Drawing recruits from all 48 states at the time of its inception, the 82nd Airborne earned the nickname “All American.” And indeed, from its beginnings in 1917 to its service today in Afghanistan and Iraq, the 82nd has remained the nation’s best-known--and most widely respected--airborne unit. This book traces the 82nd Airborne’s history from its roots in the 82nd Infantry Division to its current service.
While providing a historical overview of the grand heritage of the All Americans--the unit’s stellar service during World War II, its reserve status during the Cold War, its peacekeeping mission in the Dominican Republic and sustained action in Vietnam--82nd Airborne focuses primarily on the unit’s contemporary service. Author Fred J. Pushies discusses the division’s involvement in small conflicts, including Grenada and Panama, throughout the 1980s. And he details the 82nd’s service throughout the 1990s in Iraq, Haiti, Bosnia, and Kosovo--and, since 9/11, in Afghanistan and Iraq. His is the most thorough and up-to-date account of the legendary All Americans in the modern era.