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23rd Fighter Group
by Carl Molesworth Jim LaurierStaffed with inexperienced USAAF pilots and led by a handful of seasoned veterans of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), the 23rd FG was formed in the field at Kunming, in China, on July 4, 1942 and flew combat missions that same day. The group's three squadrons - the 74th, 75th and 76th Fighter Squadrons - were initially equipped with war-weary P-40s handed down from the AVG. These were supplemented by the attached 16th FS, flying new P-40Es, and all squadrons adorned the noses of their airplanes with fearsome and iconic sharksmouth designs.The 23rd FG fought a guerrilla war against the Japanese, steadily moving pilots and aircraft from one remote air base to another to keep the enemy off balance. Because China could only be supplied by air from India, there were constant shortages of aircraft, fuel and ammunition with which to contend. The 23rd FG met these challenges head-on and by the end of the war its pilots had compiled a score of 594 aerial victories and nearly 400 ground kills. Among the 47 aces who flew in the 23rd were colorful characters such as David L 'Tex' Hill, Robert L 'Bob' Scott and Clinton D 'Casey'. The human cost was high, however - 126 pilots lost their lives in China while serving in the 23rd.
The 23rd Psalm: A Holocaust Memoir
by George Lucius Salton Anna Salton EisenAfter a half century, the author who now lives in Florida returned to his hometown in Poland to find that "... the wall that I have carefully built between the past and present has crumbled..." Salton (nee: Saltzman) relates surviving ten concentration camps as an adolescent and liberation by American soldiers, including Jewish ones to his astonishment.
24 Hours at Agincourt
by Michael JonesAgincourt was an astonishing clash of arms, a pivotal moment in the Hundred Years War and the history of warfare in general.King Henry V’s exhausted troops were preparing for certain defeat as they faced a far larger French army. What was to take place in the following 24 hours, it seemed only the miraculous intervention of God could explain.Interlacing eyewitness accounts, background chronicle and documentary sources with a new interpretation of the battle’s onset, acclaimed military historian Michael Jones takes the reader into the heart of this extraordinary feat of arms.
24 Hours at the Somme: 1 July 1916
by Robert KershawThe first day of the Somme has had more of a widespread emotional impact on the psyche of the British public than any other battle in history. Now, 100 years later, Robert Kershaw attempts to understand the carnage, using the voices of the British and German soldiers who lived through that awful day.In the early hours of 1 July 1916, the British General staff placed its faith in patriotism and guts, believing that one ‘Big Push’ would bring on the end of the Great War. By sunset, there were 57,470 men – more than half the size of the present-day British Army – who lay dead, missing or wounded. On that day hope died.Juxtaposing the British trench view against that from the German parapet, Kershaw draws on eyewitness accounts, memories and letters to expose the true horror of that day. Amongst the mud, gore and stench of death, there are also stories of humanity and resilience, of all-embracing comradeship and gritty patriotic British spirit. However it was this very emotion which ultimately caused thousands of young men to sacrifice themselves on the Somme.
24hr Trench: A Day in the Life of a Frontline Tommy
by Andrew RobertshawThe trench was the frontline Tommy’s home. He lived, ate, slept, and sometimes died in this narrow passage amongst the slime of mud and blood on the Western Front. His washbasin was a mess-tin, his cooker – a small fire built into the wall, his entertainment – his friends, his fear – the man living in the trench on the other side of No Man’s Land. Over 6 million men died whilst serving in the trenches – how did they live in them? For the first time, World War I historian Andrew Robertshaw and a group of soldiers, archaeologists and historians use official manuals and diaries to build a real trench system and live in it for 24 hours, recreating the frontline Tommy’s daily existence, answering the questions: How do you build a trench quietly? How clean can you really get in a trench? How easy is it to sleep? How do you keep yourself entertained? How to do you stay alive and kill the enemy? And many more… Hour-by-hour, the Tommy’s day unfolds through stunning colour photographs in this ground-breaking experiment in Great War history.
The 24th Infantry Division’s Naktong River Crossing In September 1950
by Major John E. Hurst Jr.It is the story of the 24th Division's Naktong River crossing with which this thesis is concerned. In writing an account of the 24th Division's crossing, the historian cannot detract from the praise due the officers and men of the division who sacrificed so much in crossing the Naktong River barrier; neither can he omit the roles played by the non-divisional troops who supported the crossing. Likewise, he should not disregard the adjacent units' actions that materially assisted the 24th Division in accomplishing its mission. For these reasons, I have chosen to relate the 5th Regimental Combat Team's attack on Waegwan and the 5th Cavalry Regiment's attack to secure the Taegu-Waegwan highway. Both of these operations were vital to the 24th Division's success; the first cleared the enemy from the east bank of the river and the second secured a main supply route for the division.
