Len Lomell - (American War Heroes) by Steven M Gillon (Paperback)

About the Book

"The exciting, fascinating story of Len Lomell, an Army Ranger who on D-Day climbed the steep cliffs at Pointe Du Hoc and almost single-handedly knocked out the big German guns before they could start firing on the American invasion force"--

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"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

About the Author

Steven M. Gillon is the scholar in residence at the History Channel, a professor of history 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 is one of the nation's leading experts on modern American history and politics, and his articles have appeared in academic journals and such newspapers as the Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, and The Boston Globe. He has made appearances on NBC's Today show, ABC's Good Morning America, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News as a commentator and expert on issues related to modern American history. He has written or edited nearly a dozen books, 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.