Modern warfare Books

Book SynopsisThis is an account of the battle of Kham Duc, one of the least known and most misunderstood battles in the American Phase of the Second Indochina War (1959 to 1975). At the time it was painted as a major American defeat, but this new history tells the full story.The authors have a unique ability to reassess this battle – one was present at the battle, the other was briefed on it prior to re-taking the site two years later. The book is based on exhaustive research, revisiting Kham Duc, interviewing battle veterans, and reading interview transcripts and statements of other battle participants, including former North Vietnamese Army (NVA) officers.Based on their research, the authors contend that Kham Duc did not 'fall' and was not 'overrun'. In fact, it was a successful effort to inflict mass attrition on a major NVA force with minimum American losses by voluntarily abandoning an anachronistic little trip-wire border camp serving as passive bait for General Westmoreland's 'lure and destroy' defensive tactics, as at Khe Sanh.Trade ReviewThis book is one of those rare historical narratives that explains in rich detail a battle that was little understood or reported on at the time it was fought but was of strategic importance and heroic dimension. * Marine Corps Gazette *

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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.Trade ReviewWell-written, thought provoking. * Aeroplane Magazine *What sets this book apart is the in depth analysis of who Hartmann was and whether his reputation is apt and why he was and still is held in such high regard. It’s a fascinating book and I highly recommend it. * Aviation Enthusiast Book Club *

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Book SynopsisThe last rites were administered to the Third Reich from the west by a massive concentration of Allied forces and firepower. With France secured, Hitler’s vain counterattack in the Ardennes held and the Channel and North Sea ports cleared, little stood in the way of the Allies other than the dominant geographical feature of western Europe: the mighty Rhine River stretching from the North Sea almost to Switzerland. In the north, the 21st Army Group executed one of the largest operations of the war: a huge airdrop backed up by an amphibious crossing that made full use of 79th Armoured Division’s specialized armour including the Alligators of 4th Royal Tank Regiment. Further south, until it collapsed under the pressure, the Ludendorff Bridge, captured intact at Remagen allowed US First Army to create a bridgehead. They would use it to good effect, wheeling north to surround the Ruhr, Germany’s industrial heartland. Further south, where the river was narrower, Patton’s Third Army vaulted the Rhine with its customary elan, as did Devers’ Sixth Army Group.Ahead of the Allies were the remains of the German forces, often no more than Volkssturm or Hitlerjugend, determined to resist for as long as possible so that their Führer had time to unleash his super weapons. In the end, these proved figments of Hitler’s imagination and the defenders crumbled in the face of units that, after nine months of training, had become deadly proponents of the art of aggressive warfare with modern, new equipment – such as the M26 Pershing and Comet – being rushed to the front in the hope it could see action before the war finished.Trade ReviewThis book is good value and recommended for those seeking a very well-illustrated, broad overview of the campaign in North West Europe in the closing months of the War. * Military Historical Society Bulletin *This is very much a complete look at the crossing of the Rhine, and the end game in Germany on 1945. * Britmodeller.com *

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Book SynopsisFor four centuries the British realm depended upon sea power to defend its interest and independence against a myriad of threats both military and economic. During this time the Royal Navy established itself as the sovereign of the Seas, helping transform England, and later Great Britain, from an unassuming island nation perched on the edge of the European continent to the centre of a global empire. Yet the advent of World War II presented Britain’s maritime services with their greatest challenge to date. At stake was the survival of the nation. The Longest Campaign tells the story of this epic struggle and the indispensable role that British sea power played in bringing about the victory that shaped the world we live in today.The Longest Campaign is a complete, balanced and detailed account of the activities, results and relevance of Britain's maritime effort in the Atlantic and off northwest Europe throughout World War II. It looks at the entire breadth of the maritime conflict, exploring the contributions of all participants including the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and British merchant marine and their Commonwealth equivalents. It puts the maritime conflict in the context of the overall war effort and shows how the various operations and campaigns were intertwined. Finally it provides unique analysis of the effectiveness of the British maritime effort and role it played in bringing about the final Allied victory.Trade ReviewIn straight and well-organised narrative form, every imaginable incident or event that occurred in the north Atlantic region during World War II is described fully and in a manner that holds the reader’s interest in a tight grip. * Baird Maritime *[I] was absorbed by this interesting different analysis… a thoroughly well-researched book, written in a very compact comprehensive but most readable style and is certainly strongly recommended. * Scuttlebutt 12/06/2020 *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Phoney War Chapter 2: Blitzkrieg Chapter 3: Standing Alone Chapter 4: Respite in the Atlantic Chapter 5: Offensive Operations Chapter 6: The Battle Intensifies Chapter 7: Turning Point Chapter 8: Retaining the Initiative Chapter 9: Operation Neptune and the Battle for Northwest Europe Chapter 10: Victory in Europe Chapter 11: The Reckoning

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Book SynopsisThe Freedom Shield brings together stories of veterans of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company, tasked with carrying troops into battle, attacking enemy positions and evacuating the wounded in their UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" helicopters. The unit was assembled from a hodgepodge selection of hand-me-down aircraft, used equipment and overlooked personnel—its appearance belied the invaluable work the crews of the 191st would undertake during the Vietnam War. This narrative of the Company, told through collected stories of veterans, defines a breed of soldier newly minted in Vietnam: the combat assault-helicopter crewman.The 191st pilots, crews, and support personnel vividly share the details of what it was like to be at war, forced to rely on your fellow crewmembers for your own survival. Their accounts of helicopter combat at the height of the Vietnam conflict accurately recreate the sights and sounds of the battlefields, the fear and horror of watching close friends torn to pieces, their feelings on returning to base. Their message is infinitely clear: 'The price of freedom is painful.'Endorsements“The story of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company’s combat actions in Vietnam is one of heroism and dedication to duty. It is a vivid picture of young American soldiers full of P and V and the ‘want to’ needed to get the job done with bullets flying in all directions. An adrenaline rush is the order of the day. Read this book to gain new respect and admiration for the Vietnam-era veterans who fought in this unpopular war—they were truly magnificent!”—Brigadier General John C. “Doc” Bahnsen, Author of American Warrior: A Combat Memoir of Vietnam“An amazing story of perseverance and will. The author accurately chronicles how the 191st Assault Helicopter Company was assembled, during the haste of the Vietnam buildup, with secondhand equipment and filler personnel to become a crown jewel among aviation units in battle. A true testament of American mettle that we all still admire and envy.”—COL Alan B. Renshaw“This is a refreshing new perspective of the men inside the Hueys, who played such an important role in the conduct of the Vietnam War. How frequently the victorious accounts of combat units in Vietnam failed to credit the pilots and crews who risked everything so ground forces could do their job. Countless narratives mention these warriors only as inanimate objects. . . . This book speaks of the flesh and blood of those who flew those missions.”—COL Paul Patton Winkel Jr.“A riveting firsthand account of a combat assault-helicopter company in Vietnam. The book provides an invaluable number of Vietnam lessons learned, which flared up again in the more recent desert wars. A must read for aviators and commanders of combat units.”—COL FrancisW. Matthews“The author brings you up close and personal to the human side of helicopter warfare and the heart-wrenching fears and pains felt by the pilots and crews. A well-written account of how the tactical employment of airmobile assets can provide battlefield solutions as well as failures. Honest rendition of some intelligence and communications failures that resulted in extensive collateral damage on assaulting forces. Provides an extraordinary insight for ground commanders preparing for airmobile combat.”—COL John J. McGinn“Climb into the cockpit with 191st Assault Helicopter Company Huey pilots and experience combat assaults firsthand. Feel what it was like . . . flying into the Vietnamese jungle, never sure what might be waiting. Imagine yourself being one of the several sitting-duck ground targets receiving incoming small-arms fire while waiting for troops to load or unload. Nobody leaves the LZ till the last ship is ready. Listen to the clatter of the M60 door guns and the music of the lumbering Charlie-model gunships close overhead, pouring welcomed suppressive fire into the hostile tree lines, allowing the slicks to escape once more . . . usually.”—COL Dennis L. ButlerTable of ContentsForeword Acknowledgments Chapter 1: Ben Tre—A Bloody Fight Chapter 2: Birth of the Assault Helicopter Company Chapter 3: Patnode Commanding Chapter 4: Combat Ready Chapter 5: Airmobile Schemes Chapter 6: The Load Bearers Chapter 7: A Combat Assault from Lead’s Cockpit Chapter 8: Lethal Climate Chapter 9: Night Sampan Ambush Chapter 10: Human Wave VC Attack Chapter 11: Tet Offensive: The Communist Buildup Chapter 12: The Tet Offensive Begins Chapter 13: New Bounty Hunter Six Enters the Fight Chapter 14: Griggs Commanding Chapter 15: Crew Trust Chapter 16: Maintenance Crew Crash Chapter 17: Petric Commanding Chapter 18: Quiet but Deadly Chapter 19: The Hardest Blow Chapter 20: Schmidt Commanding Chapter 21: Battle at Ap My Thuan Chapter 22: The Natural Chapter 23: Mental Impacts of War Chapter 24: Conner Commanding with Bearden as Top Chapter 25: Nighthawk Down Chapter 26: The Final Call Killed in Action Glossary Index of Names

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Book Synopsis“Colonel Thomas Yarborough spent his time in the air over the A Shau Valley, but hehas detailed knowledge of what took place on the ground. He insightfully covers theinfantryman's hardships, difficulties, and physical price paid. Thanks to his extensiveresearch, study, and personal knowledge, Tom describes the nine-year war in the AShau in riveting detail. This book is a ‘must read’ for all interested in why we did notclose and win that war.” - Wesley L. Fox, Colonel USMC (Ret), Medal of Honorrecipient and author of Marine Rifleman: Forty-Three Years in the Corps"Tom Yarborough provides a gripping, fast paced, page-turning account of America'sfinest warriors who fought in and above the most strategically important terrain inVietnam. A masterful blend of history, national strategy, and warrior ethos whichsimultaneously highlights leadership attributes at every level. A must read for allwarriors, scholars, and students of leadership. Additionally, it is a great tribute to thewarriors who fought, and those who died, in the A Shau Valley." - General H. HughShelton, U.S. Army (Ret), A Shau veteran, 14th Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, andauthor of Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of an American Warrior"... this is the first volume that looks solely at fighting in the A Shau during virtually theentire Vietnam War. It is a worthy endeavor." - The VVA Veteran"... arguably the first full length account of American combat in the valley, stands as asterling testament to the extraordinary courage- no less than 15 Medals of Honorwere awarded for actions in and around the valley- displayed by the men who foughtand died there." - Vietnam Magazine"The North Vietnamese Army and the US Army clashed frequently in this strategicvalley near the Ho Chi Min trail. The author covers the nine years of fighting thatoccurred there." - Military Heritage"This is a truly remarkable, well-written, thought-provoking book...will appeal to awide audience interested in gaining a better understanding of the Vietnam War" - OnPoint: The Journal of Army History"Yarborough's work is replete with repeated references to the valor of those whoserved in this hotly-contested section of Vietnam... Highly recommended for thoseinterested in this important part of the War in Vietnam." - Military Writer’s Society of America"A must-read book for anyone wanting to understand the success and failures of theU.S. military on the battlefields in Vietnam." - The Journal of America's Military PastThroughout the Vietnam War, one focal point persisted where the trainedprofessionals of the North Vietnamese and U.S. armies repeatedly fought head-to-head. A Shau Valor is a thoroughly documented study of nine years of American combat operations encompassing the crucial frontier valley and a 15-mile radiusaround it - the most deadly killing ground of the entire Vietnam War.Table of ContentsPREFACE MAP SECTION 1. Into the Valley of Death 2. The Rise and Fall of Camp A Shau 3. Project Delta Invades the Valley of Death 4. SOG: West of the A Shau 5. Annus Horribilis: 1968 6. Operation Dewey Canyon 7. Eleven Times Up Hamburger Hill 8. Ripcord: Valor in Defeat 9. A Shau Fini: The Ninth Year 10. A Bard for the Grunts EPILOGUE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS CHAPTER NOTES GLOSSARY BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX

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Book SynopsisFrom the early days of World War II, it was clear that the Wehrmacht’s antitank units would need to be motorized as existing horse- or automobile-drawn units were too slow to be effective. Initially, antitank guns were mounted onto available, usually obsolete, tank chassis, such as the Panzerjäger I and II. However German engineers would soon turn to the heavy chasses of the Panzer IV, the Panther, and the Tiger for their tank hunters. It became apparent during the invasion of France that enemy antitank guns were both more powerful and better armored, and improvement became a priority during Barbarossa as German units faced off against the new Soviet tanks. The appearance of the Soviet T-34 in July 1941 meant that the Germans had to quickly come up with something equally powerful. The result was the motorized panzerjäger, faster and more mobile than older towed versions. This was followed in 1942 by the introduction of the 7.5cm gun. Further designs and modifications were informed by reports from the front line.Some of these conversions were very successful and resulted in fearsome tank destroyers deployed to great effect by the Wehrmacht. The lightweight Hetzer, for example, was based on a modified Panzer 38(t) and entered service in 1944. This small tank became Germany’s main tank destroyer during the final stages of the war, and would continue in use around the world even after 1945. Though they may not have looked that intimidating, the Landser were soon won over, and were comforted to have something reliable to stand between them and the Soviet tanks.This account, illustrated by hundreds of period photos, examines the development and deployment of various models of tank destroyers during World War II.Trade Review...a very nice reference resource, with lots of detail and diorama inspiration for modellers. * Military Model Scene 13/10/2021 *Pierre Tiquet has managed to put all those photos and text together in a quite engaging format which won't be boring to read. I can only recommend this book, and it is better to hurry because they usually get sold out quick. * DetailScaleView 02/08/2021 *…a decent history of the German Tank Destroyers, most valuable because of it’s impressive collection of photographs, which show all of these vehicles in a wide range of circumstances. * History of War 13/09/2021 *…the sheer volume of photographs (many new to me) make the cover price an extremely economical way of acquiring so much information, especially with the current offer at Casemate. […] Highly recommended. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine 02/08/2021 *World War II vehicle enthusiasts will enjoy this, of course, but so will readers interested in combat experiences during the war. * Wargames Illustrated 13/09/2021 *This is a perfect work of reference for anyone with an interest in WWII armoured vehicles, including war gamers, general enthusiasts and especially modellers who will appreciate the illustrations and artwork. The first-hand accounts and technical details bring this recommended work together in a unique way. * Gun Mart 14/07/2022 *Table of ContentsThe first panzerjägers Hornisse Jagdpanzer IV The Hetzer The Ferdinand Afterword Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisWhen World War II began, the Wehrmacht had fifteen mountain divisions and a multitude of small units, including some Austrian units that had been incorporated into the German army after the Anschluss. These mountain units would operate in hostile environments on all fronts during World War II. Due to their training, equipment and adaptability, the Gebirgstruppen would be deployed to fight in almost every theater. In the last years of the war they would see action in North Africa, Italy, the Balkans, Norway and Finland, and in the West as the Allies pushed German forces back toward Berlin.This book, the culmination of four decades of research and the support of many veterans and collectors, describes the uniform, equipment, and operations of these specialist units during the later years of World War II. The text is complemented by period photographs taken at the front, including many color photographs, and modern photographs of uniform details.Trade ReviewThe author does a terrific job of outlining the many campaigns and areas where the German Mountain troops fought throughout the war, and the unique challenges that some of these areas brought. * AMPS 25/05/2021 *This is a must-have for anyone with a serious in the German army of WWII. * Gun Mart *...another phenomenal addition to the Casemate Illustrated series and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Gebirgsjaeger or mountain warfare in World War Two. * Aviation Enthusiast Book Club 19/07/2021 *Uniform buffs and vignette modelers will come away with details and inspiration. * The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society *The men who formed these units are at the heart of this new book. Uniforms, weapons, and equipment are also touched upon. The text is thorough in detail, but the outstanding feature of this work is the illustrations, photographs of mountain troops in action and behind the lines. Many of them are in color with good captions providing interesting extra information. * WWII History 16/08/2021 *Table of ContentsIntroduction North Africa 1942–43 The Eastern Front 1942–45 Norway and Finland 1942–45 The Italian Campaign 1943–45 The Balkans 1942–45 The Campaign in the West 1944–45 Afterword Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisCounterinsurgency is defined as efforts to defeat and confine a rebellion against a constituted authority. While it has become a buzz-word in the last twenty years, it is as old as society itself. This concise history discusses the development of modern counterinsurgency over the last two hundred years, beginning with the origins of modern insurgency from the concept of ‘small wars’ and colonial warfare, through the ideas of early insurgents including Clausewitz and the theories of Lawrence of Arabia, to the methods of 20th-century insurgents, including Mao and Che Guevara.It then examines a number of post-1945 insurgencies and how western armies have tried to counter them, in particular how the French tried to counter insurgencies in Indochina and Algeria, and then the US in Vietnam, and the reaction to the American experience there. This is compared with the British approach in the years after World War II, particularly in Malaya, but also in Kenya and Northern Ireland. Against that backdrop there is an examination of counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Iraq, the rise of COIN literature, and the subsequent backlash against that literature. The book concludes with a discussion on the future of COIN.Trade Review…concise introduction to modern counterinsurgency, involving the methods and tactics that those currently serving will immediately recognise. […] a fairly academic overview of the subject, but it’s concise format ensures that the tempo of reading remains manageable. * Royal Anglian News 19/07/2021 *…an excellent account of the components of effectiveness in counterinsurgency campaigns. […] accompanied by a valuable discussion of the evolution of counterinsurgency doctrines in the British and American militaries. * Perspectives on Terrorism 05/07/2021 *Quite apart from its merits as a more than useful reference for members of the Armed Forces I commend this book as a ‘must read’ for politicians, diplomats, policy makers, political advisers, Foreign Aid practitioners, officials across government and the Treasury. * Sir Andrew Graham Bt CB CBE 13/09/2021 *

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Book SynopsisEnsign Ash Miller USNR, having survived the sinking of his first ship, is promoted and assigned to command one of the sleek new additions to "the splinter fleet," a 110-foot wooden submarine chaser armed with only understrength guns and depth charges. His task is to bring the ship swiftly into commission, weld his untried crew into an efficient fighting unit, and take his vessel to sea in order to protect the defenseless Allied merchant vessels which are being maliciously and increasingly sunk by German U-Boats, often within sight of the coast. Ash rises to the deadly challenge he faces, brings his crew of three officers and 27 men to peak performance, and meets the threats he faces with understated courage and determination, rescuing stricken seamen, destroying Nazi mines, fighting U-Boats, and developing both the tactical sense and command authority that will be the foundation upon which America's citizen sailors eventually win the war. During rare breaks in operations, provided for upkeep and overhaul, Ash enters a developing relationship with the spirited Claire Morris who, as he learns, embodies the peaceful ideal for which he has been fighting.Trade ReviewParotti captures the feel of shipboard life perfectly, and the technical details he brings make for great realism. * Historical Novels Review *There is a great deal to commend this engaging account of a WWII sailor’s life. For those who are fans of punctilious attention to naval and nautical detail, there is plenty here. For anyone who enjoys a sense of the era, the use of language in the dialogue and prose, and the descriptions of the food and clothing of 1940’s East Coast USA are spot on. […] Many publications in this area glamorise the dynamic and the duty. Splinter on the Tide has no need to do so, its quiet, unpretentious tone does trick very nicely indeed. * Love Reading 19/07/2021 *As well as being a gripping naval adventure story, Splinter on the Tide oozes authenticity. If you are a fan of films such as The Enemy Below, In Which We Serve or The Cruel Sea, then I think you will enjoy Splinter on the Tide as much as I did. * What Cathy Read Next 28/09/2021 *This enjoyable if tension-free sea adventure from Parotti spotlights a seldom-seen aspect of WWII—the escort ships that protected ocean travel along the U.S. East Coast from German U-boat attacks. * Publishers Weekly 27/04/2021 *A page-turning historical portrayal of love, war, hardship and discovery of the true cost for sailors’ survival. Those who were at sea in any war time will savor every page. * Maria Riva, best-selling NY Times author of Marlene Dietrich *People won’t forget the visceral impact of these real-life characters. Ordinary people, pushed to extraordinary ends, surviving the true horrors of war accurately portrayed. A military, naval, novel you won’t want to put down. * Ron Lealos, author of Don't Mean Nuthin' and Pashtun *