25 Women Who Protected Their Country (Daring Women)
by Emma Bernay Emma Carlson BerneDiscover 25 women who served in the military and accomplished great feats of strength and bravery. Whether through medicine, espionage, journalism, or combat, these 25 women show what it takes to be a hero.
The 25-Year War: America's Military Role in Vietnam
by Bruce Palmer Jr.An American army general presents an insider's history of the Vietnam War with &“a tough, dispassionate, common-sense analysis&” of what went wrong (Baltimore Sun). On April 30, 1975, Saigon and the government of South Vietnam fell to the communist regime of North Vietnam, ending twenty-five years of struggle for American military forces. This is the story of what went wrong there militarily, and why. General Bruce Palmer experienced the Vietnam War in the field and in the highest command echelons. America's most serious error, he believes, was committing its armed forces to a war in which neither political nor military goals were ever fully articulated by our civilian leaders. Our armed forces, lacking clear objectives, failed to develop an appropriate strategy, instead relinquishing the offensive to Hanoi. Yet an achievable strategy could have been devised, Palmer believes. Moreover, our South Vietnamese allies could have been bolstered by appropriate aid but were instead overwhelmed by the massive American military presence. Compounding these errors were the flawed civilian and military chains of command. The result was defeat for America and disaster for South Vietnam. &“Perhaps the best single account of the Vietnam War by a military man.&” —Baltimore Sun
27 Articles
by David Rhodes John Hulsman T. E. Lawrence27 Articles is Lawrence of Arabia’s classic set of guidelines on military leadership in the Middle East. The 100th anniversary edition features a new introduction by foreign policy expert John Hulsman and a new afterword from CBS News President David Rhodes, addressing the articles’ lasting lessons.In 1916, T.E. Lawrence was deployed to the Arabian Peninsula to aid with the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. It was the middle of World War I and the British command was throwing its weight behind the long-rebellious southern territories of the Ottoman Empire. Lawrence had extraordinary success fighting alongside the coalition of Arab revolutionaries, and his story has since become legend. Worried that Lawrence would die on the battlefield and that his knowledge would vanish with him, British command asked Lawrence to write out a series of guidelines on his own tactics and teachings. 27 Articles, the text of Lawrence’s guidelines, has become required reading for military leaders. Lawrence’s deployment was the West’s first modern involvement in war in the Middle East, and his campaign held myriad lessons for future generations. Despite being a century old, the articles are deeply prescient on the challenges America has faced in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Terse and to the point, Lawrence’s articles begin on the battlefield but their value extends well beyond, into the fields of management, leadership, and business. On the 100th anniversary of 27 Articles’ original publication, foreign policy John Hulsman and CBS News President David Rhodes now speak to the articles’ ongoing importance, outlining the wisdom they hold for political, military, and business leaders on into the future.
The 28th: A Record Of War Service In The Australian Imperial Force, 1915-19, Vol. I, Egypt, Gallipoli, Lemnos Island, Sinai Peninsula (The World At War #1)
by Herbert Brayley CollettA comprehensive description of Australia's mounted horse troops involvement in the First World War. From the formation of the 28th brigade light horse, through to their battles overseas.
2nd Air Division Air Force USAAF 1942-45: Liberator Squadrons in Norfolk and Suffolk (Bomber Bases of WW2)
by Martin W. BowmanA history and guide to historic British airfields where American bombers were prepared to take off at a moment’s notice—includes photos.As part of the AHT series, the airfields and interest in this book are concentrated in a particular area—in this case Norfolk and Suffolk.The Second Air Division’s first bombing mission was flown on November 7, 1942; the last on April 25, 1945. A total of 95, 948 sorties were flown in 493 operational missions by the division’s B-24s, dropping 199,883 tons of bombs. Targets attacked ranged from Norway in the north, as far east as Poland and Romania, while several Mediterranean countries were reached from temporary bases in North Africa. Six 2nd Air Division groups received special presidential citations for outstanding actions and five airmen received the Medal of Honor (highest US award for bravery), four posthumously. In combat the 2nd Air Division gunners claimed 1,079 enemy fighters destroyed against losses of 1,458 B-24s missing in action and many others lost in accidents. This book looks at the history and personalities associated with each base, what remains today and explores the favourite local wartime haunts where aircrew and ground crew would go.
