Average customer rating:
- Best book on Sherman Tanks !
- Best Sherman Book - But Don't Pay More than $130
- The Sherman Tank Bible.
- The standard reference on the M4 Sherman medium tank
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Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank
R.P. Hunnicutt
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0891410805
Release Date: 1976-06-01 |
Book Description
R.P. Hunnicutt sets the standard against which all other military equipment books are measured. Hunnicutt defines definitive. 1,368 b/w photos, 12 color plates.
Customer Reviews:
Best book on Sherman Tanks !.......2007-02-27
. 2006 hard bound in dust jacket, , r/p of the 1994 edition, . in a slip case, , 8 3/4 x 11 1/4 , glossy paper , 576 pp , 1368 illus & drgs. , 12 color plates, appendices , index.
.....This exclusive high-quality print run is limited to only 1,000 copies in a collector's slip case. Finally back in print, R.P. Hunnicutt's "bible" on the M4 Sherman Tank begins with the pre-war evolution of the U.S. medium tank resulting in the introduction of the M3 and its Canadian counterpart the "RAM." The confusion after Pearl Harbor and the pressure for ever increasing production provide the background for the appearance of the Sherman in Part II. The war situation in early 1942 required large numbers of tanks to equip both the U.S. armored units in training and the Allied Armies already fighting around the world. This resulted in the major models of the Sherman with designations ranging from M4 to M4A6.
Part II ends with the Sherman committed to action first at El Alamein and then in theaters of operation around the world. Battle experience soon indicated the need for further improvements. Part III details the development projects necessary to effect these changes and their incorporation into the production program. The important British modifications including the installation of the 17 pounder high velocity gun are also included. The ready availability of the Sherman chassis made it the ideal candidate to carry various self-propelled artillery weapons and antitank guns. These vehicles as well as other specialized armor are discussed in part IV.
..After WWII, the Sherman continued to serve not only the U.S. Army, but was used to rearm many friendly nations whose armed forces were destroyed during the war. With the outbreak of fighting in Korea, the Sherman again went into action as is covered in Part V. Part VI is composed of reference material presented in data sheets covering the major production models of the M3 and M4 series.
Best Sherman Book - But Don't Pay More than $130.......2006-10-31
This book is the Sherman Bible, but you should not spend more than $130 for this title. This book is in the process of being republished by RZM and it will have a list price of $130(US).
The Sherman Tank Bible........2003-07-24
The Sherman tank is without question, the most famous armored fighting vehicle in the history of modern warfare. The book "Sherman: A History of the American Medium Tank", by R.P Hunnicutt, is an masterful reference text second to none. Although, this book is long out of print, it is without question the bible, to sherman tank historians. No book ever published on this tank can match the endless array of photo's and text detailing every variation of this tank. You get to see the tank from it's early design as a platform to the M3 Grant/Lee during the early stages of WW-2. The Sherman was used for every job imaginable. Soldiers would adapt their tank as needed for whatever condition awaited them. You see Sherman tanks, used as mine sweepers, marine assault float tanks, flame throwers, bulldozers, open turreted M10 tank destroyers, a british heavy hitting firefly variation, just to name a few. The tank had unmatched longevity, serving in the Korean conflict and in the Israeli army as late as the early 1970's. If you are a military historian or a student of armored warfare, I cannot recommend a better book that chronicles an American tank in such A to Z detail. The Sherman tank was not the most feared tank in the theater of WW-2 operations, but it's overwhelming production numbers and mechanical reliability and adaptability, surely helped the allies win the war.
The standard reference on the M4 Sherman medium tank.......1998-04-24
Even though this work dates back to 1978, it can still be regarded as the ultimate book on the M4 Sherman. It describes the pre-war development of the American medium tanks, then covers the development and production of the M3 Lee/Grant including all marks and variants. The M4 development and production is covered in detail with all marks and variants, upgrades and modifications. British service and modification are also covered. Postwar employment and conversions are included, even though Israeli and other post war conversions are not covered in detail.
There are extremely detailed specifications of the M3 and M4, all marks and many of the variants like the M7 and M10. You will also find the specs on most weapons employed on the M3, M4 and variants.
If you are interrested in the technical development and production of the M3 and M4 tanks, this book is a must. Well written with 100s of b/w illustrations it is, despite the price, great value.
Book Description
This superb large-format reference book is the ultimate illustrated guide to the equipment used by the U.S. Army during World War II. No other single source provides so much accurate and authentic detail on weapons, vehicles, ammunition and other combat equipment, together with an authoritative explanation of the development and introduction processes. The facts and figures are profusely illustrated with over 700 photographs and drawings, and set in context in the Introduction by military equipment expert Ian V. Hogg. During World War II, various military agencies produced catalogues to fill in the gaps left by the official U.S. War Department manuals. This led to inconsistent technical data appearing in different sources. In order to standardise the information and properly catalogue all the equipment, the U.S. Ordnance Department began putting together the master guide now published as The American Arsenal, covering every piece of equipment in use and being produced. Every figure, date, specification and description was authenticated by reference to Ordnance Committee Minutes and similar authorities. The vast amount of technical information included makes this an invaluable reference work.
