Special and elite forces Books
Penguin Putnam Inc Sog
Book Synopsis
£15.30
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Supercommandos
Book Synopsis
£46.74
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Knights Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjger
Book Synopsis
£34.84
Hoover Institution Press,U.S. Eyes Ears and Daggers Special Operations Forces
Book SynopsisBoth the Special Operations Forces (SOF) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have served as the nation's eyes, ears, and daggers, often in close cooperation but occasionally at cross-purposes. In this book, Thomas H. Henriksen examines the warrior-spy connection both before and after the formation of the SOF and the CIA.Trade ReviewEyes, Ears, and Daggers is arguably the best book on the relationship of the modern Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Special Operations Forces (SOF). From the American Revolution to the Office of Strategic Services and the subsequent birth of the CIA and the SOF, the relationship among intelligence, paramilitary, psychological operations, the SOF, and the broader Special Operations community can be summed up as yin and yang, constantly adjusting, rebalancing, and ebbing and flowing with the good and the bad. When it has counted, the CIA's resources, relationships, and authorities, combined with the SOF capabilities and capacity, have provided our nation with exquisite tactical actions that have achieved decisive and often strategic effects. Thomas Henriksen's well-researched work, using analyses based on open-source and published works, will serve students, researchers, and the public, providing an understanding of the unique and incredible relationship between two of our nation's most important organizations: the CIA and the SOF." — David S. Maxwell (colonel, ret., US Army Special Forces), associate director, Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University "This clearly written account of the evolution of the working relationship between irregular US military units and the paramilitary activities of the Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) is exciting and important. Henriksen's compelling analysis is that cooperation between Special Operation forces and the CIA is necessary in today's struggle against the large terrorist organizations, Al Qaeda and ISIS, that are operating in many countries of the Islamic world." — John Deutch, former director of the Central Intelligence Agency and deputy secretary of defense "Eyes, Ears, and Daggers is a primer on what makes our Special Operations Forces so special. Henriksen shows how the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)'s inability to provide the intelligence essential to the military forces' operation has caused the Pentagon to develop its own intelligence, how the CIA pushed back, and how battlefield necessity has been key to mastering bureaucratic rivalries. This book teaches the cautionary lesson that the skills and bravery of frontline operators are hostage to high officials' proper focus on the mission to be accomplished. It should be read by all who count on our special forces in the fight against terrorism." — Angelo Codevilla, professor emeritus of international relations at Boston University
£17.81
St Martin's Press Killer Elite
Book SynopsisFor the first time ever, the explosive truth behind the world''s most secret Special Operations organizationA top-secret U.S. Army Special Operations unit has been running covert missions all over the world, from leading death squads to the hideout of drug baron Pablo Escobar to capturing Saddam Hussein and, in one of the greatest special operations missions of all time, helping to track down al-Qa''eda leader Osama bin Laden. The Activity, as it became known to insiders, has achieved near-mythical status, even among the world''s Special Operations elite. Hidden from the politicians and the government bean counters, the Activity has been carrying out deniable operations, preparing the way for Delta and SEAL Team Six.Now journalist Michael Smith gets inside this clandestine military team to expose their explosive history and secrets. Smith has spoken to many former members of the Activity and reveals the incredible truth behind the world''s most secret Special
£17.09
St Martin's Press SEAL Team Six
Book SynopsisThe New York Times bestselling book that takes you inside SEAL Team Six the covert squad that killed Osama Bin LadenIn this dramatic, behind-the-scenes chronicle, Howard E. Wasdin takes readers deep inside the world of Navy SEALS and Special Forces snipers, beginning with the grueling selection process of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S)the toughest and longest military training in the world. After graduating, Wasdin saw combat in Operation Desert Storm as a member of SEAL Team Two. Then the Green Course: the selection process to join the legendary SEAL Team Six--a secret unit tasked with counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and counterinsurgency. As a member of Team Six, sniper school followed and Wasdin became one of the best snipers on the planet. Soon he was fighting for his life. The mission: capture or kill Somalian warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. From rooftops, helicopters, and alleys, Wasdin hunted Aidid and killed his men whenever possible.
