the text is superb, but the photos are even better, it's a real culmination-of-a-career-of-research type work.
I cannot believe this was put together in just months; it looks like Mark spent 30 years putting this one together from the quality of the end product.
I sincerely rank the photographic compilation on the same level as the original 12 volume series put out in 1910 on the US Civil War, known as 'Millers Photographic History of the Civil War', which contained thousands of photos many Brady taken, which caused a sensation in the Country then.
This book is on the same level for WWII Airborne, incomparable with any of the other coffee table Time Life copycat junk that's out there now on WWII. Unfortunately, I was so saddened reading it I had to put it down for later. I found it hard to ponder all the crap these guys endured, the losses taken, the missions completed. And the fact I have now known some of them, and the pity I feel for us left now that many are gone, was what welled up in me reading this, so I will have to come back to it later.
Good job Mark.



From USMC Wayne in Montana

101st Airborne, The Screaming Eagles in World War II is an excellent addition to the history of the 101st Airborne.
The chronological narrative, from inception and training, through Berchtesgaden and the end of World War II, is classic Bando; chock full of anecdotes, historical tid-bits, and many previously unpublished photos.
The flavor and feeling Bando pulls from (his) interviews sets his work well apart from other books about the 101st Airborne. No matter how much you think you know about the 101st Airborne, there will undoubtedly be parts of this book that have you saying to yourself, "wow, I didn't know that!".
And that is part of the great joy of any Mark Bando book; the fresh perspective on a subject that many would claim has already been dealt with overwhelmingly.
All of Mark Bando's books on the 101st Airborne are treasures. Whether you're a long-time fan of the 101st Airborne, or someone who's picking up a book on the Screaming Eagles for the first time, this volume certainly warrants a spot in your book collection.



From Jason Wolcott, WWII ADT

I, like most WWII Airborne buffs have read a great many books on the subject written by a number of authors including all of Mark’s previous books. I know and understand the basics of the individual airborne ops during WWII. The places, dates, units involved etc. basically, the general, historical information that most other WWII Airborne books cover. “The Screaming Eagles In WWII” however, took my knowledge and understanding of the 101st during the war to a new level. I believe that this was accomplished by the combination of dozens of previously unpublished photos and the detailed, personal accounts of specific events. Personally, I’m intrigued by the first hand accounts and personal stories such as those that make up Mark’s previous book “Avenging Eagles. Forbidden tales of the 101st Airborne in WWII”. To me, these stories are the real pieces of history. This is a history that you aren’t going to read in your average textbook. Only through the decades of veteran interviews like Mark has compiled will you ever get to hear these accounts and fortunately for us, he’s included even more of these tales in this book. One way that this is accomplished is through the recollections of Lt. Donald Hettrick who was a forward observer for 377th PFAB. His wartime stories are woven throughout the book and really add to the specific events that are being described on an individual, human level. Like all personal accounts of war, some of Hettrick’s tales are tragic some are humorous and some are terrifying but they, in collaboration with others are what kept me from being able to put the book down. Two other items that really intrigued me were the Memo that Gen Maxwell Taylor gave to each jumpmaster and glider leader to read “Then Destroy” prior to the jump into Holland. The other being an except from a captured German document that states; “The enemy uses picked men for paratroopers, men who are familiar with all kinds of gangster methods and who are even dangerous when wounded”. I’ve been through the book in its entirety once and am about midway through my second reading. It’s almost impossible to put down once you start and again, the combination previously unpublished photos and detailed, individual accounts makes “The Screaming Eagles In WWII” in my opinion the bible on the 101st. during WWII. Jason Wolcott



AVENGING EAGLES
-Forbidden Tales of the 101st Airborne Division in WW2-



Update: May, 2011, This book is still available via Mail Order, at the price of $22- plus $3- shipping, for a total of $25- per copy. -Note new mail ordering address

...This is not a 'Politically Correct' history book. It tells the down and dirty side of WWII that is not discussed in polite company. This 101st Airborne book takes-up where 'Band of Brothers' left-offThese are stories about the WWII Airborne experience that you don't get to read about in regular history books-a rare opportunity to own a unique book. It is the result of 38 years of interviews with over 980 WW2 Screaming Eagle veterans.

This book contains stories about:

Brawls with members of other units in Phenix City, Fayetteville, etc.
Parachuting animal mascots
Wanton sexual encounters
Accidental deaths and wounds, through shooting and parachute malfunctions
Battlefield Mayhem
Summary execution of prisoners in combat
Selfless, incredible heroism, above and beyond normal comprehension
and more...

