First to Jump

Jerome Preisler

Dec 2014 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Tom Perkins

About this audiobook

The first into combat and the last out, their advance jumps into enemy territory were considered suicide missions by those who sent them into action. World War Two's special operations commandos, the U.S. Army Pathfinders relied on their stealth, expert prowess, and matchless courage and audacity to set the stage for airborne drops and glider landings throughout Europe. After the invasion of Sicily almost ended in disaster, General Jim Gavin was determined to form an all-new unit of specialized soldiers who would jump ahead of the airborne forces without any additional support, stealing across enemy terrain to scout and mark out drop zones with a unique array of homing equipment. Sporting Mohawk haircuts, war paint, and an attitude of brash confidence, they were the best of the best. Their heroic feats behind the lines were critical to nearly all of the Allies' major victories from Normandy to Bastogne-where they saved the day for thousands of besieged American troops.

About the author

Jerome Preisler is the author of thirty books, including the New York Times bestselling series Tom Clancy's Power Plays. His most recent nonfiction includes All Hands Down: The True Story of the Soviet Attack on the USS Scorpion. Jerome is also a baseball commentator whose work appears on the New York Yankees' YES Network Online.

An award-winning audio engineer for over forty years, Tom Perkins has expanded his skills to narrating and has more than sixty titles to his credit. He learned by working with the world's best voice talent during his career, and he continues to engineer a variety of projects.