Tonight We Die As Men: The untold story of Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment from Tocchoa to D-Day

Ian Gardner · Roger Day

Jul 2011 · Bloomsbury Publishing

About this ebook

The exploits of the 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment have long been overshadowed by those of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion. Yet the actions of the 3rd Battalion during the D-Day landings were every bit as incredible. This is the astounding story of how, after suffering many immediate casualties on landing, the surviving paratroopers fought on towards their objective against horrendous odds. Using fascinating first-hand accounts of the soldiers and the French civilians who witnessed the Normandy campaign, and illustrated with black and white photographs and maps throughout, the authors offer a unique and comprehensive account of the experiences of the 3rd Battalion from training through to D-Day and beyond.

About the author

Ian Gardner served for five years in Support Company, 10th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment as a medic, before leaving the Territorial Army in 1993 due to a parachuting injury. Ian has always loved military history but it was several years after leaving 10 Para that his interest in WWII US Paratroopers really began. Inspired by a visit to Normandy in 2000 he decided to focus on the 101st Airborne Division and in particular the 3rd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. This book is his first historical work co-written with Roger Day. He is married, has two teenage children and lives near Aldershot in Hampshire. Roger Day's family have lived in and around the village of Ramsbury for generations. Roger spent his childhood and early adult years living in the village and during that time became very interested in the wartime history of the local area. His interest in wartime history resulted in the publication, in 1999, of his first book, before co-authoring this book with Ian Gardner.