The Last Hill: The Epic Story of a Ranger Battalion and the Battle That Defined WWII
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- Create Date：2022-11-02 17:21:48
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Tom Clavin
- ISBN：1250247160
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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 in the United States Army。 In December 1944， Lt。 Col。 James Rudder's 2nd Battalion would form the spearhead into Germany， taking the war into Hitler’s homeland at last。 In the process， Rudder was given two objectives: Take Hill 400 。 。 。 and hold the hill by any means possible。 To the last man， if necessary。 The battle-hardened battalion had no idea that several Wehrmacht regiments， 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 most costly encounters of World War II。
Castle Hill， the imposing 1320-foot mini-mountain the American Rangers simply called Hill 400， was the gateway to a desperate Nazi Germany。 Several entire American divisions had already been repulsed by the last hill's dug-in defenders as—unknown to the Allies—the height was the key to Adolf Hitler's last-minute plans for a massive counterattack to smash through the American lines in what would become known to history as the Battle of the Bulge。
Thus the stalemate surrounding Hill 400 could not continue。 For Supreme Allied Commander Gen。 Dwight Eisenhower， there was only one solution: Call in Rudder's Rangers。 Of the 130 special operators who stormed， captured， and held the hill that December day， only 16 remained to stagger back down its frozen slopes。 The Last Hill is replete with unforgettable action and characters—a rich and detailed saga of what the survivors of the 2nd Ranger Battalion would remember as “our longest day。”
They were known as “Rudder’s Rangers，” the most elite and experienced attack unit in the United States Army。 In December 1944， Lt。 Col。 James Rudder's 2nd Battalion would form the spearhead into Germany， taking the war into Hitler’s homeland at last。 In the process， Rudder was given two objectives: Take Hill 400 。 。 。 and hold the hill by any means possible。 To the last man， if necessary。 The battle-hardened battalion had no idea that several Wehrmacht regiments， 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 most costly encounters of World War II。
Castle Hill， the imposing 1320-foot mini-mountain the American Rangers simply called Hill 400， was the gateway to a desperate Nazi Germany。 Several entire American divisions had already been repulsed by the last hill's dug-in defenders as—unknown to the Allies—the height was the key to Adolf Hitler's last-minute plans for a massive counterattack to smash through the American lines in what would become known to history as the Battle of the Bulge。
Thus the stalemate surrounding Hill 400 could not continue。 For Supreme Allied Commander Gen。 Dwight Eisenhower， there was only one solution: Call in Rudder's Rangers。 Of the 130 special operators who stormed， captured， and held the hill that December day， only 16 remained to stagger back down its frozen slopes。 The Last Hill is replete with unforgettable action and characters—a rich and detailed saga of what the survivors of the 2nd Ranger Battalion would remember as “our longest day。”
Reviews
Weezy
，
I’ve always loved books about military history and this one was no exception。 It gives a detailed and well researched history of the Rudder’s Rangers and their fight to take and hold Castle Hill， near the German border， from the Germans。 They suffered devastating losses and only 16 out of 130 men survived。 These young men， teenagers really， fought a courageous battle and this book tells their story。 For lovers of military history this book is a a must read。 Note: if you listen to the audiobook， I’ve always loved books about military history and this one was no exception。 It gives a detailed and well researched history of the Rudder’s Rangers and their fight to take and hold Castle Hill， near the German border， from the Germans。 They suffered devastating losses and only 16 out of 130 men survived。 These young men， teenagers really， fought a courageous battle and this book tells their story。 For lovers of military history this book is a a must read。 Note: if you listen to the audiobook， I really struggled with the narrator of this book。 If the story wasn’t so interesting， I would have stopped listening completely。 。。。more
Debra Pawlak
，
