Camp Colt to Desert Storm: The History of U.S. Armored Forces

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for armor specialists.
Review: Anyone interested in tanks and mechanized infantry in the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps ought to read this collection of historical essays. The emphasis is upon technical and doctrinal development, and while most of these topics have been treated elsewhere, their compilation here makes for a nice (if uneven) survey. Strengths: the discussion of armor use in the Marine Corps, the recognition that U.S. tank destroyers were as significant as tanks during WWII, the development of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and the relationship of doctrinal development and the use of armor in the 1970s and 1980s. This reviewer faults an emphasis on post-WWII developments, a lack of discussion on armored artillery or the seemingly-immortal M113 and its variants, glossing over survivability criticisms of the M2/M3, a lack of tabular comparative technical data, and limited discussion of armored and mechanized tables of organization and equipment. That said, highly recommended for any modern military collection.

Rating:
Summary: Virtually without precedent in scope and canor
Review: I submitted a review on this format on 3 September (8 working days ago). I really worked hard on the review etc. Should I resubmit..or are just just a little bit behind and I should be patient. Thanks. Charles

Rating:
Summary: Much needed book!
Review: Three points about this volume are of particular positive interest. First, the editors decision to have contributors discuss not only history, but also doctrinal and technological development of American armor. This makes for a volume which will be of interest to both amateurs and professionals. Second, the choice of contributors could not, in my opinion, have been much better. Lastly, the inclusion of chapters dealing with the history and development of armor in the U.S. Marine Corps is an often overlooked area of discussion.

In such an excellent volume, my criticisms are few, but relate to what the editors and the individual contributors have decided to exclude. For example, though there is a fine chapter on U.S. Army tank operations in Europe (Chapter 5), there is no corresponding chapter on U.S. Army tank operations in the Pacific. Instead, the editors have included a chapter on U.S. Marine Corps tank operations in the Pacific (Chapter 6). This decision is rather curious in that, at its peak strength, the U.S. Marine Corps only had 6 tank battalions and 6 amphibious tractor battalions (one of each per division), while the U.S. Army had 18 tank battalions, 10 tank destroyer battalions, and 19 amphibious tank and tractor battalions, and a cavalry mechanized reconnaissance squadron in the Pacific. Unfortunately, this sort of omission might lead the amateur reader to believe that the U.S. Army's commitment to the Pacific War was so minuscule that it was not worth mentioning, which is absolutely not the case.

Two other items received only scant mention in this volume - tank destroyers and the M113. While the whole concept of tank destroyers ultimately proved unsuccessful, the amount of resources devoted to them during the war certainly necessitates more discussion than the half dozen or so pages in this volume. The other odd omission is the M113 armored personal carrier. This venerable workhorse of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps from the 1950s to the 1980s, receives only scant mention, while the M2/M3 Bradley fighting vehicle, a relative newcomer, receives much more extensive coverage.

Rating:
Summary: Much needed book!
Review: Three points about this volume are of particular positive interest. First, the editors decision to have contributors discuss not only history, but also doctrinal and technological development of American armor. This makes for a volume which will be of interest to both amateurs and professionals. Second, the choice of contributors could not, in my opinion, have been much better. Lastly, the inclusion of chapters dealing with the history and development of armor in the U.S. Marine Corps is an often overlooked area of discussion.

In such an excellent volume, my criticisms are few, but relate to what the editors and the individual contributors have decided to exclude. For example, though there is a fine chapter on U.S. Army tank operations in Europe (Chapter 5), there is no corresponding chapter on U.S. Army tank operations in the Pacific. Instead, the editors have included a chapter on U.S. Marine Corps tank operations in the Pacific (Chapter 6). This decision is rather curious in that, at its peak strength, the U.S. Marine Corps only had 6 tank battalions and 6 amphibious tractor battalions (one of each per division), while the U.S. Army had 18 tank battalions, 10 tank destroyer battalions, and 19 amphibious tank and tractor battalions, and a cavalry mechanized reconnaissance squadron in the Pacific. Unfortunately, this sort of omission might lead the amateur reader to believe that the U.S. Army's commitment to the Pacific War was so minuscule that it was not worth mentioning, which is absolutely not the case.

Two other items received only scant mention in this volume - tank destroyers and the M113. While the whole concept of tank destroyers ultimately proved unsuccessful, the amount of resources devoted to them during the war certainly necessitates more discussion than the half dozen or so pages in this volume. The other odd omission is the M113 armored personal carrier. This venerable workhorse of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps from the 1950s to the 1980s, receives only scant mention, while the M2/M3 Bradley fighting vehicle, a relative newcomer, receives much more extensive coverage.