Customer Reviews:
CONCISE CATALOG OF OFFICIAL STD. WORLD WAR 2 ORDANCE.......2006-05-10
THIS IS A CATALOG OF STANDARD ORDNANCE FROM THE OFFICIAL U.S. WORLD WAR 2 ARSENAL
IN A NUTSHELL: IT DOESN'T GET AN CLEARER OR SIMPLER THAN THIS & FULLY ILLUSTRATED TOO!
If one is at all interested in military hardware, especially from an historical standpoint, this book will be impossible to put down. Basically, most everything, from fuses, to artillery shells and pieces to mines, mortars and grenades are included. Enough useful info is included for each individual ordnance for one to realize how these weapons might best have been used and to what effect. In some cases, the penetrating power of projectiles is also included, and this is especially important with tanks, which of course were also included, complete with detailed diagrams and specs.
BOTTOM LINE: EXACTLY WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE
How can you go wrong with Ian Hogg?.......2002-08-19
This is a wonderful overview of American technology "on the ground" in WWII. One thing that I felt that Mr. Hogg might have added is some consideration of production numbers and dates as an appendix.
very comprehensive!.......2001-08-02
This catelog is very comprehensive in terms of the number of weapons used by the US in WW2. Basically it is composed of copies of the original documents. Some weapons are missing, the Colt 1911 & tommy gun, but info on them is easy to find elsewhere. Excellent diagrams of ammo & mines. I would like a little more info on some of the more obscure arms, but taken as a whole this title is an excellent reference. I would like to see more titles, as comprehensive as this, concerning the other participants of ww2.
Book Description
Filled with fine-scale drawings of America's tanks and other armored vehicles during the entire course of World War II. * M2 Halftrack * M3 Lee/Grant Tank * M3A3 Stuart Tank * M4 Sherman Tank * Staghound Armored Car * LVT Amphibious Tank * And dozens more . . . Based on meticulous research of actual vehicles, official photographs, factory specifications, and, in some cases, the original design plans, each drawing is rendered with great precision--and in exact scale--offering military enthusiasts and modelers an essential reference on these steel chariots of war.
Customer Reviews:
A fine collection of drawings.......2007-03-07
Mr. Bradford's name is very familiar to old hands in combat vehicle research. In this volume he has collected some of his fine plan drawings. The US military entered WW2 playing "catch up" in combat vehicles, but produced a huge variety of tanks vehicles. Mr. Bradford has helped sort some of the many styles and designs by presenting them in multi-view scale plan drawings. The drawings cover American combat vehicles such as tanks, armored cars, halftracks, Amtracs and self-propelled artillery from before WW2 to the war's end. A limited number of photos are included to support the drawings, but the plans are the essence of the book. Shading of the drawings helps make them easier to read. The plans are presented in popular model building scales. There is even a page of conversion percentages to allow the drawings to be enlarged or reduced to meet the needs of the purchaser. This volume is highly recommended for model manufacturers, model builders, historians and anyone with an interest in the technical development of vehicles.
Book Description
As American tanks raced across France, one fact became immediately clear: One-on-one, the Sherman tank with its 75 mm main gun was no match for the more heavily armored and heavily-gunned German tanks that it faced across the battlefield.
Customer Reviews:
The title is misleading.......2007-07-05
There are some nice observations, personal observations that perhaps just make the book worth reading (at the price of $7).
But there is little about the Sherman and why it was a death trap other than it had thinner armor and initially an under-powered gun. I was hoping for more insight into how the Sherman was used and perhaps what the soldiers did to overcome the tanks disadvantages.
As others have said there is a lot of repetition, I think he repeats that the Germans fired on a tank until it burnt and therefore could not be recovered. This is mentioned twice on one page in one place and he seems to be annoyed at the Germans for stopping him being able to repair the tank!! How inconsiderate of them.
Then there are pages about troop movements and battle formations, nothing really to do with the tank and covered more accurately elsewhere.
After you have read the better books in this category, you might get this to complete your collection, but really there are much better books available.
Great Book.......2007-06-12
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the true story of the Sherman in WWII, written by someone who was actually there. This book and writer is endorsed by Stephen Ambrose.
Could Be Better.......2007-02-27
The title will get your attention but all the numbers will run together after awhile.It does have it's merits as the author details his life in the maintenance divison.The awful job of cleaning out a tank with the blood/tissue from battlefield casualties,a smell that never leaves that particular vehicle.And over & over to the point the story just repeats itself.I really had to struggle to finish this book.
my humble opinion.......2006-08-26
I agree that the best understanding of history comes from primary source documenation where the source has first-hand knowledge of the facts. This is exactly why moments of the book are quite insightful and moving. For example, the scene where Cooper shares a fox hole in combat for the first time after receiving heavy fire. Listening to a soldier tell of crying himself to sleep while reciting the 23rd Psalm and taking comfort from Paul's words in Phillipians is touching and honest. Moments like this are what make this book worthwhile.
