The exhilarating, inspiring story of Len Lomell, an Army Ranger who on D-Day almost single-handedly knocked out the big German guns before they could fire on the American invasion force, and whose later exploits spanned the most dramatic battles of World War II.
Len Lomell was drafted to the United States Army in 1942, became an Army Ranger, and was soon sent to England to prepare for the D-Day invasion. At Point du Hoc, Lomell and his men were given a daunting mission—to scale the steep cliffs and disable the big German guns at the top, guns that could otherwise destroy the rest of the D-Day landing fleet. Despite incredible odds, it was a mission that Lomell completed almost single-handedly.
In this stirring, action-packed book, Gillon details the incredibly heroic actions on D-Day—and throughout World War II—that ultimately won Lomell the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star. Lomell was later praised by Stephen Ambrose as the single most important person in the success of D-Day after General Eisenhower.
With propulsive writing, nuanced research, and multiple personal interviews with Lomell, Gillon brings an unforgettable WWII hero to life, finally giving him the recognition he so richly deserves.
“Riveting …. Gillon’s book, Len Lomell: D-Day Hero (Dutton), makes clear [that Lomell’s] battlefield exploits were among the most heroic—and important—in U.S. military history." —NJ Monthly
Steven M. Gillon is professor emeritus at the University of Oklahoma and a senior fellow at the Miller Center for the study of the presidency at the University of Virginia. He spent more than two decades as the scholar-in-residence at The History Channel, where he hosted a number of shows, consulted on various projects, and produced prime-time documentaries. He has written or edited more than a dozen books about modern American political and cultural history, including the New York Times bestsellers America’s Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr. and The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry That Defined a Generation.View titles by Steven M. Gillon
The exhilarating, inspiring story of Len Lomell, an Army Ranger who on D-Day almost single-handedly knocked out the big German guns before they could fire on the American invasion force, and whose later exploits spanned the most dramatic battles of World War II.
Len Lomell was drafted to the United States Army in 1942, became an Army Ranger, and was soon sent to England to prepare for the D-Day invasion. At Point du Hoc, Lomell and his men were given a daunting mission—to scale the steep cliffs and disable the big German guns at the top, guns that could otherwise destroy the rest of the D-Day landing fleet. Despite incredible odds, it was a mission that Lomell completed almost single-handedly.
In this stirring, action-packed book, Gillon details the incredibly heroic actions on D-Day—and throughout World War II—that ultimately won Lomell the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star. Lomell was later praised by Stephen Ambrose as the single most important person in the success of D-Day after General Eisenhower.
With propulsive writing, nuanced research, and multiple personal interviews with Lomell, Gillon brings an unforgettable WWII hero to life, finally giving him the recognition he so richly deserves.
Reviews
“Riveting …. Gillon’s book, Len Lomell: D-Day Hero (Dutton), makes clear [that Lomell’s] battlefield exploits were among the most heroic—and important—in U.S. military history." —NJ Monthly
Steven M. Gillon is professor emeritus at the University of Oklahoma and a senior fellow at the Miller Center for the study of the presidency at the University of Virginia. He spent more than two decades as the scholar-in-residence at The History Channel, where he hosted a number of shows, consulted on various projects, and produced prime-time documentaries. He has written or edited more than a dozen books about modern American political and cultural history, including the New York Times bestsellers America’s Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr. and The Pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the Rivalry That Defined a Generation.View titles by Steven M. Gillon