The 2nd Norfolk Regiment: From Le Paradis to Kohima (Voices from the Front)
by Peter HartThe Second World War is vanishing into the pages of history. The veterans were once all around us, but their numbers are fast diminishing. While still in their prime many recorded their memories with Peter Hart for the Imperial War Museum. As these old soldiers now fade away their voices from the front are still strong with a rare power to bring the horrors of war back to vivid life. The 2nd Norfolk Regiment were a proud old regular battalion honed in the pre-war traditions of spit and polish at their Britannia Barracks in Norwich. Sent to France they sold their lives to gain time for the retreat to Dunkirk when surrounded by an SS Division at Le Paradis in May 1940. Over 100 of the survivors would be brutally massacred. Back in England they reformed from ordinary drafts of men called up from all over the country. A new battalion was born. Sent to India they met the Japanese head on in the bloody fight for Kohima against the Imperial Japanese Army. As the fighting raged in the jungle the Norfolks were once again right at the very sharp end of modern war. This is their story.
The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich (Casemate Illustrated)
by Yves BuffetautThe Das Reich Division was the most infamous units of the Waffen-SS. Hitler's Schutzstaffel (SS) units were originally paramilitary formations raised to protect the members of the Nazi party, and the Waffen-SS (the armed SS) was founded in 1934 as the SS-Verfügungstruppe. In 1939 the SS-Verfügungstruppe was placed under the operational command of the OKH. During the invasion of Poland the unit fought as a mobile infantry regiment. There were doubts about the unit's effectiveness, but Hitler ordered it be allowed to expand and form its own divisions, but under the command of the army. In 1940 the SS-Verfügungs-Division participated in the invasion of the Netherlands and France. After the Battle of France the SS-VT was officially renamed the Waffen-SS, and in 1941, the Verfügungs-Division was renamed Reich, later Das Reich.In 1941 Das Reich took part in the invasion of Yugoslavia, where its men accepted the surrender of Belgrade. In Barbarossa, Das Reich fought with Army Group Center, in the spearhead of Operation Typhoon and taking part in the battle of Moscow, by which time it had lost 60 percent of its combat strength. It was pulled off the front in mid-1942 and sent to refit as a panzer-grenadier division. Returning to the Eastern Front, Das Reich took part in the fighting around Kharkov and Kursk. Late in the year it was designated a panzer division. In 1944, the unit was stationed in southern France when the Allies landed in Normandy. The following days saw the division commit atrocities, hanging 100 local men in the town of Tulles in reprisal for German losses, and massacring 642 French civilians in Oradour-sur-Glane, allegedly in retaliation for partisan activity in the area. Later in the Normandy fighting Das Reich was encircled in the Roncey pocket by US 2nd Armored Division, losing most of their armored equipment. Das Reich surrendered in May 1945.
3 Commando Brigade in the Falklands: No Picnic (Cassell Military Paperbacks Ser.)
by Julian ThompsonMajor General Julian Thompson first wrote No Picnic when the momentous events of April - June 1982 were fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion's share of the fighting.No-one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of there-taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25 Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions.It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account.
3 Commando: Helmand Assault
by Ewen Southby-TailyourWhen the Royal Marines Commandos returned to a chaotic Helmand in the winter of 2008, they realised that to stand any chance of success they would need to pursue an increasingly determined Taliban harder than ever before. This time they were going to hunt them down from the air. With the support of Chinooks, Apaches, Lynx, Sea Kings and Harriers, the Commandos became a deadly mobile unit, able to swoop at a moments notice into the most hostile territory.From huge operations like the gruelling Red Dagger, when 3 Commando Brigade fought in Somme-like mud to successfully clear the area around the capital of Helmand, Lashkar Gar, of encroaching enemy forces, to the daily acts of unsupported, close-quarters 360-degree combat and the breath-taking, rapid helicopter night assaults behind enemy lines - this was kind of battle that brought Commando qualities to the fore. As with the Sunday Times bestselling 3 Commando Brigade, ex-Marine Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour brings unparalleled access to the troops, a soldier's understanding of the conflict and a visceral sense of the combat experience. This is the real war in Afghanistan as told to him by a hand-picked band of young fellow marines as they encounter the daily rigours of life on the ground in the world's most intense war zone.