I was given an advance reading copy （arc） of this book by NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 Tom Clavin is one of my favorite authors。 His books are always well-written and well-researched。 The Last Hill is no exception。 The story of the specially-trained ranger battalion who fought valiantly during World War II is remarkable。 The men who made up the 2nd Ranger Battalion under the command of Lt。 Col。 James Rudder were the bravest of the brave。 Rudder's men said that if he had been The Ti I was given an advance reading copy （arc） of this book by NetGalley。com in return for a fair review。 Tom Clavin is one of my favorite authors。 His books are always well-written and well-researched。 The Last Hill is no exception。 The story of the specially-trained ranger battalion who fought valiantly during World War II is remarkable。 The men who made up the 2nd Ranger Battalion under the command of Lt。 Col。 James Rudder were the bravest of the brave。 Rudder's men said that if he had been The Titanic， the iceburg would have sunk--just to give you an idea。 The rangers were sent to Normandy just ahead of the great invasion and tasked with clearing the area of enemy troops before the allies got there。 As if that wasn't enough， they were also ordered to take Hill 400， or Castle Hill， where German troops hunkered down in a last attempt to hold their ground。 Before the rangers arrived， the American troops that fought there were pretty much annihilated。 No one should have to see what greeted those rangers as they arrived on the scene just before the Battle of the Bulge took place。 These men fought with solid bravery with little concern for their own safety and still retained a sense of humor。 This book was a real page-turner for me as I held my breath hoping that every last one of these valiant soldiers made it home。 Sadly， many of them didn't， but thanks to Tom Clavin and Bob Drury， their stories are documented。 If you are interested in history， World War II， or just want to read a fabulous book， this is it！ 。。。more
Nancy Rundle
，
An excellent in depth read on the Ranger Battalion with WWII。
Ron
，
If you know World War II history， you know of Rudder's Rangers。 They were the 2nd Ranger Battalion that climbed the cliffs at Omaha Beach to seek and destroy the big guns。 They also played an important role in the capture of the port of Brest。 They performed magnificently on both， but then came their final major mission - the storming and holding of Castle Hill （also known as Hill 400） in the Hurtgen Forest in December 1944。 The Last Hill is a detailed look at this key fight。But before they get If you know World War II history， you know of Rudder's Rangers。 They were the 2nd Ranger Battalion that climbed the cliffs at Omaha Beach to seek and destroy the big guns。 They also played an important role in the capture of the port of Brest。 They performed magnificently on both， but then came their final major mission - the storming and holding of Castle Hill （also known as Hill 400） in the Hurtgen Forest in December 1944。 The Last Hill is a detailed look at this key fight。But before they get to that fight， Bob Druy and Tom Clavin provides the reader the history and backstory of the 2nd Ranger Battalion by dividing the book into 5 parts with a number of chapters per part。 Part 1: The Rangers - provides the background on why Rangers were created， introduce the members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion， and their training for D-Day。 Part II: The Beach - follows the 2nd Rangers as they scale the cliffs at Omaha Beach， discover the empty bunkers and then locate and destroy the targeted weapons among other heroic actions。 Part III: The Fortress - highlight the actions and individuals of the 2nd Rangers during the campaign to take Brest。 Part IV: The Forest - covers the hellish experiences of the 2nd Rangers in the Hurtgen Forest。 Part V: The Hill charges the reader alongside the 2nd Rangers as they make their way to Bergstein， assault and take Castle Hill from the entrenched defenders men that had turned back multiple regiments with 130 men and then held the hill against all that the Germans could throw at them。 One week later， the Battle of the Bulge opened。 The 2nd Ranger's role for the rest of the war is briefly covered in the Epilogue and Afterword。In The Last Hill， Bob Druy and Tom Clavin provides the reader with insight on an epic battle that is all to often only a footnote in the fight for the Hurtgen Forest。 This tale and these individuals should be more widely know！ If you enjoy stirring history， you will want to read The Last Hill！Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title！ 。。。more
Julie Pint
，
A masterful telling of Rudder’s Rangers taking Hill 400 in the lead up to the Battle of the Bulge。 This heroic group of young men encountered obstacle after obstacle and somehow managed to come out on top。 These men were loyal to each other and fierce fighters in the face of overwhelming odds。 After learning of this story I have to ask if they were the factor that leads to victory at the Bulge - for without their tenacity and experience perhaps the war would have gone differently。 Thanks to NetG A masterful telling of Rudder’s Rangers taking Hill 400 in the lead up to the Battle of the Bulge。 This heroic group of young men encountered obstacle after obstacle and somehow managed to come out on top。 These men were loyal to each other and fierce fighters in the face of overwhelming odds。 After learning of this story I have to ask if they were the factor that leads to victory at the Bulge - for without their tenacity and experience perhaps the war would have gone differently。 Thanks to NetGalley for the read。 。。。more
