How did the raw, visceral experience of a young paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division define the reality of the D-Day invasion and the subsequent week of combat in Normandy? Donald R. Burgett, a veteran of the 101st Airborne, provides a firsthand account of his experiences as a private during the initial stages of the Allied invasion of France. He utilizes his personal recollections to reconstruct the chaotic, high-intensity environment of airborne operations and the brutal close-quarters fighting that characterized the first seven days of the campaign. The narrative serves as a primary source document detailing the tactical and psychological pressures faced by infantrymen behind enemy lines.

Military historians and readers often cite this work for its unvarnished, granular depiction of infantry combat during the Second World War. Experts frequently highlight the text as a significant contribution to the literature of the 101st Airborne Division due to its focus on the immediate, tactical reality of the soldier on the ground.