Overview

A soldier’s “web gear” is as important to his ability to live and fight on the battlefield as are his clothing and weapons. In World War II the US Army issued equipment items that had originated in 1910, though modified and augmented in the 1920s and 1930s, and again during the war itself as a result of combat experience. This book describes and illustrates the great majority of the personal equipment provided for infantry riflemen, GIs armed with other weapons and their ammunition-bearers, officers, and medics. In addition to the web gear itself it covers canteens, mess kit, and first aid items; weapons-related and other specialist items; the long struggle to produce a practical backpack; bivouac and shelter gear, and the most commonly carried tools. The text also explains the basics of materials, colors, markings, nomenclature, and weights for the guidance of collectors. It is illustrated with wartime photos and color close-ups, and the wide-ranging color plates specially prepared for this book offer more than 130 images.

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9781472814241

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Reviews

A solid pick for such [military history] collections... Gordon Rottman's World War II US Armored Infantry Tactics, telling of lessons applied between divisions when the nation entered the war and underestimated the ratio of mechanized infantry to tanks. - The Bookwatch (January 2010) Author Gordon L. Rottman covers the organization of these units, the weapons and equipment they used as well as what tactics, theory and capabilities were developed as these units were used in combat. Then there was the understanding and exploitation of the strengths and weaknesses of these units and how they performed in action. Bolstered by a well done selection of period photographs and the superb artwork of Peter Dennis, it makes into an excellent book on the subject. One in which I learned a lot and can easily recommend to you. -Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness/modelingmadness.com (November 2009)

Author Information

Gordon L. Rottman entered the US Army in 1967, volunteered for Special Forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. He served in the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam in 1969–70 and subsequently in airborne infantry, long-range patrol and intelligence assignments until retiring after 26 years. He was a Special Operations Forces scenario writer at the Joint Readiness Training Center for 12 years and is now a freelance writer, living in Texas.

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