Walt Whitman wrote:

"THE REAL WAR WILL NEVER GET IN THE BOOKS."

By self-publishing this work and avoiding any potential censorship, sanitizing or editing, I am trying to ensure that this particular slice of WW2 DOES reach a public audience in book form. Only some of the names have been changed, to protect the concerned parties and their families from any potential embarassment or hurt.


Why do you need this book? Please read the reviews below and then decide.



WW2 101st Veteran Comments on Avenging Eagles



"Yep...that was US."
-John Kliever Sgt D/506th Toccoa to Austria

"I read your book through the day I got it. Thanks. For sixty years, I've been waiting for for someone with the guts to write a book like that. I want to thank you for writing that book."
-Dan McBride Company F/502 PIR Ft Bragg to Austria

"Your new book 'Avenging Eagles' is very outstanding. I'm sure all who read this warrior book will also love it. I'm on page 74 with my second reading."
-Charles E.S. Eckman HQ/2 501 LMG Platoon

"Received your latest book, 'Avenging Eagles' It is an uncanny title and most descriptive.Much gratitude and deep appreciation for your efforts. You are in essence a missionary. I thank you for your dedication and efforts".
-Frank Anness D/506th Toccoa to Austria

"I thoroughly enjoyed 'Avenging Eagles'. It's rough stuff in parts, but overall, it's a great balance of well written stories. In Normandy and elsewhere, decisions had to be made almost instantly-not always so good-but the very nature of airborne operations invites absolute disaster--or success. We DID get the job done. Only a very few did disgraceful things. We had not more than 1-3 bad "eggs" in our platoon at any one time. They would get weeded out as soon as possible, but not always too soon.
We did fight a lot in town and out of town, with many of our guys feeling they were invincible. Don't let the little negative reaction you may get from your book bother you! It's all part of the business of putting it as it was. We were not a group of "pussycats" at the time and bad and nasty things DID happen".

Guy Whidden HQ Co. 2/502 PIR



Reader Reviews of Avenging Eagles

The first review of 'Avenging Eagles' was written by former Detroit Police Officer Doug Topolski, on 21 June, 2006. It runs:

('Avenging Eagles') was a great read and is written in chronological order all the way up to the division's return to England after Normandy. I guess my first impression is that growing up watching all the usual WWII movies, I never really realized that these guys swore, let alone did all the same kind of stuff that young guys of my generation did on a paynight. The book starts with training and chronicles the pre-invasion hijinks of a bunch of young guys, all of whom really love life but many of whom are about to find out that a life, unless it's your own or that of a friend, can really be pretty cheap, if not worthless. Mark spends some time in the preface explaining why he felt this book needed to be written. He did an insightful and convincing job explaining his position without sounding like he was trying to rationalize. In this day and age of "reality TV", I think it was important that Mark explain that the book is not just a lot of shock reality for the sake of shock reality. The media NEVER gets the whole story right whether they're restricted like they were in 1944, or whether they're "embedded" like they are today. Hollywood never gets it right either. There's always an agenda other than just telling it like it was. Even with the vaunted "Band of Brothers", you did not get enough objective information to get close to what the total picture was. This book will likely be controversial for some and cause some resentment among those who have unrealistic assumptions about what it meant to be a very young adult tasked with destroying the best and most ruthless war machine of its time in Europe. One trooper said that in order to defeat the toughest and most ruthless, you had to be willing to to be tougher and more ruthless. That might be a lesson we've forgotten over the years. Mark opens the box of information he's collected over the past 40 years and talks about what isn't talked about in polite company. As in all of his books, but especially this one, he gives the reader the information, right from the horses' mouths and lets him be his own judge or morality cop. Even though he chastises the reader that they have no right to judge the people described in the book, judge you will, even if it's only to wonder "Would I, or could I have done THAT myself?" These stories of total war and revenge and survival beginning with the Normandy invasion aren't told with any intent or agenda other than to let the reader know how it really was as told by the people who saw it and the people who DID it (no pun intended). This isn't an homage to the "Greatest Generation", although it can be a tribute to them if you can identify at all with what they did to make it out alive. One man's brutality is another man's justice, and justice is a pretty subjective thing, especially after one gets the upper hand on the person who just did his best, but failed to kill you or your friends. This book takes the romance out of the black and white, Hollywood, Movietone Newsreel image of the WWII combat soldier and puts that image into the universal, intergenerational, timeless gray perspective of war and the best and worst of human spirit and frailty. I also enjoyed reading about some of the Lunch Bunch regulars in more detail as well as many of the people talked about over the years on Trigger Time. It's not that hard to figure out who some of those italicized guys are. I agree with Mark that it is time to tell these stories. He has a tremendous resource that he began to compile even before casette tapes and camcorders. I'm glad that he's decided to share another aspect of his research and look forward to the next installment.

