Pegasus Bridge: June 6, 1944

Full disclosure: I am a licensed glider pilot, so I absolutely LOVE learning about the gliders used in WWII.

Pegasus Bridge: June 6, 1944 is a gripping and informative book written by Stephen E. Ambrose. It covers the British glider assault on Pegasus Bridge during the 1944 D-Day invasion.

This book does a very good job providing interesting information about the assault on Pegasus Bridge, using primary sources, interviews, scholarly sources, and anecdotes to paint a clearer picture of exactly what happened on that day. There is also a very nice section with photographs detailing the battle. I particularly enjoyed the many personal accounts that Ambrose uses to back up the historical accounts of the attack. It really helps the reader feel like they were there, in the thick of the action. Using detailed, descriptive imagery, Ambrose leaves the reader on the edge of their seat. This book reads almost like a historical drama, but this does not take away from the book's historical accuracy. In fact, this approach makes the book a much more entertaining read for those who don't like to delve into the details.

To assault Pegasus Bridge, the British Horsa pilots used incredible dead reckoning skills to blindly navigate through the pitch dark night sky and land within 100 yards of their intended assembly points. They also did so without alerting the German garrison stationed at Pegasus Bridge to their arrival.

The Pegasus Bridge was moved from its original location in 1994 and replaced with a more modern, longer bridge. The original Pegasus Bridge is now a museum that stands as a memorial to those who fought not just at the bridge, but throughout the D-Day invasion.

Overall, I think this book is very well done. I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about gliders or the D-Day invasions. The book is also good for those who may not be so interested as to learn every little detail, but just looking for a good historical book to read over the weekend.