Book Review: Nothing but Courage: The 82nd Airborne's Daring D-Day Mission—and Their Heroic Charge Across the La Fière Bridge

Military History |

Author: James Donovan

| Reviewed by: Dr. Wylie W. Johnson, chaplain, US Army War College class of 2010
©2026 Wylie W. Johnson
 
In this riveting account, James Donovan tells the dramatic story of the 82nd Airborne Division’s mission to seize and hold the La Fière bridge—an unassuming but vital link in the success of the D-Day invasion. Dropped behind enemy lines hours before the beach landings, these paratroopers faced overwhelming odds in a brutal three-day battle that culminated in a near-suicidal charge across a narrow causeway. Blending firsthand accounts, archival research, and battlefield visits, Donovan honors the courage and sacrifice that helped turn the tide of World War II.
 

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Keywords: 82nd Airborne Division, D-Day assault, World War II, paratrooper, glider forces, pathfinders