The Supercommandos: The First Special Service Force, 1942-1944,”
by Robert Todd Ross, is a new and superbly written book from Schiffer
Military History Book/Schiffer Publishing, Atglen, PA, $59.95.
The words “vigorous training, hazardous duty” became
a lure for volunteers to the force, drawing from two armies—Canadian
and U.S.—to create an esprit de corps that made it one of
the finest combat units in World War II. We are given an insider’s
view of the organization, training, and combat operations of the
First Special Service Force—later given the nickname “the
Devil’s Brigade” by their German opponents.
What makes this book a requirement for your military library? Within
its 320 pages, you will find more than 400 black and white images,
40 full-color photos of the force in training and combat (unusual
because color photography was in its infancy at this time), more
than 80 full-color images of force uniforms, insignia, weapons,
and equipment. If this still is not enough, there are full-color
maps, order-of-battle graphics, charts, and photographs of original
documents.
But there is still more. A unique feature—a previously unpublished
photo-essay by Frank Capra, renowned combat photographer and author
of the “Why We Fight” series issued—adds great
value to this excellent unit anthology. What you get is truly unparalleled
coverage of an elite unit that set the style for today’s special
operations forces.
Schiffer books are easily recognized by their colorful bindery.
Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310.
Phone: (610) 593-1777. Fax: (610) 593-2002. E-mail: Schifferbk@aol.com.
Web site: www.schifferbooks.com.
Now to reader requests. Let’s expand the scope of this review
and include “German Paratroops: Uniforms, Insignia & Equipment
of the Fallschirmjäger in World War II,” by Robert Kurtz,
also from Schiffer Publishing, for $59.95. This is a great text
for the collector and historian. Included are sections covering
the uniforms, insignia and equipment of Italian, Hungarian, and
Japanese paratroops.
Valuable items are detailed and described in this book. Take, for
example, the original German paratrooper badge. It comes in army
and Luftwaffe versions, with the army badge being the rarer of the
two. Collectors pay $850 apiece for them.
“World War II Axis Parachutes,” by Guy Richards. Guess
what? It’s another Schiffer Book! The price: $59.95. Remember
those camera shots of German paratroopers exiting a JU-52 aircraft
at what appears to be a very low altitude?
Actually, German parachute design allowed for that capability,
although the German troops looked strange coming down with their
parachutes connected to a single point on their backs, making their
descent look awkward and uncontrolled.
This book complements the Kurtz book, providing rare equipment
details—including gear from both the Japanese army and navy.
There is a glossary of technical terms from each country. You need
both books for a complete picture of World War II technology.
“German Paratroopers,” edited by Chris McNab and issued
by MBI Publishing, traces the history of airborne warfare.
Created in the 1930s—as an adjunct to air power, to achieve
surprise and create a third dimension to battle—paratroops
did not originate in Germany. The concept goes back to the U.S.
Army’s Gen. Billy Mitchell during the waning months of World
War I.
The 1920s saw the establishment of Italian paratroop units and
Russian experiments with large-scale paratroop deployments. But
the Germans saw the full military potential and put it into operation,
with great success in the early days of World War II. More than
200 excellent photos cover the entire spectrum of the war from the
German paratrooper’s viewpoint.
This book is available from Classic MotorBooks, 729 Prospect Avenue,
Osceola, WI 54020-0001. Phone: (800) 826-6600.
“Green Devils: German Paratroopers, 1939-1945”—by
Jean-Yves Nasse, published by Histoire & Collections, of Paris—complements
McNab’s book with photo-diary entries that give a personal
account of the war as seen through the eyes of a German paratrooper.
There is a very complete appendix, detailing German paratrooper
units involved in each operational area throughout the war. This
volume is distributed by Combined Publishing, Conshohocken, PA.
Phone: (610) 828-2595. Fax: (610) 828-2603. Web site: www.combinedpublishing.com
“Warplanes of the Luftwaffe: Combat Aircraft of Hitler’s
Luftwaffe, 1939-1945,” by David Donald (Ed.), published by
Barnes & Noble Books for $34.95. In 1939, the world was stunned
by the vast array of high-technology warplanes unleashed in the
Blitzkrieg against Poland.
Me-109 fighters and Heinkel-111 and Dornier-17 bombers seemed to
swarm over every adversary, while Howling Junker JU-87 Stukas closely
supported the German army and terrified civilians. In a short, six-year
period, Germany designed, tested and built a vast armada.
This book covers every German warplane that flew in combat throughout
World War II. More than 250 pages of exploded drawings, full-color
photographs, and technical details that will warm the hearts of
aviation buffs. It is available at Barnes & Noble. Web site:
www.barnes&noble.com.
“A Bridge Too Far: Operation Market Garden,” by Stephen
Badsey, is from Osprey History/Osprey Publishing (available from
MBI Publishing).
“A Bridge Too Far” is a chronological analysis of the
battle that was supposed to provide an allied victory before the
end of 1944.
This volume contains plenty of details that other books seem to
have glossed over or omitted completely. It is a great text for
a battle briefer or historian, one that helps you grasp the overall
picture of what became a complex, three-level battle that fell short
of its goal. It gave meaning to the phrase: Never let your reach
exceed your grasp. Preparing for that fight, plenty of planning
errors were committed that, in retrospect, created more questions
than answers.
Finally, there is Kenneth Macksey’s “Invasion: The
Alternate History of the German Invasion of England, July 1940,”
published by Greenhill Books (paperback). It is available from Stackpole
Books: Mechanicsburg, PA. Web site: www.greenhillbooks.com.
This novel takes the question of “what if” and follows
it through a German invasion of England, lead by Luftwaffe aircraft
and paratroopers, as it very well could have happened. Operation
Seelöwe’s (Sea Lion) plans are detailed and diagramed
from planning phase to operational commitment. Could it have succeeded?
You’re the umpire!