A Review from a reader in Europe-Laurent Olivier

Mark Bando, author and WWII historian has written excellent books but Avenging Eagles is far beyond what he has previously published. While this is not a pictorial book, the 25 pictures illustrate well the events described in Avenging Eagles, like those dramatic shots of wounded soldiers from Captain Lillyman’s movie. A picture of Colonel Johnson shaking hands with his men at Merryfield on D-Day eve depicts the high spirit of the American Paratroopers.
The reader will meet the most secret stories of 101st Airborne Division soldiers from the activation of the unit til the summer of 1944 when the unit came back from Normandy. The author will also take you deep into the inhumanity those brave men had to go through, this to give freedom back to the nations occupied by the Nazis, a fact that must never be forgotten. While English is not my mother tongue, the book is easy to read and to understand for all even with a limited knowledge of the English language. I recommend Avenging Eagles to everyone interested in war histories. Avenging Eagles is the war as you have never read it before.



A Review From Jeff Thomas:

Avenging Eagles has been all that I knew it would be. Well written, easy to read and an insight into the lives of the 101st in WWII never before read. As I read (this) work I think of all of the human stories of warfare from the begining of recorded history that have been lost because they were never recorded...this will not be the case with the 101st...Buy it to better understand, It will be hard to beat. ...Excellent. JT

Some Comments from Betty Taylor-Hill

I'm still reading, almost finished; I am enjoying it sooooooo very much!!!
...occasionally have to stop for a deep breath! What awful horrors those men suffered. Personally, I don't hold blame for anything I've read about the avenging actions of the US troops. Under agonizing circumstances, humans do these things. That is the horror of war! And if not for many of their actions, all of Europe and we might be speaking German today....instead of having to learn Spanish!!! I found the "ghost" tales interesting!! And, I believe them!!

(Betty is the younger sister of Lester Taylor of I/502 PIR, who was KIA in Holland September, 1944. She publishes the Company newsletter for Item Co. 502). MB

Comments from Tom Colones

"I received my copy today in the mail when I got home from work and read all 179 pages and wanted 379 more pages of stories that (MB has)gathered over the last 30 years with (his) involvement with the 101st and its veterans. The individual stories from these men tell the personal conflict each of them has faced since the day it happened to them and seeing friends die horrible deaths. I appreciate the way you documented these stories from the veterans without hurting those loved ones who are still around & the veterans themselves ! ...no one who is interested in the history of the Airborne & the 101st should be without this book ! Congrats on this fine work of historical importance in telling the story of "The Screaming Eagles" Truly amazing stuff... Thanks Mark!"

A Review from Robert 'Drew'Cook-Cincinnati, OH PD

"Avenging Eagles" is an instantly engrossing, continually fascinating chronicle of ribald, hilarious, surprising, shocking, gritty, and even other-worldly stories from the WWII veterans of the great 101st Airborne Division, now published and available for all to read and marvel at -- as I did. I've read it twice since receiving it in the mail last Monday. A new and totally unique perspective on the actual, untold experiences of some of the most elite fighting men of the Second World War -- that not for your efforts, would never have seen the light of day -- it's a sterling product of your decades-long admiration and respect for these (as you often call them) "mighty warriors." The book is written in your typically intimate, highly knowledgeable and knowing style, which has always made your books stand out among the many unoriginal, cookie-cutter WWII tomes that have flooded the bookstore shelves the last ten or twelve years. I think your thoughtful and perceptive preface to the book is absolutely outstanding, and practically worth the price of the book alone. The insight into, and understanding of, human nature that you quite naturally possess, and developed further through your 25 years of service on the mean streets of Detroit as a police patrol officer, have stood you well in recounting these "forbidden" stories of some of the greatest combat soldiers in history. Like the dust jacket of your book states, the book certainly "is an entertaining smorgasbord," and I found it a rich, delicious stew of unexpurgated truth and honesty. It presents, without judgement or condemnation, an additional, important, and of course previously untold part of the wartime experiences of these tough and brave men... Congratulations on "Avenging Eagles," Mark, and thanks on a job well-done and well-told!