I will not comment on historical inacuracies concerning the US tanks v. the German tanks as it appears the foregoing commentators know a lot more than me. I would encourage readers to recall, however, who this writer is and what his job was during the war. Cooper raced across enemy lines in the cover of darkness regularly to report to his commanders who and what was recently destroyed. He then made every effort to get fresh supplies back to the front lines. In doing so, part of his daily routine was witnessing his peers wash the blood and guts out of semi-destroyed tanks - the blood and guts of their friends - so that young, often inexperienced soldiers, could take their place.
I suspect witnessing this bloodshed day in and day out for about two years would cause any person to long for tanks with more protection and more offensive power.
This aspect of the book needs not be forgotten. Sure, it could have done without the editorialism concerning events Cooper was not present for, but perhaps those digressions come from the unique suffering Cooper experienced during the War.
TAM
Same story my father told.......2006-07-03
My father landed on Omaha Beach with the 745th Tank Battalion. He survived to live a good life and raise a family. The few times he talked about WWII his stories mirrored Cooper's. I thought Dad's claim's about being shot out of 13 (THIRTEEN) Sherman tanks were just "war stories" when I was younger, even with his Purple Heart and Bronze Star as evidence. He was suspicious about politicians and military leaders the rest of his life. Perhaps the negative reviews are written by people who want to rewrite history. From what I heard from my father, Cooper is dead on accurate. I loved the book.
Book Description
A powerful wartime saga in the bestselling tradition of Flags of Our Fathers, Brothers in Arms recounts the extraordinary story of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first all-black armored unit to see combat in World War II.
Download Description
A powerful wartime saga in the bestselling tradition of Flags of Our Fathers, Brothers in Arms recounts the extraordinary story of the 761st "Black Panthers," the first all-black armored unit to see combat in World War II.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar first learned about the battalion from family friend Leonard "Smitty" Smith, a veteran of the battalion. Working with acclaimed writer Anthony Walton, Abdul-Jabbar interviewed the surviving members of the battalion and their descendants to weave together a page-turning narrative based on their memories and stories, from basic training through the horrors on the battlefield to their postwar experiences in a racially divided America.
Trained essentially as a public relations gesture to maintain the support of the black community for the war, the battalion was never intended to see battle. In fact, General Patton originally opposed their deployment, claiming African Americans couldn't think quickly enough to operate tanks in combat conditions. But the Allies were so desperate for trained tank personnel in the summer of 1944, following heavy casualties in the fields of France, that the battalion was called up.
While most combat troops fought on the front for a week or two before being rotated back, the men of the 761st served for more than six months, fighting heroically under Patton's Third Army at the Battle of the Bulge and in the Allies' final drive across France and Germany. Despite a casualty rate that approached 50 percent and an extreme shortage of personnel and equipment, the 761st would ultimately help liberate some thirty towns and villages, as well as the Gunskirchen Lager concentration camp.
The racism that shadowed them during the war and the prejudice they faced upon their return home is an indelible part of their story. What shines through most of all, however, are the lasting bonds that united them as soldiers and brothers, the bravery they exhibited on the battlefield, and the quiet dignity and patriotism that defined their lives.
Customer Reviews:
great WW II book.......2007-08-13
I really did like this book and found it to be very well done; I couldn't put it down. Kareem abdul-jabbar did a great job of tying the history of the unit into is his life (one of the main characters was friends with his father). It wasn't only intresting because of the whole Black Soldiers in WW II subject area, but was also a great read concerning WW II tankers in general (not just black tankers). Mr. Abdul did an outstanding job and I would recommend this book to anyone.
Very Moving.......2006-07-07
Not knowing where to start, let me say this was a very moving book. It was very dishartening to hear how American Soldiers were mistreated by fellow Soldiers and the American public. It really speaks to their character that they were willing to fight for a country that did not recognize them as first class citzens. Before reading this book, I had no idea that there were all Black tank units. Even when reading other books about some of the battles that the 761st fought in, I never incountered mention of the 761st or that there were even all Black units fighting in the same battle. This book was a real eye opener.
I am not a historian or even a history enthusiast, so I was unaware of the errors that were in the book. Nevertheless, I feel that the story is about the Soldiers of the 761st, and that the book is not meant to be a treatise on WWII. This is just my opinion, so if you are someone who cares about the errors, then you will need to read this book with a grain of salt.
Brothers in Arms, Aptly Subtitled "Forgotten Heroes" - African-American Tankers Honored in Prose.......2006-03-01
Despite being quite intrigued by the story of the 761st Tank Battalion this reviewer was initially quite leery about picking up this book, for the same reasons articulated by Lt. Col. Mark Reardon in his review of Brothers in Arms - why would we expect a historical work developed by a former pro-basketball player to be of particular value beyond a novelty? However, Reardon gave Brothers in Arms a quite positive review and thus this reviewer decided the time commitment to read it was justified. Having said all that this reviewer found Brothers in Arms a compelling, easy and informative read.