£16.19
Griffin Publishing Way of the Reaper
Book SynopsisFrom the legendary special operations sniper and bestselling author of The Reaper comes a rare and powerful book on the art of being a sniper. Way of the Reaper is a step-by-step accounting of how a sniper works, through the lens of Irving''s 10 most significant kills - none of which have been told before. Each mission is an in-depth look at a new element of eliminating the enemy, from intel to luck, recon to weaponry. Told in a thrilling narrative, this is also a heart-pounding true story of some of The Reaper''s boldest missions including the longest shot of his military career on a human target of over half a mile.In Iraq and Afghanistan, Nicholas Irving earned his nickname in blood, destroying the enemy with his sniper rifle and in deadly firefights behind a .50 caliber machine gun. He engaged a Taliban suicide bomber during a vicious firefight, used nearly silent sub-sonic ammo, and was the target of snipers himself. Way of the Reaper
£12.99
St. Martin's Griffin Relentless Strike
Book SynopsisThe New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the 2015 Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award for Unit History.Since the attacks of September 11, one organization has been at the forefront of America''s military response. Its efforts turned the tide against al-Qaida in Iraq, killed Bin Laden and Zarqawi, rescued Captain Phillips and captured Saddam Hussein. Its commander can direct cruise missile strikes from nuclear submarines and conduct special operations raids anywhere in the world.Relentless Strike tells the inside story of Joint Special Operations Command, the secret military organization that during the past decade has revolutionized counterterrorism, seamlessly fusing intelligence and operational skills to conduct missions that hit the headlines, and those that have remained in the shadows-until now. Because JSOC includes the military''s most storied special operations units-Delta Force, SEAL Team 6, the 75th Ranger Regiment
£18.99
St Martin's Press The Making of a Navy SEAL
Book SynopsisBEFORE HE COULD FORGE A BAND OF ELITE WARRIORS... HE HAD TO BECOME ONE HIMSELF.Adapted from Webb''s Adult Bestseller The Red Circle for a Young Adult AudienceBrandon Webb''s experiences in the world''s most elite sniper corps are the stuff of legend. From his grueling years of training in Naval Special Operations to his combat tours in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, The Making of a Navy SEAL provides a rare and riveting look at the inner workings of the U.S. military through the eyes of a covert operations specialist.Yet it is Webb''s distinguished second career as a lead instructor for the shadowy sniper cell and Course Manager of the Navy SEAL Sniper Program that trained some of America''s finest and deadliest warriors-including Marcus Luttrell and Chris Kyle-that makes his story so compelling. Luttrell credits Webb''s training with his own survival during the ill-fated 2005 Operation Redwing in Afghanistan. Kyle went on to become th
£10.99
St. Martin's Publishing Group Every Weapon I Had
£22.50
Holt McDougal The Folly and the Glory
Book SynopsisFrom Tim Weiner, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, an urgent and gripping account of the 75-year battle between the US and Russia that led to the election and impeachment of an American presidentWith vivid storytelling and riveting insider accounts, Weiner traces the roots of political warfarethe conflict America and Russia have waged with espionage, sabotage, diplomacy and disinformationfrom 1945 until 2020. America won the cold war, but Russia is winning today. Vladimir Putin helped to put his chosen candidate in the White House with a covert campaign that continues to this moment. Putin's Russia has revived Soviet-era intelligence operations gaining ever more potent information fromand influence overthe American people and government. Yet the US has put little power into its defense. This has put American democracy in peril.Weiner takes us behind closed doors, illuminating Russian and American intelligence operations and their conseq
£17.09
Authentic Media An Unfair Advantage
Book Synopsis
£14.24
MacMillan Audio Extreme Ownership
