Modern warfare Books

Book SynopsisUnconventional warfare tactics can have a considerable effect on the outcome of any war. During World War II, the United States government developed and employed two new methods of fighting. The first was the development of 'paratroop' units, as they were first called. The second was the formation of a covert and sabotage operations branch called the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Lt. Colonel Bolland was involved in both of these 'firsts'. During the D-Day invasion he parachuted behind enemy lines, jumping out of the 82nd Airborne lead aircraft with General James Gavin. After fighting with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment for thirty-three days straight, he returned to England and became involved with the OSS Scandinavian Section. He served as Field Commander for their Operation, code named Rype. This was the only American military undertaking, albeit covert, in Norway during the entire course of the war.As a young boy growing up in rural western Minnesota, Bolland got his military start with the Minnesota National Guard, before being accepted to West Point, solely on merit. His military career lasted seventeen years. Lt. Colonel Bolland ended up with numerous decorations including the Norwegian Liberation Medal and Citation, the Bronze Star for valour, the French Fouragerre of Croix de Guerre with Palms and posthumously the Congressional Gold medal awarded to the OSS Society on behalf of all former OSS members that served during the war.His story reveals the struggles, successes, failures and ultimate victories, detailing what went right and what went wrong with these new unconventional methods of fighting.Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Chapter 1. A Changing Scene Chapter 2. The Making of a Paratrooper Chapter 3. Battle Experience, D-Day Invasion with the 82nd Airborne Chapter 4. The British Temperament Chapter 5. The Norwegian Temperament Chapter 6. Norwegian-American Roots of the Bolland Family Chapter 7. German Methods of Fighting Chapter 8. Norwegian Resistance Chapter 9. OSS Beginnings, Background and History Chapter 10. Prelude to a Mission Chapter 11. The Scandinavian Section, OSS London Chapter 12. The Inception and Importance of Operation RYPE Chapter 13. Meeting the NORSO Group Personnel Chapter 14. NORSO Beginnings Chapter 15. Operation Rype Preparation Chapter 16. Carpetbaggers Chapter 17. Operation Rype Chapter 18. Spies through Sweden Chapter 19. Impending Victory Chapter 20. Capturing the German Airport Trondheim Fjord Chapter 21. NORSO's Final Days Chapter 22. Liberation Chapter 23. Bon Voyage, Back to the United States Chapter 24. Closing Military Endeavors—Korea and Japan Conclusion Supplemental Documents and Photos Epilogue: Congressional Gold Medal

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Book SynopsisGeorge VI's biographer, Sir John Wheeler Bennett wrote "The actual turning of the tide in the 2nd World War may be accurately determined as the first week of July 1942." This book argues that it is possible to be even more exact: the tide turned at about 21.00 hrs on 2 July 1942, when Rommel's tanks withdrew for the first time since the fall of Tobruk on 20 June, or arguably since 14 January 1942 at El Agheila.At dusk on Wednesday 1 July 1942, Rommel broke through the centre of the British defences at Alamein. His tanks had overwhelmed the gallant defence of the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade in the Deir el Shein at the foot of the Ruweisat Ridge. At that moment, and for the next twelve hours, there was no further organised defence between the spearhead of the Afrika Korps and Alexandria. Throughout the next day, only a handful of men and guns stood between Rommel and his prize. In Cairo, black clouds of smoke from burning files showed that many people believed Rommel would not stop short of the Suez Canal, his stated objective.But, on Friday 3 July at 22.56 hrs, only 48 hours later, Rommel called off his attack and ordered his troops to dig in where they stood. The Delta was saved.Just a few weeks earlier, the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, which took the brunt of the initial attack on 1 July, and the guns of the small column known as Robcol that stopped Rommel on 2 and 3 of July, had been in northern Iraq. General Auchinleck's desperate measure, pulling them 1,500 miles from Iraq into the Western desert, just succeeded but it greatly increased the price of failure. If Robcol had failed, it is doubtful that Rommel would have stopped at the canal; it does not require much imagination to see his forces threatening to link up with Barbarossa in the Ukraine. This vivid account of the battle of Ruweisat Ridge, the beginning of the battle of Alamein, was written by an officer who was part of Robcol on the fateful day.

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Book SynopsisThe Allied amphibious operation codenamed Shingle was launched in late January 1944. It was opposed by German forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno. Success depended on the element of surprise, and the speed with which the invaders could build up strength and move inland. This was understood by General Mark Clark, commander of the US Fifth Army, but not fully understood by his subordinate commanders.This German account focuses on the landing at Anzio as it was the only one that failed to achieve its objective of smashing the German defense and achieving operational freedom of movement. The battle lasted over six weeks, with mistakes made by leadership on both sides, and consequently also great sacrifice by solders on both sides. But the operation was not a German success either, and attempts to prevent the creation of a strong bridgehead failed. Ultimately the Allies would reach Rome, and the Allies applied lessons from this battle to facilitate the success of Overlord, launched five months later.While not complete, as the author did not have access to some of the war diaries of higher levels of German command, this is still one of the best German accounts of Operation Shingle and is here translated into English for the first time.Table of ContentsThe assault from the sea and the German countermeasures Amphibious operation “Shingle” The planning for “Shingle” The assault The Defence of Army Group “C” Terrain study of the battle ground of Anzio/Nettuno Build up of German Defence Expansion of the Allied beachhead German countermeasures The first German general offensive The second German general offensive Final remarks