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Book SynopsisThe official document Amphibious Warfare Handbook No. 10a: The Organisation, Employment and Training of Commandos is a unique piece of post-war Royal Marines Commando doctrine, never before published, or quoted at length.Prepared in 1951 at the height of the Korean War by the Chief of Amphibious Warfare and the Commandant General Royal Marines, this seventy-page aide memoir is, in essence, the distillation of major lessons learned by the British wartime Combined Operations Headquarters regarding amphibious warfare, raiding, cliff assaults, sabotage, intelligence-gathering, specialized infantry work, guerrilla warfare and Commando tactics. In addition, it offers its readership a delineation of the characteristics, skills and qualities required of a Royal Marines Commando.Published to mark the seventieth anniversary of its official issue, this rare example of bespoke Commando doctrine is a timely and highly relevant addition to a growing body of work on The Corps of Royal Marines. Currently undergoing significant institutional changes by means of the Future Commando Force (FCF) program, the Royal Marines are having to challenge their existing operating concept, force structures, doctrine, and organizational design to meet the emerging defense challenges of the 21st century. It serves to remind those currently evolving the FCF concept of General Sir John Hackett’s advice, namely, "To see where we are going, we must know where we are, and to know where we are, we need to discover how we got here."Trade ReviewThis is a most valuable contribution to the distinguished history of the Royal Marines, and is particularly relevant to Defence today. * Liuetenant-General Sir Henry Beverly (Royal Marine) *Dr Winter has done the Corps a considerable service in republishing this valuable piece of Corps History. * The Globe and Laurel 14/06/2021 *it should be required reading for every serving Royal Marine today ... If the FCF is about returning to roots, then there can be no better place to start. * The Wavell Room, Contemporary British Military Thought 14/06/2021 *Paul Winter has taken on that mantel, with the same intellectual discipline used in a different way, to describe the Corps’ post World War Two approach to the Commando role and how this might, or rather as he seems to see things, is not shaping its future development. The publisher, Casemate, should be commended for this book. * The Royal Marines Historical Society *Fascinating in its insights, it is recommended for those with an interest in the Royal Marines, Defence issues and the FCF concept. * Miniature Wargames 11/05/2021 *The distillation of major lessons learned by the British wartime Combined Operations Headquarters [and] of the characteristics, skills and qualities required of a Royal Marines Commando … A timely and highly relevant addition to a growing body of work on The Corps of Royal Marines. * NavyBooks 02/08/2021 *Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Amphibious Warfare Handbook No. 10a: The Organisation, Employment and Training of Commandos

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Book SynopsisCourage Under Fire is the first book published about Operation Lamar Plain. After 50 years, the story of the renowned 101st Airborne's major offensive near Tam Ky, South Vietnam remains largely unknown. Fighting at Tam Ky by the 1st Brigade began 15 May 1969 while the 101st's 3rd Brigade battled on Hamburger Hill. The political consequences of Hamburger Hill's high casualties caused Lamar Plain and its high casualties to remain classified and undisclosed. Decades later, the fighting at Tam Ky is mostly forgotten except by those who fought there.Sherwood's superb research of now declassified records uncovers how such a large battle could remain hidden and undisclosed. But that is not the heart of his story. His focus is on the courage and commitment of the young infantry soldiers who fought. Many were sons of WWII and Korean War veterans. They had a legacy to uphold - to honor their families, the 101st Airborne, and their nation. Most of all in the crux of battle, they would not let their fellow soldiers down.Courage Under Fire uses actual battle records and eyewitness accounts to follow "Never Quit" Delta Company and its sister companies through 28 days of continuous combat at Tam Ky. Delta Company's young infantry soldiers live up to their motto despite increasing casualties, a tough enemy, harsh battlefield conditions, and loss of leaders. For all who fought at Tam Ky, their bravery and devotion to duty in an increasingly unpopular war is worthy to be remembered. With veterans of Tam Ky now growing older and fewer in number, it is past time to tell their story.Trade ReviewFor those with an interest in the Vietnam War, small unit actions, a forgotten era of combat or who wish to study human behaviour, this is a good read. The detail is excellent and will prove useful to both wargamers and historians. Highly recommended. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine 31/08/2021 *[The author's] intent in writing this account is to honor those who served and educate their families as to what their loved ones experienced. In this effort he has succeeded for the book is full of the small details of military life, field service and combat which mark an infantryman's experience. * Military Heritage *Written and presented like a series of after-action reports, Courage Under Fire provides readers a thorough examination of Operation Lamar Plain from the point of view of the soldiers on the ground, particularly those of Sherwood's company. The author provides great detail on all aspects of the fighting. * ARMY *Courage Under Fire tells the story of the courage and bravery of the Vietnam soldier in a compelling fashion fit for audiences of all generations; As a retired Army Infantry officer, retired US history teacher, and a proudly still serving veteran, I highly recommend Courage Under Fire. * LTC (R) Dale Barnett, Past National Commander, The American Legion 2015-16 *Table of ContentsForeword The Infantryman’s Creed Preface Acknowledgements Prologue Introduction: Into the Fray Part 1 Combat Operations Before Tam Ky, 1 March–15 May 1969 Chapter 1 Hue and Beyond, 1 March–11 April Chapter 2 The A Shau Valley, 12 April–15 May Part 2 Initial Combat Operations at Tam Ky, 15 May–2 June 1969 Chapter 3 Arrival and First Combat Assault, 15–16 May Chapter 4 Finding the Enemy, 17–20 May Chapter 5 A Brutal Day-Long Engagement, 21 May Chapter 6 Recovery and Review, 21–22 May Chapter 7 Follow-on Operations, 23–30 May Chapter 8 A Broken Cease Fire, 31 May Chapter 9 Change of Command, 1–2 June Part 3 The Decisive Battle at Tam Ky, 3–12 June 1969 Chapter 10 Hill 376: The Final Challenge Chapter 11 Combat Assault and First Contact, 3–4 June Chapter 12 Trouble on the Hill, 5 June Chapter 13 The Move to the Top, 6 June Chapter 14 Nearing the Top, 7 June Chapter 15 Unexpected Setbacks, 8 June Chapter 16 Turning Point, 9 June Chapter 17 Aftermath, 10 June Chapter 18 Coming Off the Hill, 11 June Chapter 19 Extraction, 12 June Chapter 20 Final Thoughts on Hill 376 and Tam Ky Epilogue Looking Back Over 50 Years Later Appendix 1 Operation Lamar Plain: A Hidden and Almost Forgotten Battle Appendix 2 The Enemy at Tam Ky Appendix 3 Organization for Combat at Tam Ky Appendix 4 Delta Company Soldiers Appendix 5 Delta Soldiers Killed in Action, 1 March–15 August 1969 Appendix 6 1-501st Medics Killed in Action, 1 March–15 August 1969 Appendix 7 PTSD and Agent Orange Appendix 8 Life After Vietnam Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Bibliography Endnotes Index

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Book SynopsisImagine how many lives would have been saved had the war in Europe finished in December 1944 instead of five months later... David Colley analyses critical mistakes made by the Allied supreme commander, General Dwight Eisenhower, in the last nine months of the war. He argues that had Eisenhower been more adept at taking advantage of several potential breakthroughs in the Siegfried Line in the fall of 1944 the war in the European Theatre of Operations might have ended sooner. The book details the American penetration of the Siegfried Line in mid-September and their advance into Germany at Wallendorf before the troops were called back. It also examines in detail operations in the Stolberg Corridor and the actions of General Lucian Truscott. It compares the battles at Wallendorf and Stolberg with Operation Market Garden, and assesses the effectiveness of these operations and the use of the troops. Eisenhower later called off another operation in November 1944, already in progress, to cross the Rhine and destroy the German 1st Army north of Strasbourg. American and German generals believe this operation would have shortened the war. The Folly of Generals explores these potential breakthroughs – along with other strategic and tactical mistakes in the ETO and in Italy, some never before revealed – that might have shortened the war by a considerable margin.Trade ReviewAn intriguing book. * Miniature Wargames 02/08/2021 *…allows us to move away from classic interpretations of the fighting in the West in 1944 & 1945. * 3945km.com 31/08/2021 *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Why Market Garden Chapter 2 Why Not Wallendorf Chapter 3 Schnee Eifel Continuation of Wallendorf attack by 9th ID – Troops Chapter 4 Lost Opportunity Chapter 5 Why Not the Stolberg Corridor Chapter 6 Disaster at Arnhem Chapter 7 The Aftermath of Arnhem Chapter 8 Fateful Decision at Falaise Chapter 9 Lucian King Truscott Jr. Chapter 10 Vulnerable Switzerland Chapter 11 Strasbourg Chapter 12 The River Crossings: The Details Chapter 13 Moving Up Chapter 14 The Attack Chapter 15 Ike Balks Chapter 16 Why Not Cross the Rhine Chapter 17 No Friend of Devers Chapter 18 Ike Cautious, Inexperienced 268 Chapter 19 If Devers Had Crossed 284 Chapter 20 Lost Opportunity at Valmonte, Italy Chapter 21 Escape From Husky Chapter 22 Paris Liberated, the War Extended Chapter 23 Reserves Chapter 24 Brittany Chapter 25 Lorraine Chapter 26 Other Lost Opportunities

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Book SynopsisOn September 15, 1944, the U.S. First Marine Division landed on a small island in the Central Pacific called Peleliu as a prelude to the liberation of the Philippines. Among the first wave of Marines that hit the beach that day was 22-year-old George Peto.His first combat experience was the landing at Finschhaven, followed by Cape Gloucester. Then as a Forward Observer, he went ashore in one of the lead amtracs at Peleliu and saw fierce fighting for a week before the regiment was relieved due to massive casualties. Six months later, his division became the immediate reserve for the initial landing on Okinawa. They encountered no resistance when they came ashore on D+1, but would go on to fight on Okinawa for over six months.This is the wild and remarkable story of an "Old Breed" Marine, from his youth in the Great Depression, his training and combat in the Pacific, to his life after the war, told in his own words.

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Book SynopsisFor the first two weeks of the Easter Offensive of 1972, the 571st Military Intelligence Detachment provided the only pertinent collateral intelligence available to American forces. Twice daily, the Detachment provided intelligence to the USS Buchanan (DDG-14), US Navy SEALS and Special Forces units including tactical and strategic forecasts of enemy movements, information that was otherwise unavailable to U.S. units and advisors in-country.In the weeks before the offensive, vital agent reports and verbal warnings by the 571st MI Detachment had been ignored by all the major commands; they were only heeded, and then only very reluctantly, once the Offensive began. This refusal to listen to the intelligence explains why no Army or USMC organizations were on-call to recover prisoners discovered or U.S. personnel downed behind enemy lines, as in the BAT-21 incident, as the last two Combat Recon Platoons in Vietnam had been disbanded six weeks before the offensive began. The lessons and experiences of Operation Lam Son 719 in the previous year were ignored, especially with regard to the NVA’s tactical use of tanks and artillery. In his memoir, Bob Baker, the only intelligence analyst with the 571st MI Detachment in 1972, reveals these and other heroics and blunders during a key moment in the Vietnam War.Trade Review...provides the historical intelligence example that can be used today by current military leaders and educators regarding the planning staff’s responsibility to help the commander’s visual the battlefield. * Military Review 16/12/2022 *Table of ContentsPreface Chapter 1 – Growing Up an Army Brat Chapter 2 – Basic Training Chapter 3 – USA Intelligence School Chapter 4 – On To Vietnam Chapter 5 – My New Home Chapter 6 – The Laos Prelude Chapter 7 – Skyline Ridge/Campaign Z Chapter 8 – Disrupting Internal Affairs Chapter 9 – ABC’s of the Easter Offensive of 1972 Chapter 10 -The Enemy Plan Chapter 11 – What Enemy? Chapter 12 – Day 1: Thursday, 30 March 1972 “...let slip the dogs of war.” Chapter 13 - The South Vietnamese Marines and their U.S. Advisors Chapter 14 - Cut and Run: What ARVN called “Mobility” Chapter 15 - The 571st “Recce Squadron” Chapter 16 - Too, Too Many Tanks Chapter 17 - In Retrospect Chapter 18 - Prologue to Surrender Chapter 19 - A Massacre near the Rockpile? Chapter 20 - NVA Artillery in the Easter Offensive Chapter 21 - The Bridge at Dong Ha Chapter 22 - NVA Tanks Resume Chapter 23 - U.S.S. Buchanan (DDG-14) Chapter 24 - BAT-21 Chapter 25 - Independent NVA Regiment Actions in I Corps Area Chapter 26 – National Intelligence Chapter 27 – Theater and Area Commands Chapter 28 – Diversions and Deceptions at the Onset Chapter 29 – 571st Military Intelligence Detachment Chapter 30 - Observations, Reflections, and Conclusions Chapter 31 – Astrology (tu vi) Use Chapter 32 – Southern I Corps Chapter 33 - Quang Trung 729 Chapter 34 – Lessons Still Disregarded Epilogue Appendices Index