Shirley McAllister
，
Rudder's RangersA story of the devastation of war and the toll it took on those that fought it。 The rangers at first were not taken seriously and given menial jobs never being allowed into the actual fighting of the war。 Most high up army officials did not take them seriously。The story tells of the struggles of the special units making up the rangers， the harsh training， the downplaying of their importance and how they came to be。 Then General Eisenhower when faced with horrible odds and many lo Rudder's RangersA story of the devastation of war and the toll it took on those that fought it。 The rangers at first were not taken seriously and given menial jobs never being allowed into the actual fighting of the war。 Most high up army officials did not take them seriously。The story tells of the struggles of the special units making up the rangers， the harsh training， the downplaying of their importance and how they came to be。 Then General Eisenhower when faced with horrible odds and many lost lives in the Castle Hill area called in Rudder's Rangers to hold the hill from the Germans。 The Rangers went in with 130 men， they stormed the hill， held it and came out with 16 survivors。 It was a bloody battle that the survivors would never forget。War is an awful thing and in a perfect world there would be no more war。 Unfortunately this will never happen and there will always be war。It was interesting to hear about this event in history and the men that were involved。 I liked how the book started at the beginning so we had a knowledge of what it took in training and in negotiations to get the Rangers going to train them and to involve them in the war effort。 The narrator did a good job and the audio book was interesting to listen to as I did my daily walk each day。 Thanks to Bob Drury and Tom Clavin for telling the story， to George Newbern for narrating it ， to MacMillan Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audio book and write my review。 。。。more
Andrew Chapman
，
I first heard about this book from the Goodreads giveaways and thought a WWII book sounded enjoyable。 Good thing I entered the giveaway because it turned out to be an excellent story。 “The Last Hill” follows the U。S。 Army’s 2nd Ranger Battalion from their formation and training through Normandy （Pointe du Hoc） up to the Battle of Hürtgen Forest just before the Battle of the Bulge。 The story is told in quick chapters that advance the narrative in an almost episodic fashion。 Put another way， it re I first heard about this book from the Goodreads giveaways and thought a WWII book sounded enjoyable。 Good thing I entered the giveaway because it turned out to be an excellent story。 “The Last Hill” follows the U。S。 Army’s 2nd Ranger Battalion from their formation and training through Normandy （Pointe du Hoc） up to the Battle of Hürtgen Forest just before the Battle of the Bulge。 The story is told in quick chapters that advance the narrative in an almost episodic fashion。 Put another way， it reads like movie scenes。There are a lot of characters covered to varying degrees。 Despite the authors’ best efforts to give the reader more personal details than just a rank and a name for each man they mentioned， some remain with me as just a name because it was difficult to keep up with all them。 I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys WWII history （especially the lesser known parts of it）。 What the Rangers did and how they did it left a lasting impact， not only in helping win the war， but also on the modern military。 The authors did a great job， especially earlier in the story， connecting the dots of why this particular battalion was so revolutionary in its formation and so important to the creation of today’s Special Forces units。 。。。more
Nicole
，
