Fightin' Army #32

A young rifleman named Nelson learns the hard way that his M1 rifle and the infantrymen who carry it are far more decisive in battle than the tanks and planes he once envied. Fighting across Sicily, Italy, and Normandy, Nelson must overcome his own doubts to understand what truly wins wars—the gritty determination of soldiers on the ground. By the time he and his sergeant hold a vital junction against overwhelming Nazi forces, Nelson finally grasps the brutal truth about combat.

Soldiers in Charlie Company hate their hard-driving captain, McNaught, for pushing them relentlessly through Korean combat—until they witness his unwavering commitment firsthand during the brutal fight for Pork Chop Hill. As the men endure wave after wave of attack and realize McNaught works twice as hard as any of them, their contempt transforms into something altogether different. By the time McNaught falls, the troops understand what his demanding leadership was really about.

In the swamps and mountains of New Guinea, PFC Bud Austen faces a platoon's toughest mission yet—but his real battle isn't with the entrenched Japanese forces across the valley. Weakened by jungle rot, malaria, and a paralyzing fear of snakes and insects, Austen must push through the treacherous terrain and find the will to hold his ground when everything in him wants to break. When the firefight finally erupts and his sergeant is wounded, Austen discovers what he's truly capable of when faced with an impossible choice.

When bookkeeper Leeds parachutes into Normandy with a platoon of combat-hardened heroes, he's convinced he doesn't belong—until a twisted ankle and raw determination force him to prove that brains matter as much as brawn in a war zone. As the squad prepares to sabotage a German tank train, Leeds draws on his gift for logistics and quick thinking to keep the operation on schedule, earning grudging respect from Lt. Radigan and Sgt. Hook Eisner. But when the mission goes sideways and the squad needs cover to reach a vital French Resistance hideout, Leeds discovers that sometimes the best way to be a paratrooper is to stop acting like one.