
Left for Dead at Nijmegen
The True Story of an American Paratrooper in World War II
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Narrated by:
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Shawn Compton
About this listen
When Metcalfe boarded the C-47 which would drop him at Groesbeek Heights, just outside of Nijmegen, Holland, he was handed a box of twelve dozen condoms by an overconfident British lieutenant. He was to be among the first to jump into what should have been a picture-book meadow, free of German troops. Instead, it was defended by three German antiaircraft cannon emplacements.
As he jumped into a hail of bullets and exploding shells, he watched his plane roll over and plummet into the ground. It was at that moment he realized the condoms had either been a bad joke or the planners of Operation Market Garden had seriously underestimated German resistance. Gene was listed as KIA and left for dead by his patrol, who presumed the worst when they saw his injuries from a shell explosion.
The rest of his story is equally gripping, as he became a POW held outside Munich, being moved between various camps ridden with disease and a severely undernourished population. Eventually, after making an escape attempt and being captured within sight of the snow-capped Swiss mountains, his camp was liberated by American troops in April 1945.
©2019 Marcus A. Nannini (P)2019 Tantorcoming from Nottingham this audio book is special!
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great wee adventure
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Good story well told
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Most of it is credible e.g. the soldier's descriptions of combat itself at Nijmegen 1944, and P.O.W. camps where US soldiers were held. In addition the image created of the US Army is by no means flattering -- that adds to the likelihood of its authenticity. And last but not least there are many good stories in it.
But when he claims at the end, that by chance in 1962 he met THE head of the Dutch Resistance, either the protagonist is v gullible or thinks readers are. Why? Firstly, resistance organisations were made up of many autonomous networks because if there were ONE unified group only, and its leader / one of it members were captured & tortured, then....Secondly, that random US tourists by chance met the head of "the" D.R,, is very unlikely. There are other sections which likewise strain credulity.
Well-told story though at times far-fetched
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Some things should never be forgotten
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Great true story
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Utter nonsense!
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