Book SynopsisThese guys are intense. And they bring that same fire to their narration in the audiobook. Listen to these insanely competent SEAL officers tell you exactly how to make a team successful through their firsthand experiences in business and combat. - The HustleAn updated edition of the blockbuster bestselling leadership audiobook that took America and the world by storm, two U.S. Navy SEAL officers who led the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War demonstrate how to apply powerful leadership principles from the battlefield to business and life.Combat, the most intense and dynamic environment imaginable, teaches the toughest leadership lessons, with absolutely everything at stake. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin learned this reality first-hand on the most violent and dangerous battlefield in Iraq. As leaders of SEAL Team Three's Task Unit Bruiser, their mission was one many thought impossible: help U.S. forces secure Ramadi, a violent,
£29.99
Arcadia Publishing (SC) Fort Carson Images of America
Book Synopsis
£21.24
Arcadia Publishing (SC) Grand Forks Air Force Base
Book Synopsis
£20.39
Arcadia Publishing (SC) Hill Air Force Base Images of Aviation
Book Synopsis
£21.24
History Press World War II Nebraska Military
Book Synopsis
£18.69
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Battle Tactics of the American Revolution
Book SynopsisThe American Revolution presented a series of unique tactical challenges to its competing factions. For Britain, the Army would be forced to re-learn many of the lessons from the Seven Years' War. After the debacle of Concord and Bunker Hill, the British implemented a range of changes throughout the Army, including the modification of accepted tactical doctrine. Additionally, the British formed alliances with various independent German states. The soldiers they provided thus answered to different armies. How much their tactics adapted during the war, therefore varied from state to state.The Continental Army was founded in 1775 and was initially heavily styled on its British opponents. That began to change in 1778 thanks to the efforts of Prussian officer Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben. Following their formal alliance with the colonies in 1778, France deployed military assets to North America. French officers also provided tactical advice to the Continental Army, and vicTable of ContentsIntroduction The British Army The Continental Army German state armies The French Army Bibliography Index
£14.24
Pen & Sword Books Ltd US Marine Corps Women's Reserve: They are Marines
Book SynopsisWhen the US Marine Commandant, Major General Thomas Holcomb, announced the formation of what became the US Marine Corps Women s Reserve, legend has it that the portrait of the fifth Commandant, Archibald Henderson, fell off the wall and crashed to the floor in disbelief . This branch of the US Marines was authorized by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 30 July 1942. This law allowed for the acceptance of women into the reserve as commissioned officers and at the enlisted level, effective for the duration of the war plus six months. The purpose of the law was to release officers and men for combat and to replace them with women in shore stations. The result was that between 1943 and 1945 the women of America enlisted in their thousands to Free A Man to Fight . This book, the first of its kind, explores in detail the role of Women Marines, or WRs as they were known at the time. It also presents a detailed study of the uniforms of the WRs supported by numerous colour photographs. This book has been written with the full support of the US Marine Corps Histories Division, the Women Marine Association and surviving WR veterans.
£28.50
Pen & Sword Books Ltd US Marine Corps Women's Reserve: They Are
Book SynopsisWhen the US Marine Commandant, Major General Thomas Holcomb, announced the formation of what became the US Marine Corps' Women's Reserve, legend has it that the portrait of the fifth Commandant, Archibald Henderson, fell off the wall and crashed to the floor - in disbelief'. This branch of the US Marines was authorized by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 30 July 1942. This law allowed for the acceptance of women into the reserve as commissioned officers and at the enlisted level, effective for the duration of the war plus six months. The purpose of the law was to release officers and men for combat and to replace them with women in shore stations. The result was that between 1943 and 1945 the women of America enlisted in their thousands to Free A Marine to Fight'. This book, the first of its kind, explores in detail the role of Women Marines, or WRs as they were known at the time. It also presents a detailed study of the uniforms of the WRs supported by numerous colour photographs. This book has been written with the full support of the US Marine Corps Histories Division, the Women Marine Association and surviving WR veterans.
