*The instant New York Times bestseller*

The untold story of four of the most decorated soldiers of World War II—all Medal of Honor recipients—from the beaches of French Morocco to Hitler’s own mountaintop fortress, by the national bestselling author of The First Wave

“Pitch-perfect.”—The Wall Street Journal • “Riveting.”—World War II magazine • “Alex Kershaw is the master of putting the reader in the heat of the action.”—Martin Dugard

As the Allies raced to defeat Hitler, four men, all in the same unit, earned medal after medal for battlefield heroism. Maurice “Footsie” Britt, a former professional football player, became the very first American to receive every award for valor in a single war. Michael Daly was a West Point dropout who risked his neck over and over to keep his men alive. Keith Ware would one day become the first and only draftee in history to attain the rank of general before serving in Vietnam. In WWII, Ware owed his life to the finest soldier he ever commanded, a baby-faced Texan named Audie Murphy. In the campaign to liberate Europe, each would gain the ultimate accolade, the Congressional Medal of Honor.
 
Tapping into personal interviews and a wealth of primary source material, Alex Kershaw has delivered his most gripping account yet of American courage, spanning more than six hundred days of increasingly merciless combat, from the deserts of North Africa to the dark heart of Nazi Germany. Once the guns fell silent, these four exceptional warriors would discover just how heavy the Medal of Honor could be—and how great the expectations associated with it. Having survived against all odds, who among them would finally find peace?

The national bestselling author of The First Wave tells the untold story of the four most decorated soldiers of World War II-Medal of Honor recepients all-from North Africa to Hitler's own mountaintop fortress



During World War II, as the Allies raced to defeat Hitler, reporters learned of four American soldiers, all in the same regiment, who had earned medal after medal for battlefield heroism. They were the ultimate band of brothers: The dashing Captain Maurice "Footsie" Britt became the very first American to receive every award for valor in a single war. Michael Daly was a West Point dropout who risked his neck over and over to keep his men alive. Captain Keith Ware would one day become the most senior US general to die in Vietnam. In WWII, Ware's life was saved by the finest soldier he ever commanded, a baby-faced Texan named Audie Murphy, an American legend who would one day become a celebrated Hollywood star. Soon, the newspapermen began to cover the four's exploits like a football game, pitting one against another as if they were athletes trying to outdo each other. Who among them would gain the ultimate accolade as WWII's most decorated soldier?



Tapping into personal interviews and a wealth of primary source material, Alex Kershaw has delivered his most gripping account yet of American courage. Together, these men helped defeat Nazi Germany's finest troops, marching more than two thousand miles, from the deserts of North Africa to Hitler's Eagle's Nest in Bavaria, surviving more than six hundred days of increasingly merciless combat. They fought in every major campaign during the liberation of Europe, earning all of the nation's awards for valor, including the Medal of Honor. Once the guns fell silent, the four would discover just how heavy the Medal of Honor could weigh, and how great the expectations associated with it could be. Having survived the most intense combat of WWII against all odds, this extraordinary brotherhood would fight just as hard to find peace.

Story Locale: Western Europe

“Against All Odds is a timely reminder of the horrors of war and valor and sacrifices of the Greatest Generation.”
—Booklist

“In his latest book of popular World War II history, bestselling author Kershaw tells the stories of four Americans who won the Medal of Honor and lived postwar lives that sometimes kept them in the public eye… Realistic portraits of four American superheroes.”
—Kirkus

“Alex Kershaw is the master of putting the reader in the heat of the action. Against All Odds is vivid and compelling, a crisp narrative about heroism, war, and going above and beyond the call of duty.”
—Martin Dugard, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Killing the Mob and national bestselling author of Taking Paris
 
“Alex Kershaw understands what makes soldiers fight: their devotion to the man to their left and to their right. In Against All Odds, Kershaw continues to raise the bar with an unvarnished story of heroism during World War II, and a lasting tribute to the American soldier as liberator.”
—Kevin Maurer, #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of No Easy Day and author of Rock Force
 
“Nobody ‘wins’ the Medal of Honor, nor is it ‘awarded.’ It is earned under fire, often at the cost of one’s life and always in the face of ferocious hostile resistance. What sort of men do such deeds? Alex Kershaw knows. In Against All Odds, the renowned master of the battle narrative takes us right into the most perilous action in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, and France alongside Maurice Britt, Michael Daly, Audie Murphy, and Keith Ware, heroes all. It’s a gripping, unforgettable story of undaunted courage in the heart of World War II.”
—Daniel P. Bolger, Lt. Gen., U.S. Army Ret., and author of The Panzer Killers