From Paul Woodage-Fulltime Normandy Tour Guide

I have just this second finished reading Mark's new book.
I understand why Mark made the warning to "not judge" and why he explained his reasons for writing the book, but my respect for the Screaming Eagles has in no way lessened after reading these sometimes horrific tales. If anything my admiration has soared for these young men, trained to do a job-who found themselves in some of the most hellish combat situations man has ever known.

I have now come as close to living vicariously through the Normandy campaign as I can imagine.

To hear further tales of these heroes - some of whom I have written to or met - like Bob Sechrist and Ray Hershner has filled me with a respect for their service I cannot put into words. I think of the worries and dilemas I had at 19 years old, that at the time seemed difficult and can only wonder as to how I would have dealt with the situations these troopers found themselves in.
I am used to Mark's books being packed with photos and I think it took a book of mainly text for me to realise just how beautifully he writes-not pretentiously written or with the self-importance of an Ambrose, just easy to read but eloquent language that places you in the action, but doesn't judge or steer you to any conclusions.
It's a masterpiece, pure and simple. And just because I would count Mark as a friend doesn't mean I would automatically rave about the book if I had not liked it, I would have given my opinion and offered a review whatever I thought.
Be proud Mr Bando it's a wonderful book.

From Tom 'Umbriago'Boyle, Member WWII ADT
I think it was a fascinating read.....I mean, this was (is) a truly extraordinary generation of men (and women). But amidst the admittedly deserved homage we pay them, it's easy to forget that these guys, in addition to everything else, were human....and being human means having faults as well as strengths...not to mention some pretty eccentric foibles. Striding up and down an aisle in a barracks, lecturing your subordinates, stark naked??? Geezus....and I thought that the stories about officers duking it out with their men amazing...and common enough amongst the men's recollections that they can't be fabrications. When you think about it though, to gain the respect, and more importantly, the instant obedience of a pretty unruly type of individual, you better be able to impose your will...especially on that small percentage of shitbirds of which every unit has examples. With some guys, a stern, tough as nails demeanor won't cut it. If yer gonna be the tallest hog at the trough, ya gotta BE the tallest hog at the trough. Human nature being what it is, letting the shitbirds get the better of you is going to gradually erode the the respect you get from the other guys.

From Jason Wolcott-Another WWII ADT Member

To me, this compilation is absolutely incredible. One aspect I enjoyed the most about the book is that it made these men seem a little more human to me. These are personal stories that you aren’t going to get in your average history read. Hearing the not-so-mainstream and sometimes taboo stories of these men during training, combat and just their day to day during that time, made the war and the men who fought it all much more real. To me, these personal tales are extremely valuable from a historical aspect. Unless a Vet gives the account to someone and then that person shares them with others, the stories are lost for good. As I read, I couldn’t help but think of the hundreds of thousands of tales such as these that are already lost to time. That’s why I’m so grateful to Mark for putting this together.
The stories that were the most interesting to me took place during training. I got a real kick out of the tale about the 502 Captain that burned down the “In the Pines” Bar in Phenix City. Another of my favorites was about “Mac”, the “slow” Trooper who had been a boxer (maybe too many hits to the melon). I got a mental picture of him leaping off the 34-foot tower without his harness…... and walking away basically uninjured! I wonder if he survived the war?
Another story that really intrigued me was the one about Lt. Hassenzahl having an encounter with Lt. Beatty after Beatty’s plane went down near Picauville with no survivors. I wonder how many other soldiers have tales like these but never shared them with anyone.
I know that some folks might view the stories in the book as taboo! This must be the case because to my knowledge, a book like this has never been compiled and published. Not to mention the fact that there aren't too many folks who have spent as much time interviewing as many Vets as Mark has over the years. Sometimes in our politically correct society, we don’t want to hear stories like these. I feel too that sometimes, people tend to glamorize and romanticize WWII and the “Greatest Generation”. Some people might not want to read these tales out of fear of tarnishing the image that they have of the American soldier of WWII. That, I feel is unfair to these men as they are just that ….men. They did what they had to do during those times.