£16.99
Grand Central Publishing Walk in My Combat Boots
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Grand Central Publishing Walk in My Combat Boots: True Stories from
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Westholme Publishing Robert Rogers Ranger
Book Synopsis
£29.25
The Perseus Books Group One Hundred Victories
Book Synopsis
£13.29
Casemate Publishers Guardian Angel: Life and Death Adventures with
Book SynopsisU.S. Air Force Pararescue is the most skilful and capable rescue force in the world, taking on some of the most dangerous rescue missions imaginable. PJs (short for para-jumpers), are members of an elite unit whose commando skills are so wide-reaching they often seem like something out of science fiction. They routinely tackle perilous operations that are beyond the capabilities of other rescue organisations, and sometimes dare the seemingly impossible. Since their inception in 1947, PJs have saved more than thirty thousand lives. They can pluck near-frozen climbers off jagged mountaintops as well as recover shot-down jet pilots stranded deep in hostile territory. In the dead of night, the PJs parachute into ominous black waves that loom twenty feet tall to save distressed seamen, and brave the cruellest and most desolate deserts to recover victims. U.S. Air Force pararescuemen have played a prominent role in every armed conflict since the Korean War, rescuing thousands of soldiers from behind enemy lines.Guardian Angel provides a rare glimpse at a PJ’s mind-blowing adventures. You follow Sgt. Sine’s trek across exotic lands and share his encounters with mysterious cultures. Learn what it takes to lower from a helicopter onto the slippery decks of storm-tossed ships to rescue dying sailors. Feel what it’s like to be caught in the middle of a bomb blast so powerful that it tears high-rise buildings in half, and flattens armoured vehicles hundreds of yards away. Soar high above towering jungle trees and experience the danger of swinging on a slim cable below a helicopter while performing a mid-air rescue of a pilot, dangling from his chute a hundred feet above a mountain slope. Go to war in Afghanistan and parachute onto a nocturnal battlefield surrounded by land mines to help a mortally wounded soldier. This is a deadly serious business: when things go wrong, they can go terribly wrong. Aircraft crash into mountainsides, killing all onboard, while some PJs live through horrendous helicopter crashes only to struggle with freezing temperatures, snapped limbs and torn flesh in a desperate fight for survival.This book presents true stories of uncommon courage told from the perspective of the actual men in the arena. PJ’s belong to an exclusive brotherhood and forge unbreakable bonds of loyalty, commitment, and sacrifice. They do these things for their country, to protect their brothers in arms, and to honour their motto: “That Others May Live.”
£25.00
Casemate Publishers Guardian Angel: Life and Death Adventures with
Book SynopsisU.S. Air Force Pararescue is the most skilful and capable rescue force in the world, taking on some of the most dangerous rescue missions imaginable. PJs (short for para-jumpers), are members of an elite unit whose commando skills are so wide-reaching they often seem like something out of science fiction. They routinely tackle perilous operations that are beyond the capabilities of other rescue organisations, and sometimes dare the seemingly impossible. Since their inception in 1947, PJs have saved more than thirty thousand lives. They can pluck near-frozen climbers off jagged mountaintops as well as recover shot-down jet pilots stranded deep in hostile territory. In the dead of night, the PJs parachute into ominous black waves that loom twenty feet tall to save distressed seamen, and brave the cruellest and most desolate deserts to recover victims. U.S. Air Force pararescuemen have played a prominent role in every armed conflict since the Korean War, rescuing thousands of soldiers from behind enemy lines.Guardian Angel provides a rare glimpse at a PJ’s mind-blowing adventures. You follow Sgt. Sine’s trek across exotic lands and share his encounters with mysterious cultures. Learn what it takes to lower from a helicopter onto the slippery decks of storm-tossed ships to rescue dying sailors. Feel what it’s like to be caught in the middle of a bomb blast so powerful that it tears high-rise buildings in half, and flattens armoured vehicles hundreds of yards away. Soar high above towering jungle trees and experience the danger of swinging on a slim cable below a helicopter while performing a mid-air rescue of a pilot, dangling from his chute a hundred feet above a mountain slope. Go to war in Afghanistan and parachute onto a nocturnal battlefield surrounded by land mines to help a mortally wounded soldier. This is a deadly serious business: when things go wrong, they can go terribly wrong. Aircraft crash into mountainsides, killing all onboard, while some PJs live through horrendous helicopter crashes only to struggle with freezing temperatures, snapped limbs and torn flesh in a desperate fight for survival.This book presents true stories of uncommon courage told from the perspective of the actual men in the arena. PJ’s belong to an exclusive brotherhood and forge unbreakable bonds of loyalty, commitment, and sacrifice. They do these things for their country, to protect their brothers in arms, and to honour their motto: “That Others May Live.”