3 Group Bomber Command: An Operational Record
by Chris Ward Steve SmithDuring the immediate period before World War Two, the RAF modified its command structure to rationalize for rapid expansion. Bomber Command was divided into six operational groups, each flying the same type of aircraft.3 Group had almost completely re-equipped with the Wellington by 4 September 1939 to carry out the second bombing operation of the war which was against German warships off Brunsbttel. In 1940 the first of the new four-engined bombers, the Short Stirling, came into service with the Group, being followed in 1942 by the Avro Lancaster. On 3rd/4th November 1943, No. 3 Group played a leading part in the first bombing attack in which heavy bombers made use of the radar bombing aid known as G-H. The target was Dsseldorf; bombs were dropped "blind" and good results were obtained. In July and August 1944, aircraft of this Group equipped with G-H maintained an all-weather attack against flying-bomb sites. Through the D-Day build-up, the liberation of France and conquest of Germany, formations of No. 3 Group attacked railway junctions, marshalling yards, troop concentrations, etc.During the week ending 25th March 1945, Bomber Command made numerous attacks to prepare for the crossing of the Rhine.
3 Para Mount Longdon: The Bloodiest Battle (Elite Forces Operations Series)
by Jon CookseyThe author of Falklands Hero follows the Third Parachute Battalion through a ferocious battle to secure a key strategic position during the Falklands War. This, the first in a series on Special Operations, tells the story of Three Para and the often-neglected struggle for Mount Longdon. It was a battle that tested the discipline, comradeship, and professionalism of the Paras to the limit; it was a battle that witnessed another posthumous Victoria Cross; it turned out to be the bloodiest battle of the entire Falklands Campaign. &“Like many a fascist state before them the Argentine Junta thought they could steal territory that belonged to someone else who they considered weak. It came as a shock when Britain rapidly assembled a Task Force and sent it 8,000 miles to eject the Argentine bandits. . . . It was a victory of British military skill and courage in spite of the neglect by politicians. . . . The author has told the story with skill and insight.&” —Firetrench.com
30 Years After: Issues and Representations of the Falklands War
by Carine Berbéri Monia O’Brien CastroThirty years after the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands, the war remains a source of continued debate and analysis for politicians, historians and military strategists. Not only did the conflict provide a fascinating example of modern expeditionary warfare, but it also brought to the fore numerous questions regarding international law, sovereignty, the inheritance of colonialism, the influence of history on national policy and the use of military force for domestic political uses. As the essays in this collection show, the numerous facets of the Falklands War remain current today and have ramifications far beyond the South Atlantic. Covering issues ranging from military strategy to Anglo-American relations, international reactions and international law to media coverage, the volume provides an important overview of some of the complex issues involved, and offers a better understanding of this conflict and of the tensions which still exist today between London and Buenos Aires. Of interest to scholars of history, politics, international relations and defence studies, the volume provides a timely and forthright examination of a short but bloody episode of a kind that is likely to be seen with increasing frequency, as nations lay competing claims to disputed territories around the globe.
The 300: The Inside Story of the Missile Defenders Guarding America Against Nuclear Attack
by Daniel WasserblyMilitary and security expert Daniel Wasserbly introduces the elite unit tasked with protecting the nation from long-range weapons of mass destruction.Comprised of just three hundred soldiers, the United States Army’s 100th Missile Defense Brigade and 49th Missile Defense Battalion utilize sophisticated and cutting-edge technology to monitor the skies and seas surrounding the country and shield three hundred million Americans against any potential nuclear threat. Named for the number of Spartan warriors who defended Greece at the Battle of Thermopylae, these vigilant individuals endure rigorous, always-evolving regimens to maintain peak efficiency in the event of an actual nuclear strike.Assigned to extraordinary locations at Fort Greely, Alaska and Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, the 300 are responsible for the highest levels of homeland security. They not only maintain a never-ending watch via radar and sensor arrays, but receive continuous training in operating advanced interceptors designed to home in on and destroy in-flight ballistic missiles. It’s a complex—and occasionally unreliable—defense system that scientists and engineers are always improving and upgrading.With unprecedented access to the highly classified strategic nerve centers of U.S. Northern Command in Cheyenne Mountain, years of research, and dozens of exclusive interviews with normally inaccessible missile crews, Wasserbly reveals the incredible true story behind the 300’s essential defense operations.
303rd Bombardment Group
by Brian O'Neill Mark StylingThe first title in the Elite Units series to deal with an American bombardment group, this title focuses on the 303rd BG, dubbed the 'Hells Angels.' One of the very first B-17 units assigned to the newly created Eighth Air Force in England in September 1942, the 303rd was in the vanguard of the daylight bombing campaign through to VE-Day. Awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation in January 1944, the 303rd also had two of its aircrewmen presented with the Medal of Honor, Americas ultimate military decoration. Brian O Neill brings the group's colourful combat history to life with a mix of first-hand accounts, raw statistics and concise mission narrative.