Review from Shane Lamb, another WWII ADT Member

I received "Avenging Eagles" from Mark and had it read in 2 days; I couldnt put it down. These stories were so good to learn about(I cannot put into words how I feel about what is contained in the book) - I felt it was something fresh and new to learn.
As I continue on this journey of learning about these men, getting to know some personally and forming solid friendships with them, I have to admit- yes,there is a level of hero worship there. All of them, those who returned home and those who didn't, are heroes to me. It is hard to not put these guys up on a pedestal. I guess it is just a natural thing to do. Having gone through ADT's jump school and getting just a little taste of the danger and stressful conditions that these guys faced even in training (ADT graduate, Summer, 2003/2004) is really awe inspiring. I mean, if that's what a training jump is like, I cannot imagine what it was like around 1 am, 6 June 44, or sitting in a foxhole facing the Rhine, or running for cover during a barrage of 88 fire.
So yes, one cannot help but forget that these guys, while extraordinary, are human as well. Mark's book reminded me that these guys were just as prone to all sorts of things under the most stressful of conditions. That even the most steady sometimes goes 180 degrees the other way. Bad things happen in times of war, even by good people- that is what war is. It is supposed to be messy, horrific, terrible, painful, dreadful, glib, nasty. This book reminded me more-so of that.
It also reminded me of the wonderous fortitude that is shown in times of wartime durress. There were a couple of parts where I laughed out loud, where I smiled and felt pride in being an American. There were also a couple of times I was floored by the unexplainable miracles that sometimes happen in war as well.
Bottom line, this is probably my favorite book next to Devlin's "Paratrooper" book and Bill True's "The Cow Spoke French". While "Paratrooper" educated me, "Cow" delighted me. Mark's book, well, I dont think there has been a book that has caused me to have such an emotional feeling like I had reading this one. I really enjoyed it- so much so, I have read it again, not so much to cover parts that I may have forgotten, but more so to re-experience the feelings I had when I read it.
Mark- you have really outdone yourself. THANK YOU. The tales you have cannonized are priceless bits of history that deserve to be told. More over, they NEED to be told. For me, I took your "don't judge" in your preface to heart. Having said that, even if it weren't there, I still would (and do) hold these brave men of WWII with great esteem. Your book shows WHO these guys were and who they are. I think(the stories)do not show any dishonor or disgrace to those who were mentioned in the book in the least. It shows humans being humans, in times of stress and danger- it paints a real picture.



Review from USMC Wayne, Malta, MT

In basically one long sitting, I finished the book late Saturday night. Avenging Eagles is a remarkable read. While I’ve read snippets of other so-called forbidden tales of other soldiers and Marines in other books, I’ve never come across a more in-depth and complete recounting of those stories that are not normally shared in “polite” society.
Well before and after World War II, generations of young Americans have trooped off to war. After all of those conflicts, the books and stories have almost always been those of heroic effort, patriotism, and flag-waving. Even first-person accounts, while a bit edgier, were still lacking.
But, speaking from personal experience, I know that the “typical” American spends a good portion of his time more involved in whoring and drinking than in drilling and shooting. There’s also plenty of theft, racial incidents, barroom brawls, and maybe even a time or two when your unit is kicked out of a country after being a bit more rambunctious than even the most wide-open and free-spirited city allows.
Decades later when those young Americans, now middle-aged, gather together, those private, wild, and embarrassing moments come back in recollections between brothers in arms.
Being able to capture and share those captivating moments, Mark Bando has done the world a great favor. Bando is the first (and probably only) author to ever share the stories of what really happens when a varied mixture of young, energetic, and vigorous American men ship off to war.
Of all of Mark’s books, Avenging Eagles is the best written and least visual, and is certainly a book that merits a place on just about anyone’s bookshelf, regardless of their interest.
While I know a bit about the 101st Airborne, I recognize my knowledge is minimal compared to many others. But I was struck by the transparency of at least one supposed anonymous recount, that of Captain Ronald Speirs.
Just knowing the whole truth and nothing but the truth about much of the fiction surrounding Speirs' WW II actions made the book purchase worth it.
The tales, from training through just before Holland, were captivating and engrossing, humorous and heart-rending.
My biggest disappointment and joy was thinking to myself, as I was about ¾ of the way through the book, “how in world is Mark going to cover Market Garden, Bastogne, and everything else, in 25 pages?!”
My disappointment was the book ended way too soon, and my joy was in knowing there would be a Volume II, covering Market Garden and beyond.