£20.25
Casemate Publishers We Few: U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam
Book SynopsisOn his second tour to Vietnam, Nick Brokhausen served in Recon Team Habu, CCN. This unit was part of MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group), or Studies and Observations Group as it was innocuously called. The small recon companies that were the center of its activities conducted some of the most dangerous missions of the war, infiltrating areas controlled by the North Vietnamese in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The companies never exceeded more than 30 Americans, yet they were the best source for the enemy’s disposition and were key to the US military being able to take the war to the enemy. This was accomplished by utilizing both new and innovative technology, and tactics dating back to the French and Indian Wars.This small unit racked up one of the most impressive records of awards for valor of any unit in the history of the United States Army. It came at a terrible price, however; the number of wounded and killed in action was incredibly high. Those missions today seem suicidal. In 1970 they seemed equally so, yet these men went out day after day with their indigenous allies - Montagnard tribesmen, Vietnamese, and Chinese Nungs - and faced the challenges with courage and resolve.This riveting memoir details the actions and experiences of a small group of Americans and their allies who were the backbone of ground reconnaissance in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It became a cult classic among the Special Forces community when first published over a decade ago.Trade ReviewI can see why this book soon became a cult classic on its first publication ten years ago - it is essential reading, and spectacularly well written and quite riveting, for anyone with an interest in the conflict that defined modern-day America. * Books Monthly *We Few pulls no punches. This book endlessly recounts the wanton thievery that Special Forces men routinely engaged in, their predilection for random acts of violence, and their many dust-ups with REMF authority. Brokhausen is as hard-boiled as they come, but this book is also replete with plenty of humor, even if it is obsidian black… an excellent and exceptionally raw look at the Vietnam War just at the apex of its unpopularity… this battle-scarred memoir is an excellent tribute to the generation that fought, laughed, and died in Southeast Asia. * New York Journal of Books *Some of the action accounts have you holding your breath in anticipation of the ending. * Miniature Wargames - Chris Jarvis *
£23.75
Casemate Publishers We Dared to Win: The SAS in Rhodesia
Book SynopsisIn his own words Andre Scheepers describes his childhood on a farm, learning about the bush from his African friends, and becoming a soldier. The family had to leave the farm after being ambushed by terrorists.A quiet, introspective, deep thinker Andre started out as a trooper in the Rhodesian Light Infantry commandos and was hectically engaged in Fire-Force combat operations before leaving for the SAS. Wounded 12 times, his operational record is exceptional even by the high standards that existed at the time and he really emerges as the quintessential SAS officer displaying extraordinary calmness and audacious cunning in the course of a host of extremely dangerous operations.Loved by his men Andre, writes very eruditely about his mental and emotional condition during the war and reflects very candidly on what he learned and how war has shaped his life since. Offered a commission in the British SAS after the conflict he decided to stop soldiering and entered a seminary whereupon he became a minister.In addition to Andre’s personal story the book also reveals more about the other men who were distinguished operators in other celebrated SAS operations. This is the story of soldiers, the hardships, the battles they fought and the challenges they faced.Trade ReviewIt is held here for the meticulous descriptions of the activities of the Rhodesian troops in Mozambique, almost always victorious, sometimes very far from the border. * Africana Studia 07/02/2019 *Table of ContentsEarly life; RLI recruits course; SAS selection; SAS operations; Officers course; RLI Fire-Force Operations; Back to the SAS; SAS operations. Late 78 – early 1980; Tactics in war; Personal reflections on war and challenges faced.
£23.75
Casemate Publishers The Green Berets in the Land of a Million
Book SynopsisThe Secret War in Laos was one of the first “Long Wars” for special operations, spanning a period of about thirteen years. It was one of the largest CIA-paramilitary operations of the time, kept out of the view of the American public until now. Between 1959 and 1974, Green Berets were covertly deployed to Laos to prevent a communist take-over or at least preserve the kingdom's neutrality. Operators dressed in civilian clothes, armed with cover stories and answering only to "Mister", were delivered to the country by Air America, where they answered to the U.S. Ambassador. There they were faced with the complexities of the three factions in Laos, as well as operating with limited resources – maps of the country often had large blank areas and essential supplies often didn't arrive at all. In challenging tropical conditions they trained and undertook combat advisory duties with native and tribal forces. Veterans remember Hmong guerrillas and Lao soldiers who were often shorter than the M1 rifles they carried. The Green Berets' service in Laos was the first strategic challenge since its formation in 1952, and proved one of the first major applications of special warfare doctrine. Clouded in secrey until the 1990s, this story is comprehensively told for the first time using official archival documents and interviews with veterans.