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Last Hill by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin。 This well researched book is an exemplary example of powerful military non-fiction。 This books covers the training and action of the Rangers who participated in key battles such as D-Day， Hill 400， and the Battle of the Bulge。 Drury and Clavin provided such vivid and specific details I felt as if I was climbing Point du Hoc and sitting in foxholes with the Rangers as I read。 If you are a fan of military history with Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of The Last Hill by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin。 This well researched book is an exemplary example of powerful military non-fiction。 This books covers the training and action of the Rangers who participated in key battles such as D-Day， Hill 400， and the Battle of the Bulge。 Drury and Clavin provided such vivid and specific details I felt as if I was climbing Point du Hoc and sitting in foxholes with the Rangers as I read。 If you are a fan of military history with a focus on WWII， this book is for you。 I do recommend reading this one on your Kindle or E-reader because these authors have an extensive vocabulary and I found myself using the dictionary feature often。 I learned tons of SAT caliber vocabulary words！ 。。。more
Mark
，
This book is great for those who want to know the trials and tribulations of our WW2 soldiers from recruitment to either glory or death/injury。 The book was filled with details about the war but even more so about the lives and relationships of these GIs who became Rangers。It was sometimes tough to recall who was who， especially after chapters and chapters of information before referring to those again， as an advance reader， I’d recommend the to editors to include a company organization chart ei This book is great for those who want to know the trials and tribulations of our WW2 soldiers from recruitment to either glory or death/injury。 The book was filled with details about the war but even more so about the lives and relationships of these GIs who became Rangers。It was sometimes tough to recall who was who， especially after chapters and chapters of information before referring to those again， as an advance reader， I’d recommend the to editors to include a company organization chart either at the beginning of the chapters or as an appendix to follow along in the war。Highly recommend for any WW2 or Army history buff 。。。more
Rachel
，
The Last Hill: The Epic Story of a Ranger Battalion and the Battle That Defined WWII by Bob Drury; Tom Clavin isa stunning and inspiring nonfiction of true patriotism。 This is the stunning true story of Rudder’s Rangers and their heroic effort given during the infamous Battle of the Bulge。 These men were regarded as one the most elite and experienced attack units within the United States Army。 I am so great full to be able to have learned so much about these brave and selfless men。 They were ins The Last Hill: The Epic Story of a Ranger Battalion and the Battle That Defined WWII by Bob Drury; Tom Clavin isa stunning and inspiring nonfiction of true patriotism。 This is the stunning true story of Rudder’s Rangers and their heroic effort given during the infamous Battle of the Bulge。 These men were regarded as one the most elite and experienced attack units within the United States Army。 I am so great full to be able to have learned so much about these brave and selfless men。 They were instrumental and crucial in the success of the December 1944 battle commonly located at Hill 400。 Of the 130， only 16 survived the battle。 Their courage， strength， passion， and true sacrifice speaks beyond words。 I am so honored to be able to have read this stunning account of these men whom we can truly say are heroes: the men of Lt。 Col。 James Rudder's 2nd Battalion。5/5 stars Thank you NG and St。 Martin’s Press for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion。I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon， Instagram， and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/1/22。 。。。more
Divyesh Sheth
，
This is a really good historical account of how army rangers played an important part during WWII。 Author has described the battle scenes in a very vivid language and you feel like you have been transported in the middle of the battle field。
Gary
，
Through in depth research and the ability of authors Tom Calvinand Bob Drury， "The Last Hill" comes to life on the pages。 We learn the history of Rudder's Rangers as they were call and follow their rise fromstart until their deployment to take and hold Hill 40， a battle that formeda major engagement of WWII。 Battle events and personal accounts give us a picture of what these mensuffered through and how they were able to come together as a unit。 All menof courage and will， greatly outnumbered b Through in depth research and the ability of authors Tom Calvinand Bob Drury， "The Last Hill" comes to life on the pages。 We learn the history of Rudder's Rangers as they were call and follow their rise fromstart until their deployment to take and hold Hill 40， a battle that formeda major engagement of WWII。 Battle events and personal accounts give us a picture of what these mensuffered through and how they were able to come together as a unit。 All menof courage and will， greatly outnumbered by German forces but with honour andvalour they did themselves and the unit proud。 A group of 130 special forces Rangerswent into battle but only 16 remained to see another day。 Those that survived， did fellow Rangers proud。 I would highly recommend The Last Hill as a book of insight into whatit takes and what these brave Rangers gave to their country。 As part of a Goodreads Giveaway I received and advanced reader'scopy of The Last Hill。。。a thank you to Goodreads， the publisher and theauthors for a chance to read the book 。。。more