HILARIOUS How anyone can read your book and NOT laugh out loud, I have no idea! So many of the stories are hysterical. My latest favorite is the potato salad story. I could absolutely picture the scene. So funny! And LOVED the condom story about needing to go "one more time."
Every night after reading, I recap my favorite tales to my husband. He hasn't even read it himself and he's been laughing out loud, if that tells you anything about how great the stories are, as well as how well you succeeded in conveying them.
If you tried to please everyone who ever read your book, then I'd say you'd probably end up with a pretty boring piece of work. As far as I'm concerned, YOU know the good intentions you had behind your compilation, how extensively you've researched and interviewed, how sensitive you've been about protecting identities when needed, and, most importantly, how much the truth, both good and bad, honor history and the heroes attached to it.
So BRAVO from me and the majority of your readers!
-KRISTINA McMORRIS WW2 novelist
Review from Kevin S. I wanted to let you know that I finished reading your book Avenging Eagles. It is a fantastic book! My only regret is that I did not immediately start reading it the day it arrived in the mail. As it stands, I found myself staying up until the wee hours of the morning unable to put the book down.
I want to commend your masterful ability to tell a great story. While reading the book, many times I felt like I was sitting there in the barracks listening to the vets tell their stories firsthand. In my opinion, that is what makes a book truly great. I must admit that I envy the fact that you’ve been able to spend time with these great men and hear them talk about all of their wartime experiences: the good, the bad and the ugly. I am just glad that you have decided to put pen to paper and share these gems with the rest of us.
I was also excited to read that you are planning on writing Avenging Eagles Volume Two. I most definitely want one of the first copies of it when you are finished!
Congratulations on a superb book. My words simply cannot do it justice. I highly recommend it to anyone yearning to know more about the greatest generation and their experiences in WWII.



Notice (May, 2010)
AVENGING EAGLES MAIL ORDERS
Yes, this title is still available, here. Please note the new price & address for mail orders

Mark Bando

PO Box 350

Walled Lake, MI

48390-9998

Mail Order price will be $25- ($22- plus $3- for postage and mailing costs),
Make personal checks or money orders payable to Mark Bando, NOT to the title of the book!
Sorry, no credit card orders can be taken.
In-person sales will be $25-per book.
The book is cloth-bound, 6 x 9", with a dust jacket. It is approximately 70,000 words in length, and about 200 pages. There are about 25 photos, in a center section. Only one of the photos was previously published.
I will be the sole distributor of this book, until the first printing is sold-out. So buying it from this website or in person from the author, will be the only means of getting a copy.



CANADIAN AIR MAIL ORDERS-$28-U.S., total cost per book.

OVERSEAS ORDERS will be shipped to the UK and continental Europe only. Terms:
Total price per book including packing and air mail shipping to Europe: Twenty-five (25) EUROs per book, paid in CASH. If you are nervous about sending cash in the mail, don't order the book.
Please do not send me twenty-five US dollars, instead of 25 Euros.
If you want the book sent via Air Mail, send me 25 EUROS per book, for air mail delivery and we'll be straight.
U.K. orders, $35- in U.S. dollars, either cash or money order, per book.
First Class Overseas Air Mail orders will arrive in a timely manner as most are shipped within 2 days of arrival here.
Thanks, MB



Eagle Patch Variants Guidebook-April, 2010:
Update: June, 2010, Book Sold Out and no longer available As of now, I've run-out of this title and until/unless I get more from my supplier, it will not be available until further notice. Check back here occasionally and perhaps some day it will be available again-Thanks MB This is a privately-produced full color guide to eagle patch variants of WW2. It totals 24 pages, and measures about 5.5 x 8". Much of the info and photos are the same as those illustrated on this website in the Eagle Patch Corner section, however many additional variants are depicted. In all, some 75 different WW2 vintage patches, representing Types and sub-variants are depicted in 50 color illustrations and 12 B&W photos. This is a handy little guide and has only been produced in small numbers.

SOLD OUT
November 2006:NO MAIL ORDERS FOR SCREAMING EAGLES AT NORMANDY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE-THAT TITLE is AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON.COM, or ZENITH BOOKS May, 2011- This title was re-published in sigt cover (trade paperback) in the spring of 2011. This book has become a standard reference on the subject and is in its seventh printing. It has now sold naerly 30,000 copies and is still selling.
Books a Million, most Borders Bookstores, and some Barnes and Noble stores are also selling this book. Zenith Books (catalog sales), and Amazon.com are other sources. Your interest is appreciated. M. Bando

This book was my first hardcover, 10x10", with glossy pages and a dust jacket, and the new paperback edition costs under $30- but can be purchased for much less atAmazon. com. In it, you will find never-before-seen color photos of 502 men taken IN NORMANDY in 1944. These photos are so rare, they shouldn't even exist. There are also some great B&W shots made from the original negatives of the 506th photographer, fabulous in detail, which are also unknown to the public. There are about 225 total photos in the book, of which 200 have never been published before. Info acquired in my annual trips to Normandy, plus the journals of 502 S-1 Hugh Roberts, and the after-action questionnaires provided by Bill Kennedy (1/506th)have been integrated into the text. Add to this a lot of untold stories, including the experiences of half a dozen paratroopers describing how they killed the enemy for the first time, and you'll begin to understand why I had to reprise the subject of my first book. This material is ALL DIFFERENT from what I used in my first book, 'The 101st Airborne at Normandy', currently out of print and unavailable.