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Book SynopsisWhat will happen when international forces finally vacate Afghanistan? The answer to that question is unknown, but if there is any hope for Afghanistan, veteran journalist Peter Eichstaedt asserts, it is with its people. After spending 2004 in Afghanistan working for the nonprofit Institute for War and Peace Reporting and helping build Afghanistan’s first independent news agency, Eichstaedt returned to Kabul in 2010. As he worked with Afghan journalists to document their history and collective struggles, he realized that although Kabul itself appeared cleaned up, with freshly paved roads, the optimism of the newly liberated capital had faded under the rise of the Taliban insurgency. Eichstaedt subsequently crisscrossed the country to interview an astonishing array of Afghans. In Above the Din of War, he shares these conversations, including emotional and critical commentary and opinions from a former warlord, a Taliban judge, victims of self-immolation, poppy growers, courageous women parliamentarians, would-be suicide bombers, a besieged video store owner, frightened mullahs, and desperate archaeologists. Providing a forum for the everyday people of Afghanistan to be heard, Eichstaedt reveals the truth behind the calculated rhetoric of war, politics, and diplomacy, and suggests a path forward toward a sustainable future for Afghanistan and southern Asia.Trade Review"Authentic voices of Afghanistanones the US news media have not brought youcome to life through Eichstaedt's capable reporting as compelling reading, vitally important for their future. And ours." David Isby, author, Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires" Above the Din of War is a critical read for anyone looking to understand what's at stake and likely to happen as American forces leave Afghanistan in 2014." Tom A. Peter, Afghanistan correspondent, The Christian Science Monitor"These are vivid, mostly sympathetic portraits of Afghans who have weathered decades of chaos, and though a solution still seems far-off, Eichstaedt has done a great service by bringing their perspectives to the American public. . . . illuminating, timely, and necessary." -- Publishers Weekly"A work of skilled and brutally honest journalism. Heartbreaking and spellbinding dispatches from a country descending into madness." Kirkus Reviews"Filled with testimony from the Afghan people, this is an eyeopening, important examination of Afghanistan today."-- Booklist"Peter Eichstaedt's portrait of Afghanistan, based on a year of travel there, is revealing and unusual because he invites the views of locals from all kinds of backgrounds." South China Morning Post"Powerful collection of interviews with Afghan people." Denver Post

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Book SynopsisWhat will happen when international forces finally vacate Afghanistan? The answer to that question is unknown, but if there is any hope for Afghanistan, veteran journalist Peter Eichstaedt asserts, it is with its people. After spending 2004 in Afghanistan working for the nonprofit Institute for War and Peace Reporting and helping build Afghanistan’s first independent news agency, Eichstaedt returned to Kabul in 2010. As he worked with Afghan journalists to document their history and collective struggles, he realized that although Kabul itself appeared cleaned up, with freshly paved roads, the optimism of the newly liberated capital had faded under the rise of the Taliban insurgency. Eichstaedt subsequently crisscrossed the country to interview an astonishing array of Afghans. In Above the Din of War, he shares these conversations, including emotional and critical commentary and opinions from a former warlord, a Taliban judge, victims of self-immolation, poppy growers, courageous women parliamentarians, would-be suicide bombers, a besieged video store owner, frightened mullahs, and desperate archaeologists. Providing a forum for the everyday people of Afghanistan to be heard, Eichstaedt reveals the truth behind the calculated rhetoric of war, politics, and diplomacy, and suggests a path forward toward a sustainable future for Afghanistan and southern Asia.Trade Review"Authentic voices of Afghanistan--ones the US news media have not brought you--come to life through Eichstaedt's capable reporting as compelling reading, vitally important for their future. And ours." --David Isby, author of Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires"Above the Din of War is a critical read for anyone looking to understand what's at stake and likely to happen as American forces leave Afghanistan in 2014." --Tom A. Peter, Afghanistan correspondent, The Christian Science Monitor"These are vivid, mostly sympathetic portraits of Afghans who have weathered decades of chaos, and though a solution still seems far-off, Eichstaedt has done a great service by bringing their perspectives to the American public. . . . illuminating, timely, and necessary." -- Publishers Weekly"A work of skilled and brutally honest journalism. Heartbreaking and spellbinding dispatches from a country descending into madness." -- Kirkus Reviews

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Book Synopsis The Last Warlord tells the story of the brotherhood forged in the mountains of Afghanistan between elite American Green Berets and Dostum that is told in the movie 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horsesoldiers The Last Warlord tells the spellbinding story of the legendary Afghan warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, a larger-than-life figure who guided US Special Forces to victory over the Taliban after 9/11. Having gained unprecedented access to General Dostum and his family and subcommanders, as well as local chieftains, mullahs, elders, Taliban prisoners, and women’s rights activists, scholar Brian Glyn Williams paints a fascinating portrait of this Northern Alliance Uzbek commander who has been shrouded in mystery and contradicting hearsay. In contrast to sensational media accounts that have mythologized the “bear of a man with a gruff laugh” who “some Uzbeks swear, has on occasion frightened people to death,” Williams carefully chronicles Dostum’s rise from peasant villager to Uzbek leader and skilled strategist who has fought a long and bitter war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda fanatics that have sought to repress his people. Also revealed is Dostum’s surprising history as a defender of women’s rights and religious moderation. In riveting detail The Last Warlord spotlights the crucial Afghan contribution to Operation Enduring Freedom: how the CIA contacted the mysterious warrior Dostum to help US Special Forces wage a covert war in the mountains of Afghanistan, how respect and even friendship quickly grew between the Afghan and American fighting men, and how Dostum led his nomadic people charging into war the same way his ancestors had—on horseback. The result was one of the most decisive campaigns in the entire war on terror. The Last Warlord shows that, far from serving as an exotic backdrop for American heroics, it was these horse-mounted descendents of the Mongol warrior Genghis Khan that allowed the American military to overthrow the Taliban regime in a matter of weeks.. Trade Review"A riveting account of a warlord's rise to power that has all the drama, intrigue, and warfare of The Kite Runner , only this Afghan story is real." --Scott C. Levi, associate professor of Central Asian history, Ohio State University"A jewel. General Abdul Rashid Dostum is a crucial and colorful character in the United States' stunning victory over the Taliban." --Peter Eichstaedt, author, Above the Din of War"...will appeal mostly to academics and those with an intense interest in the collapse of the Taliban."-- Kirkus Reviews"Dostum's story of never-ending battles, assassination attempts, and alliances forming and breaking in the blink of an eye is fascinating, whether he is regarded as hero or villain." - Publishers Weekly" The Last Warlord sheds essential light on the political challenges and drama that continue to grip Afghanistan. When the last regular US troops have left that country, the Uzbek fighter and politician Abdul Rashid--Dostum--as well as Tajiks, Hazaras, and Pashtun, will remain, and Williams's book is an illuminating guide to what may lie ahead." --Doug Stanton, New York Times bestselling author of In Harm's Way and Horse Soldiers" The Last Warlord is an in-depth look at one of the most important figures of the war in Afghanistan. Dostum played a key role in the early years of the war, and Williams does a great job telling the story of a very complex man and the Americans that fought with him." --Kevin Maurer, coauthor of No Easy Day"Williams offers an intimate portrait not only of the warrior, but of the Afghan nation that so many have tried and failed to get their arms around." -- Bubblews.comTable of ContentsMaps PrefaceChronology 1 The Warlord of Mazar2 How to Meet a Warlord 3 The Approaching Storm4 Raiders5 The Last Line of Defense6 The Evil Comes to America7 The Search for a Plan8 Khoja Doko Village, 19549 The First Battles10 The Soldier11 The Traitor12 Khadija13 Conspiracies14 The Warlord15 The Coup16 Malik17 The Americans18 The Offensive Begins19 Interview with a WarlordEpilogue AcknowledgmentsNotesIndex

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Book Synopsis“Richard Opio has neither the look of a cold-blooded killer nor the heart of one. Yet as his mother and father lay on the ground with their hands tied, Richard used the blunt end of an ax to crush their skulls. He was ordered to do this by a unit commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group that has terrorized northern Uganda for twenty years. The memory racks Richard’s slender body as he wipes away tears.” For more than twenty years, beginning in the mid-1980s, the Lord’s Resistance Army has ravaged northern Uganda. Tens of thousands have been slaughtered, and thousands more mutilated and traumatized. At least 1.5 million people have been driven from a pastoral existence into the squalor of refugee camps. The leader of the rebel army is the rarely seen Joseph Kony, a former witchdoctor and self-professed spirit medium who continues to evade justice and wield power from somewhere near the Congo~Sudan border. Kony claims he not only can predict the future but also can control the minds of his fighters. And control them he does: the Lord’s Resistance Army consists of children who are abducted from their homes under cover of night. As initiation, the boys are forced to commit atrocities—murdering their parents, friends, and relatives—and the kidnapped girls are forced into lives of sexual slavery and labor. In First Kill Your Family, veteran journalist Peter Eichstaedt goes into the war-torn villages and refugee camps, talking to former child soldiers, child “brides,” and other victims. He examines the cultlike convictions of the army; how a pervasive belief in witchcraft, the spirit world, and the supernatural gave rise to this and other deadly movements; and what the global community can do to bring peace and justice to the region. This insightful analysis delves into the war’s foundations and argues that, much like Rwanda’s genocide, international intervention is needed to stop Africa’s virulent cycle of violence.Trade Review"Heartfelt ... A close analysis of [an] underreported crisis." -- Publishers Weekly"In-depth reporting ... an intimate spin." -- Kirkus Reviews"You must read this powerful book. Peter Eichstaedt has given voice to the victims of the largely unheard-of tragedy of Uganda. This story calls out to our very humanity." -- Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu"A book filled with haunting images that leave one groping for answers." -- Mac Maharaj, South African author & activist"This book is a call to action to help our brothers and sisters in Africa that we can no longer ignore." -- John Dau, president, John Dau Sudan Foundation & co-author, God Grew Tired of Us: A Memoir"This fine first-hand account should be read by anyone seeking to grapple with the challenges of war and peace in coming decades." -- Douglas Farah, author, Merchant of Death & Blood from Stones

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Book SynopsisLIFE was one of the premiere sources of news about the Vietnam War and its coverage was revolutionary; Larry Burrows was the first photographer to document a war primarily in colour, because LIFE had figured out, with the new printing methods of the 1960s, how to accommodate more colour pages. The pictures are as arresting today as they were in their time. However, LIFE not only reinvented war coverage but we travelled as America did: from pro-war to "One Week's Dead." LIFE in fact led the way. Many wars have served to protect America or America's interests. Even the Civil War was about maintaining the Union. Vietnam was the first war since the Revolution that changed America profoundly - sociologically, and in how we thought about war, aggression and the feeling that America was infallible. Journalists, college students and eventually soldiers themselves started to question such things as "America's always right" and "America has never lost a war." The war at home, which LIFE covered just as vividly as the war in Southeast Asia, was waged on the campuses and at the conventions. All of that photography will be here in this 50th anniversary commemorative. This special book will include new interviews with veterans, a special photo essay on the history of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, a pictorial report on unified Vietnam today, a revisiting of LIFE's editorial treatment of the war, an account of legendary photographers (Burrows, Robert Capa) lost during the era in Southeast Asia (including a reminiscence by Burrows' son, Russell, and daughter-in-law, LIFE's own Bobbi Baker Burrows), a report on the other photographs that made history (Eddie Adams' execution shot, Nick Ut's "Napalm Girl," including Joe McNally's revisit with the grown woman in Canada, exclusively for LIFE).

