Jump Commander

The thrilling memoir of the legendary army colonel and paratrooper—the only airborne officer to lead three different battalions into combat during WWII.

In his distinguished service during World War II, Col. Mark James Alexander took command of three separate battalions of parachute infantrymen within the 82nd Airborne Division. A legend in his own time, he fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France. Even after sustaining serious wounds in Normandy, he insisted on playing a role in the Battle of the Bulge.

Alexander’s exploits in Italy, from capturing hundreds of prisoners in Sicily to holding ground against German counterattacks in Salerno, won him a reputation known from the lowest private to Airborne generals Gavin and Ridgway. At Normandy, Lt. John “Red Dog” Dolan called him “the finest battalion commander I ever served under,” after witnessing his leadership through the bloody battle for La Fière Bridge and Causeway.

This memoir is based on the transcription of hundreds of hours of recorded interviews made by Alexander’s grandson, John Sparry, over a period of years late in his life. Providing valuable insight into the beloved commander who led three of the most storied battalions in the US Army, Jump Commander also contains a wealth of new detail on 82nd Airborne operations and unique insight into some of the most crucial battles in the European Theater.