Every Man a Hero: A Memoir of D-Day, the First Wave at Omaha Beach, and a World at War

by Ray Lambert, Jim DeFelice

Overview

An Army medic and Silver Star recipient shares a visceral firsthand account of D-Day in this acclaimed, New York Times bestselling WWII memoir.

At five a.m. on June 6, 1944, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ray Lambert stood on the deck of a troopship off the coast of Normandy, France, awaiting the signal to board the landing craft that would take him and so many others to meet their fate on Omaha Beach. Spotting his brother Bill, who served beside him throughout the war, they exchanged promises to take care of their families if one of them didn’t make it.

Less than five hours later, after saving dozens of lives and being wounded at least three separate times, Ray would lose consciousness in the shallow water of the beach under heavy fire. He would wake on the deck of a landing ship to find his battered brother clinging to life next to him.

Every Man a Hero is the unforgettable story not only of what happened in the incredible and desperate hours on Omaha Beach, but of the bravery and courage that preceded them, throughout the Second World War—from the sands of Africa, through the treacherous mountain passes of Sicily, and beyond to the greatest military victory the world has ever known.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062947598
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/19/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	295
Sales rank:	374,771
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Arnold “Ray” Lambert (1920-2021) joined the U.S. Army in 1940 and served as a medic in the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and Normandy. For much of the war, he was staff sergeant in charge of a 30-man detail in the First Division’s famed 16th Regiment. Lambert earned the Silver Star and multiple Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts. He saved many lives. After the war, he started two successful businesses in the Boston area. His memoir, Every Man a Hero, was published in 2019 and became a New York Times bestseller.

Jim DeFelice is the co-author, with former U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, of the multi-million-copy bestseller American Sniper, the source for Clint Eastwood’s film starring Bradley Cooper. His other books include Omar Bradley: General at War; Rangers at Dieppe; and West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express. He lives in upstate New York.

Table of Contents

List of Maps xi

Introduction: O-Hour+15 Jim DeFelice xxiii

Prologue Why We Remember 1

1 Early Days 5

2 Echoes of War 17

3 Infamy and England 39

4 Lighting the Torch 53

5 My Life in My Hands 83

6 Husky 101

7 (Some) Rest for the Weary 135

8 A Mighty Endeavor 155

9 Beyond Despair 181

10 Deliverance 189

11 Breakout 201

12 The Rewards of Peace 225

13 Legacy 235

Collaborator's Note: Bringing Ray's Story to the Page Jim DeFelice 239

Appendix A The Combat Medics of World War II 245

Appendix B Battle Fatigue, Psychoneurosis, and PTSD in World War II 251

Appendix C Further Reading 255

Notes and Sources 259

Acknowledgments 271

Index 275

Editorial Reviews

★ 06/01/2019

By writing this memoir, Silver Star recipient Lambert has fulfilled one last duty for his country. While the book might not be the best on D-Day (see Cornelius Ryan's The Longest Day and John C. McManus's The Dead and Those About To Die) it is among the most poignant. The affecting quality partly comes from Lambert having written this in his 90s, collaborating with author DeFelice (American Sniper). Though primarily focused on the D-Day operations, this account tells much more about the American fight with Nazi Germany. Lambert served as a medic within North African and Sicilian campaigns prior to D-Day and recalls how he treated soldiers in combat, honoring the men whom he saw fall on and off the battlefield. By not naming them yet providing historical insight and character, he grants them honor. VERDICT Released in time for the 75th anniversary of D-Day, this is possibly one last testament to those valiant soldiers who helped secured American victory.—Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

Library Journal

04/22/2019

In this gripping memoir, the now-98-year-old Staff Sgt. Lambert, a U.S. army medic who was awarded Silver and Bronze Star medals and Purple Hearts, recounts his prewar life and his experiences at Omaha Beach, “the bloodiest of all the places the Allies landed on D-Day.” After a brief introduction to that battle, the story rewinds to Lambert’s upbringing on an Alabama farm during the Great Depression, his and his brother’s 1939 enlistment in the army, and being shipped off to England in 1942. A treasure trove of details about WWII military life follows: how the army and its battalions were organized, how medics were trained and how they handled malaria and trench foot, and how the soldiers reacted to encountering members of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. Lambert was in Tunisia as Operation Vulcan unfolded in April 1943, in Sicily for Operation Husky that July, and in the Normandy landing on D-Day, where his back was broken saving soldiers. This tale is further enriched by descriptions of life on the home front (ration books, price controls, Victory Gardens). Told with both dramatic immediacy and charming folksy flourishes (“I like to tell people I’m older than Noah and the Flood, but that’s not true”), this excellent memoir stands out among this year’s crop of D-Day books. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Lambert landed on [Omaha Beach] as a 23-year-old Army medic with his brother Bill. Only seven of the 31 soldiers on Mr. Lambert’s landing craft survived. As the bullets cut down his comrades, he raced repeatedly back into the sea to drag out wounded soldiers.” — New York Times

“[Lambert] was able to save well more than a dozen lives thanks to his bravery, skill and presence of mind. . . . The responsibility he felt for those men on Omaha Beach 75 years ago has never left Ray Lambert, and it never will.” — Smithsonian

“Lambert is nothing short of miraculous. … Reading Lambert’s account is like sitting at your grandfather’s feet and hearing some of the best tales you’ll ever know. All Americans owe Lambert gratitude for his service and sacrifice, and for sharing his memories.” — Booklist, STARRED review

“Gripping. … This excellent memoir stands out. … A treasure trove of details about WWII.” — Publishers Weekly

“At 98, Lambert, who earned a Silver Star and multiple Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts, is still around to tell his story. Readers will be grateful. … Lambert’s narrative flows smoothly throughout, clearly showing the author’s heroism.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

[Lambert] was able to save well more than a dozen lives thanks to his bravery, skill and presence of mind. . . . The responsibility he felt for those men on Omaha Beach 75 years ago has never left Ray Lambert, and it never will.

Smithsonian

Lambert landed on [Omaha Beach] as a 23-year-old Army medic with his brother Bill. Only seven of the 31 soldiers on Mr. Lambert’s landing craft survived. As the bullets cut down his comrades, he raced repeatedly back into the sea to drag out wounded soldiers.

New York Times

Lambert is nothing short of miraculous. … Reading Lambert’s account is like sitting at your grandfather’s feet and hearing some of the best tales you’ll ever know. All Americans owe Lambert gratitude for his service and sacrifice, and for sharing his memories.

STARRED review Booklist