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Book SynopsisFor a Kentucky rifleman who spent his tour trudging through Vietnam's Central Highlands, it was Nancy Sinatra's ""These Boots Are Made for Walkin'."" For a ""tunnel rat"" who blew smoke into the Viet Cong's underground tunnels, it was Jimi Hendrix's ""Purple Haze."" For a black marine distraught over the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., it was Aretha Franklin's ""Chain of Fools."" And for countless other Vietnam vets, it was ""I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die,"" ""Who'll Stop the Rain,"" or the song that gives this book its title.In We Gotta Get Out of This Place, Doug Bradley and Craig Werner place popular music at the heart of the American experience in Vietnam. They explore how and why U.S. troops turned to music as a way of connecting to each other and the World back home and of coping with the complexities of the war they had been sent to fight. They also demonstrate that music was important for every group of Vietnam veterans -- black and white, Latino and Native American, men and women, officers and ""grunts"" -- whose personal reflections drive the book's narrative. Many of the voices are those of ordinary soldiers, airmen, seamen, and marines. But there are also ""solo"" pieces by veterans whose writings have shaped our understanding of the war -- Karl Marlantes, Alfredo Vea, Yusef Komunyakaa, Bill Ehrhart, Arthur Flowers -- as well as songwriters and performers whose music influenced soldiers' lives, including Eric Burdon, James Brown, Bruce Springsteen, Country Joe McDonald, and John Fogerty. Together their testimony taps into memories -- individual and cultural -- that capture a central if often overlooked component of the American war in Vietnam.Trade Review"Intimate and deeply informative, with a scope that encompasses both the war itself and the way that music has helped raise awareness of veterans' issues long after its end."—Rolling Stone

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Book SynopsisFeldpost: The Wartime Letters of Friedrich Reiner Niemann documents the life and front line experiences of a German soldier from the 6th Infantry Division from 1941-1945. Niemann, a well-educated youth from a Westphalia family, was sent to the Russian front four times. He wrote his final two letters home from Poland on January 12, 1945 before he disappeared during the Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive. In his extensive correspondence, Niemann describes the fighting at Rzhev, Russia, 1942-1943, and his survival of the destruction of his division during the Soviet summer offensive in 1944. His is a rare view of battles that annihilated entire German divisions and armies. After World War Two, the Niemann family preserved Reiner's letters and photographs and shipped them to New Orleans when Reiner's sister, Liselotte Andersson, had emigrated. Neglected in an attic for over fifty years, the documents surfaced only after Hurricane Katrina flooded the family house. Andersson's daughter-in-law, author Whitney Stewart, discovered the letters in 2012, and contacted Denis Havel to translate them. Together, Havel and Stewart uncovered historical details that enabled them to follow Reiner's trail and tell his story.

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Book Synopsis A half-century ago America was embroiled in a quagmire thousands of miles away from our shores that split the nation in two. Based upon extensive research and interviews, this book chronicles the history of that tempestuous timeframe. The author's succinct yet elegant writing style makes complex issues readily palatable to the knowledge thirsty reader. Relying heavily on oral history, the author offers a rich portrait of the Vietnam Era. Older readers will appreciate the book for its ability to help put a complex period of their lives into clearer perspective. Young people will be able to appreciate the deep implications of the Era and the impact that it had on our society. There are valuable lessons shared in this work that are fully applicable today including the power of organization that helped to not only end a senseless war but also served as a catalyst for significant cultural changes.Trade Review"A terrific book--what's going on tells the story of the Vietnam War, the protests, how it divided the country and some of its important lessons. By also telling the story of the people caught up in the war and the movement against it, it is personally compelling and brings the lessons home." Heather Booth" what's going on by Michael Hayes is not quite a history book, and it's not quite an oral history, but the mix, like the organization of individual notes in a piece of music, combines to create a moving, insightful, powerful and important multi-faceted portrait of the Vietnam War era. Hayes is non-judgmental, allowing his subject to voice their opinions and relate their stories. The result is as colorful and poignant as the times. A very worthwhile study." John Ketwig, Vietnam Veteran and author of ...and a hard rain fell and Vietnam Reconsidered

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Book SynopsisThis second of two volumes recounts the WWII history of B Company, 756th Tank Battalion in vivid detail. The outfit, since upgraded from M5 light tanks to M4 'Sherman' mediums, claws through some of the toughest battles of WWII – from a horrific stalemate at Cassino in February 1944, through the bloody Operation Diadem May breakout, to the stunning capture of Rome on 4th June 1944. This unique multi-volume history covers the full spectrum of experiences of the men in one tank company from inception in June 1941 through the occupation of Germany in 1945. An American tank company in WWII consisted of only five officers and approximately 100 enlisted men – all living, travelling and fighting in seventeen tanks, two jeeps, one truck, one half-track and one tank retriever. Uniting the official record with the rich, personal accounts of the participants, this volume sweeps the reader along a highly detailed and shocking journey chronicling the evolution of American armour doctrine and tank design from June 1941 through to VE Day. The B Company tankers often fought at a disadvantage – struggling to survive a myriad of battlefield challenges and triumph against enemy armour better armed and better protected. What was once envisioned as a warfare of sweeping armoured formations managed by West Point lieutenant colonels and ROTC captains quickly devolved into small unit street fights relying more and more on the initiative, resourcefulness and cunning of lowly OCS lieutenants and combat-seasoned sergeants. The journey is long, unforgiving and brutal, and 47 tankers would be lost along the way.Trade ReviewUniting official records with the rich, personal accounts of the participants is author Jeff Danby’s expertise, nay, genius, allowing us insatiable WWII enthusiasts to ride, rock, and rumble along with the fighting, lives on the line, tankers into highly detailed journeys and battles. * Argunners Magazine *Table of ContentsThe Story Thus Far 1: Cassino, First Attack 2: Cassino, Second Attack 3: The Big Push 4: The Jail 5: Exhaustion 6: A Monumental Tragedy 7: Relief 8: Retrospection 9: Regroup 10: Custermen 11: Cracking the Gustav 12: Bursting Through 13: Living the War with the French 14: Stealing Rome 15: Chase North 16: Respite Appendices Bibliography Endnotes Index

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Book SynopsisThe last year of the war saw Russian offensives that cleared the Germans out of their final strongholds in Finland and the Baltic states, before advancing into Finnmark in Norway and the east European states that bordered Germany: Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. By spring 1945 the Red Army had reached to Vienna and the Balkans, and had thrust deep into Germany where they met American, French and British troops advancing from the west. The final days of the Third Reich were at hand. Berlin was first surrounded, then attacked and taken. Hitler's suicide and his successors' unconditional surrender ended the war. For writers and historians who concentrate on the Western Allies and the battles in France and the Low Countries, the Eastern Front comes as a shock. The sheer size of both the territories and the forces involved; the savagery of both weather and the fighting; the appalling suffering of the civilian populations of all countries and the wreckage of towns and cities - it's no wonder that words like armageddon are used to describe the annihilation. Red Army into the Reich combines a narrative history, contemporary photographs and maps with images of memorials, battlefield survivors and then & now views. It may come as a surprise to the western reader to see how many memorials there are to Russia's Great Patriotic War and those to the losses suffered by the countries who spent so long under the murderous Nazi regime.Trade Review...no better-illustrated text has yet been created to carefully, meticulously, carry us over the vast landscape of the most brutal, cruelest, total war the world had ever seen. * Argunners 28/09/2021 *Table of ContentsIntroduction In the North Poland Hungary Austria Czechoslovakia The Battle of Berlin Remembrance

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Book SynopsisThe battle for Europe in 1943-45 was one of the greatest military challenges in the history of the U.S. Army. Fighting against often veteran German forces from the mountains of Italy to the beaches of Normandy and the frozen forests of the Ardennes, hundreds of thousands of US infantrymen had to move quickly beyond their training and acquire real-world combat skills with extraordinary pace, if they were to raise their chances of survival beyond a few days. They fought in an age of total war, in which the enemy deployed heavy armor, artillery, air power, and their own infantry firepower in a battle of true equals. Without the drive and blood of the U.S. Army infantry, the Allies could not have defeated the Wehrmacht in Western Europe.Extensive documentation was provided for the in-theater US Army infantryman, from booklets rather misguidedly advising on how to behave in foreign countries through to field manuals explaining core combat tactics across squad, platoon, company, and battalion levels. This pocket manual presents critical insights from many of these sources, but also draws on broad spectrum of intelligence reports, after-action reports, and other rare publications. Together they give an inside view on what it was light to live and fight in the U.S. Army infantry during arguably the most consequential conflict in human history.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Organisation 2. Training and basic infantry skills 3. Daily life, regulations and overseas deployment 4. Weapons and equipment 5. Combat tactics - squad and platoon 6. Combat tactics - company and battalion 7. Logistics

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Book SynopsisDuring Hank Zeybel's first tour in Vietnam he flew 772 C130 sorties as a navigator. He volunteered for a second tour, requesting assignment to B26s so he could "shoot back." When B26s were removed from the inventory, he accepted a Spectre gunship crew slot, flying truck-busting missions over the Ho Chi Minh Trail. He describes the terror of flying through heavy AA fire over the trail, and the heroics of the pilots in bringing their crews through.Away from the war he recalls leave back in the US, his elderly father bewildered by his war-hardened attitude and black sense of humor. Contextualising his time with Spectre gunships, he compares his experiences with those of other airmen, like Phil Combies and Robin Olds, and his broader Air Force career - he joined upon graduating university in 1955 and his first operational assignment was as a B47 Stratojet navigator-bomber at Strategic Air Command - trained to drop thermonuclear bombs with precision. From 1957 to 1963, he logged over two thousand hours as a radar-bombardier in B47 Stratojets and B52 C-models. In this memoir of Vietnam, his Air Force career and his second career as a journalist and writer, Zeybel's admiration of the skill and bravery of pilots - many of whom who he depended on for his very survival - shines through his desciptions of combat missions and being "along for the ride."

