Osprey Elite 31 : US Army Airborne 1940-1990

The first fifty years of the US Army airborne arm is a story of continuing battles with the nation's enemies, of battles within the Army's hierarchy, of change, and of adaptation. If there is any single attribute the airborne soldier can claim as his most sterling, it is his uncanny ability to adapt - his flexibility. Be it on a confused battlefield deep behind enemy lines, in a structured exercise that begins to fall apart, in response to the demand for a different tactical concept or to the need for a new piece of equipment, a paratrooper will adapt: he will do something. The very nature of a paratrooper demands this ability to adapt. There is something in most men who are willing to take that extra step and volunteer for the airborne that sets them apart from other soldiers. This is not to say that other soldiers are inferior; but the extra effort it takes to be a paratrooper, the motivation and ésprit de corps it develops within these units is something not to be taken lightly. Gordon L. Rottman brings to life the history of these remarkable troops accompanied by illustrations by Ron Volstad.

Contents

• Introduction
• The Early Days
• World War II
• Post-War and Korea
• The 'Pentomic' Era
• The Road to Vietnam
• Army of Excellence
• The Plates