Rating: 
Summary: Too Bad Not Completed.
Review: "Parachute Infantry", by David Kenyon Webster, sub-titled: "An American Paratrooper's Memoir of D-Day And The Fall Of The Third Reich", Louisiana State University Press, Baton rouge, 1994.This book was published some fifty years after the events described and some 30 years after the death of the author (1961). However, the personal memories are excellent as is the writing. The book deals with the author's personal experiences in the European Theater of Operations and it seems that he did not record the time in hospital after he was wounded. Webster's leg wound made him miss the Battle of the Bulge, so he simply alludes to that struggle when he returns to his outfit towards the end of the war. He does deal with parachuting into Normandy on D-Day and, at the end of the war, chasing the remains of the German Army into the mountains. I think that you could almost sense that the Author was recording the more "exciting" days and planning to fill in the more mundane details, such as his weeks in hospital, when he later had time. One thing that did come through, loud and clear, was the enlisted man's disdain for the officer corps in the EOT. Webster's record of occupation duty, directly after the cessation of hostilities, is entertaining. I can just picture him, getting ready for his daily swim in the lake, and wondering where he should "dine" that night. Enjoyable book!
Rating:
Summary: BLOODY GOOD!!!!
Review: "A job was a job, usually at somebody else's price, and school and college were prolonged adoles- cence. Only an adolescent could get excited about anything as juvenile and exclusive as a fraternity. The issues were petty and the people childish snobs.
The paratroops were life itself, life and death and the thrill of conquering yourself by jumping from an airplane." Its writing like that that distinguises "Parachute..." from other books. Its BETTER than Band of Brothers as its DIRECTLY from Webster's mouth (hand?). Anyway, if you like war books you'll LOVE this book, i was trying to decide between this and Flags of Our Fathers but I'm glad I chose this first (I'll be reading FoOF next). At present actually I'm reading Audie Murphy's book which I recommend. Its not as insightful as this, and the typeface is not as nice ;) but its still a damned good read. Reading these books really gives one perspective on life I think... Anyway, for those of you out there who are obsessed with these war memoir books, here's a short list: To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy; And No Birds Sang by Farley Mowat; Band of Brothers; four books by Donald Burgett who was in the 101st, but not E Company; All Quiet on the Western Front (yes I know its fiction which I'm not a huge fan of, but the guy actually fought in WWI so its different); Catch-22 (again Fiction, but Heller WAS a WWII pilot); Lord of the Rings (more allegory than anything, though Tolkien the WWI vet denies it...however read ROTK and try to tell me that he wasn't drawing directly from his experience in battle).
That list should sustain most ppl for a year or so, in the meantime BUY THIS BOOK!!!
Rating:
Summary: Band of Brothers Redux
Review: Daniel Webster was a member of Co. E/ 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment/101st Aiborne Division during World War II. He was one of the Band of Brothers and is written about in Ambrose's book and has a character in the HBO series. He was an anomaly; a Harvard grad who was a private in the army. He wrote his own memoir of the events that Ambrose covered but in a totally different vein. While Ambrose's tone is elegiac and respectful Webter's is sardonic and often bitter. To read of the same events told differently is very enlightening. (please remember that Webster lived this. Ambrose wrote about it decades after the fact.)He was unable to publish this work in his lifetime (he disappeared at sea in 1960) but the interest in D-day in the past years fortunately resulted in the publication of this gem. If you like WW2 memoirs then this is for you.
Rating: 
Summary: One Man's personal struggle with war
Review: David Kenyon Webster's personal account of the D-day invasion and the fall of the Third Reich is beautifully written and completely captivating. Though he did jump in Normandy on D-Day, and saw the war to the end, his actual combat experience was somewhat limited. He recalls only one definite kill, a retreating German soldier who was thought to be a runner. Webster admits that this action was one of the few times he ever fired his rifle in combat. For Webster, the real war was fought inside his mind, as he tried to find a personal acceptance and justification for being in the army and fighting in WWII. He starts the text by stating that in a letter to his mother, he tells her that the Germans must be brutally beaten and destroyed in their homeland, for that was the only way to ensure that they would never again try to wage war on the world. He later changes his mind by saying that he never believed in the war, and that the army was the most ineffeciantely run organization in the world. After liberating the concentration camps, Webster again admits that the war was necessary. He also toils with his love-hate relationship with the army. Though he constantly cursed the army, he closes by saying that he would not trade his experience for anything in the world. He was glad to be a part of WWII. Webster had his reasons for hating the army, but it should be noted that thousands of other soldiers felt that their military life was very gradifying and comfortable, and they were glad to have the experience. Many WWII soldiers say that the army (service) made them better people. With a negative and sometimes hateful tone, Webster vividly recounts his experiences. This book is a must read for anybody who is interested in learning what many soldiers were thinking and saying as they participated in the largest military invasion in history.