It is worth mentioning that Abdul-Jabbar's tale of the 761st is not the first or only documentation of this storied battalion; previously published accounts include T.W. Anderson's "Come Out Fighting" (1979) and J. Wilson Jr.'s "The 761st 'Black Panther' Tank Battalion in World War II (1999). Yet, Abdul-Jabbar's account is a well-written and engaging story, targeted to a wide audience. The prose set forth by Abdul-Jabbar starts with a brief description of why the author chose to take on such and project and why the reader should be engaged and interested. Abdul-Jabbar then introduces the three gentlemen who anchor the story of the 761st as he tells it, the pre-war lives of these men and what led them to volunteer for the Tank Corps. Within this section of the book and the next section dealing with the training of the 761st, Abdul-Jabbar provides considerable insight into the racial discrimination that these American heroes suffered in 1940's American culture, including the US Army - which at the time was still a quite segregrated institution, as was American culture in general. These discussion points (which are also brought out in subsequent sections of the book) are the real selling points for this book - ALL Americans should read this book for this contrast in sacrifice of the men of the 761st to the respect and honor they received for their sacrifices.
The major portion of the prose is dedicated to discussion of the combat situations in which the 761st found themselves. The 761st was one of several independent Tank Battalions that was not permanently assigned to any Division, but rather attached to various units, Armored or Infantry, as needed. Thus the 761st functioned to large extent as a 'fire brigade' to deal with recalcitrant combat zones or details. While no clear evidence exists to suggest that this was an overt discriminatory act of the US Army to sacrifice African-American versus white troops is difficult situations, Abdul-Jabbar makes a compelling case that this could have in fact been true. The combat history of the 761st is indeed impressive both for its scope of action and depth of nearly impossible situations into which they were placed by rear command decisions. Despite the adversities facing them the men of the 761st were generally successful in their assigned tasks.
The last section of the book deals with what happened to the men of the 761st from V-E day onwards. While these stories are themselves fascinating, it is the injustice and prejudice these American heroes suffered after the combat was over that really capture the readers attention. In fact, it took decades for African-American soldiers who carried arms in the Second World War to be recognized for their acts of heroism. Abdul-Jabbar does a fair honest tribute to these men in his writings.
So how well done is the military history in Brothers in Arms? OK but not perfect; some errors are simply too silly to believe. Two examples illustrate this perfectly: First, in multiple places Abdul-Jabbar refers to the Tactical Air Command as the Air Tactical Command. Second, on p. 240 the following statement is made: "Hitler's propaganda minister, Hermann Goering, had a castle on a high bluff just beyond Neuhaus." Goering did in fact own a castle at Neuhaus [Burg Veldenstein, now a hotel] that was given to him by the widow of previous owner, Dr. Hermann Von Epenstein, Joseph Goebbles, not Goering, was propaganda.
Problems aside, Brothers in Arms represents a fun, entertaining and educational read, not perfect in historical content but sound enough to merit a look by serious and casual history buffs. 4 stars.
Not worth it. .......2005-03-18
"Brothers In Arms" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anthony Walton. Subtitled "The Epic Story Of The 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes". Broadway books, New York, 2004.
Studying History gives you exposure to the overall events of World War II, and the general ebb and flow of the European Theater of Operations, such as which unit attacked which enemy unit and the results. After an MA in History, I am always seeking more interesting personal accounts, i.e. personal reminiscences, describing what really happened. This book, "Brothers In Arms", appeared to be just that: the personal memoirs of black soldiers in a tank battalion in the EOT, with all those daily minimal details, woven into a real and personal story of the men who served. Even more interesting, these soldiers were black.
Unfortunately, however, the book did not live up to its promise. The stories about the individuals involved, with the possible exception of Leonard "Smitty" Smith, did not, in my humble opinion, bring those individuals alive. Even the nice repetition , (but disrupting to the continuity of the book), of Baseball's Jackie Robinson's wartime experiences were not truly a personal remembrance.
Then there are the unnecessary mistakes. As other reviewers have mentioned the worst gaffe, the German word for panther, is "Panther" and "Panzer" means, basically, armor or tanks. See page 47. The Luftwaffe's rotund Hermann Goering is probably rotating rapidly in his grave since this book identifies him as the skinny Nazi propaganda minister. On page 45, the authors state that in the Pacific theater, in 1942, "American and Japanese forces were at a stalemate". Sorry! The Battle of Midway, June 1942, was the turning point and it was downhill for Japan after that. The "stalemate" characterization was wrong. On page 70, the authors have General George S. Patton being born in 1895; he was born in 1885. Just as another example, the book states that the German "Teller" Anti-Tank mines had about one pound of explosive in them. I could not understand why a "Teller" mine should threaten a Sherman tank, so I went on the Web. There I found that the early models of the German Teller mines had about 23 pounds, or about ten kilograms, of explosive. I could see that this concentrated explosive force could do damage to some parts of the Sherman. My complaint is the book's authors let this poundage gaffe go into print.
So , for the personal memoirs, I gave four stars. For the mistakes , (too many!) and evident lack of knowledge about the History of the EOT, I gave zero stars. Average: two stars.
