Rating: 
Summary: Touching story of sacrifice and humanity
Review: The Bedford Boys tells the heart-wrenching story of the Virginia town of Bedford (and surrounding Bedford County) and how nearly all families in that small rural community of strong faith were touched by the horrors of D-Day. The central characters in this engaging narrative by journalist-author Alex Kershaw are the Beford men of Company A, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. Their's is a story of ultimate sacrifice to the extreme. The majority of A Company landed in the first wave of Operation Overlord, the invasion of Western Europe on 6 June 1944, departing their landing craft at Dog Green, Omaha Beach near the Vierville draw. Within minutes nearly all the Company A men were dead in the hail of MG-42 machine gun fire from Wehrmacht positions above the beach that provided the defenders with superior interlocking fields of fire. It was a slaughter - the Germans shot anyone who moved and some who didn't. The Americans were on the continent but not cheaply.
Kershaw writes in a lilting style that makes The Bedford Boys (as well as his more recent The Longest Winter) quite enjoyable and easy to read. The story of the Bedford men and those at home they left behind is one that embodies the human spirit, patriotism and sacrifice for country. Kershaw's tells this amazing story in three parts. In the first second of the book he describes the events leading up to the American entrance into the Second World War and what lead these Virginians to be part of the National Guard unit that would fight with the 29th Infantry Division. One common theme seems to have played a large role: the Great Depression and desire of these mean to make a few more dollars by being part-time "weekend warriors". Most were farm boys from large families where every dollar mattered.
The second section of the book details A Company's training for war, year and one half in England prior to the invasion, and finally the invasion itself. This section is quite detailed up to the invasion proper but this may not be surprising as nearly all the men who landed in Captain Taylor Fellers Company A unit (the Bedford boys) were killed on the beach and thus haven't been able to tell their stories. Kershaw struggles somewhat through this section of the book to make a historical impact but ultimately fails. This is not to say that his narrative is not engaging - it is. Yet it fails to provide new insight into the first wave battle for Omaha. Readers interested in understanding more about this critical battle are encouraged to read Joseph Balkoski's recent Omaha Beach, which is quite possibly the most thoroughly researched and fullest account of this component of the Normandy landings. By combining Omaha Beach and The Bedford Boys a reader can get both historical "meat" and a touching human saga.
The last section of The Bedford Boys is by far the most significant contribution to the genre Kershaw has made here. This last section is dedicated to ETO events after D-Day, the home front and post-war issues. Kershaw has crafted a story full of human characters with which the reader and feel empathy. He has captured the pain and pride of those surviving the A Company men. Although not dealing with military actions per se in this section, Kershaw does an admirable - if not great - job expressing the emotions of proud American families who sacrificed nearly a whole generation of young men to make the world free once again. One can see, hear and feel the angst, anger and sorrow of Bedford County, and WWII-era America in Kershaw's words. Even those expecting or wanting a detailed discussion of battles can't help but be moved by these passages. This portion of the book makes the whole thing worth buying!
All in all The Bedford Boys is a solid 4 star book. Despite some factual problems Kershaw has crafted a fun read that oozes the heart and soul of the Greatest Generation. If combined with Omaha Beach by Joseph Balkoski readers will walk away with an appreciation for the battle and sacrifice that resulted in an American foothold in the section of Normandy beach between St. Laurent and Vierville-sur-Mer.
Rating: 
Summary: A worthy tribute
Review: The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice is the true story of twenty-two sons from rural Bedford, Virginia who lost their lives in the devastating battlefields of D-Day and the campaign thereafter. Soberly describing the true story that inspired the hit movie "Saving Private Ryan", The Bedford Boys recounts memories of the fallen, the family and friends they left behind, and the small town hit immensely hard by their sacrfice. An inset section of black-and-white photographs embellishes this carefully researched and straightforwardly presented account. A worthy tribute not only to those from Bedford who perished during World War II, but to all who died defending their country.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring
Review: Twenty-two young men, all from a small town in Virginia, made the ultimate sacrifice. Nineteen died during the first wave on Omaha Beach; later, three more died in the campaign that followed. This is their story - theirs and the other young men from Bedford. It is also the story of the people they left behind and the country they were fighting for.This book is sad but inspiring and informative. You will follow these youngsters from a small- town childhood through the tragedy of Operation Tiger to the fierce brutality of Normandy, June 6, 1944. You will find out more than you ever really wanted to know about why you chose the top of six bunks on the Queen Mary (converted to a troop ship) instead of the more convenient lower ones. You will learn, perhaps with some comfort considering today's news, that the country was not totally united during WWII, in spite of what we are now believe. John L. Lewis conducted his strikes, and there were race riots in Los Angeles and Detroit. This book inspired Saving Private Ryan . . . as it will inspire you.
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