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Book SynopsisIn 1940, the U.S. Army began to standardize the production of vehicles it required to fight a modern war face=Calibri>– including support and medical vehicles. The first deliveries of the ¾-ton Dodge WC54 ambulance arrived in 1942. Built by Chrysler, and utilising the same chassis and engine as the entire Dodge WC series, the WC54 ambulance has specific features specific to use for the rescue and transport of injured soldiers. In all, more than 26,000 Dodge WC54 vehicles would be built during the war.Used by the U.S. military and its allies, it remained in service after the war in a number of countries including France. The Dodge WC54 ambulance is an iconic vehicle from this period, and remains highly sought after by collectors face=Calibri>– it is still possible to find ambulances in varying states of repair available for sale.Based upon his own painstaking restoration of a WC54, the author presents in detail every element of this vehicle face=Calibri>– chassis, cabin, electrical circuitry, accessories, and markings. It explains the adaptations made to the body, mechanics, and markings of the ambulance during the war, and shows the differences between the Dodge WC54s used by the U.S. military and those of the French army. Abundantly illustrated with more than 450 photos, this book is a perfect reference for all enthusiasts of military vehicles.Trade ReviewTruck modelers and enthusiasts will love it. Variants. Mechanics. Markings regulations. Even Dodge spare parts packaging. They’re all here. Recommended! * CyberModeler 02/11/2022 *A neat book on the Dodge WC54 ambulance. * Indy AMPS *Table of ContentsForeword Introduction 1. Chassis 2. Body 3. Electrical wiring and heating 4. Accessories 5. Markings and identification 6. Post-war and reconstruction Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisRobert Foley had only been in Vietnam for six months when he was promoted to captain and given command of a rifle company. In November 1966, Foley led his men on a mission to rescue another company that had been pinned down by Viet Cong forces. His leadership that day inspired his men and led to a successful operation face=Calibri>– and the Medal of Honor. His actions in Vietnam were only a small portion of a long and varied career of service in the US Army, but Foley did not always seem marked for success. Coming from a blue-collar suburb of Boston, his years in West Point were marked by poor grades, injuries, and sickness. With a determination to lead by example and inspire trust among others, Foley served across the globe and rose through the ranks. He even returned to West Point as Commandant of Cadets, later retiring as a 3-star general and commander of Fifth Army."Standing Tall is a terrific book following a true American hero's journey during a stellar career in the U.S. Army. Lieutenant General (Retired) Bob Foley has written a must read for anyone interested in learning leadership lessons during the toughest situations imaginable."General Robert B. Brown, US Army Retired, former Commanding General, US Army Pacific, President & Chief Executive Officer, Association of the US ArmyTrade ReviewWhat distinguishes Standing Tall from the genre of military memoirs is how Foley deftly intersperses lessons learned from his military experience … [It] is an extraordinary memoir that captures a remarkable soldier’s personal journey. Combining easy prose and splendid writing, Foley’s leadership odyssey deserves a wide audience. A primer on leadership that ought to be on every [soldier’s] mandatory reading list. * ARMY Magazine *Table of ContentsChapter 1 – Early Years Chapter 2 – New Cadet Barracks Chapter 3 – Plebe Year Chapter 4 – Keeping the Faith Chapter 5 – Wolfhounds Chapter 6 – The War in Vietnam Chapter 7 – Rifle Company Commander Chapter 8 – Operation Attleboro Chapter 9 – Two Decisions Chapter 10 – About Face Chapter 11 – Battalion Operations Officer Chapter 12 – Moscow and Leningrad Chapter 13 – Battalion Commander Chapter 14 – Naval War College Chapter 15 – Brigade Commander Chapter 16 – Crisis Management Chapter 17 – Assistant Division Commander Chapter 18 – Commandant of Cadets Chapter 19 – Company Tactical Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers Chapter 20 – Mission Essential Task Enhancement Chapter 21 – Honor and Respect Chapter 22 – Deputy Commanding General, Second Army Chapter 23 – Commanding General, US Army Military District of Washington Chapter 24 – Commanding General, Fifth Army Chapter 25 – Epilogue Acknowledgements Endnotes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe year 1968 was arguably the most significant year of the Vietnam war. It was the height of the American involvement, and because officer casualties had been so great after the Tet Offensive of May 1968, all prior officer assignments were cancelled.First Lieutenant Robin Bartlett, originally on orders to the 101st Airborne Division, suddenly found himself at the “repo-depo” in Bien Hoa reassigned to the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). The unit had more helicopter support than any other unit in Vietnam. The soldiers carried lighter packs, more ammo and water because of the availability of rapid helicopter resupply. Immediate support from artillery, helicopter gunships and ARA (aerial rocket artillery) was only minutes away to support a firefight. Wounded troops could be medevacked even in dense jungle using “jungle penetrators.” It also meant that Bartlett’s platoon could deploy into hot landing zones at a moment’s notice if an enemy force had been spotted. And they did.It was with extreme anxiety that Bartlett made his way to join his battalion and company—it was the worst of times to be a platoon leader in Vietnam, let alone a grunt serving in a combat unit. Bartlett also had to cope with personal issues of commitment to a war that was rapidly losing support not only back home but among the soldiers he was leading through the jungles of I Corps on “search and destroy" missions. Fifty years later, Bartlett’s vivid combat experiences are brought to light in a fast-moving, well-written, first-person narrative expressing the horror, fear, anguish and sometimes illogical humor of that war.Trade ReviewRobin Bartlett exhibited courage, performed his jobs well, cared for those who served under him, and developed leadership and organizational skills. * The VVA Veteran *Vietnam veteran Bartlett debuts with a cathartic account of his 1968 tour of duty...Poignant and personal, this is an intimate account of one man’s war. * Publishers Weekly 21/12/2022 *Table of ContentsThe Trail Preface Introduction My First Worst Day in Vietnam – dealing with my first KIA Training for War – Airborne and Officer Basic Training Ranger School: learning to Lead; preparing to kill Back To the 82d – gaining experience at the 82d Airborne Division First Days in Country – Assignment to the 1st Cav Division (Airmobile) Ambushing Gazelles – creative ambush gone wrong The Jungle Penetrator – evacuation in dense jungle FNGs in the Field and Base Camp – new replacement story Face-to-Face – meeting the enemy Pay Officer – paying troops in the field Blown Ambush – failed ambush Saturation Ambushing – ambush technique in hot, dense jungle Recon by Fire – enemy base camp – calling for artillery Beyond Artillery Coverage – danger of being out from under artillery cover LZ is Green – landing in a suspected hot LZ Autorotate – falling from the sky Stream Crossing – danger from stream crossing Letting It All Hang Out – failure to get the right size pants Tracer Rounds – starting a fire with tracers Surviving Leg Cramps – becoming dehydrated Ambush in the Rain – the challenge of an ambush in the rain Escort to Laos – escorting CIA into Laos Tear Gas Attack – use of tear gas on enemy Night Firefight – how squad leader saved the day Hard Luck Simons – soldier drafted illegally Walking Point – I did it one time only You Fight It We Write It – staff assignment The Battle of the Parrot’s Beak – battle interview and report Assistant Defense Council – defending soldiers in trial Buying Art Supplies – trip to Saigon Welcome Home – returning to The World Butterfly Coincidences – unusual coincidences Attributions – recognition of combat photographers and artists A Boots on the Ground Point of View – final summary Glossary and Abbreviations of Military Terms US and Enemy Weapons Military Awards, Decorations and Assignments Timeline Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBlack Tulip is the dramatic story of history's top fighter ace, Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann. It's also the story of how his service under Hitler was simplified and elevated to Western mythology during the Cold War. Over 1,404 wartime missions, Hartmann claimed a staggering 352 airborne kills, and his career contains all the dramas you would expect. There were the frostbitten fighter sweeps over the Eastern Front, drunken forays to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, a decade of imprisonment in the wretched Soviet POW camps, and further military service during the Cold War that ended with conflict and angst. Just when Hartmann’s second career was faltering, he was adopted by a network of writers and commentators personally invested in his welfare and reputation. These men, mostly Americans, published elaborate, celebratory stories about Hartmann and his elite fraternity of Luftwaffe pilots. With each dogfight tale put into print, Hartmann’s legacy became loftier and more secure, and his complicated service in support of Nazism faded away. A simplified, one-dimensional account of his life – devoid of the harder questions about allegiance and service under Hitler – has gone unchallenged for almost a generation. Black Tulip locates the ambiguous truth about Hartmann and so much of the German Wehrmacht in general: that many of these men were neither full-blown Nazis nor impeccable knights. They were complex, contradictory, and elusive. This book portrays a complex human rather than the heroic caricature we’re used to, and it argues that the tidy, polished hero stories we’ve inherited about men like Hartmann say as much about those who've crafted them as they do about the heroes themselves.