£27.00
Casemate The Sniper Encyclopaedia: An A-Z Guide to World
Book Synopsis
£32.26
Casemate Publishers Phoenix Rising: From the Ashes of Desert One to
Book SynopsisPhoenix Rising recounts the paradoxical birth of SOF through the prism of Operation Eagle Claw, the failed attempt to rescue fifty-two Americans held hostage in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. When terrorists captured the Embassy on November 4, 1979, the Joint Chiefs of Staff quickly realized that the United States lacked the military capability to launch a rescue. There was no precedent for the mission, a mission that came with extraordinary restrictions and required a unique force to take it on. With no existent command structure or budget, this force would have to be built from scratch in utmost secrecy, and draw on every branch of the U.S. military.Keith Nightingale, then a major, was Deputy Operations Officer and the junior member of Joint Task Force Eagle Claw, commanded by Major General James Vaught. Based on Nightingale’s detailed diary, Phoenix Rising vividly describes the personalities involved, the issues they faced, and the actions they took, from the conception of the operation to its hair-raising launch and execution. His historically significant post-analysis of Eagle Claw gives unparalleled insight into how a very dedicated group of people from the Chief of Staff of the Army to lower-ranking personnel subjugated personal ambition to grow the forces necessary to address the emerging terrorist threat - a threat which the majority of uniformed leadership and their political masters denied in 1979. The Special Operations capability of the United States today is the ultimate proof of their success.Trade Review...vividly describes the government and military officials and forces involved in the operation, including the reasons for its failure. * by Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International *I have read every book published on this operation to include the Holloway Commission Report and I can say without a doubt that if you have any interest in the Eagle Claw operation or US Special Operations than this is a must have book. * Aviation Enthusiast Book Club *Table of ContentsAuthor’s Note Prologue Part 1 – Creation of The Force and Development of a Rescue Plan Part 2 – Training and Adjusting Part 3 – Execution and Events Part 4 – Aftermath and The Path Forward Part 5 – Congress: 1 Beauracracy: 0 Epilogue Appendices
£26.12
Casemate Publishers Vagabonds: Tourists in the Heart of Darkness
Book Synopsis1978 – a chance meeting on a remote military airbase between two Green Berets involved in the same operation leads to a partnership that will last over forty years. Four years after that meeting, Nick Brokhausen and Jeff Miller leave the service withing a few weeks of each other and begin an odyssey that takes them to dozens of countries on five continents.Along with a small coterie of fellow former Special Operations and intelligence community veterans like Penguini, Max, Reek, The Spider Woman and a score of others – some heroes and some villains - they undertake a variety of missions for the government, other governments, large multi-national corporations mostly in the aerospace or resource development industries, and occasionally just for suffering individuals who cannot find help anywhere else. In the process they lay the groundwork for an entire new industry of private military contractors. Two men sadly just a bit ahead of their time.Every episode in this book actually happened. Not always precisely as described herein, but close. Changes have been made sometimes to make the narrative flow more smoothly, some to obfuscate events that might be flirting with classification issues… Names have been changed, not always to protect the innocent. But the underlying story is, for the most part, the reality as they lived it.
