Research Catalog

The last hill : the epic story of a ranger battalion and the battle that defined WWII

Title
The last hill : the epic story of a ranger battalion and the battle that defined WWII / Bob Drury and Tom Clavin.
Author
Drury, Bob
Publication
  • New York, NY : St. Martin's Press, an imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2022.
  • ©2022

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StatusFormatAccessCall NumberItem Location
TextUse in library JFE 22-5086Schwarzman Building - Main Reading Room 315

Details

Additional Authors
Clavin, Tom, 1954-
Description
xi, 398 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps, portraits; 25 cm
Summary
"Bob Drury and Tom Clavin's The Last Hill is the incredible untold story of one Ranger battalion's heroism and courage in World War II. They were known as "Rudder's Rangers," the most elite and experienced attack unit the Army had. In December 1944, they would be the spearhead into Germany, taking the war into Hitler's homeland at last. Their colonel was given this objective: Take Hill 400. The second objective: Hold Hill 400. To the last man, if necessary. The battle-hardened battalion had no idea that the German Volks-Grenadiers, who greatly outnumbered the Rangers, had been given the exact same orders. The clash of the two determined forces was one of the bloodiest and costly encounters of World War II. Castle Hill, the imposing 400-foot mini-mountain the grunts simply called Hill 400, was the gateway to still-powerful Nazi Germany. Even an entire division had been repulsed by the desperate defenders. The Allies had to have it to drive a dagger into Germany's heart. Hitler had to hold onto it because hidden behind it was the massive army of men and machines poised to smash their way through Allied lines in the Battle of the Bulge. The stalemate could not continue. For Gen. Dwight Eisenhower and his top brass, there was only one solution: Send in the Rangers. After two days, when they were finally relieved, only 16 Rangers remained to stagger down from the top of Hill 400. The Last Hill is filled with unforgettable action and characters--a gripping, finely detailed saga of what the survivors of the battalion would call "our longest day""--
Alternative Title
Epic story of a ranger battalion and the battle that defined WWII
Subject
  • United States. Army. Ranger Battalion, 2nd
  • United States. Army
  • 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945 > Campaigns > France > Normandy
  • World War, 1939-1945 > Regimental histories > United States
  • Hürtgen Forest, Battle of, Germany, 1944
  • Military campaigns
  • Regimental histories
  • France > Normandy
  • United States
  • Germany
Genre/Form
Biographies.
Bibliography (note)
  • Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents
Prologue: A vast green cave -- PART I: THE RANGERS -- Commandos -- Darby's recruits -- Torch -- Heat and dust -- "Big Jim" Rudder -- A new beginning -- Sea change -- Swim and swat -- The cliffs -- PART II: THE BEACH -- "The most dangerous mission of D-Day" -- Gin blossoms -- Charon's craft -- Charnel ground -- Thermite -- "No reinforcements available" -- "All rangers down!" -- Graves registration -- PART III: THE FORTRESS -- Hurry up and wait -- The "fabulous four" -- Brittany -- Festung Brest -- The "fool lieutenant" -- Credentials -- PART IV: THE FOREST -- "End the war In '44" -- The green hell -- The queen's gambit -- The return of the fabulous four -- "How bad is it?" -- PART V: THE HILL -- Bergstein -- Rudderless -- The Sugarloaf -- "Let's go get the bastards!" -- The crest -- Fallschirmjagers -- A last stand -- Howls and whistles -- Trudging away.
Call Number
JFE 22-5086
ISBN
  • 9781250247162
  • 1250247160
LCCN
  • 2022021367
  • 40031476535
OCLC
1289252747
Author
Drury, Bob, author.
Title
The last hill : the epic story of a ranger battalion and the battle that defined WWII / Bob Drury and Tom Clavin.
Publisher
New York, NY : St. Martin's Press, an imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2022.
Copyright Date
©2022
Edition
First edition.
Type of Content
text
Type of Medium
unmediated
Type of Carrier
volume
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Chronological Term
1939-1945
Added Author
Clavin, Tom, 1954- author.
Other Standard Identifier
40031476535
Research Call Number
JFE 22-5086
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