Some early comments regarding my 4th book:

"I am still in awe of your ability to recreate the WW2 history of the 101st Airborne, in a manner far superior to that of other authors."
-Lt Tom Kennedy, G/506th veteran
"Great, great book. I spend many hours looking, reading, dreaming with this masterpiece. It is most excellent. No words come to mind when I want to express what I feel when I open this book. It is a terrific book, and I like it all the way. We fans of your work want to see more."
-Michel Detrez, Airborne collector and author of many important books on the WW2 U.S. Airborne.





TT Website Book Trigger Time, the book is a 8.5x11" paperbound book containing the best materials from this website, printed in hardcopy Black & White. The newer edition contains a few new stories and an amendment to the info on eagle patch typing.

Update: April, 2010-Apologies, this title is once again out of print and unavailable.




Also Available from the Webmaster The pen and ink drawings depicted above, were executed by the webmaster, with India Ink, by using dots made with a crowquill pen. I first sketched these in pencil, from photos of Michael Wittmann one of the highest scoring tank aces in history, who was killed in a battle with British armor in August of 1944 above Falaise, and also the infamous Waffen SS LTC Jochen Peiper of Malmedy fame.
Then I went over the entire sketches with my dot technique, a method I learned at my trade school, Cass Tech. Very pedantic and old fashioned, and it took many hours to execute the thousands of individual dots.
By popular demand, I've had prints made, numbered and signed, measuring about 8 x 10", and suitable for framing. These excellent copies contain every dot and detail of the originals, and are the actual size. Copies are available for sale-make inquiries to the webmaster at: markbando@aol.com



Breakout at Normandy THIS BOOK IS SOLD OUT AND NO LONGER AVAILABLE-

December 5, 2003. I've just learned that the MBI warehouse is sold out of the first and only printing of 'Breakout'. Although it has not been officially declared 'out of print' yet, it is currently unavailable. My editor at MBI says the book will not be reprinted by that company unless THC mades a documentary of it, as might happen in the future. Otherwise, it will join my first two titles in the realm of Collectors' Item books.

Some WW2 2nd AD survivors have strongly endorsed this book:


Norris Perkins a former officer in Company 'H', 66th Armored regiment wrote in the Hell On Wheels veterans' magazine:
Mark Bando sent me a copy of his masterful book "Breakout at Normandy-The 2nd Armored Division in the Land of the Dead' I can hardly sleep since reading it. I am back in the war and Bando has become one of us. His penetrating and perceptive research and anaylses and graphic descriptions immerse you in the most violent, terrifying and brutal one week of all 2nd AD actions in the war. Fully placed in historical, political and geographic perspective, his chronicle has not shied away from controversial events. His sharp focus has named and thrown into relief scores of participants. This is the last word of the greatest valor and fulfillment of Hell On Wheels, a fine companion piece to all other histories of the 2nd AD. I'm happy to see on the cover two great heroes, one German and one American."

VANGUARD OF THE CRUSADE-The 101st Airborne Division in WW2-Now Out of Print November, 2006:
This $29.95 hardcover volume was actually the reprinting of my first 2 books, 'The 101st Airborne at Normandy'(MBI, 1994) and 'The 101st Airborne From Holland to Hitler's Eagles Nest'(MBI, 1995). Both books went out of print in 1999.

As of October, 2006, this book is out of print and unavailable except from used book dealers.
There are tentative plans for a Dutch language edition.