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Book SynopsisAs Allied air force bombers mercilessly pound Nazi Germany every night in late 1943, the decision is made to send a number of journalists on a mission to Berlin. One of them was a young American journalist Lowell Bennett, who had made his name reporting on the Allied invasion of Tunisia.When their Avro Lancaster is hit by Luftwaffe fighters, everyone is forced to bail out. Bennett was taken prisoner upon landing in Germany. Before delivering him to a prison camp for the duration of the war, Bennett’s captor, a German officer, decides to take him on a tour of various German cities, a submarine base, and the Ruhr in order to let the journalist see for himself the terrible suffering of the civilian population, the prime target of Allied bombing.In this vivid first-hand account of his experiences, Bennett expresses his indignation at this selective bombing and vehemently criticises the Allies' strategic bombing policies. Controversial at the time of its publication in 1945, Bennett's account remains the only first-hand report by an Allied journalist of the RAF and USAAF bombing raids seen from ground level.Trade ReviewLowell Bennett did not write as a journalist but in the honest and human prose of the best in memoirs, a work well received in 1945 that still takes the reader on a great adventure today. The author raises blunt questions about the failure and waste of the allied air campaigns that might also be asked of the United States in Korea and Vietnam years later. * New York Journal of Books *Bennett’s writings remain the only firsthand reports by an Allied journalist of the RAF and USAAF bombing raids seen at the ground level. * ARGunners.com *Lowell Bennett did not write as a journalist but in the honest and human prose of the best in memoirs, a work well received in 1945 that still takes the reader on a great adventure today. * New York Journal of Books *Table of Contents1. Assignment Over Germany 2. Parachute to Berlin 3. Unexpected Visitor 4. To Solitary Confinement 5. Questions and Answers 6. Nazidom’s Guest 7. Wartime Tourist 8. Daylight Bombing Commentary 9. Ravaged Ruhr 10. Escape 11. Slata Praha 12. Gestapo Interlude 13. Illegal Tourism 14. Chain-Letter Sabotage 15. The House That Flak Built 16. Not as Briefed 17. Pow Wow 18. May Day Liberation 19. Flight to Civilization

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Book SynopsisAnimals, especially dogs, have served in all the wars of men since time immemorial. During World War II, most combatant nations employed dogs on the battlefield in a number of ways, including searching for injured men or downed airmen, detecting mines, carrying messages between units or dragging communications wires, particularly in difficult terrain, transporting supplies, and sentry duty.This illustrated book is an overview of how dogs were trained and used in WWII by different countries, including the stories of some of the individual animals that served. It also summarises the various programs established to take care of the animals and send them home after the war.Trade ReviewWe are told that a dog is man’s best friend and this book goes far to proving it...a good introduction written by someone with a love of the subject. * Army Rumour Service *Casemate are to be applauded for publishing such an unusual facet of warfare. * Tankette Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe Soviet Army was ill-prepared for its erstwhile ally's treacherous onslaught in 1941. Its officer corps decimated by Stalin's purges and its men less well-trained than the Germans, the Red Army was poorly led, hampered by the power of the political officers and only partly mobilised. But, in spite of the huge German victories and the speed of the Nazi attack, the Soviets proved fantastically capable of rolling with the punches. The vast territory of the Soviet Union and huge population were significant factors, as was substantial assistance from the West – the United States and Britain in particular – which was in evidence when the German columns got to within a few miles short of Moscow and were held and then forced back. The tide turned thanks to help from outside and the efforts of the Soviet soldiers, who proved hardy and durable. And just like its soldiers, Russian infantry equipment was rugged and effective. While Soviet infantrymen may not have had the flexibility or tactical nous of the Germans, they did not lack cunning: deception, camouflage skills and endurance made Russian snipers, as an example, more than the equal of the Germans. Most views of the Soviet soldier and campaign are influenced by self-serving German postwar accounts designed to excuse their loss by suggesting that Adolf Hitler's meddling and Soviet numbers were the main reasons for victory: this denigrates the Russian infantryman whose toughness and ingenuity helped destroy the Third Reich in spite of the faults of its own regime. Fully illustrated with over 200 contemporary photographs and illustrations, Soviet Infantryman on the Eastern Front in the Casemate Illustrated series provides an insight into the Soviets' main theater of operations in World War II.Table of ContentsIntroduction The soldier Logistics Tactics Life in the field

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Book SynopsisDuring World War II, the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) projected American military might across distances and with destructive force unimaginable just a decade previously. The B-17s and B-24s of the US Eighth Air Force turned much of Germany’s infrastructure to twisted steel and burnt rubble between 1943 and 1945. B-29 Superfortresses unleashed conventional raids on Japan of even greater area destruction than that created by the atomic bomb attacks (also delivered by USAAF crews). Beyond heavy strategic bombing, US bombers performed a multitude of other tactical roles, including hunting Axis submarines, bombing enemy shipping, low-level runs against precision targets, and providing heavy air support to advancing infantry and armour. While the US bombers dealt out violence, they were also prey to a terrifying spectrum of antiaircraft threats, and by the end of the war 88,119 US airmen had died in service. Bomber crews were a world unto themselves, composed of pilots, co-pilots, engineers, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and bombardiers. And each aircraft type had its own unique characteristics and capabilities, from twin-engine B-25 Mitchells designed for strafing and skip-bombing to the four-engine workhorses of the strategic bombing campaign: the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, and B-29 Superfortress. Fighting from the Heavens presents an invaluable collection of material from US wartime manuals, including doctrinal, training, technical, aircraft-specific, and position-specific publications. Through these manuals, the reader gains an insider’s insight into the demands of US bomber warfare, including long-distance navigation, gun-turret operation, formation flying, bomber start-up procedures, and bomb aiming.Table of ContentsRoles of crew Specifics of aircraft types Operation planning Long-distance navigation Formation flying Bomb sighting Ground engineers' role

