The Winter Army – By Maurice Isserman

The World War II odyssey of the 10th Mountain Division. America’s Elite Alpine Warriors.     Paperback

At the start of World War II,  the US Army had two cavalry divisions but no mountain troops. The German Wehrmacht, in contrast, had many divisions’ worth – hardened soldiers who by 1943 had blocked the Allied advance into Italy. To break the stalemate, the US Army formed its first alpine fighting force: The 10th Mountain Division. A motley mix of Ivy League students, park rangers, Olympic skiers, and European refugees, the 10th spearheaded the Allied drive in Italy to final victory – but at a terrible cost. The Winter Army is the saga of this unlikely band of brothers, men whose legacy lives on in American mountain fighters to this day.