The Airborne Mafia

The Paratroopers Who Shaped America's Cold War Army

By: Robert F. Williams

Narrated by: Jim Seybert

The Airborne Mafia explores how a small group of World War II airborne officers took control of the US Army after World War II. This powerful cadre cemented a unique airborne culture that had an unprecedented impact on the Cold War US Army and beyond.

Robert F. Williams reveals the trials and tribulations this group of officers faced in order to bring about their vision. He spotlights the relationship between organizational culture, operational behavior, and institutional change in the United States Army during the Cold War, showing that as airborne officers ascended to the highest ranks of the army they transmitted their culture throughout their service in four major ways—civil-military relations, preparation for potential atomic combat, helicopter airmobility, and strategic response forces.

Experiences of training and commanding airborne divisions in World War II led these men to hold sway in army doctrine by the mid-1950s. Dominating institutional thought and imparting their values, beliefs, and norms throughout the service they enjoyed a special privilege within the group culture. Williams demonstrates this impact, privilege, and power by focusing on the paratrooper triumvirate of Matthew Ridgway, Maxwell Taylor, and James Gavin and the lasting impression they made on how the US Army fought.

©2025 Cornell University (P)2025 Highbridge Audio

Must Read. Great Overview of the Transformation and Impact of Airborne Forces.

This is a well written, well narrated, and well organized history of Airborne forces and their impact on the U.S. Army. I couldn’t put it down. Discussion of the evolution of the Pentomic Division abs Air Cavalry concepts have given me a different perspective on our Army’s structure. Tactical abs strategic mobility remain a lynchpin of our fighting force and their ability to hit hard across the battlefield.