Mistakes Mistakes Mistakes.......2005-02-23
This book is filled with interesting stories. It is also filled with many, many unforgiveable mistakes. Previous reviews have pointed out the mistake of Panzer means panther in German...come on! But towards the end of the book it refers to Hermann Goering as Hitler's propaganda minister. Wow, where was the editor on that one. I think Joseph Goebbels would have something to say about that. And if Goering was hard at work on propaganda, who was running the Luftwaffe? It moves on to talk about Hitler's suicide by poison in the Bunker. Except that Hitler shot himself in the temple, prefering a soldiers death. Yes Hitler did have a poison pill in his mouth, but that was only as backup in case the shot was not fatal. The book is filled with stuff like this.
I started reading this book with great excitement because the subject matter is fascinating and I have not heard about the 761st Battalion. I was hoping this book would be breaking new ground. But instead I find myself NOT trusting any of the information in this book since they obviously don't even know who Hermann Goering was.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and 761st Battalion should get an apology from coauther Anthony Walton and the Editor of this book.
Book Description
Many narrative accounts of men in combat during World War II have conveyed the horrors and emotions of warfare. However, not many reveal in such an intimate way the struggle of innocent youth to adapt to the primitive code of “kill or be killed,” to transform from lads into combat soldiers.
Another River, Another Town is the story of John P. Irwin, a teenage tank gunner whose idealistic desire to achieve heroism is shattered by the incredibly different view of life the world of combat demands. He comes to the realization that the realm of warfare has almost nothing in common with the civilian life from which he has come.
The interminable fighting, dirt, fatigue, and hunger make the war seem endless. In addition to the killing and destruction on the battlefield, Irwin and his crew are caught up in the unbelievable depravity they encounter at Nordhausen Camp, where slave laborers are compelled to work themselves to death manufacturing the infamous V-rockets that have been causing so much destruction in London, and that are expected one day to devastate Washington, D.C.
At the end of the war, the sense of victory is, for these men, overshadowed by the intense joy and relief they experience in knowing that the fighting is at last over.
Customer Reviews:
Brisk read with a lot of heart.......2005-10-02
Take one teenage soldier who later earns a PhD in philosophy. Place him in the midst of a conflict in its final days. Stir generously with passable writing ability.
What you get is Another River, Another Town : A Teenage Tank Gunner Comes of Age in Combat-1945.
This is something different in the way of soldiers telling their tale. Here's a guy who got into the war when it was practically over, during the final few months of the European campaign, all post-Bulge. And he's a tank gunner. Most books of this sort are from the perspective of the grunt, and usually from guys who saw more "action" (which is not to say the author did not - his life was in grave danger on a number of occasions).
With Another River, Another Towns we get some insight into the mind of a soldier and a good glimpse at the life of a tank gunner during the last days of World War II, when the European Theater saw more surrendering and looting than actual combat. This isn't a "becoming buddies in the foxhole" book ... but it did have some merits, primarily in that it looked at a period of the war usually glossed over fairly quickly. Once you get past the Africa campaign, Sicily, D-Day and the Bulge, the European conflict becomes much less "sexy" from the American perspective. This book fills in some of those gaps and shows us what the soldiers experienced during this late period in the way.
It was not a melodramatic or sepia-toned book, which is a positive, and offered a glimpse into an aspect of World War II not often explored - the mass surrendering at the tail end of the conflict, and how the Army often did not want to deal with prisoners of war because they only served to slow down the advance. German soldiers intent on surrendering were often turned away.
Nothing here is vital reading, even for the WWII buff - it's a pretty typical soldier's tale, told simply - but I really enjoyed this glimpse into the world of the tank gunner and would certainly recommend this for a good Saturday read on the war. It had a lot of heart.
Classic WWII Tanker Memoir.......2005-02-01
What a great book. Despite it's brevity, author John Irwin has penned one of the best WWII memoirs I have ever read. He's honest, humorous, and pulls no punches. He was only in combat for a brief period (March-April 1945). In this time, the Rhine had been crossed and the German forces were rapidly disintegrating. Still, it was no picnic as some WWII histories try to paint. There were always some Germans trying to destroy a tank with one of their vaunted Panzerfausts. Plus, one can say honestly that in combat, time takes on a different meaning. This book in a ideal read for World War II buffs of all ages. Enthusiastically recommended!
Great Short Read- Very Intence.......2004-10-22
I do not read a lot, but I have to admit that this was a well written, and very interesting book. For not finishing High School, John P. Irwin does a fantastic job telling his story. He leads you through his experiences and tries to let the reader know how horrible war really is. A story that everyone should know about!
Hard to beleive they were just kids!.......2004-01-09
I have to go with 5 stars too. This is a great first person account of the way it was. I found the book riviting and well written. A compelling, well written story of what it was like being a tanker in WWII. I thank and salute the author for having taken the time to get his story told, you will enjoy it start to finish.
France, Belgium, what's the difference?.......2004-01-03
The first sentence of chapter one indicates that the Battle of the Bulge was fought in France. This will be a great surprise to the many French-speaking residents of the Ardennes region of Belgium, a sovereign nation quite distinct from France. If you check a map, Bastogne, one of the main battle sites, is indeed in Belgium. I hope this major factual error was corrected in subsequent editions of this otherwise wonderful book.