£23.75
Casemate Publishers Rangers, Scouts, and Raiders: Origin,
Book SynopsisThroughout history there has always been a need, in military forces, for special units. In the past, these units have usually been ad hoc formations that were disbanded after their mission was complete. It has only been since the early 1950s that such units have remained active, but even in recent times special purpose, special mission units have been organised and used for a period of time or for a specific mission and then either deactivated or replaced by other units.This unique approach to the history of American special forces examines their development through a number of operations, ranging from the French and Indian War in the 18th century through to the Vietnam War. From the Son Tay raid to the Force at la Difensa and Rogers’ Rangers, the operations are diverse in both organisation and purpose, but all contributed to the overall mission of their theater or larger organisation, thus proving the continuing need for special units throughout history and even today.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword by Daniel J. Cragg, Sergeant Major, U.S. Army (Ret) Introduction Chapter 1. The Return of Rogers’ Rangers Chapter 2. The Andrews Raid Chapter 3. American Airborne Units in World War II Chapter 4. The Force at la Difensa Chapter 5. Sabotaging Hitler’s Heavy Water Chapter 6. The Alamo Scouts—LRRPs of World War II Chapter 7. Special Allied Airborne Reconnaissance Force Chapter 8. Gypsy Task Force at Aparri Chapter 9. Recondo Training – Its Origins and Aftermath Chapter 10. The Son Tay Raid Appendices A – J: Origins, Organizations Bibliography of Sources Consulted Index
£26.96
Fonthill Media Ltd Bersaglieri: The Devil's Griffins-A Visual
Book SynopsisMilitary historians have often regarded the roll of the Italian military as somewhat "bi-polar." During the First World War, Italy sided with the Allies including Britain, France, Russia and the U.S. against Germany and the Central Powers. During the Second World War it signed on as a member of the Tri-Partite powers joining Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. The legacy of the latter often presents a less than positive appraisal of the Italian soldier's performance... one espoused both by its enemies and allies. However a positive consensus appears when focusing on the Bersaglieri... translating as "sharp shooter"... and acting as shock troops often leading both assaults and defences. As "The Tip of the Spear" they would thus pay the price during the Italian Wars of Unification, the early colonial forays into Africa, WWI, the Ethiopian War and lastly WWII with much Bersaglieri blood soaked up by European soil as well as the burning sands of Africa and frozen in the vastness of Russia. Over 300 images including rare unpublished photographs chronicle Italy's elite "Plumed Warriors."
£28.50
Greenhill Books Voices of Russian Snipers: Eyewitness Red Army
Book SynopsisWiped out three Nazis in a shallow trench. But only got out by a miracle. The Germans apparently guessed where my lair was and unleashed a hurricane of mortar fire the company had as good as buried me. Somebody saw a direct mortar hit on my lair.' - Fyodor Dyachenko The German snipers on the other side also engaged in stalking, especially stalking us women. They had no female snipers, just men' - Antonina Kotlyarova Dreadful death cries could be heard from the German trenches, where the enemy were bayonetting those of our wounded who had remained behind there' - Klavdia Kalugina Before firing I managed to get a good look at him through my sights. He was a young officer. He seemed to be looking straight at me and I shot him. But it was a human being! Then my feelings dulled and I went on killing the way we were supposed to' - Antonina Kotlyarova I lay down on the ground, pressed my cheek close to the stock, took aim at the target and remembered the lieutenant's words: Make sure your heart is behind every bullet Believe in your shot - Pyotr Belyakov When we learnt on May 9th that the war was over, our joy knew no bounds [...] I felt enormous relief when I heard the news of victory - now I wouldn't need to kill anymore' - Maria Bondarenko With a wealth of first-hand testimonies, collected by Artem Drabkin, this is a unique collection of eyewitness accounts from the Second World War. The reminiscences of the Red Army snipers reveal fascinating details of life in Russia before the war, as well as the surprising commonality of the privation and unforgiving experience of frontline combat and the day-to-day starkness of sharpshooting. The book includes testimony from celebrated snipers such as Fyodor Dyachenko, Alexander Romanyenko, Klavdia Kalugina, Antonina Kotlyarova and Maria Bondarenko.