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Book SynopsisWhen the U.S. Army went to war in South Vietnam in 1965, the general consensus was that counterinsurgency was an infantryman's war; if there was any role at all for armored forces, it would be strictly to support the infantry. However, from the time the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment arrived in country in September 1966, troopers of the Blackhorse Regiment demonstrated the fallacy of this assumption. By the time of Tet '68, the Army's leadership began to understand that the Regiment's mobility, firepower, flexibility, and leadership made a difference on the battlefield well beyond its numbers.Over the course of the 11th Cavalry's five-and-a-half years in combat in South Vietnam and Cambodia, over 25,000 young men served in the Regiment. Their stories - and those of their families - represent the Vietnam generation in graphic, sometimes humorous, often heart-wrenching detail. Collected by the author through hundreds of in-person, telephone, and electronic interviews over a period of 25-plus years, these "war stories" provide context for the companion volume, The Blackhorse in Vietnam.Amongst the stories of the Blackhorse troopers and their families are the tales of the wide variety of animals they encountered during their time in combat, as well as the variable landscape, from jungle to rice paddies, and weather. Blackhorse Tales concludes with a look at how the troopers have dealt with their combat experiences since returning from Vietnam. Between the chapters are combat narratives, one from each year of the Regiment's five-and-a-half years in Southeast Asia. These combat vignettes begin on 2 December 1966, when a small column of 1st Squadron vehicles and troopers were ambushed on Highway 1 and emerged victorious despite being outnumbered. They go on to describe the one-of-a-kind crossing of the Dong Nai River on 25 April 1968, as the Blackhorse Regiment rode to the rescue during Mini-Tet 1968, and the 2nd Squadron's fight to clear the Boi Loi Woods in late April 1971.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: The Troopers Combat: 2 December 1966 Chapter 2: The Families Combat: 19 June 1967 Chapter 3: The Civilians Combat: 25 April 1968 Chapter 4: The Animals Combat: 13-14 April 1969 Chapter 5: The Land Combat: 27 March-1 April 1970 Chapter 6: The Weather Combat: 29 April 1971 Chapter 7: Life After Vietnam

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Book SynopsisHal Moore, one of the most admired American combat leaders of the last 50 years, has until now been best known to the public for being portrayed by Mel Gibson in the movie "We Were Soldiers." In this first-ever, fully illustrated biography, we finally learn the full story of one of America's true military heroes. A 1945 graduate of West Point, Moore's first combats occurred during the Korean War, where he fought in the battles of Old Baldy, T-Bone, and Pork Chop Hill. At the beginning of the Vietnam War, Moore commanded the 1st Battalion of the 7th Cavalry in the first full-fledged battle between U.S. and North Vietnamese regulars. Drastically outnumbered and nearly overrun, Moore led from the front, and though losing 79 soldiers, accounted for 1,200 of the enemy before the Communists withdrew. This Battle of Ia Drang pioneered the use of "air mobile infantry" - delivering troops into battle via helicopter - which became the staple of U.S. operations for the remainder of the war. He later wrote of his experiences in the best-selling book, We Were Soldiers Once…and Young. Following his tour in Vietnam, he assumed command of the 7th Infantry Division, forward-stationed in South Korea, and in 1971, he took command of the Army Training Center at Fort Ord, California. In this capacity, he oversaw the US Army's transition from a conscript-based to an all-volunteer force. He retired as a Lieutenant General in 1977. At this writing, Hal Moore is 90 years old and living quietly in Auburn, Alabama. He graciously allowed the author interviews and granted full access to his files and collection of letters, documents, and never-before-published photographs.Trade ReviewThis is a very readable book and gives a great insight to a remarkable man. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine 13/09/2021 *

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Book SynopsisThe successes of the German Blitzkrieg in 1939–41 were as surprising as they were swift. Allied decision-makers wanted to discover the secret to German success quickly, even though only partial, incomplete information was available to them. The false conclusions drawn became myths about the Blitzkrieg that have lingered for decades.It has been argued that German victories in the early part of the war rested less upon newly developed tanks and aircraft and more on German military traditions: rather than creating a new way of war based on new technology, the Germans fitted the new weapons into their existing ideas on warfare. These doctrines focused on independent action, initiative, flexibility, decentralized decision-making and mobility. The conduct of German soldiers, particularly the lower-ranking men, on the battlefield was at the core of the concept and German victories rested upon the quality of the small combat units.This book focuses on the experience of the enlisted men and junior officers in the Blitzkrieg operations in Poland, Norway, Western Europe and Russia. Using accounts previously unpublished in English, military historian Niklas Zetterling explores how they operated, for example how a company commander led his tanks, how a crew worked together inside a tank, and the role of the repair services. The author fits these narratives into a broader perspective to give the reader a better understanding of why the Germans were so successful in 1939–41.

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Book SynopsisPhoto reconnaissance played a significant role during the Cold War, however it remained unknown to the public for many years because its product and methods remained classified for security purposes. While the U-2 gets most of the credit, low-level photo reconnaissance played an equally important role and was essential to target selection and bomb damage assessment during the Vietnam War. Moreover the contribution of naval aviation photo reconnaissance to the bombing effort in Vietnam is largely an untold story. This book highlights the role of the unarmed supersonic RF-8A/G photo-Crusader throughout the war, and also the part played by its F-8 and F-4 escort fighters.Veteran and historian Kenneth Jack pieces together the chronological history of photo recon in the Vietnam War between 1964 and 1972, describing all types of missions undertaken, including several Crusader vs. MiG dogfights and multiple RF-8 shootdowns with their associated, dramatic rescues. The narrative focuses on Navy Photo Squadron VFP-63, but also dedicates chapters to VFP-62 and Marine VMCJ-1. Clandestine missions conducted over Laos began 1964, becoming a congressionally authorized war after the Tonkin Gulf incident in August 1964. VFP-63 played a role in that incident and thereafter sent detachments to Navy carriers for the remainder of the war. By war's end, they had lost 30 aircraft with 10 pilots killed, six POWs, and 14 rescued. The historical narrative is brought to life through vivid first-hand details of missions over intensely defended targets in Laos and North Vietnam. While most books on the Vietnam air war focus on fighter and bombing action, this book provides fresh insight into the air war through its focus on photo reconnaissance and coverage of both versions of the Crusader.Trade ReviewThe book is well written and indexed. Jack uses photographs from Navy archives and those from squadron personnel to create the history of the aircraft and the men who flew and maintained them. * Naval History Magazine 21/12/2022 *Table of ContentsAuthor's Notes Introduction Chapter 1: 1964–66: VMCJ-1 Photo-Reconnaissance and Electronic Counter Measures Chapter 2: 1964: VFP-63 Photo-Reconnaissance Over Laos and First Prisoner of War Chapter 3: 1965: VFP-63 Support of Operation Rolling Thunder Begins Chapter 4: 1966—Operation Rolling Thunder Intensifies Chapter 5: 1966–67: VFP-62 Enters the War Chapter 6: 1967–68: Dangerous Skies Over Hanoi and Haiphong Chapter 7: 1969–72: The Final Years Chapter 8: Other Navy and Marine Corps Photo Reconnaissance Aircraft Chapter 9: Summary and Conclusions Acknowledgements Terms and Acronyms Source Notes Appendix "Bombing as a Policy Tool in Vietnam: Effectiveness" (Senate Foreign Relations Committee)

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Book Synopsis"The ultimate reference on Army Special Operations in Vietnam. One thing for sure, you will want to read this book." Vietnam veteran, 173rd Airborne Brigade"It's a book that any aspiring future Special Forces troop should read." Major General Jack Singlaub, (ret), U.S. Army Special Forces, CIA and OSSDuring the Vietnam War, the Special Forces men of the top-secret Studies and Observations Group ran covert operations deep behind enemy lines - along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, into the enemy’s secret Cambodian sanctuaries, even striking into the heartland of North Vietnam. In 1972 the U.S. military destroying all known photos of the top-secret Studies and Observations Group, with the intention that details could never be made public. But unknown to those in charge, SOG veterans brought back with them hundreds of photographs of SOG in action and kept them secret for more than three decades. This new edition brings together an amazing collection of more than 700 irreplaceable photos bring to life the stories of SOG legends Larry Thorne, Bob Howard, Dick Meadows, George Sisler, "Q" and others, and documents what really happened deep inside enemy territory: Operation Tailwind, the Son Tay raid, SOG's defense of Khe Sanh, Hatchet Force operations, Bright Light rescues, HALO insertions, string extractions, SOG's darkest programs and much more. This book captures some of the most dramatic combat photos to emerge from the war, creating a stunning mosaic telling SOG's entire story.Trade ReviewIf you are interested in Southeast Asia wars, this is an essential volume for both the aviation historian and the scale modeler. * IPMS USA 14/12/2022 *...gives fascinating insight into this shadowy organization. * Military Heritage 10/11/2022 *Table of ContentsPART ONE: THE SECRET WAR BEGINS Chapter 1: Colby’s Covert War Chapter 2: Switching Back—SOG Is Born Chapter 3: Shining Brass PART TWO: THE HO CHI MINH TRAIL Chapter 4: Unfolding the Mysteries of the Trail PART THREE: SOG’s AIR ARM Chapter 5: Blackbirds and Night Skies Chapter 6: Special Helicopters and Special Crews Chapter 7: FACs and Fighters PART FOUR: RECON WEAPONS, MISSIONS, AND TACTICS Chapter 8: Recon Equipment and Weapons Chapter 9: Recon Missions Chapter 10: NVA Counterrecon Forces and Tactics Chapter 11: Recon Tactics and Techniques PART FIVE: RECON OPERATIONS Chapter 12: Getting Teams In and Out Chapter 13: HALO: The Ultimate Infiltration Technique Chapter 14: The Recon Ethic Chapter 15: Into Cambodia PART SIX: SOG’S HATCHET FORCES Chapter 16: Hatchet Force Operations Chapter 17: Operation Tailwind PART SEVEN: OTHER FRONTS IN THE SECRET WARS Chapter 18: Bright Light Rescues Chapter 19: The Greatest Raid of All Chapter 20: SOG in the Defense Chapter 21: SOG’s Darkest Programs Afterword Glossary

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Book SynopsisIn July 1944, the 9,000-man Japanese garrison on the island of Tinian listened warily as the thunder of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, Army and Air Corps, descended on their neighbouring island, Saipan, just three miles away. There were 20,000 Japanese troops on Saipan, but the US obliterated the opposition after a horrific all-arms campaign. The sudden silence only indicated it was now Tinian’s turn.When the battle for Tinian finally took place the US acted with great skill. Nevertheless, the Japanese resisted with their usual stubbornness, and the already decimated US Marines suffered hundreds of casualties.During the battle Japanese shore batteries were able to riddle the battleship Colorado, killing scores, plus make multiple hits on a destroyer, killing its captain. On the island itself the US used napalm for the first time, paving the way for Marines painstakingly rooting out strongpoints. One last Banzai attack signalled the end to enemy resistance, as Marines fought toe-to-toe with their antagonists in the dark.In the end some 8,000 Japanese were killed, with only 300 surrenders, plus some others who hid out for years after the war. But those Japanese who resisted perhaps performed a greater service than they knew. After Tinian was secured, the US proceeded to build the biggest airport in the world on that island, home to hundreds of B-29 Superfortresses. Among these, just over a year later, were the Enola Gay and Boxcar, which with their atomic bombs would quickly bring the Japanese homeland itself to its knees.

