The Last Kilometer: Marching to Victory in Europe with the Big Red One, 1944-1945

By A. Preston Price

Presented in cooperation with the Association of the U.S. Army, this is the story of life as an infantryman during the final phases of World War II. Having served as an 81-mm mortar forward observer with the 1st Infantry Division (the"Big Red One"), the author skillfully recreates this military combat experience through both personal recollections and excerpts from his letters home. The gripping and straightforward narrative leads the reader through the processes of preparing, marching, attacking, digging in, sleeping, defending, and moving out again to the next objective. These descriptions of everyday heroism highlight the plight of ordinary men as they valiantly battle the enemy even in the face of their own probable demise.

From the Battle of the Bulge to VE Day, A. Preston Price takes us through France, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. We are there as troops cross the Roer River, clash in the Remagen Bridgehead, attack the Ruhr and Harz regions, and fight for the liberation of Czechoslovakia from Nazi rule. Devoid of overly dramatic descriptions, this is a clear and precise eyewitness description of war and of the American soldiers who fought in the name of the United States and freedom. It will appeal to everyone interested in American history, military history, strategical analysis, and historical biography.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557504342
• ISBN13: 9781557504340
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Well Written Memoir

"The Last Kilometer" by A. Preston Price. Subtitled: "Marching To Victory With The Big Red One, 1944-1945." Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 2002. Arthur Preston Price was a 1943 graduate of The Citadel, the famous military academy in Charleston, South Carolina. Price, however, was actually born in Germany, 1921, in a U.S. Army hospital where his father was a doctor. The book does not really state where he learned German, but Lt. Price was proficient in the German language. His proficiency in German makes this book even more interesting as Price was called upon to interpret as his unit marched through Europe. His story begins with the ship transporting him to Europe, in November 1944. Most military memoirs have a lengthy recounting of childhood and schooling, but Price's book jumps directly into the action. On board ship, the SS China Mail, the new lieutenant enjoys the ocean voyage while most of his compatriots are sea sick. In France, they "...decide we will be here for about a month..." and then, "...suddenly we are told to pack and be ready to leave in fifteen minutes". That quote is on page 7, and from then on, the book moves rapidly, as Lt. Price describes, in the first person, his experience in the last months of the war in Europe. The book covers his travels ("From Roehr To The Rhine"), his "corner" of the Battle of the Bulge, the Remagen Bridgehead, and through the Harz Mountains down into Czechoslovakia. Lt. Price's assignment was forward observer for the mortar platoon, which means that he saw more than most soldiers as they advanced. He had to know where the American soldiers were going and then had to determine where to place the mortar rounds as the troops advanced. Due to his job, he was more aware of the where and when the action took place, and this shows in his account. The book is well written, which shows the efforts of the author and which makes it easy for the reader. Of course, the editing at the U.S. Naval Institute is always superb.

Great History of The Big Red One

This book is well written, informative, and interesting. My father was in the Big Red One and served from Africa through the end of the war. The Last Kilometer presents a very fine history of the last days of the war, and for the 1st Infantry Division in particular. I liked it so well I bought a copy for my uncle to read.

A Great Read By a Very Modest Author

I found this book to be a very compeling personal account of day to day combat life in a heavy weapons company. My Dad, Capt. Gilbert H. Fuller was the CO for H Company of this same regiment. H Company was the heavy weapons company for the 2nd Battalion of the 26th Infantry Regiment. This book is yet another reminder of the courage and unselfish valor of those that served our country in World War II.

A Walk Beside the 1st Division Veterans

Over the last 25 years, I have avidly read many histories and personal accounts of the fighting during the Battle of the Bulge during WW2. Few books have affected me as much as Col. Price's memoir. Col. Price writes that as a young Lieutanant he was attached to "L" company, 3rd Battlion of the 26th Infantry, First Infantry Division. My father also served in "L" company as a rifle squad leader during the same period. Reading Col. Price's book was like having the opportunity to speak again with my deceased father! Dad left me with several stories about his experiences during WW2 and it was amazing to read Col. Price's account. The memoir follows exactly the stories I'd heard and allowed me to place my father's story in the context of the larger battle. Col. Price's account of the assault on Bullingen was like being able to walk beside these men! The accounts of bedsheets as makeshift winter camoflage and wading through waist deep snow matched my father's story exactly. Col. Price's memoir prompted me to examine some old papers Dad had left behind. Among them was a small pocket sized notebook calendar for January 1945. Written in my father's hand were a list of the names ansd serial numbers of 12 soldiers - 1st Squad 3rd platoon of "L" company. As I turned the pages, Dad had entered a 2nd list for the squad. Comparing the two lists only 3 names from the first list had survived to the 2nd list. This was a graphic testament to just how costly this assault was for the men involved! Of all the WW2 memoirs I've read, none affected me as much as this one. Thanks to Col. Price for sharing his experiences - not many veterans have been able to tell thier story and that of their comrades so well.