£29.01
Amber Books Close Quarter Combat
Book Synopsis
£26.96
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Fallschirmjager: Elite German Paratroops in World
Book SynopsisThe photos in this book are taken from an unpublished album belonged to a member of the elite German Paratroopers. First Sgt Wilhelm Plieschen served with Fallschirmjager Machine Gun Battalion 7. They suffered very heavy losses in the invasion of Crete and then saw bloody conflict as "Hitler s Fire-fighters" on the Russian Front and put up fierce resistance in places such as Monte Casino. The photographs were taken in Austria, Romania, Bulgaria Greece and Russia. There are photographs taken on an airfield on 15 May 1941 of paratroopers with kit on the ground and in front of their transport aircraft. There are a number of photographs taken en route to Crete with photographs of the paratroopers in a JU52 and shots looking out from the plane.On 20 May 1941, Plieschen was dropped over Crete. There are a set of photographs taken by the paratrooper moments after he had landed on the island. Some show other paratroopers drifting down and others feature formations of German aircraft amidst flak.There are very good images showing Germans on the deck of the badly damaged and abandoned HMS York in Souda Bay. There are photographs showing Major Erich Schulz decorating paratroopers on Crete. Further on in the set are photos showing the then Commander of the Fallschirmjager, General Kurt Student inspecting the troops. Later our man is sent to Russia. There are outstanding rare photos of paratroopers in heavy winter camouflage clothing. They experience heavy fighting.
£17.97
Consortium of Collective Consciousness,U.S. Awakening of a Warrior: Past Lives of a Navy SEAL
Book SynopsisMichael Jaco’s past life autobiography is unlike any other. It travels back through the great wars in ancient India, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It is an epic and thrilling story of kings and generals, philosophers and religious leaders. It is an autobiography of his being, as it has reincarnated into many lives throughout history. Numerous great thinkers have believed in the transmigration of the soul. General George Patton, Gandhi, Henry Ford, the Dalai Lama, all discussed memories of, or beliefs in, having past lives. The great philosophers Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and even Saint Augustine believed in the rebirth of the soul. Awakening of a Warrior is the result of Jaco’s investigation—his treasure hunt—into the lifetimes he experienced before the present. Included are his lives as King Abimelech of Gerar, who allied with Abraham in the creation of a new religion called Judaism; Cyrus the Great, who unified all of Persia and implemented Zoroastrianism as the state religion; and Marcus Furius Camillus, who came to be considered the second founder of Rome.Table of ContentsTable of ContentsDedication iiiAcknowledgments ixForeword xiIntroduction xvone King Yudhisthira during the Time When theMahabharata and Bhagavad Gita Were Written, 3500 BCE two How to Access Your Previous Incarnationsthree Pharaoh Menes’ s Nubian Head Charioteer,3100 BCEfour Egyptian Pharaoh Senusret I, Ruled from1971-1926 BCEfive With Patriarch Abraham as King Abimelechof Gerar, 1800 BCEsix Warrior Sage for Pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut toTraditional Warrior for Pharaoh Thutmose III, 1480 BCEseven King Idomeneus of Crete with Heracles, Crew of the Argo, and at the Trojan War, 1520-1470 BCE eight Pharaoh Akhenaten’ s Warrior Priest, Heir to the Throne as Prince Nakhtmin, and Exodus with Moses, 1400-1350 BCE nine Benaiah, Son of Uriah, during King David’ s and King Solomon’ s Reign, Tenth century BCE ten Lycurgus of Sparta, Regent, Lawgiver, and Creator of the Commonwealth of Sparta, 820-730 BCE eleven Numa Pompilius, Second King of Rome, 753-673 BCE twelve Thales of Miletus, Pre-Socratic Greek Philosopher, 624-546 BCE thirteen A Jewish General in Captivity in Babylon, 587 BCE fourteen Cyrus the Great, Unifier of the Persian Empire, 600-529 BCE fifteen Ananda, Personal Assistant of the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, 500 BCE sixteen Parmenides of Elea, Founder of the Eleatic School of Philosophy, 515-450 BCE seventeen Themistocles, Greek Politician and General, 524-460 BCE eighteen Pausanias, Spartan General and Regent, 480 BCE nineteen Marcus Furius Camillus, Second Founder of Rome, 446-365 BCE twenty Thucydides, Athenian General and Historian, 460-411 BCE twenty one Xenophon, Greek Historian, Author, Philosopher, and General, 430-355 BCE twenty two Lysander, Spartan Admiral during the Peloponnesian War, 405 BCE Afterword Works Consulted
£19.76
Helion & Company Three Sips of Gin: Dominating the Battlespace
Book Synopsis
£999.99