Book Description
Over 20 years of research went into the creation of this history of the development, characteristics, and capabilities of the Panther., over 170 b/w photos, line drawings, 8 1/2" x 11"
Customer Reviews:
Germany's Panther Tank.......2006-02-01
This book provides an excellent technical and developmental history of the Panther. The author has obviously done his research on this vehicle. The book is well worth the price.
Panther Tank in extreme detail.......2005-09-17
The ultimate guide to the Panther Tank, is full of detail acounting the progress from drawing board to final version of this extremly well designed battle tank of world war two. Excellent for detail for the modeller keen on fine detailing the Panther Tank in any of its versions. Great read and some fine drawinings of all the Panther Tank models built during the war.
Well worth the money.
This Panther Book is worth the price.......2003-12-21
Panther Tank the Quest for Combat Supremacy" represents over 20 years of research on the Panther and will remain for some years the definitive single volume study of the development history of the Panther tank.
In additional to this book, Thomas Jentz has recently completed a series of four short but technically compressive books, called "Panzer Tracts," covering all the variants of the Panther tank (Ausf D, A, G, F and Panther II). The "Panzer Tracts" include as-built 1/10 and 1/35th scale drawings and some new technical information not found in "Germany's Panther Tank the Quest for Combat Supremacy." The additional technical details in the "Tracts" were not known in 1995 and so could not be included in Jentz's "Germany's Panther Tank the Quest for Combat Supremacy."
Excellent technical "ouvrage".......1999-06-29
This is an excellent book by a man who studied every little piece of information available on this vehicle for over 20 years. He climbed inside the thing many times and has been around it more than once. It is writen in a very technical language, so all of you non-mechanics and newbies out there, watch out! If there is one thing sorely lacking, it is a page of terminolgy. It would have helped a lot. Also, a more combat accounts would've been great. But overall, it is THE Panther book.
The Necessary Panther Companion.......1998-10-14
In this work, Thomas Jentz traces the development of Germanys Panther tank using original WWII documents such as drawings and parts numbers. Every mark (Ausf.) and every detail change to the Panther is described. The development and production history takes up about 3/4 of the book, the rest is a short description of the operational characteristics of the Panther, a short combat history and a number of tables and diagrams with tehcnical details. This is THE Panther book. Back it up with Spielbergers more technical work and you have about all there is to know about the Panther.
Book Description
On the battlefields of World War II, the men of the African-American 761st Tank Battalion under General Patton broke through enemy lines with the same courage with which they broke down the racist limitations set upon them by others -- proving themselves as tough, reliable, and determined to fight as any tank unit in combat.
Beginning in November 1944, they engaged the enemy for 183 straight days, spearheading many of Patton's offensives at the Battle of the Bulge and in six European countries. No other unit fought for so long and so hard without respite. The 761st defeated more than 6,000 enemy soldiers, captured thirty towns, liberated Jews from concentration camps -- and made history as the first African-American armored unit to enter the war.
This is the true story of the Black Panthers, who proudly lived up to their motto (Come Out Fighting) and paved the way for African-Americans in the U.S. military -- while battling against the skepticism and racism of the very people they fought for.
Customer Reviews:
An untold Heroic epic of WWII bravery and honor.......2007-06-24
This one of the most inspiring stories I have ever read about WWII, and I have been reading about and watching WWII documentries for over 30 years. It is a shame the USA was so bigoted at the time to ommit an important part of WWII history. I had never heard about this group until recently. The story of these honorable brave men need to be added to our current history books if it has not been already. I am hoping to find other books to read about these fine men. This is first time I have stopped to write a review from hundreds of books I have purchased from Amazon.
Excellent Book! Well worth reading!.......2007-01-03
I've been reading a lot of books about WWII lately, by Stephen Ambrose (Citizen Soldiers), James Bradley (Flags of our Fathers), etc. Patton's Panthers by Charles Sasser fits well in this genre of writting. Sasser has done an excellent job making a book that's very interesting to read. He has done extensive research and then taken that research and compiled it into a narrative well worth reading. I highly recommend it.
Engrossing read, full of flavor and relatively rich in content.......2006-04-05
Armed service of African-Americans is one of the least covered topics in the greater realm of WWII historiography. This is quite unfortunate as the number of African-Americans to proudly and honorably serve the US armed forces in the Second World War was not trivial. Nor was their contribution to the Allied war effort trivial. While most African-Americans served in service and support units in the segregated US services of the 1930-40's, there were a small number of all African-American combat units, and by the end of the war a few integrated units (although integration occurred on a platoon rather than individual basis as occurred with white soldiers), that served with equal, if not greater, distinction to all white units. Fortunately for all Americans the past few years have brought a number of historiographies of the contributions of African-American soldiers to the Allied victory in WWII, both in Europe and Asia. `Patton's Panthers: The African-American 761st Tank Battalion in World War II' by Charles W. Sasser is a solid contribution to this growing literature that anyone interested in WWII and/or issues of segregation/race relations in the middle of the 20th Century should pick up.