Rating:
Summary: Well written but unfortunately incomplete war chronicle
Review: David Webster was a Harvard-educated literature major who served as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne throughout World War II. This memoir of his experiences during the war was published posthumously, and clearly was not intended by the author to be published in this form. Not that the book is without merit - far from it. Webster was obviously a very talented writer and he does an excellent job of sharing his impressions and experiences. His account of D-Day, the fighting in Holland and the final advance into Germany are all interesting and insightful. The problem is that the manuscript is incomplete. While the primary stories are here, all the connecting bits are missing. For example, the chronicle of the action in Holland ends when Webster is wounded and evacuated. The narrative resumes when he rejoins his company in France, after their remarkable stand at Bastogne. However, there is no real effort to explain what happened in his absence, and principal characters from earlier in the narrative have disappeared without explanation and new ones appear without introduction. No doubt these rough spots would have been smoothed over if the author had been available to edit the manuscript. Nevertheless, the stories that are here are remarkably well told and offer a unique perspective on the war. Webster was adamant about remaining a lowly private throughout the war, and as an intellectual among the lowliest soldiers, he had a unique viewpoint on army life. Stephen Ambrose incorporates significant portions of Webster's manuscript into "Band of Brothers", and reading the two books together fills in many of the gaps in Webster's narrative.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read!!!
Review: For those of you who don't know...David Webster is one of the characters featured in Spielberg and Hanks HBO series Band of Brothers (Originally an great book by Steven Ambrose) He's real, he's a gold brick and makes no effort to hide it. Webster's memoir has reached a place no other WWII book has with me. He conveys a realistic range of wartime emotions whether making the jump on D-Day, Hiding from the probing fingers of German Flak 88 artillery or the simple pleasures of outpost duty. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the airborne let alone the life of a soldier at wartime. This book is hard to set down!!!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating Book
Review: For those of you who have seen the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers or read the book will definitely enjoy this book. Not only because it will give you a greater insight on the characters featured in the miniseries but because he is a wonderful writer. The manner in which he describes the towns and cities is incredibly vivid and realistic. What is also compelling about this book is that all of his emotions come across (anger, sadness, frustration and happiness), which makes us realize that the men who fought in the war were human and fallible. However, despite this they did what they had to do. Furthermore, this book is a wonderful read for all of those who are interested in WWII, personal accounts about war or war itself. The author does not glamorized war he describes it as it is, and this is what makes it an incredible read.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Personal Account
Review: I have been reading autobiographical and biographical books of men who were in WWII in all areas of service. This one was particularly interesting because of the HBO series "Band of Brothers". Because it was written from Mr. Webster's personal view point, it gave a little different slant on the day to day life of the man and also the battles that were part of Band of Brothers. I was interested in his opinions of the people he served with and each time he wrote about a name I recognized who was connected with one of the men in Band of Brothers, it helped to tie the book in to the overall picture. I think it helped clear up some of the scenes in the movie for me as well. Now I will go back and watch Band of Brothers again. This book gave a more detailed picture of what it was like for the men, including the times when they weren't fighting. What they were thinking and doing to pass the time, what they were eating, the small things that caused them so much aggravation such as not being able to finish a meal or be able to wash their mess kits and the frustration of having to deal with the "hurry up and wait". These little things that many of the larger pieces of work do not address but are very interesting to read about. I feel I am curious about the little things because my father was in WWII and he would never talk about what he did or where he was. Perhaps because I was a girl he didn't feel it was appropriate! Anyway, reading books like this one, helps me understand a little of what he went through. I recommend this book -- not only for these reasons, but because Mr. Webster is also a good writer. Many of the books written by the men themselves are not well written, even though interesting to read their view point.
Rating:
Summary: super memoir....damn those sharks
Review: i just read this book so this review will probably be better than most. With my limited experience in the reserve, i was able to understand alot of where webster was coming from. he was admitedly the worst shot in the company and constantly praying for wounds that would get him to england. you will love this true story. not too much hooah here. just brutal honesty and a deep love for his unit, even if theres no love for the army.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Honest WWII Memoir
Review: If you are a fan of HBO's Band of Brothers or just a fan of WWII memoirs, then David Kenyon Webster's Parachute Infrantry is the perfect book for you. Webster's memoir is sometimes humorous, sad, and dramatic. The fact that Webster was well educated and went onto become a writer after the war is evident in his writing ability. There is an excellent flow to his story and he is able to bring to life the many officers and fellow soldiers through his storytelling. Some of the best parts of the book are when he writes about locating booze and women and his overall dismay for certain officers. This book is just a very enjoyable read and anyone wanting to get inside the head of a private in the Airborne during WWII should read this book.
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