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Book SynopsisAs the American government began a disastrous mass evacuation of its Afghan allies, a group of American veterans saw the writing on the wall—the people who had supported them on the ground over the past two decades were going to be left behind. Instead of watching on the sideline, they sprang into action. The effort became known nationally as #DigitalDunkirk, in reference to the civilian aspect of the evacuation of soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. As America's last days in Afghanistan came to a chaotic end, an ad-hoc group of veterans, intelligence assets and legislative aides undertook an extraordinary mission to honor the U.S. battlefield creed to leave no comrade behind.Relying on cell phones and satellites as their weapons, they worked feverishly around the clock to help evacuate as many Afghans who had supported U.S. troops over the past twenty years as possible. As the desperate mass of Afghans tried to flee brutal Taliban rule, Marines of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, worked at Hamid Karzai International Airport's Abbey Gate in conditions that brought combat-hardened veterans to tears. After an ISIS suicide bomber detonated his S-vest, killing 13 U.S. service members, operations came to a halt.Told through the eyes of Mikael, his Afghan friend Abdul and the 2/1 Marines on the ground, including a Marine squad leader who personally led the Afghans through the airport, Life and Death at Abbey Gate tells the story behind the story of the mass evacuation of over 124,000 Americans and Afghan allies during a two-week period in the summer of 2021.This is an important story that should be read by all Americans. A story of leadership, empty government promises and the convictions of our military to stand by our allies in their time of need.Table of ContentsPrologue–Abbey Gate, HKIA Preface—Who Was #DigitalDunkirk 1 At Home in Michigan 2 An Ann Arbor Childhood 3 Basic Training 4 Deployment 5 A Kabul Childhood 6 Early Summer 2021 7 2/1 Marines Make Their Way to HKIA 8 Set Sail—Pre Evac 9 Abbey Gate 10 Team Wins–Getting Them Out 11 The Blast 12 The Mission Continues—The Paiman Rescue 13 The Aftermath

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Book SynopsisAlthough he objected to being characterized as such, Hamilton McWhorter III's service to family and country make him a standout among America's Greatest Generation. A Georgia native whose family roots date from that region's settlement during the 1700s, “Mac” McWhorter was a naval aviation cadet undergoing training when Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941. After earning his Wings of Gold in early 1942, Ensign McWhorter was trained as a fighter pilot in the robust but technologically outmoded F4F Wildcat. Initially assigned to VF-9—a fiercely spirited and hard-playing fighter squadron—he saw first combat in November 1942 against Vichy French forces in North Africa.After returning to the United States, VF-9 became the first unit to convert to the new Grumman F6F Hellcat. This was the fighter the U.S. Navy would use to crush Japanese air power during the long offensive from the Southwest Pacific to the shores of Japan. From mid-1943, Hamilton McWhorter was constantly engaged in the unforgiving and deadly aerial warfare that characterized the battles against Imperial Japan. His fifth aerial victory, in November 1943 off Tarawa Atoll, made him the first ace in the Hellcat, and seven subsequent victories ensured his place in the annals of air-to-air combat.McWhorter's combat service, from the beginning of the war to the last campaign off the shores of Okinawa, makes his story a must-read for the serious student of the Pacific air war. Hamilton McWhorter III retired from the Navy as a commander in 1969. He passed away in 2008.

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Book SynopsisA thin, balding, and reclusive middle-aged Russian by the name of Rudolf Ivanovich Abel was one of the Soviet Union’s most renowned spies during the Cold War of the 1950s…until his cover was blown by an incompetent colleague who wanted to defect to the United States. This is the full account of Abel’s espionage work, his dramatic apprehension, his eventual conviction and its affirmation by the United States Supreme Court, and finally, his surprising release back to Russia.Rudolf Ivanovich Abel ran KGB operations in the United States for nine years during the Cold War of the 1950s, until one day his true identity was revealed by a lazy, hard-drinking, womanizing colleague who decided to defect to the United States before he was sent back to Russia—and presumably his death—for incompetence in the field. As the authorities hunted down Abel, the FBI had in hand his tools of trade—hollowed-out bolts and coins used to send tiny coded messages and photographs back and forth to the Soviet Union—but little else in the way of hard leads. After Abel was located, his modest hotel in Manhattan was staked out by the FBI for over a month before he was eventually arrested and tried for espionage. After his conviction, Abel appealed his case to the Second Court of Appeals, where he argued that the search and seizure of his hotel room was unconstitutional because they were made without a warrant. His conviction was affirmed, and the case proceeded to the Supreme Court, which was sharply divided. The cliffhanger facing Abel for the next several years was whether he would face the electric chair, remain in prison for the rest of his life, or be exchanged for an American spy held by the Russians. His fate remained in the balance.

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Book SynopsisMy tour in Vietnam was 1969-1970. I was with the CoB, 1/7 Marine. 1st Marine Division. I was in the bush for the majority of that tour. Private when I got to Vietnam and a Sgt E-5 when I left Vietnam. All the years since 1970 I've been mentally living in Vietnam. I am learning to live with PTSD.I have spent 49 years living with these memories. They have followed me, not only in waking hours, but also in sleep. The time has come for me to do a little emptying of my mind and memories of a place that seems more like a bad dream than reality. My Tour of Viet Nam. The hardest part of the whole ordeal was being sent home without my fellow Marines, and not knowing who lived or who died. I have a sense of guilt for leaving them behind.I end each story with the Words “Another day closer to the world and Wake-up” because Nam was so foreign and backward and violent compared to what we had left behind, and it seemed like another place other than the real world, like a bad dream. The fact that we might go home outside a body bag to the World was a constant topic of conversation throughout my tour. When we weren’t talking about the last firefight or ambush, we were talking about the possibility of waking up from this bad dream and being back in the world again and home.