Not only does `Patton's Panthers' deal with a historical issue worthy of coverage but it does so with flair. Sasser's writing style is quite easy to follow and he presents material with literary flavor. While this makes the reading fun and informative at the same time, much in the same way Stephen Ambrose, John Keeghan, Cornelius Ryan, and John Toland's works function, Sasser's style goes a bit beyond that of the aforementioned authors. Two aspects of Sasser's approach to `Patton's Panthers' are particularly noteworthy in this context:
First, it may take authors a while to get used to the `frank' language Sasser uses to present the stories. Not only are curse words frequent, but also political correctness is often left in the editing room. Sasser rarely refers to the soldiers at the center of the story as African-Americans but rather Negroes. It is not entirely clear that Sasser did not do this in fact for visceral impact - most culturally-enlightened individuals prefer to use African-American as a term to denote people of color - since the first half of the book is peppered with Negro and Negroes, while in the latter half use of this more derogatory term becomes much less frequent. This reviewer certainly recoiled at the free use of the term Negro(es), but right or wrong this approach did help to highlight emotionally the more important issues of bigotry and discrimination that these warriors experienced. Somehow by being more `politically incorrect' Sasser may have actually been able to drive home more clearly the morally correct issue of race tolerance and brotherhood that we should all strive for.
The second aspect of Sasser's writing approach that stood out to this reviewer was the way in which nearly all the `recollections' of the African-American soldiers presented read like a stereotypical screen play of uneducated son's of poor southern African-American sharecroppers. Again this seems to have been done for `affect' as Sasser states very clearly in his `Author's Notes': "...I have had to rely on numerous sources to fill gaps left by memory and official record. Also, using my own knowledge and experience with war and men at war, I have had to improvise and to necessarily re-create scenes and dialog in certain instances...I strive to match personalities with the situation and the action while maintaining factual content." Either a majority of African-American soldiers in the 761st actually spoke the way Sasser wrote their dialog or other authors who have recounted the exploits of the 761st, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Joe Wilson Jr. (both African-Americans themselves, the latter's father was in the 761st), have excessively `cleaned up' the dialog. It is likely that reality is somewhere in between. Yet this reviewer believes that latter two authors' recounting of combat dialog and reminiscences are probably more representative and that Sasser's self-admitted alteration was done for affect. Please do not read into either of these criticisms anything prejudice on the part of Sasser. This reviewer feels that Sasser has approached this topic fairly and thoroughly, and deserves credit for bringing to light (again) the exploits of these brave soldiers who have been forgotten, even denied, by their countrymen. Rather the reader should simply be aware that Sasser's writing style has potentially taken wide liberty to pull the reader into the story and human drama by drawing on stereotypes and visceral hot buttons.
All in all `Patton's Panther's a solid historical piece of work that is also a thoroughly enjoyable read. The bonus a reader gets is a rich human story of the contrasts between the lives of bigotry and inequality these African-American men lived in the United States before and after the war versus the equally scary, sacrificial, and heroic lives they shared with their white brethren in combat in NW Europe. 4.5 Stars!
Brave Men - American Heroes.......2005-03-10
Patton's Panthers by Charles Sasser is a good book about the African-American 761st Tank Battalion that fought in World War II. I also read Brothers In Arms by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar which covered the same subject matter and found this book to be much easier to follow. The book takes us from training up to the end of the war, and the only constant during this entire time was the way these fine men were treated by many of their fellow soldiers, nurses who were supposed to care for them, fellow citizens, and many of the commanding officers of the Army. Even the mainstream press of the day would bypass the 761st in order to write about only white soldiers in their stories. With that background, it is understandable, although extremely unfortunate that the men of the 761st had to wait so long to be recognized for what they did, and how well they did it. They fought hard and long and did everything that was asked of them and more, yet were still treated like second class citizens by many. A prime example of this was when one of the men of the 761st, upon arriving home with a chest full of medals, and despite all that he had been through, was still told by the driver to move to the back of the bus. This is a book that should be read by all. The only shortcomings were two obvious historical inaccuracies. The first one has Lt. General Leslie McNair being killed by the Germans when he was killed by friendly fire. The second one has General Patton carrying pearl-handled pistols. His pistols were ivory-handled.
Brilliant description of the horrors of prejudice and war.......2005-02-15
"Patton's Panthers" caught me by surprise. The wisdom in the off-hand in combat comments of the "common" citizen soldier far exceeds the hash cranked out by most scholars of war. Anyone who has ever worn the uniform will recognize the attitudes and scenes, time and place altered.
This is a WWII oral history which does not romanticize war or minimize the faults of our own nation. The heroism of these men was extraordinary. The feats of courage described so frankly and brutally were those of realistic men not motivated by propaganda or careerism.
