Fire and Fury: Heroes of the 82nd Airborne Book 10

By Todd McLeod and Eric Meyer

82nd Airborne has fought hard, through France, through the Ardennes forest, until they face the most daunting obstacle. The border of the Third Reich.
Operation Varsity is the largest airborne operation in history. 1st platoon lands outside Alsdorf to block any attempt by the Germans to rush reinforcements toward Aachen, the intended destination for the 82nd main force.

The town is reported to be undefended, except by a few demoralized Hitler Youth. From the moment they land, when PFC Ray Cassidy and PFC Harry Byrd land on top of a German sentry, to their advance on the town, things start to go wrong. More wrong than anyone could have imagined. The town is defended by demoralized Hitler Youth. But nobody mentioned the company of hard-bitten Wehrmacht troopers, veterans of the Russian Front. Up against overwhelming odds, sandwiched between fanatical Nazis and an incoming USAF bombing raid the battle rages, whilst for Ray Cassidy, it becomes a personal crusade for vengeance.

Heroes of the 82nd Airborne Book 10 – Fire and Fury is the tenth work of shortread fiction set during the Second World War in Europe. The book is a collaboration between Todd McLeod and Eric Meyer, the bestselling author of more than fifty war novels.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Swordworks Books
• Release date: Jul 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005164430

Book preview

Fire and Fury

By Todd McLeod & Eric Meyer

BOOK 10 OF THE HEROES OF THE 82ND AIRBORNE SERIES

SHORT FICTION

Copyright 2020 by Todd McLeod & Eric Meyer

Published by Swordworks Books

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

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Chapter One

Lieutenant Frank Bond, in command of 1st Platoon, B Company, 507th Parachute Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, had to shout over the thunder of the twin Pratt & Whitney radial piston engines. To add to the deafening roar, the constant rattle of the aluminum fuselage was like a drunken dance band playing out of tune. As if that wasn’t enough to make the paratroopers’ lives a misery, the wind found the tiniest gap in the metal skin to whistle through the cabin like the howling of a demented banshee.

Watching from behind the pilots, Lieutenant Bond, the platoon commander, was almost submerged beneath a mountain of equipment. Helmet, pack, weapons, parachutes, webbing, and expensive, precision binoculars. Bond was slight, ferret-like, more like an academic or a successful long-distance runner than a paratrooper. Which was no surprise, before the war started he’d been a final year honors student and successful member of the university track team. He felt more at home in a library than on a battlefield, and assuming command hadn’t been easy. His dark eyes were constantly on the move as if checking to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything. Like submitting an important paper on time.

"We went through the briefing, so you know what’s expected of us. The main force will attack Aachen, but our task is to drop on the north side of Alsdorf and prevent the Krauts from pulling in reinforcements when they realize our target is Aachen. We have an Air Force liaison equipped with a radio, so if we run up against serious opposition, he’ll call in air