Natalie
，
The Last HillBy Bob Drury and Tom ClavinThis is the true story of America's Army Rangers， from their inception through all their service in Africa， Italy， D-Day and ultimately to the last hill in the Hurtgen Forest on December 7， 1944。 The sacrifices and heroics of these diverse men， from all backgrounds and walks of life， are part of the reason their generation has come to be named The Greatest Generation。This tale is fascinating – yet at the same time it is very difficult to read。 The idea tha The Last HillBy Bob Drury and Tom ClavinThis is the true story of America's Army Rangers， from their inception through all their service in Africa， Italy， D-Day and ultimately to the last hill in the Hurtgen Forest on December 7， 1944。 The sacrifices and heroics of these diverse men， from all backgrounds and walks of life， are part of the reason their generation has come to be named The Greatest Generation。This tale is fascinating – yet at the same time it is very difficult to read。 The idea that a battle plan only lasts until the battle starts proved to be only too true for these brave men。 War on this scale is a horror， but these men – and all the others who served in combat – after watching their comrades destroyed， stepped up， filled the holes， and miraculously managed to not only win the war， but to survive to tell the tale。I had a hard time reading this book， often moved to tears。 Still， I think that we Americans in our divided country today， need to read it and understand what true patriotism is all about。 。。。more
Casey Wheeler
，
This book narrates the early history of the 2nd Ranger Battalion also known as Rudder’s Rangers。 It begins with the formation and training of the Rangers during early World War II。 It then traces their involvement in the war in North Africa and Europe。 It culminates with the battle for Hill 400。 As with other books that I have read by the authors， this one is well written and researched making it an engaging read especially for a history book。
Curtis Edmonds
，
THE LAST HILL is just excellent in every way， and the story is just sitting right there for when Hollywood decides it's time to start making WWII movies again。 （The Rangers do show up in THE LONGEST DAY--which didn't win any fans in the battalion--and in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN。） It's a story of innovation， with the Army creating the Rangers and then not knowing quite what to do with them。 It's a story of derring-do， of heroism and sacrifice， of big battles and small ones， of brave colonels and wise THE LAST HILL is just excellent in every way， and the story is just sitting right there for when Hollywood decides it's time to start making WWII movies again。 （The Rangers do show up in THE LONGEST DAY--which didn't win any fans in the battalion--and in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN。） It's a story of innovation， with the Army creating the Rangers and then not knowing quite what to do with them。 It's a story of derring-do， of heroism and sacrifice， of big battles and small ones， of brave colonels and wise sergeants and foolishly brave lieutenants。 It's a great story， an American story， and it's as compelling today as when it happened。 Highly recommended。 。。。more
Bevany Smith
，
This book is an interesting history of the ranger battalion from its beginning。 There are many fascinating facts and stories shared throughout。 I suggest this book for anyone interested in military history。
Bevany
，
This book is an interesting history of the ranger battalion from its beginning。 There are many fascinating facts and stories shared throughout。 I suggest this book for anyone interested in military history。
David
，
I received this advance reader copy of The Last Hill as part of a Goodreads giveaway。 Thank you to the publishers， the authors and to Goodreads。As a graduate of Texas A&M University， I was well familiar with the name of James Earl Rudder。 I knew he had served in WWII and later was president of Texas A&M。 What I didn't know was his history as the leader of a new type of soldier - the Army Ranger。In The Last Hill， Drury and Clavin give us the history of the Rangers from their formation and trainin I received this advance reader copy of The Last Hill as part of a Goodreads giveaway。 Thank you to the publishers， the authors and to Goodreads。As a graduate of Texas A&M University， I was well familiar with the name of James Earl Rudder。 I knew he had served in WWII and later was president of Texas A&M。 