Book excerpt: "Seventy years ago, thousands of Allied fighting men landed on the Normandy beaches. Among these soldiers were a multitude of Americans who had come to fight, and liberate Europe. Some had no combat experience, others were veterans of the North African or Italian campaigns. This book follows the war service of fifty of these soldiers who served in the ground, air and naval forces. During the course of the war they filled a multitude of roles, from Ranger to bomber pilot, seaman on board a destroyer, or chaplain in a motorized cavalry unit. Nurses and a WAC telephone operator illustrate the part played by female personnel. Each story begins with a short look at the family background, allowing the reader to discover the origins of each soldier and his, or her education and first jobs. The study of official archives and documents kept by the soldiers help us to trace their military careers which began with registration with a draft board before being called up and undertaking basic training. The latter was followed by more specific training which could last a few weeks for a rifleman and several months for a fighter pilot. Most of these men and women made their way to the theater of operations by ship. At this stage of the stories, the unit diaries are of great help in piecing together what happened in the actual fighting which led to overall victory. The story continues with the return home for the more fortunate ones. Indeed, the huge cemeteries dotted around Europe are an eternal reminder of the sacrifice of American service personnel. On a lighter note, part of the final chapter deals with the subject of war brides. Personal photos, letters, medals and simple souvenirs that belonged to each of the men and women in this book are used to illustrate their story"--Foreword.