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Book SynopsisOn July 31, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Maddox (DD-731) began a reconnaissance cruise off the coast of North Vietnam. On August 2, three North Vietnamese torpedo boats attacked the ship. On the night of August 4, the Maddox and another destroyer, the USS Turner Joy (DD-951), expecting to be attacked, saw what they interpreted as hostile torpedo boats on their radars and reported themselves under attack. The following day, the United States bombed North Vietnam in retaliation. Congress promptly passed, almost unanimously and with little debate, a resolution granting President Lyndon Johnson authority to take "all necessary measures" to deal with aggression in Vietnam.The incident of August 4, 1964, is at the heart of this book. The author interviewed numerous Americans who were present. Most believed in the moment that an attack was occurring. By the time they were interviewed, there were more doubters than believers, but the ones who still believed were more confident in their opinions. Factoring in degree of assurance, one could say that the witnesses were split right down the middle on this fundamental question. A careful and rigorous examination of the other forms of evidence, including intercepted North Vietnamese naval communications, interrogations of North Vietnamese torpedo boat personnel captured later in the war, and the destroyers' detailed records of the location and duration of radar contacts, lead the author to conclude that no attack occurred that night.

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Book Synopsis*A NATIONAL BESTSELLER!* The New York Post calls The Last Fighter Pilot a "must-read" book. From April to August of 1945, Captain Jerry Yellin and a small group of fellow fighter pilots flew dangerous bombing and strafe missions out of Iwo Jima over Japan. Even days after America dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9, the pilots continued to fly. Though Japan had suffered unimaginable devastation, the emperor still refused to surrender. Bestselling author Don Brown (Treason) sits down with Yelllin, now ninety-three years old, to tell the incredible true story of the final combat mission of World War II. Nine days after Hiroshima, on the morning of August 14th, Yellin and his wingman 1st Lieutenant Phillip Schlamberg took off from Iwo Jima to bomb Tokyo. By the time Yellin returned to Iwo Jima, the war was officially over—but his young friend Schlamberg would never get to hear the news. The Last Fighter Pilot is a harrowing first-person account of war from one of America's last living World War II veterans.

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Book SynopsisThe years leading to World War I were the 'Age of the Dreadnought'. The monumental battleship design, first introduced by Admiral Fisher to the Royal Navy in 1906, was quickly adopted around the world and led to a new era of naval warfare and policy. In this book, Roger Parkinson provides a re-writing of the naval history of Britain and the other leading naval powers from the 1880s to the early years of World War I. The years before 1914 were characterised by intensifying Anglo-German naval competition, with an often forgotten element beyond Europe in the form of the rapidly developing navies of the United States and Japan. Parkinson shows that, although the advent of the dreadnought was the pivotal turning-point in naval policy, in fact much of the technology that enabled the dreadnought to be launched was a continuity from the pre-dreadnought era. In the annals of the Royal Navy two names will always be linked: those of Admiral Sir John 'Jacky' Fisher and the ship he created, HMS Dreadnought. This book shows how the dreadnought enabled the Royal Navy to develop from being primarily the navy of the 'Pax Britannica' in the Victorian era to being a war-ready fighting force in the early years of the twentieth century. The ensuing era of intensifying naval competition rapidly became a full-blooded naval arms race, leading to the development of super-dreadnoughts and escalating tensions between the European powers. Providing a truly international perspective on the dreadnought phenomenon, this book will be essential reading for all naval history enthusiasts and anyone interested in World War I.Trade Review'An informative and readable book, it provides a useful summary of the subject, placing it in a wider context' Michael DuffyTable of ContentsPreface The Origins of the Pre-Dreadnought Era The Pre-Dreadnought Era in the 1890s The New Navies of the 1890s Fisher and the Dreadnought The Imperial German Navy The Politics and Diplomacy of Naval Policy From Dreadnoughts to Super-Dreadnoughts The Worldwide Dreadnought Arms Race The First World War

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Book SynopsisThe Allies’ M10 Tank Destroyer and the Germans’ Sturmgeschütz (StuG) lll were the unsung workhorses of the northwest European battlefields of 1944–45. While their mission was not principally fighting one another, their widespread use ensured their frequent encounters, from the Normandy Bocage, to the rubble-strewn streets of Aachen. The StuG lll was the quintessential assault gun, a low-slung, heavily armoured, turret-less vehicle intended to provide direct fire support for infantry formations, whilst the M10 3in Gun Motor Carriage was originally developed as a tank destroyer. However, by 1944 the 3in gun proved ineffectual against the most thickly armored German tanks, and was consequently relegated to infantry support too. Widely deployed in roles their designers had not envisaged, these two armoured fighting vehicles clashed repeatedly during the 11-month campaign, which saw the Allies advance from Normandy to the heart of the Reich. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this is the story of their confrontation at the height of World War ll.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Design and Development /Technical Specifications /The Combatants /The Strategic Situation /Combat /Statistics and Analysis /Further Reading /Index

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Book SynopsisIn 1939 more than 140,000 New Zealanders enlisted to fight overseas during World War II. Of these, 104,000 served in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Initially thrown into the doomed campaign to halt the German blitzkrieg on Greece and Crete (1941), the division was rebuilt under the leadership of MajGen Sir Bernard Freyberg, and became the elite corps within Montgomery’s Eighth Army in the desert. After playing a vital role in the victory at El Alamein (1942) the ‘Kiwis’ were the vanguard of the pursuit to Tunisia. In 1943–45 the division was heavily engaged in the Italian mountains, especially at Cassino (1944); it ended the war in Trieste. Meanwhile, a smaller NZ force supported US forces against the Japanese in the Solomons and New Guinea (1942–44). Fully illustrated with specially commissioned colour plates, this is the story of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force’s vital contribution to Allied victory in World War II.Table of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Campaigns: Greece 1941 – Crete 1941 – 2nd NZ Division in North Africa 1941–43, and Italy 1943–45 – 3rd NZ Division in Solomons and New Guinea 1942–44 /Commanders /Composition and organization: command structure – brigade structure – battalions – training/ Uniforms, weapons and equipment /Plate commentaries /Bibliography /Index

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Book SynopsisIn the dark dungeons beneath Nazi Germany, teams of occult experts delved into ancient and forbidden lore, searching for lost secrets of power. This book tells the complete history of the Nazi occult programs, from their quests for the Ark of the Covenant, the Spear of Destiny, and the Holy Grail, through their experiments with lycanthrope and zero-point energy. It also includes information on the shadow war fought in the dying days of the Reich as the Nazis deployed strange flying saucers that battled to save their final stronghold in the Antarctic. For years, the Allied governments worked to keep this information from reaching the public, and sought to discredit those few who dared to seek the truth. Now, using a combination of photography and artwork reconstructions, the true story of the most secret battles of World War II can finally be told.Table of ContentsThe Secret of the Runes /The Thule Bruderschaft /The Ahnenerbe /Tibet and the Secret Kingdom /The Ark, the Spear, and the Grail/ Aktion Hess /Ice Moon and Hollow Earth /Vril and Zero-Point Energy /Projekt Saucer /Werwolf /The Black Sun and the Fourth Reich