What I didn't know was his history as the leader of a new type of soldier - the Army Ranger。In The Last Hill， Drury and Clavin give us the history of the Rangers from their formation and training to their successes and losses in Europe in World War II， culminating in the battle for Hill 400。 The book is well-written with fascinating people， descriptive events and intimate thoughts。 It is the personal side of this book that made it so engaging。 The authors obviously did their research to understand the thoughts， attitudes and actions of individual Rangers in some of the specific situations， not just the macro-events of the group。Hill 400 is not discussed in many history books that I've read， as it is overshadowed by the Battle of the Bulge， which happened immediately afterwards。 But the taking of this hill by a group of Rangers was nothing short of amazing。 Though the losses were heavy， they were able to take and hold this hill when earlier attempts had failed。 And the importance of this hill to the Germans meant that its loss to the Allies had a significant impact in the war。I recommend this book to readers of military history。I was provided an advance reader copy， which had pages marked for maps and diagrams， but those had not yet been added to the copy。 I'm sure those will be of additional benefit to readers of the final published edition。 。。。more
Dr。 Alan Albarran
，
The Last Hill is a very powerful and engaging read， especially if you enjoy military history。 The authors， Bob Drury and Tom Clavin， did a wonderful job in their research to pull together this narrative of a major battle that history has tended to ignore。 The story begins with the history of the Army Rangers， and centers on the 2nd Battalion under the leadership of Colonel James Rudder。 We are with the newly formed Rangers as they go through their own versions of Boot Camp/Hell Week as Rudder pr The Last Hill is a very powerful and engaging read， especially if you enjoy military history。 The authors， Bob Drury and Tom Clavin， did a wonderful job in their research to pull together this narrative of a major battle that history has tended to ignore。 The story begins with the history of the Army Rangers， and centers on the 2nd Battalion under the leadership of Colonel James Rudder。 We are with the newly formed Rangers as they go through their own versions of Boot Camp/Hell Week as Rudder prepares his men for battle in what is anticipated to be very tough positions。We are with the Rangers on D-Day， and continues on as the men push the Nazis back towards the border and eventually make their way in to Germany。 The "HIll" is actually called Castle Hill， and it is a heavily fortified target the Allies need to take in order to make its way on to Berlin。 The battle is extensive， with many casualties。 You feel you are with the Greatest Generation as they suffer losses and winter conditions to take the last hill。 You come away with even more respect and admiration for these men and the sacrifice they gave for our liberties。Highly recommend this work if you are interested in the subject。 The pace is a little slow at the start， but quickly picks up and builds to a heart-wrenching climax。 I particularly enjoyed the end of the book as it followed the principal players after the war and as they returned to the States。I thank NetGalley and the authors and publishers for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book。 。。。more
Arthur Morrill III
，
“The Last Hill: The Epic Story of a Ranger Battalion and the Battle That Defined WWII，” ISBN 9781250247162， by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin， publication date 1 Nov 2022， is a brilliant book that easily earns five BIG stars。Bob Drury and Tom Clavin's， “The Last Hill，” is an incredible story of selfless service， bravery， and sacrifice。 It is meticulously researched and unflinchingly told story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion’s unmatched WWII combat accomplishments。From being the lead element on Omaha Bea “The Last Hill: The Epic Story of a Ranger Battalion and the Battle That Defined WWII，” ISBN 9781250247162， by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin， publication date 1 Nov 2022， is a brilliant book that easily earns five BIG stars。Bob Drury and Tom Clavin's， “The Last Hill，” is an incredible story of selfless service， bravery， and sacrifice。 It is meticulously researched and unflinchingly told story of the 2nd Ranger Battalion’s unmatched WWII combat accomplishments。From being the lead element on Omaha Beach at Normandy’s Ponte du Hoc， to their ultimately successful 7 December 1944 battle for Hill 400 （Castle Hill） in the Hurtgen Forest where they emerged victorious over numerically superior German Wehrmacht， Reserve， and Fallschirmjäger regiments with only 16 Rangers remaining， it is a timeless tale that is extraordinary by any measure。Whether the authors are describing touchingly personal moments or brutal combat， the narrative unfolds with artistry…the reader is there。 Helpfully， strategy and tactics are appropriately woven throughout the telling to give the reader context for the highly personalized sacrifices and combat engagements of individual Rangers。 This is a book that cannot be put down， that must be read without stopping。Sincere thanks to the publisher， St。 Martin's Press/Kindle （EPUB）， for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy （ARC）， and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible 。。。more