Don Burgett's Classics
Since the release of 'Currahee' in 1967, Donald R. Burgett has been the unchallenged master of first-person WW2 combat reporting. 'Currahee', describing Don's experiences as a 19 year old paratrooper in the Normandy Invasion, was the only book on D-Day ever endorsed by Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1999, Presidio Press re printed 'Currahee' for the first time in many years. They also released three new books by Don. 'The Road to Arnhem' describes the Market Garden campaign in the fall of 1944. 'Seven Roads to Hell' gives a firsthand account of the defense of Bastogne against impossible odds. 'Currahee', and 'Seven Roads'. as well as Don's books on Holland ('The Road to Arnhem'), and Germany ('Beyond The Rhine'), are now all available in mass market paperback editions, from Dell.
Don's books have been compared in writing style to Hemingway's. They are direct and straight from the shoulder, unvarnished with fancy prose or unnecessary verbiage. These books simply tell in graphic detail what it was like to be there, immersed in the terror and the killing. They will hit you like a near miss from an 88 shell. Highly recommended. Available at all major book retailers and from Amazon.com

I took the color photo in 1970, when I first met Donald R. Burgett. He was 45 years old, and was holding the famous nickel-plated .45 auto pistol he described in his first book, 'Currahee.' Everyone in Don's squad had a place in line to inherit the gun if Don got killed, but he fooled them! He still has the gun. The photo at right shows Don at the age of 74 and was taken in 1999, upon publication of his 2nd and 3rd books and the revival of 'Currahee'. Don's fourth book 'Beyond the Rhine', was released in August of 2001. I've now read it and found that it sheds much interesting light on events in Alsace, the Ruhr Pocket, Landsberg, Berchtesgaden and Austria as the ETO war drew to a close. This is a must for Don's fans, to complete the story related in his previous books on WW2.

NOSTALGIA Pictured above are (l)The dust jacket of the 1st edition of Currahee, published by Houghton-Mifflin in 1967. (r)The famous paperback edition, which is how thousands of fans first read it.



New Novel About Poignant Uncertainty of Romance in Wartime The author of this book sent me the manuscript to prrofread for historical accuracy before the book was published. She was inspired to write it after discovering a box of love letters exchanged by her Grandparents during WWII.
I found the story to be well presented and rather riveting,as the plot unfolds and the reader must continue on to the end, to discover how it turns-out.
This is a story about mixed signals, seemingly missed opportunities, and an example of how things aren't always as they appear to be. If only we could be clairvoyant and could know the true thoughts of that mysterious and special somebody of the opposite sex. The author is a young woman, who reveals a lot about the thought processes and inner workings of the feminine heart.
The webmaster seldoms recommends novels but this one is worth reading and is the only one I have said that about on this site except for Varner's book, 'The Great Hour Struck'. If you're looking for an absorbing read to get lost-in, this book fills the bill.
This book by Kristina McMorris is published by Kensington Books, ISBN 978-0-7582-4684-4
Retail price is $15-. Amazon.com has a great deal on the paperback edition of 'Letters From Home' for $8.99-



'The Great Hour Struck'-A Valuable Novel of Paratroopers in Normandy-By Gary Varner The many years of research spent by author Gary Varner, in walking the former battlefields near Carentan and exploring other locations in England, enabled him to combine real historical knowledge with his superior fiction writing ability, to produce a highly readable historical novel. Like most who frequent this website, the webmaster devotes little or none of his finite availabe reading time to fiction. However, this eloquent and captivating bit of story-telling was worth the read. So I can suggest it to anyone who is interested in D-day. The central character is a fictional lieutenant in Able Co. 501 PIR, stationed at Lambourne, England before the great Invasion. Although highly-educated, he is agnostic, but he finds his earthly salvation in the arms of a spirited English schoolteacher and (hopefully) also an ephiphany with his creator, during apocalyptic combat in France. This story follows the mis-dropped lieutenant right into combat, from St Georges de Bohon to Bloody Gulch. The parachute and combat scenes are vivid and graphic and this story will put you in the action in a surprisingly effective manner.
I would never attempt to write historical fiction on this subject, even after 40 years of interviewing D-day veterans. However, I will state that I certainly could not do as well as Mr Varner has, in creating a rich story of fiction in this historical context. I might even venture to say that it's doubtful that any other fiction writer will be able to surpass the quality of this book in a similar project.
For ordering info, go to Gary's website, shown in the web address above.



EXCELLENT AIRBORNE/TROOP CARRIER BOOK June 2004: A book that was 20 years in the making. Jerome McLaughlin's uncle was a navigator on a C-47 that was shot, down enroute to DZ 'C' on D-day. This plane was carrying members of G/501 PIR. The plane flying beside it was also shot down, with total loss of life. This book details the human stories behind the victims, both Air Corps and Airborne, as a result of Jerry's long personal investigation into the events leading-up to, and following his uncle's death. A true evocation of the tragedy and human loss of war. You've never read a WW2 book quite like this one-highly recommended.
You can mail order a copy from Jerry, for $25-per copy, postpaid.
For ordering info, email Jerry at:
jmcl44@aol.com