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Book SynopsisBestselling author, former British diplomat and expert on Russia Rodric Braithwaite's gripping account of the intense rivalry between Russia and the West In 1945, the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and warfare was never the same again. Armageddon and Paranoia relates how the power of the atom was harnessed to produce weapons capable of destroying human civilisation and considers what this has done to the world. There are few villains in this story: on both sides of the Iron Curtain, dedicated scientists cracked the secrets of nature, dutiful military men planned out possible manoeuvres and politicians wrestled with potentially intolerable decisions. Patriotic citizens acquiesced to the idea that their country needed the ultimate means of defence. Some tried to grapple with the unanswerable question: what end could possibly be served by such fearsome means? Those who protested went unheard. None of them wanted to start a nuclear war, but all of them were paranoid about what the other side might do. The danger of annihilation by accident or misjudgement has not been entirely absent since. Rodric Braithwaite, author of bestsellers Moscow 1941 and Afgantsy, paints a vivid and detailed portrait of this intense period in history. Its implications are terrifyingly relevant today, as ignorant and thoughtless talk about nuclear war begins to spread once more.Trade ReviewA timely and sober book ... a trenchant and stimulating analysis of nuclear deterrence * Observer *A wise observer of how close we came to Armageddon * Prospect *Braithwaite ... is on top form. * Financial Times *Personal experience plus careful study have given him a remarkable platform from which he brilliantly dissects the ethical dilemmas. -- Jonathan Steele * Guardian *Scintillating. * The Times *Rodric Braithwaite has produced a masterly history of the nuclear age just in time since its dangers are back with a vengeance. Our leaders must take the lessons in this meticulous and revelatory narrative ... -- Strobe Talbott, Brookings Institution

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Book SynopsisThe Iraq War is a visual record of the American-led Operation Iraqi Freedom of 2003, which resulted in the dramatic overthrow of dictator Saddam Hussein. In a striking sequence of photographs Anthony Tucker-Jones shows how this was achieved by the American and British armed forces in a lightning campaign of just two weeks. But the photographs also show the disastrous aftermath when the swift victory was undermined by the outbreak of the Iraqi insurgency - in the Shia south, in Baghdad and the Sunni Triangle, and in Fallujah where two ferocious battles were fought. The author, who is an expert on the Iraqi armed forces and has written extensively on the Iran-Iraq War and the Gulf War, gives a fascinating insight into the Iraqi army and air force and into the multitude of weapons systems Saddam purchased from around the world. He also looks at the failures on the American and British side - the flaws in the tactics that were used, the poor performance of some of the armoured fighting vehicles - and at the reformed Iraqi armed forces who have now taken responsibility for security in the country. The Iraq War is a vivid photographic introduction to a conflict that has only just passed into history.

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Book SynopsisIt is a recognized fact that, had the war gone badly for the Allies on the India/Burma front, and had the Japanese succeeded in invading the Indian Continent, the outcome of the war would have been entirely different. Yet despite this, the campaign on the Burma front is offered surprisingly scant coverage in the majority of photo-history books. This new book, from respected military historian and author Norman Franks, attempts to redress the balance, noting the importance of this particular aerial conflict within the wider context of the Second World War. Franks takes as his focus the pilots, aircraft and landscapes that characterized the campaign. Photographs acquired during the course of an intensive research period are consolidated into a volume that is sure to make for a popular addition to the established Images of War series. Many unpublished photographs feature, each one offering a new insight into the conflict as it unfolded over Burmese skies. The archive offers a wealth of dynamic images of RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires in flight, with shots of both the aircraft and the pilots employed during this challenging conflict. To fly and fight in Burma, pilots really had to be at the top of their game. The Japanese enemy certainly weren't the only problem to contend with; weather, poor food, incredible heat and all its attendant maladies, jungle diseases, tigers, elephants, fevers...The Japanese were the real enemy but the British pilots had so much more to deal with. And they did it for years. In Britain, a pilot could look forward to a break from operations every six months or so on average. In Burma, pilots first employed in 1941 were still flying operations in 1944. The collection represents a determination on the author's part to record the part played by these resilient and skilled RAF fighter pilots, the contribution that they paid in supporting General Slim's 14th Army and the part they ultimately played in defeating the Japanese attempts to break through into India. These efforts, all paramount and imperative to success, are celebrated here in words and images in a volume sure to appeal to Spitfire and Hurricane enthusiasts, as well as the more general reader.

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Book SynopsisThis is the true story of how one soldier experienced the horrors and bloodshed of World War II - and lived to tell the tale. Hans Fackler, like many boys his age, was conscripted into the Wehrmacht at the age of seventeen and sent to the Eastern Front. A pioneer in the infantry, he barely survived the carnage of the front lines and lost comrades to the Russian forces. Eventually, Hans suffered a grievous injury from a grenade explosion. No longer able to fight, he found himself drugged on morphine and on board the controversial Wilhelm Gustloff, an armed military transport ship for SS, Gestapo and Wehrmacht personnel, which operated under the guise of transporting civilians. The Gustloff was attacked and sunk by Russian torpedoes, drowning more than 9,000 passengers. Rescued by a German freighter, Hans recuperated in a military hospital near Erfurt in the Harz, which subsequently fell into the Russian zone. He escaped and undertook the arduous task of walking almost 200 miles back home to Bavaria. The extraordinary first-person account of one of the few soldier-survivors of the sinking of the Gustloff, it also includes Hans' experiences of taking part in the Kiev and the Vercors mountains massacres in 1941 and 1944 respectively.