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Book SynopsisAfter the publication of his best-selling novel, Joseph Heller usually chose to deny that any of his richly drawn characters were based on his actual war mates. However, to those who served with Heller in the 340th Bomb Group the novel’s characters were indeed recognisable; from the hard-drinking, vengeful, and disillusioned Chief White Half Oat; young, sliced-in-half Kid Sampson; shrieking, frenzied Hungry Joe; to Colonel Cathcart, Doc Dreedle, Yossarian and that capitalist supreme, Milo Minderbinder.In this book we finally encounter the real men and combat missions on which the novel was based. Blending fact, fancy and history with full-blown original illustrations and rare, previously unpublished photos of these daring USAAF flyers and their Corsican-based B-25 Marauders, along with descriptions of the 340th’s real wartime events, the work includes twelve men of the Bomb Group relating twelve richly told tales of their own.Now all of the men upon whom Heller based his characters are gone. However, the last survivor, George L. Wells, was an extraordinary combat pilot and the model for Catch-22s Capt. Wren, and he is the common thread who weaves through this book, allowing the reader to truly feel the war and even thumb through George’s well-worn mission book describing attacks on Axis ports, ships, bridges, and the notorious Brenner Pass.Author Patricia Chapman Meder has been a professional artist in both fine and commercial art for the past 35 years,13 of them in Europe. When Catch-22 was published it was quickly apparent that this book was based on the Bomb Group her father commanded in World War II. This true-life parallel book thus begged to be written.

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Book SynopsisWorld War II was very much a war of the radios. A relatively new technology, radio as a tool was exploited by all of the participants of the war to win the hearts and minds of the people and to steer public opinion.The period 1940 to 1942 was the most volatile of the war, with the Nazis capturing large parts of western Europe and dominating on the Eastern front. At this time France was separated into two nominally independent zones, and public opinion could easily have been swayed in favour of the New German Order. This could have had potentially disastrous consequences for any future Allied attempt to liberate Europe, and so the battle for French minds was launched using the new technology of radio.This narrative of that campaign develops chronologically through a series of topics including major military incidents, youth, food, family, psychological warfare, sports and work, as presented by different radio stations – in particular Radiodiffusion, controlled by Vichy France; Radio Paris, controlled by the Nazis; and the BBC – offering a systematic comparative analysis of radio propaganda messages and building a vivid picture of the evolution of broadcasts in the context of the complex political and social impact of the war on the French population.Using original primary sources from archives in Britain and France, broadcast recordings, radio magazines, and interviews conducted by British Intelligence with those arriving from France during the war, this is a fascinating and unique insight into wartime radio propaganda from 1940 to 1942.Trade Review[P]rovides a comprehensive and thought-provoking discussion of the efforts exerted by adversarial radio propagandists vying for the heart, soul and will of the French people. * K9YA Telegraph *Offers a fascinating insight into how Allied, Axis and Vichy governments exploited radio to win over the civilian population in Occupied France. * Argunners Magazine *Featured in * The Psychologist *There are few recordings available of radio broadcasts from this period but in various archives Dr Courtois has found the transcripts of many radio programmes, which has enabled him to build up a picutre of how life in France was presented to French radio listeners. * Practical Wireless *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Figures Translations and Terminology Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1: The main players in the space of radio propaganda Chapter 2: Other international radios broadcasting in French Chapter 3: BBC broadcasts Chapter 4: RN broadcasts Chapter 5: Radio Paris broadcasts Conclusion Bibliography Source material Notes

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Book SynopsisHenrik Lunde grew up in Norway and came to the United States with his parents as a young teenager. After completing high school, he attended the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1958 as the Honor Graduate in the History Department. He also received an appointment in the Regular Army.After the Basic Infantry Officer, Ranger and Airborne courses, and his first duty station with the 2nd Battle Group, 6th Infantry Regiment in Berlin, Hank spent 18 months with a covert Special Forces unit in Berlin. In 1963 he attended the Infantry Officer Career Course at Fort Benning and was designated an Honor Graduate. He then attended the elite Pathfinder Course before reporting to Fort Campbell, Kentucky for assignment to the elite 101st Airborne Division.He deployed to Vietnam with 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, in 1965. For most of his tour he commanded a rifle company. On his return to the States Hank worked as Branch Chief at the Airborne Test Division at Fort Bragg. Still, at the end of 1967, he volunteered for the 9th Division in the Delta despite becoming disillusioned with the tactical/strategic conduct of the war. In the 9th Division, he served as Brigade S-3 and battalion executive officer. He then moved to the Vietnamese II Corps as deputy operations adviser.After graduating from the Command and General Staff College in 1970, in the upper 10% of the class, he moved on to Syracuse University to obtain a master’s degree. He then returned to Vietnam in 1973, serving as Chief of Negotiations of the U.S. Delegation to the FPJMT set up by the 1973 Paris Peace Treaty to account for the dead and missing. After a year at the Political/Military Division of the Army General Staff with southeast Asia as his responsibility area Hank attended the U.S. Army War College as the second youngest student in 1975–76. From 1976 to 1979, he served in the Plans of Policy branch of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. His last assignment was as Director of National and International Security Studies for Europe at the Army War College. Colonel Lunde is highly decorated from his three tours in Vietnam.Trade Review[Lunde's] recollections include a depth of detail seldom found in war memoirs. They’re mainly based on the field notebooks he kept while in-country, unit reports, history books and other secondary sources related to operations he led, and letters to his wife Florence. * The VVA Veteran *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Turbulent but Carefree Beginning 2: First Years in a New Country 3: Time of Preparation – Fort Benning 1958–1959 4: Brink of Armageddon – Berlin 1959–1961 5: Secret Assignment, Personal Problems and Refocusing 1961–1964 6: 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division 7: A Command in Disarray 8: Provisional Cavalry Troop – Battle of An Ninh 9: Phan Rang, Ben Cat, Iron Triangle, Tuy Hoa 10: Searching for and Finding the 95th NVA Regiment 11: Days of Flawed Decisions 12: Ambush – a Night of Terror 13: Operations 17 February to 4 April 1965 14: Phan Thiet and Bu Prang 15: Bu Gia Map Campaign 6-10 May 16: Battle of Bu Gia Map and Pursuit 17: Airborne Test Division – The War in 1967 18: Brigade S-3 19: Battalion Executive Officer 20: Deputy G3 Adviser, II ARVN Corps 21: Schooling and Battalion Command 22: Chief of Negotiation, US Delegation FPJMT 23: Pentagon and U.S. Army War College 24: SHAPE, USAWC, and Retirement Notes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn late 1971, the People's Army of Vietnam launched Campaign 'Z' into northern Laos, escalating the war in Laos with the aim of defeating the last Royal Lao Army troops. The NVA troops numbered 27,000 and brought with them 130mm field guns and T-34 tanks, while the North Vietnamese air force launched MiG-21s into Lao air space. General Giap's specific orders to this task force were to kill the CIA army under command of the Hmong war lord Vang Pao and occupy its field headquarters in the Long Tieng valley of northeast Laos.They faced the rag-tag army of Vang Pao, fewer than 6,000 strong and mostly Thai irregulars, recruited by the Thai army to fight for the CIA in Laos. By the time the NVA launched their first attack, 4,000 Tahan Sua Pran had been recruited, armed, trained and rushed in position in Laos to defend against the impending NVA invasion. They reinforced Vang Pao's indigenous army of 1,800 Lao hillstribe guerrillas.Despite the odds being overwhelmingly in the NVA's favour, the battle did not go to plan. It raged for more than 100 days, the longest in the Vietnam War, and it all came down to Skyline Ridge. As at Dien Bien Phu, whoever won Skyline, won Laos. Against all odds, against all WDC expectations, the NVA lost, their 27,000-man invasion force decimated.James Parker served in Laos. Over many years he pieced together his own knowledge with CIA files and North Vietnamese after-action reports in order to tell the full story of the battle of Skyline Ridge.