One can only wonder how much those racial attitudes persist today, though there is no doubt that what does remain inside our forces has been pushed deeper below the surface. On the other hand, substitute "haji" for "negra" and follow today's soldiers [of any race] around for a few moments to discover that our latent racial bias always finds some way to push back to the surface. Some would no doubt argue that this is part of a necessary process of dehumanizing the enemy to enable our young soldiers to kill. Only 60 years have passed; one wonders if we have really changed our nature so much that we are qualified to "train" the Iraqis and Afghans how to bridge their own ethnic and tribal divides. Go to our Southwest Asian bases today, and watch the long lines of "host country" nationals filing past us every morning and afternoon, not a glance or a word exchanged between us. One of the men in "Patton's Panthers" noted that the only time the black man was sent to the front of anything, bus, train, or battle, was when the white man did not want to be there. Our allies of today cannot help but feel the same way, I suppose. Plenty of bias, both racial and religious, on both sides of today's war, perhaps more than usual.
Product Description
Full color gallery of classic American armored fighting vehicles! 85 incredible full color photographs of every American tank imagineable. A detailed chronicle of the fearless tanks of American history. The tanks pictured are beautifully restored US armored vehicles of WW II.
Customer Reviews:
SENSATIONAL COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS THROUGHOUT THIS VOLUME.......2007-07-26
IN A NUTSHELL: GREAT CLOSE-UP PHOTOS OF THESE TANKS IN THEIR NEW HOMES: MUSEUMS
WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT:
Truly, no tank book has better large scale photos, but this book is more for tank modelers than history enthusiasts. Technical info about the equipment being shown is given, but the detail is lacking for the true tank enthusiast while operational histories, of interest to everybody, are almost completely absent. Also, the photos of the tanks shown are essentially of restored vintage tanks rather than of the tanks in action or during World War 2, when they last saw active service.
To this book's credit, it does show many heretofore unseen or difficult to find photo angles; such as, a Sherman Tank with the forward Glacis Armor plate removed [shows where the driver would be sitting inside the tank], and a variety of different series [M4-A,B,C etc.] of tanks with the same models; such as, a sampling of the different Shermans that were made as the war progressed, clearly showing the new features that evolved within the design [like the 76mm gun, or different escape hatches, cupolas and other details].
BOTTOM LINE:
A nice photo study about some of the American armored vehicles in World War 2 as they appear today.
Details, details........2007-02-14
This is a great book, with detailed photos of painstakingly restored fighting vehicles. The text is very heavy on the details, so you had better be interested in them or you may just end up napping! The author definitely has done his research, noting how headlight lens covers differ from the ones used during the war, and how the restoration crew placed armor rivets 1/2" farther left than the originals. Yes, it's that detailed!
For extreme tank enthusiasts only.......2006-11-11
I've been reading several books lately on American armor in the European theatre of WWII. This was the least interesting. The pictures are all of restored vehicles standing in museums or vacant lots. The information is mostly boring stuff about where it was manufactured, the type of engine, etc. There is nothing very relevant to how the tanks were used in combat. Books such as "Patton's Tank Drive" and "Patton and the Battle of the Bulge" provide much more interesting info and pictures.
Beautiful color testimonial of U.S. Tanks in WWII..........2005-09-26
I reviewed the German twin to this book and as in that one, this is just a limited sampler of a few, and probably more representative U.S. Tanks in WWII.
This book though is more technically specific and less scattered as its German counterpart. The colored photographs are very accurate and the angles taken are documenting very well how these Shermans, Stuarts, Pershings and Hellcats, as well as some half-tracks looked in their glory days.
This is why I gave it a 5 easy stars. It is not so much for the color factor. Almost all vehicles are in dull Olive Drab or Olive Green, so do not expect some fancy camo here, like in the German twin. Rather expect to understand how many variants there were of just one vehicle and the history of its progression throughout WWII.
You actually get pictures of for instance, an M3A1 back to back with its later cousin, the M5A1.
You get the progression of the M2A1 half-track into the M3A2 and its variants, like the M16 (all well documented, with accurate reconstructions of these vehicles and their photos).
In this, the book is totally different in scope from its German counterpart.
While the German one documented the variants of German AFVs, from light to heavy and their various employments on the front, the present one deals more in the fast development of U.S. tanks in response to the German pressure put upon the American industry to respond to a very serious threat, which the German tanks represented.
There are some of the most beautiful pictures ever taken of the M18 Hellcat and M26/T26 Pershing, but also highly detailed interior photos of the M3A1 scout car and Half-Tracks used by the Infantry.
This, together with its "German" counterpart, added to Jean Restayn's highly informative drawings contained in "Tanks of World War Two", should enlighten anybody interested in modeling accurate replicas or just study in detail these "beasts of war".
Highly recommended.
American Tanks of WWII.......2002-04-01
This 97 page referance book, is fill with clear color photos. Gives good information of preserved examples in North America.
Subject cover are Scout cars, Half-tracks, light Tanks and Med. and Hvy tanks that were in use or in deveolpment at the end of WWII. Lots of detail photo that will help both the model builder and restorer alike. A lot of very usefull information is given on each subject. More than one photo is given. Thru out the book you will see commercial Ad's, from American car companys telling Americans which armored vehicles they produced.
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