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A Footsoldier for Patton The Story of a Red Diamond Infantryman with the U. S. Third Army
A Footsoldier for Patton The Story of a Red Diamond Infantryman with the U. S. Third Army
Author: Michael Bilder
Condition: Like New
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A rarely frank account of the U.S. infantry experience in northern Europe, A Foot Soldier for Patton takes the reader from the beaches of Normandy through the giddy drive across France, to the brutal battles on the Westwall, in the Ardennes, and finally to the conquest of Germany itself.
Patton's army is best known for dashing armored attacks, its commander combining the firepower of tanks with their historic lineage as cavalry. But when the Germans stood firm the greatest fighting was done by Patton's long undersung infantry--the foot sloggers who were called upon to reduce enemy strong points, and who took the brunt of German counterattacks.
Michael Bilder, a member of the 5th Infantry ("Red Diamond" division), played a unique role in the Third Army's onslaught. A rifleman foremost, he was also a German-speaker, called upon for interrogations and special duties. Also a combat lifeguard, he played a key role in successive river crossings. An astute observer, he relates dozens of fascinating insights into the campaign, from dealing with German snipers to intoxicated Frenchwomen, as well as relaying the often morbid humor of combat. Laughter, for example, erupts among Bilder's unit when a hated Graves Registration officer, known for robbing the pockets of the dead, gets his hand blown off by a German booby trap.
When the 5th Infantry comes up against the fortress of Metz, the battle is detailed in all its horror, as is the sudden drive into the flank of the Bulge, where the Americans face their first winter battle against enemy veterans of Russia. Incidents common to the ordinary GI, but which seldom see the light of day in histories, are routinely related in this book, enriching the reader's sense of the true reality of World War II combat.
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Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Keywords, content and topics in this Book
Title & Author
A Footsoldier for Patton: The Story of a "Red Diamond" Infantryman with the U.S. Third Army
Author: Michael Bilder
With: James G. Bilder
Publisher: Casemate
ISBN: 9781612000909 (paperback edition)
Type of Book
World War II memoir
Personal narrative
Front-line infantry account
Biographical / autobiographical WWII combat memoir
U.S. Army soldier’s memoir (European Theater)
Theater(s) of War
European Theater of Operations (ETO)
Western Front
Normandy campaign (hedgerow country)
France
Luxembourg
Germany (including Westwall/Siegfried Line and Ruhr)
Operations / Campaigns
Normandy landings follow‑on (post‑D‑Day; “Normandy hedgerows” fighting)
Patton’s dash across France
Battle of Metz (“Metz the Meat Grinder”)
Fighting on the Westwall (Siegfried Line)
Battle of the Bulge – fighting and freezing in Luxembourg (flank of the Bulge)
Main Nations / Sides Involved
United States (U.S. Army, infantry)
Germany (Wehrmacht; German snipers, Westwall defenders, Bulge veterans from Eastern Front)
France (Normandy, French civilians)
Luxembourg
Focus / Units / Branch
U.S. Army infantry
5th Infantry Division (“Red Diamond” Division)
U.S. Third Army (General Patton’s army)
Rifleman’s perspective
Infantry foot soldier / “footslogger” experience
German‑speaking U.S. infantryman (used for interrogations and special duties)
Combat lifeguard (river crossing support role)
Key Themes & Content Descriptors
Infantry combat in hedgerow country (Normandy)
Close‑quarters fighting
German snipers
River crossings and assault crossings (combat lifeguard duties)
Patton’s operational style vs. infantry’s burden
Garrison and training duty in Iceland
Training in the United Kingdom with British forces (“our cousins across the pond”)
Winter combat in the Ardennes / Luxembourg
Life on the Westwall front
Brutal conditions and “meat grinder” battles (Metz)
Humor and morbid humor in combat (e.g., booby‑trap incident with Graves Registration officer)
Ordinary GI experiences often omitted from official histories
Perspective of an enlisted man in Patton’s Third Army
Homecoming and war’s end (“adding points and avoiding final opportunities for getting killed”)
Notable Individuals / Formations
George S. Patton (Patton’s U.S. Third Army, as operational context)
5th Infantry Division (“Red Diamond” Division)
Michael Bilder (memoirist, U.S. infantryman, Legion of Honor recipient)
Visual / Illustrative Content
Subject / Classification Tags (for cataloging & search)
World War II – personal narratives – American
World War II – Western Front
World War II – European Theater of Operations
United States. Army – Infantry – Biography
United States. Army – 5th Infantry Division (“Red Diamond”)
Patton, George S. – Third Army operations
Normandy campaign, 1944 – personal accounts
Metz, Battle of, 1944 – personal accounts
Battle of the Bulge, 1944‑1945 – Luxembourg – personal accounts
Westwall / Siegfried Line – campaigns – personal accounts
Infantry warfare – France – Germany – 1944‑1945
Soldiers – United States – biography
Military life – humor – personal narratives
Front‑line combat – memoir
Legion of Honor (France) – WWII recipients – United States
Book Condition: Like New
Book Condition: Like New
You’ve reached the divisional archives. Whether you are looking for the technical blueprints of a Panzer, the gritty memoirs of an infantryman, or a bird’s-eye view of the Pacific Theater, we’ve got your intel right here. Our collection ranges from technical specs and biographies to rare photo journals and historical novels.
Before you enlist a new title into your personal library, check the Condition Report below to see how much action these volumes have seen:
New: Fresh Out of Bootcamp
Flawless and untested. This book is in pristine, new condition and ready for its first assignment.
Like New: Light Combat Experience
Almost new and in great shape. It has clearly been read before and is ready to fight again, but it shows very little wear from its time in the field.
Good: A Few Scars or Shell Shock
A reliable veteran. The book might have some bent corners or a dust cover with a few scratches, but it’s still sturdy and standing tall.
Fair: Battle-Hardened
Visible signs of a long campaign. Expect some stains, bent pages, and perhaps some minor tears on the cover. It’s seen the trenches, but the intel inside is still solid.
Poor: Survived Iwo Jima
This one has been through the meat grinder. It carries noticeable damage, heavy staining, or significant wear—but like any old soldier, it would love to be read one last time before it retires.