32 in '44
by Rodney K. WattersonIn the 1930s, the Portsmouth Navy Yard in New Hampshire built less than two submarines a year, yet in 1944 it completed an astonishing 32 submarines, and over the course of the war produced 37 per cent of all U.S. submarines. This book analyzes the factors behind the small yard s record-setting production, including streamlined operations, innovative management practices, the Navy s commitment to develop the yard s resources as an alternative to private industry, and the yard s ability to adapt quickly to a decentralized wartime shipbuilding environment.The author highlights similarities between Portsmouth s efforts to accelerate production and those of private shipyards. He concludes that private shipyards deviated little from construction plans, while at Portsmouth a continuing dialogue with the Navy resulted in design changes dictated by feedback from the frontlines.Established on 12 June 1800 during the administration of President John Adams, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is the oldest continuously operating shipyard in the United States Navy. 32 in '44, analyzes the factors behind the yard's record setting submarine production that made such a significant contribution to the winning of the war.
33 Days
by Austin D. Johnston Leon WerthA rare eyewitness account by an important author of fleeing the Nazis' march on Paris in 1940, featuring a never-before-published introduction by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. In June of 1940, Leon Werth and his wife fled Paris before the advancing Nazis Army. 33 Days is his eyewitness account of that experience, one of the largest civilian dispacements in history. Encouraged to write 33 Days by his dear friend, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince, Werth finished the manuscript while in hiding in the Jura mountains. Saint-Exupéry smuggled the manuscript out of Nazi-occupied France, wrote an introduction to the work and arranged for its publication in the United States by Brentanos. But the publication never came to pass, and Werth's manuscript would disappear for more than fifty years until the first French edition, in 1992. It has since become required reading in French schools. This, the first-ever English language translation of 33 Days, includes Saint-Exupéry's original introduction for the book, long thought to be lost. It is presented it here for the first time in any language. After more than seventy years, 33 Days appears--complete and as it was fully intended.From the Trade Paperback edition.
33 Keys to Unlocking The Lost Symbol: A Reader's Companion to the Dan Brown Novel
by Thomas R. Beyer Jr.Ever since Professor Beyer read The Da Vinci Code, he became intrigued by Dan Brown's use of facts in fiction. He realized that an examination of the novel could be a tantalizing and entertaining entry into the world of research and evaluating information, and decided to make it the subject of his freshman seminar class at Middlebury College.Beyer and many of his students have followed Dan Brown's work ever since, and four years ago, Beyer began to anticipate and delve into the facts that would be the core of The Lost Symbol. Like millions of other expectant readers, he purchased a copy of the novel on its publication date, September 15, 2009. He read and analyzed it several times, and, at the urging of his publisher, focused on writing this handy, reader-friendly companion guide to The Lost Symbol, in which he elaborates on 33 key topics and identifies 133 Internet links for even further exploration.The topics, organized by theme in seven sections, follow the plot of the story and cover the setting in Washington, D.C., art and architecture, cryptology, Freemasonry, secret teachings, science, and people and places in the novel, highlighted with 33 helpful illustrations.
352nd Fighter Group
by Tom IvieNicknamed the ‘Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney’ due to the garish all-blue noses of their P-51s, the 352nd FG was one of the most successful fighter groups in the Eighth Air Force. Credited with destroying almost 800 enemy aircraft between 1943 and 1945, the 352nd finished fourth in the ranking of all groups within VIII Fighter Command. Initially equipped with P-47s, the group transitioned to P-51s in the spring of 1944, and it was with the Mustang that its pilots enjoyed their greatest success. Numerous first-hand accounts, 55 newly commissioned artworks and 140+ photos complete this concise history of the ‘Bluenosers’.
354th Fighter Group
by William Hess Chris Davey'I think the success of the 354th as the leading group in the European theatre for aerial victories is due to several things. First was the initial training of the squadrons before deployment to England. Colonel Ken Martin nurtured the group from its infancy, and all the excellence that later showed through could be placed at his doorstep. Despite his youth, he knew how to foster teamwork and demand perfection in flying. There was nothing more important than getting the group off on the right foot. Second, our pilots were taught to fly mutual support, and practised it faithfully. There were no "hot" pilots in the 354th, only "excellent" pilots. Third, men like Glenn Eagleston gave advice and warnings about combat tactics and guarding one's tail. This prepared our pilots for lurking dangers, something the other groups may not have done.' Brigadier General James Howard, Commanding Officer of the 354th Fighter Group