Ron Baumer
，
An outstanding look at the history of the US Rangers in WW2 from their inception to the end of the war。 The stories were incredible and gut wrenching。 Their is plenty of action and first hand accounts to keep you thoroughly engrossed。 A great read！Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review。
Stephen
，
This book tells the history of Rudders Rangers from their beginning until the battle for Hill 400， It follows the exploits of many of the Rangers from their first days until this battle。 Clavin brings out the toughness expected in todays Rangers and also the lack of belief from many about how good these Rangers really were and to some， why are they needed at all。 The Rangers had to overcome disbelief in themselves as well as in their fellow soldiers。 In the end the book tells a well put together This book tells the history of Rudders Rangers from their beginning until the battle for Hill 400， It follows the exploits of many of the Rangers from their first days until this battle。 Clavin brings out the toughness expected in todays Rangers and also the lack of belief from many about how good these Rangers really were and to some， why are they needed at all。 The Rangers had to overcome disbelief in themselves as well as in their fellow soldiers。 In the end the book tells a well put together story of their path to immortality。 。。。more
David
，
The history of the Rangers Second Battalion from its formation at the beginning of WWII， through training， deployment and action on the European Theater。 The Rangers landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day and we’re tasked with silencing the guns atop the cliffs of Ponte du Hoc。 They fought in Forest Brest and finally took Hill 400， “The Last Hill” in the Hurtgen Forest。 Much is written about their exploits on D-Day being the longest day。 However， to a man December 7， 1944 was the longest and worst day o The history of the Rangers Second Battalion from its formation at the beginning of WWII， through training， deployment and action on the European Theater。 The Rangers landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day and we’re tasked with silencing the guns atop the cliffs of Ponte du Hoc。 They fought in Forest Brest and finally took Hill 400， “The Last Hill” in the Hurtgen Forest。 Much is written about their exploits on D-Day being the longest day。 However， to a man December 7， 1944 was the longest and worst day of their lives as they assaulted an entrenched German position on Hill 400。 The authors do a good job of personalizing the account。 At times the narrative bogs down in military strategy， but for the most part the book provides a grunt’s eye view of the war。 The account is graphic and is not for the squeamish or those who would glorify combat。 Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Kayla Mathwig
，
I can’t imagine what the Army Rangers （honestly， anyone who fought in WW2 ）went through。 There were times during this book that I started to feel extremely anxious because the situations and circumstances looked so dire。 I find it truly admirable that these men continued to fight， to hold their ground， even in the face of what was often certain death。 The loyalty to our country is amazing and I think it’s so important for all Americans to understand and respect。 There was undoubtedly a remarkabl I can’t imagine what the Army Rangers （honestly， anyone who fought in WW2 ）went through。 There were times during this book that I started to feel extremely anxious because the situations and circumstances looked so dire。 I find it truly admirable that these men continued to fight， to hold their ground， even in the face of what was often certain death。 The loyalty to our country is amazing and I think it’s so important for all Americans to understand and respect。 There was undoubtedly a remarkable amount of research that went into the writing of this book， so I give huge kudos to the authors for their meticulous gathering of information。 Overall， this was a deviance from my typical reading and I’m glad I picked this one up because I learned a lot and developed a further appreciation for our soldiers。 。。。more
Brendan Dowd
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Full review coming soon
Ben
，