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Book SynopsisMichael Crescenz grew up in one of Philadelphia’s booming post-war Catholic neighbourhoods, distinguishing himself early on as a leader, brother and friend who fearlessly rose to the defense of others in need. The second of six sons born to a World War II veteran, Michael was known for his big smile, athletic abilities, toughness and fierce competitive spirit. Growing up, Michael’s world revolved around his family, parish, local playgrounds, and the bustling Catholic schools he attended from first grade through high school graduation. All these influences shaped the man he would become – the one who felt a sense of duty to serve his country and enlisted in the U.S. Army to do his part during the Vietnam War.He was in Vietnam barely two months when his unit, the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, was sent into battle against deeply entrenched enemy forces on Nui Chom Mountain, the fortress in the clouds tucked away in the far northwest corner of South Vietnam near the borders with North Vietnam and Laos. Commanders knew they were in for a fight, but didn’t know the enemy had more than 250 machine gun bunkers deployed along the mountain’s slopes. On November 20, 1968, Alpha Company was ambushed on the wet jungle mountainside, the NVA taking down the two men up front and pinning down the rest with relentless fire.Thinking first of the danger to those around him, Private First Class Michael J. Crescenz picked up an M60 machine gun and charged the enemy bunkers. He did not survive but his actions saved the lives of his fellow soldiers and allowed them to advance and ultimately prevail. For his valour and sacrifice, Michael was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.No Greater Love tells this story from the perspective of those who loved Michael Crescenz most, close friends, family, Michael’s commanding officer in Vietnam, retired Lieutenant General Sam Wetzel, and medic William 'Doc' Stafford, the soldier closest to Michael when he was cut down by enemy fire, and who believes to this day that he survived Nui Chom only because of the selfless actions of Private First Class Crescenz.Trade ReviewA true biography … No Greater Love will stay with you after the last page. * Broad Street Review *The book’s array of excellent color photographs adds additional distinction to Michael’s short life. * The VVA Veteran 26/10/2022 *We highly recommend you read this tremendous story of service, sacrifice, and valour. * The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society 02/11/2022 *Michael’s valour, loyalty and tenacity on the November, 20, 1968, saved the rest of his entire company by silencing the well-entrenched enemy without hesitation or regard for his own life. He will never be forgotten. * Tom Roberts, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam veteran *Nothing about Michael’s heroism surprised those who knew him. His strength of character was built at home, and on the streets and playing fields of Philadelphia. Michael hated bullies and he never backed down. It was this part of him that I imagine spurred him to say “enough of this” and charge those bunkers. * Tom Gosse, Captain, U.S. Army infantry, neighbourhood friend of Michael Crescenz *This timely book illustrates how our heroes come from many backgrounds and social strata. Michael Crescenz was one of many Americans whose family also served our nation in several conflicts with honor, dignity and heroism. * Colin D. Heaton, author and historian *I like the flow of the book. I can close my eyes and see the battle all over again. Thanks for doing such an amazing job. * William “Doc” Stafford, combat medic, 4/31 Infantry, whose life was saved by Michael Crescenz *Through the words of family and friends, the authors have painted a vivid and moving picture of an early life in 1950s and 1960s Philadelphia that created the foundation for Michael Crescenz’s selfless act of extraordinary heroism. Add the sacred bond that existed among the soldiers of 4-31 Infantry, and one can understand why, amid the fiery hell of close ground combat, Michael Crescenz rose to confront and silence the entrenched enemy gunners who were killing and wounding his buddies. * John F. Dolan, Former Commander, Alpha Company, 4/31 Infantry *Table of ContentsChapter I: Fortress in the Clouds Chapter II: Family Chapter III: Community Chapter IV: Call to Service Chapter V: Battle of Nui Chom Mountain Chapter VI: Medal of Honor Chapter VII: White House Chapter VIII: Arlington Chapter IX: VA Hospital Chapter X: Legacy

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Book SynopsisIn late 1943, 362. Infanterie-Division was formed around the remnants of 268. Infanterie-Division, which had been disbanded after high casualties on the Eastern Front. It fought at Anzio in early 1944, overrun when the Allied broke through the German lines in April. During its time at Anzio, the division was involved in the Benedicta massacre.The unit was withdrawn to Rome. Facing the Allied advance, it suffered further losses and had to be rebuilt once more. Returning to the front, it then fought until late April 1945, when it surrendered.This account focuses on the efforts of 362. Infanterie-Division to turn back the Allied forces from their advance north in late 1944 and early 1945. Its commander, Heinz Greiner led the division in a series of counterattacks against Allied forces outside Rome that slowed Allied progress.While Greiner did not have access to the unit war diary while writing this account his experience as commander of 362. Infanterie-Division thoughout this period means that it offers a unique insight into the battle from the German perspective well as a thorough account of the reestablishment, training and combat performance of a German division.Table of ContentsIntroduction The Battle for Rome – Reestablishment and training of 362nd Infantry Division; The last general attack against the beachhead at Anzio-Nettuno; The Allied breakout from the beachhead; Delaying operations Battle in the Appennines Battle on the Po – Refitting the 362nd Infantry Division; Delaying operations between November 44 and surrender in May 45 Afterword Appendices

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Book SynopsisJohn Wilson “Iron Mike” O’Daniel was one of the U.S. Army’s great fighting generals of the 20th century. He began his military career with the Delaware Militia in 1914, served on the Mexican border in 1916, received a Distinguished Service Cross in World War I, was Mark Clark’s man for hard jobs in the early days of World War II, and commanded the storied 3rd Infantry Division from Anzio to the end of the war in Europe, ending the war in Salzburg after liberating Munich, and Hitler’s Berghof and Eagle’s Nest on the Obersalzberg, Bavaria, Germany. “Iron Mike “commanded I Corps in Korea 1951–1952 and ended his career as the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Vietnam in the early days of American involvement there.LTC Stoy paints a vivid picture of this great American warrior who played an important role in World War II, became an ardent anti-Communist crusader after duty in Moscow as Military Attaché 1948–1950 as the Cold War intensified, laid the foundation for the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, and remained an ardent supporter of President Ngo Dinh Diem while serving as Chairman of the American Friends of Vietnam from his retirement in 1956 until 1963, shortly before Diem’s assassination.Trade ReviewTimothy Stoy has crafted a superb biography of 'Iron Mike' O’Daniel. Through exhaustive research and the use of techniques not normally seen in a biography, he has clearly told the story of O’Daniel. In doing so, he has done a great service to the public. He has exposed many to a soldier and leader who made huge contributions to the U.S. Army and to the Nation. * Military Review *Warts and all, we are introduced to the very essence of the man, a complete American warrior, one who spent more time under fire with his front-line troops than behind the safety of his office desk. * AR Gunners 04/01/2023 *Table of ContentsForeword, Major General Anthony A. Cucolo, III. Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Early Days 2. WWI 3. Nogales and the 25th Infantry Regiment 4. The Interwar Years 5. WWII - ETO and Operation Torch with the 168th Infantry Regiment 6. Arzew, Algeria; Italy - including Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, and Rome 7. France, Germany, and Austria 8. The Infantry Center and School at Fort Benning, Georgia 9. Moscow and Army Ground Forces 10. Korean War and Command of I Corps 11. Indochina and Vietnam 12. The American Friends of Vietnam and the Final Years 13. Conclusion Appendices Bibliography and Sources

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Book SynopsisCourage Under Fire is the first book published about Operation Lamar Plain. After 50 years, the story of the renowned 101st Airborne's major offensive near Tam Ky, South Vietnam remains largely unknown. Fighting at Tam Ky by the 1st Brigade began 15 May 1969 while the 101st's 3rd Brigade battled on Hamburger Hill. The political consequences of Hamburger Hill's high casualties caused Lamar Plain and its high casualties to remain classified and undisclosed. Decades later, the fighting at Tam Ky is mostly forgotten except by those who fought there.Sherwood's superb research of now declassified records uncovers how such a large battle could remain hidden and undisclosed. But that is not the heart of his story. His focus is on the courage and commitment of the young infantry soldiers who fought. Many were sons of WWII and Korean War veterans. They had a legacy to uphold - to honour their families, the 101st Airborne, and their nation. Most of all in the crux of battle, they would not let their fellow soldiers down.Courage Under Fire uses actual battle records and eyewitness accounts to follow "Never Quit" Delta Company and its sister companies through 28 days of continuous combat at Tam Ky. Delta Company's young infantry soldiers live up to their motto despite increasing casualties, a tough enemy, harsh battlefield conditions, and loss of leaders. For all who fought at Tam Ky, their bravery and devotion to duty in an increasingly unpopular war is worthy to be remembered. With veterans of Tam Ky now growing older and fewer in number, it is past time to tell their story.Trade ReviewThis is a fantastic book and certainly one that is well researched and presented. It is clear that that author was passionate in getting the details right at all levels and it is a fitting tribute to the soldiers who fought and died in this battle. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to learn more about Operation Lamar Plain or what it was like in an American infantry company fighting in the Vietnam War. * Aviation Enthusiast Book Club *Table of ContentsForeword The Infantryman’s Creed Preface Acknowledgements Prologue Introduction: Into the Fray Part 1 Combat Operations Before Tam Ky, 1 March–15 May 1969 Chapter 1 Hue and Beyond, 1 March–11 April Chapter 2 The A Shau Valley, 12 April–15 May Part 2 Initial Combat Operations at Tam Ky, 15 May–2 June 1969 Chapter 3 Arrival and First Combat Assault, 15–16 May Chapter 4 Finding the Enemy, 17–20 May Chapter 5 A Brutal Day-Long Engagement, 21 May Chapter 6 Recovery and Review, 21–22 May Chapter 7 Follow-on Operations, 23–30 May Chapter 8 A Broken Cease Fire, 31 May Chapter 9 Change of Command, 1–2 June Part 3 The Decisive Battle at Tam Ky, 3–12 June 1969 Chapter 10 Hill 376: The Final Challenge Chapter 11 Combat Assault and First Contact, 3–4 June Chapter 12 Trouble on the Hill, 5 June Chapter 13 The Move to the Top, 6 June Chapter 14 Nearing the Top, 7 June Chapter 15 Unexpected Setbacks, 8 June Chapter 16 Turning Point, 9 June Chapter 17 Aftermath, 10 June Chapter 18 Coming Off the Hill, 11 June Chapter 19 Extraction, 12 June Chapter 20 Final Thoughts on Hill 376 and Tam Ky Epilogue Looking Back Over 50 Years Later Appendix 1 Operation Lamar Plain: A Hidden and Almost Forgotten Battle Appendix 2 The Enemy at Tam Ky Appendix 3 Organization for Combat at Tam Ky Appendix 4 Delta Company Soldiers Appendix 5 Delta Soldiers Killed in Action, 1 March–15 August 1969 Appendix 6 1-501st Medics Killed in Action, 1 March–15 August 1969 Appendix 7 PTSD and Agent Orange Appendix 8 Life After Vietnam Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations Bibliography Endnotes Index

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Book SynopsisOn December 6, 1941, despite his objections, James Lynch was discharged from the Army for being over age in grade. After the terrible events at Pearl Harbor, James Lynch was recalled to duty. Within a month he was part of the Air Corps, involved in a secret project to send air support to help General Montgomery and the Eighth Army. He joined the nucleus of officers in charge of the 64th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group. For the next 33 months, he fought across the top of Africa and then up through Italy.The 57th Fighter Group arrived in Egypt just in time for the battle at El Alamein. How the United States was able to get the pink-winged P-40s to the battlefield baffled the Germans for many years. The Black Scorpions chased the Afrika Corps across the top of Africa, culminating in the Palm Sunday massacre where the Squadron helped shoot down 74 planes in a single engagement. For the Italian campaign, the Black Scorpions switched from P-40s to P-47s, changing from fighters to bombers and disrupting the German and Italian lines up the Italian Peninsula.Through all the battles, including one with an erupting Mount Vesuvius, James Lynch kept an unauthorized diary. He also collected daily intelligence reports, newspaper stories, souvenirs, pictures, and letters from home. After the war he reminisced with fellow soldiers about their experiences, and eventually felt it was time to write the story of the Black Scorpions face=Calibri>– this book is the result.Trade Review[O]ne of the most captivating WWII aviation memoirs thus far published. * ARGunners.com *Table of ContentsPart 1 African Campaign Chapter 1 Boston to Palestine Chapter 2 El Alamein and Egypt Chapter 3 Tripoli and Libya Chapter 4 Tunisia Part 2 Italian Campaign Chapter 5 Sicily Chapter 6 Italian Peninsula to Naples Chapter 7 Corsica Chapter 8 Back to Italy

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