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From Saddle to Parachute
A photo-biography of Cpt. Jerzy Z. Fijalkowski-Bereda (Bereday)
Written by Colonel Gerald Kochan (Ret.)
Glimpses into the military service of a Polish officer from 1938 to 1949.
The military service of Captian Bereday spanned the first shots of World War 2 until the disbanding of Polish forces in the West in 1949. Starting the war as a cavalry cadet officer assigned to the Warsaw Mechanized Brigade, he ended his service as one of the highest decorated soldiers of the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. During the actions of the Parachute Brigade in Operation Market Garrden, actions also immortalized in book and film, “Bridge Too Far,” he earned his nation’s highest award, the Virtuti Militari Medal.
This book presents, through the personal photos of Captain Bereday, a series of glimpses into the man of whom official records can never do justice. It presents the human side of a warrior fighting in exile for a homeland that would never again be his.
About the Author
Gerald Kochan is the director of the Polish American Museum, located in Fort Washington, NY, and Executive Director of the Center for Military Studies. Colonel Kochan is a decorated combat veteran, with more than forty years of service as an army officer, contractor, and consultant to the Defense Department. Among his awards are the Bronze Star Medal for combat leadership and the Polish Gold Cross of Merit Medal. He is the creator of the documentary “White Eagle in Borrowed Skies.” This film, about the Polish Air Force during World War 2, is a perennial favorite on PBS.
Reviews
“Fascinating story of a forgotten hero.
Colonel Gerald Kochan (Ret.) deserves great credit for uncovering and publishing this photo album and the information about Polish Second World War hero Captain Jerzy Fijalkowski-Bereda. The book From Saddle to Parachute is a remarkable story of a young cadet officer for whom the war begins in September 1939 and ends almost ten years later with no place to return. Communist Poland did not welcome those who fought on the Western Front.
The book consists of a unique collection of photos from prewar Poland, from the September 1939 campaign, from France 1940, from Scotland, and, most importantly, from Operation Market-Garden in Holland, 1944. Arnhem was the most important and horrific battle for a young Polish soldier to participate in. For his bravery in action, he was awarded the Virtuti Militari Cross, the highest Polish military medal.
Thanks to Colonel Kochan’s work, we can learn and discover the unbelievable history of an almost forgotten war hero and his brothers in arms from the First Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. One can only hope that Colonel Kochan will continue his research, and, sooner rather than later, other books will be published by the Polish American Museum – Center for Military Studies.”
-Boguslaw Winid
Polish Deputy Minister of Defense, 2006-2007
Ambassador of Poland to NATO, 2007-2011
“I found From Saddle to Parachute very well written, and very interesting. This book is superbly illustrated with photos from Captain Bereda’s story, most of them from the Captain’s personal albums.
The author has proven that there was a worthwhile story behind the photos. Writing history and telling someone’s life story require two different types of writing, and this book combines both very well.
It is unfortunate that Captain Bereda is not well known, as his story is one to make Polish Americans proud. Congratulations to the author on his introduction of this little known but genuine hero in such a readable fashion.
The book will be a real boon to readers of military history who like to experience crucial campaigns, such as the Arnhem-Driel portion of “Operation Market Garden,” from the participants’ perspectives. It is a very personal approach to an officer’s experiences of war and the reader benefits from the chance to let the verbal images and visual images place them among the scenes themselves.”