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Book SynopsisEastern Front Sniper is a long overdue and comprehensive biography of one of World War II's most accomplished snipers. Math us Hetzenauer, the son of a Tyrolean peasant family, was born in December 1924. He was drafted into the Mountain Reserve Battalian 140 at the age of 18 but discharged five months later. He received a new draft notice in January 1943 for a post in the Styrian Truppenubungsplatz Seetal Alps where he met some of the best German snipers and learned his art. Hetzenauer went on to fight in Romania, Eastern Hungary and in Slovakia. As recognition for his more than 300 confirmed kills, he was awarded on the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on April 17, 1945. After nearly five years of Soviet captivity Math us Hetzenauer returned to Austria on January 10, 1950. He lived in the Tyrol's Brixen Valley until his death on 3 October of 2004.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating, forgotten story of the six brilliant women who launched modern computing. As the Cold War began, America’s race for tech supremacy was taking off. Experts rushed to complete the top-secret computing research started during World War II, among them six gifted mathematicians: a patriotic Quaker, a Jewish bookworm, a Yugoslav genius, a native Gaelic speaker, a sophomore from the Bronx, and a farmer’s daughter from Missouri. Their mission? Programming the world’s first and only supercomputer—before any code or programming languages existed. These pioneers triumphed against sexist attitudes and huge technical challenges to invent computer programming, yet their monumental contribution has never been recognised—until now. Over a decade, Kathy Kleiman met with four of the original six ENIAC Programmers and recorded their stories. Here, with a light touch and a serious mind, she exposes the deliberate erasure of their achievements and restores the women to their rightful place as revolutionaries, bringing to life their camaraderie, their determination, and their rapidly changing world. As big tech struggles with gender inequality and momentum builds in restoring women to history, the time has come for this engrossing story to be uncovered and celebrated.Trade Review'Kleiman has a novelist’s gift for crafting a page-turning narrative, and the one on offer is both revelatory and inspiring. Fans of Dava Sobel’s The Glass Universe and Margot Lee Shetterly’s Hidden Figures are in for a treat.' -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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Book SynopsisThis book showcases over 150 images of some of the best restored World War Two aircraft that have been made airworthy again. The history, specifications, and war stories of these aircraft are covered, as well as the restoration efforts of the various museums and private owners. For reader's ease, aircraft will be given its own chapter. Aircraft covered include the P-51 Mustang, F6F Hellcat, B-25 Mitchell, P-39 Airacobra, C-47 Skytrain and many more. Delve into this richly detailed look at the deserving aircraft that have been rightfully restored to their former glory.

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Book SynopsisThe Allied assault on Normandy beaches was an almost flawless success, but it was to take three months of bitter fighting before the German defence of Normandy finally collapsed and Paris was liberated. In this masterly and highly individual account of that struggle, the reader is subjected to the gruelling ordeals confronted by the combatants - each encounter related from the point of view of a different nationality. While transcending conventional military history, it provides an intensely vivid picture of one of the Second World War's most crucial campaigns.Trade ReviewAs well as being a rare military historian who can also write gracefully, John Keegan has a distinguished capacity for peering behind the conventional view of events. -- Alistair Horne * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisOn average a Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent would be dead within three months of being parachuted into action. Terry Crowdy tells the extraordinary story of these agents, some of whom were women as young as 22, following them through their experiences beginning with their recruitment and their unorthodox training methods, which included hand-to-hand combat and parachuting. Packed with photographs and full-colour artwork, this book recounts the incredible combat missions of the SOE agents from their role in the attacks on a heavy water plant in Norway, to operations in the field with Yugoslav and Greek partisans, as well as sabotage missions ranging from blowing up bridges to the raising of full-scale partisan armies as they attempted to fulfill Churchill's directive to set occupied Europe ablaze.Table of ContentsIntroduction · Recruitment and Training · Organisation · Communication · Equipment · Combat missions · Sabotage missions · Post-war · Bibliography · Colour Plate Commentary · Index

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Book SynopsisThe formation of the Pathfinder Force in August 1942 produced a steady but certain change in the fortunes of Bomber Command. Its effectiveness against targets during the early years of the war had been very difficult to gauge. When examined in detail afterwards, aerial photographs showed that only one third of the aircraft were successfully reaching their target area and less than this were actually placing their bombs with target accuracy. It was known during the large-scale bombing of Coventry in the autumn of 1940 that the Germans had used an elite force of pathfinder aircraft, armed with incendiaries, who had acted as target finders for the main force of German bombers. What was now needed for the RAF were some similar specialist squadrons, with crews handpicked for their discipline, courage, high morale and, in particular, skills in a wider than normal range of flying jobs. Sidney Bufton, Deputy Director of Bomber Operations, developed the concept of a new Target Finding Force, and his tenacity in putting pressure upon senior Air Ministry staff to implement his ideas and bring Bomber Command out of the doldrums paid off. The new force was finally accepted and the choice of Don Bennett as its first Commander was inspired. Bennett was restless, imaginative, and receptive to change. He never accepted second best and he became a legend to all who served under him. Pathfinder Squadrons were equipped with the best available aircraft, which included the famous Lancaster bomber and later, increasingly, the Mosquito which was a hugely versatile and successful fighter bomber. Would be aircrew for the RAF came as volunteers from all parts of the world including Canada, America, Australia and New Zealand. To join a Pathfinder Squadron was a rare privilege but with it went a huge leap in the likelihood of being shot down. Pathfinder aircrew and aircraft had to lead the way for their following Bomber Force in hazardous raid after raid. They flew at night but it took a full 25 minutes to run the gauntlet of the Berlin defences from end to end at full stretch. They were highly vulnerable to the wall of flak thrown up by German city defenders, as well as to attacks by night-fighters. By the end of the war some 56,000 crewmen of Bomber Command had lost their lives. Martyn Chorlton has written a gripping account of the RAF's Pathfinder Squadrons, recalling the challenges faced in the smoke-filled skies over occupied Europe. It is also a tribute to the brave young men whose exploits, lives and, in all too many cases, deaths have left a powerful torch to bear for all who care about freedom. The book carries a moving foreward by Michael Wadsworth, Chaplain to the Pathfinders Association.

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Book SynopsisBerkshire began the Second World War in 1939 with virtually no military airfields. However, this quickly changed and a massive building programme was soon underway, initially intended to provide training facilities for bomber crews. As the newly built airfields became operational, some were taken over by the USAAF including Greenham Common, Membury and Welford and they were involved in the planning and eventual execution of operation Overlord, the Allied D-Day assault upon Fortress Europe. White Waltham near Maidenhead will always be remembered as the headquarters of the legendary Air Transport Auxiliary, whose male and then increasingly female pilots - including Amy Johnson - ferried every type of aircraft from the factories to the front line airfields. Not only did the ATA prove that girls had excellent flying skills, but also that they were capable of piloting solo the largest bombers. This book describes the history of each airfield, highlights some of the major operations carried out from them, and marks their overall contribution to the great war effort. The effects of the war on the daily lives of the people living in Berkshire are also described. Reading and Newbury in particular realised the constant dangers they faced from random daylight attacks by German planes. Robin Brook's action-packed account will bring back vivid memories for many. It is a sharp reminder of the time when the skies never ceased to throb with the drone of departing and returning aircraft.

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Book SynopsisFounded in 1922 the Hitler Youth movement was the second oldest Nazi group. Comprising male youths aged 14 - 18, by December 1936 membership stood at over 5 million. During the Second World War the role of Hitlerjugend evolved from assisting with the postal, train and fire services into full war fighting. Recruits went into units such as the elite 12th SS Panzer-Division 'Hitlerjugend' and we see graphic images of this Waffen-SS force in action both on the Eastern and Western fronts. Even as the Nazi cause faced inevitable defeat these units fought with fanatical and disturbing bravery and after defeat in May 1945 elements carried out guerrilla actions in the Bavarian and Austrian mountains. The reader will find much original material on this legendary but distasteful Nazi organisation.Trade ReviewHow Nazi boy soldiers fought advancing Allied troops in the final days of the Second World War is described in a new book about the Hitlerjugend. Founded in 1922, the Nazi youth movement boasted five million members by the time war broke out in September 1939. The book, HitlerA fs Boy Soldiers (Pen and Sword: GBP12.99), tells how these German youngsters, after the fall of Berlin, fled to the mountains of Bavaria and Austria in the hope of continuing resistance as partisans. Using rare, mostly unpublished images, author Hans Seidler traces the development of the Htlerjugend into tough fighting formations. One caption to an action picture explains that with so many youngsters in fighting units, their officers replaced the usual cigarette ration with sweets until the boys were old enough to smoke. Dover Express & Folkestone Herald Another great release from Pen and Sword in their Images of War series. The book tells the compelling story of the rise and fall off this well known division during the years before and during WWII. One can only imagine how the Allied forces felt when they met this formidable fighting formation. Rare and often unseen black and white images are used like in any other release in this Images of War series. Inscale

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Book SynopsisLuftwaffe over Scotland is the first complete history of the air attacks mounted against Scotland by Nazi Germany during World War Two and undertakes a detailed examination of the strategy, tactics and politics involved on both sides, together with a technical critique of the weaponry employed by both attackers and defenders. Extensive figures on Scottish civilian casualties have been included, together with a full list of all Scottish locations that were bombed and details of German aircraft losses. From the relentless hit-and-run attacks up the east coast of Scotland to the calamities of Clydebank and Greenock, Luftwaffe over Scotland not only offers a detailed analysis of exactly what happened, but also provides fresh new evidence and claims regarding many aspects of the war in Scotland - some of them specifically at odds with the more traditional British portrayals of World War Two. Some of the controversial issues raised include Why was there no 'Phoney War' in Scotland? Did the Battle of Britain begin over Orkney in April, 1940? Why were more people killed in Glasgow than at the target of Clydebank? Why were the Greenock raids such a disastrous failure for the Luftwaffe?Why did Hitler personally ensure Aberdeen became Scotland's last raided city? Why was the last air battle in Europe fought off the Aberdeenshire coast? Luftwaffe over Scotland draws on a wide variety of sources, such as official archives, articles, letters and personal testimonies, including information about German Luftwaffe operations, to paint the first full and accurate picture of the dramatic and often brutal air attacks that took place in almost every village, town and city in Scotland during World War Two. From a detailed analysis of the attacking German forces, to an explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of the air defences around Scotland, this is an important and long-overdue contribution to the full understanding of this dramatic period in the history of the modern Scottish nation.Trade Review'...contains significant new information and fresh analysis of the main Luftwaffe air raids, including many previously unpublished photographs.' The Scots Magazine '...descriptions of attacks and targets make fascinating reading with easy-to-follow lists of the Luftwaffe's key Scottish targets... ...shows a depth of knowledge that's as impressive as some of Britain's best-known military warfare writers. ...easy to understand and breaks up the subject into sections and with superb images that deliver a concise and detailed account of a very important, and largely ignored, part of the German war on Britain.' The Knocknews and Regional Adertiser 'It is truly a must-read.' Irvine Herald '...an excellent book which sets out an engaging, measured and carefully researchedaccount of the air war over Scotland during World War II. ...Les Taylor is to be chronological treatment of his subject. ...succeeds in throwing new and unexpected light on the subject.' Undiscovered Scotland '...is a long-overdue publication that goes a long way to help our understanding of the German bombing campaign over Scotland during World War Two and answers some important questions. ... The book includes some previously unpublished photographs, plenty of clear, detailed full page maps, Bibliography, good index, and 144 pages. Without a doubt to be kept handy on your bookshelf. Highly recommended.' Wargames Illustrated

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Book SynopsisFirst Lieutenant Wolfgang Wollenweber''s WWII odyssey, from combat operations in the Me110 over Russia with the ''Arctic Sea Hunters'', to pitting the extraordinary HE162 jet fighter against Allied fighters over Germany, and flying possibly the final Luftwaffe mission of WWII, may be the last great ''untold'' story from a WWII Luftwaffe pilot.Posted to the Arctic front in 1943, Wollenweber flew ME110s on escort missions and ground attack, shooting down several Soviet aircraft in the process, for which he was awarded the Iron Cross First Class. As the fortunes of the war turned against the Third Reich, Wollenweber volunteered for defence duties and soon found himself training to fly the lethal Me163 Komet rocket fighter, before being transferred to the innovative ''wonder weapon'' - the He162 Jet Fighter.The He162 ''Volksjäger'' (People''s Fighter) was meant to be capable of being flown by members of the Hitler Youth with only rudimentary flying experience, but instead turned out to be an unforgiving machine in untrained hands and whilst Wollenberger himself became one of the most experienced He162 pilots, he witnessed the brutal human toll it exacted on the unwary or unlucky. And as one of the few pilots to have flown the He162 in combat, he finally settles the vexed question of whether the He162 ever shot down an Allied aircraft.Wollenweber describes in his own words the shocking truth of the last desperate days of the Third Reich, and does not shy away from describing the horrors he witnessed and naming the corrupt and incompetent individuals he came across. This is a vividly told story and an important inside account not just of the revolutionary He162, but also the changing fortunes of the Luftwaffe - from happy hunting on the Russian front to its final disintegration over a destroyed homeland.

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Book SynopsisOn 12 August 1940, during the Battle of Britain, in an engagement with Dornier Do 17s, Geoffrey Page was shot down into the English Channel, suffering severe burns. He spent much of the next two years in hospitals, undergoing plastic surgery, but recovered sufficiently to pursue an extremely distinguished war and post-war career. This eloquently written and critically acclaimed autobiography tells of his wartime exploits in the air and on the ground. He was a founder member of The Guinea Pig Club – formed by badly burnt aircrew – and this is a fascinating account of the club, of the courage and bravery of ‘The Few’, and of Geoffrey’s later life and achievements, most particularly in the creation of The Battle of Britain memorial.Trade ReviewQuite simply one of the best books I have ever read about the men who fought the war in the air. The few who became the many. It is funny, poignant, larky but always with the ring of appalling truth.A" The Daily Mail For sheer narrative power, it ranks with the best.A" Daily Telegraph Gripping reading...a remarkable tale of survival, but told with great candour and without a trace of self pity.A" British Aerospace News

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