Product Description
Operation Iraqi Freedom officially began on March 20, 2003 and has become one of the most controversial conflicts of modern warfare. Thousands of US Marines were deployed into Iraq in order to topple the dictatorship government and liberate the Iraqi people. This book examines the experience of those "ordinary" Marines who fought on the frontline of one of the major battles in the operation, the battle for An Nasiriyah. This title details the Marines' enlistment, levels of training and life in the Iraqi desert, as well as exploring their important role in the complex stabilization operations after their hard-won victories on the battlefield. US Marine in Iraq: Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003 offers a fascinating insight into the modern Marine Corps. ... Read more

Product Description
While the US Marine Corps was one of the smallest of American armed services in World War II, its contribution to the final victory cannot be overstated. The US Marine Corps may have only comprised 5 percent of America’s armed forces, but it suffered 10 percent of all World War II combat casualties. Above all, he amphibious nature of the war in the Pacific imposed on the Marine Corps greater tasks than any it had ever before been called upon to perform. This title details the organization, weapons and equipment of the US Marines of World War II. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

GreatDetails with even Better Illustrations
Just got mine a few days ago and I am 100% pleased with my purchase, worth every penny. In the book it gives a detailed picture of an average soldier from basically every battle in the Pacific (Makin Raiders to Occupational Soldiers) and a detailed caption on every piece of gear/clothing they wore.

I'm a WWII reenactor and was interested in doing a paramarine impression for fun but had no idea what they wore from internet findings. In the book it had 3 pictures with paramarines and passages to go with them. Highly suggest this book.

A good history of the organization and weapons of the US Marines (009)
Gordon Rottman has written another fine book, this time covering the organization, uniforms and weapons of the Marine Corp during WWII. Whilst not a history of the Marines themselves, this book has a lot of information for the learned and not so learned reader. As with all of Osprey's books, it is especially useful for the modeler, with the excellent choice of photos, accompanied by Mike Chappell's great artwork.The book explains the difference in the Marines weapons in comparison with those of the Army, and why these differences occur. Not being a Marine myself, I found the book most useful in understanding the special needs of the Marine Corp, and the methods used to address these special needs. Naturally, most of the book relates to the infantry class of weapon, and the rifle was first and foremost. I didn't realize the high standard of marksmanship the Marines demanded of it's infantry.

Also covered are the other types of weapons used by the Marines in the Pacific war, and the reasons they were used. Owing to the jungle terrain, banzai attacks and night action, automatic weapons became prevalent. The use of flame throwers, bazookas and satchel charges for the clearing of bunkers and caves is covered. Unlike the US Army's experience in Europe and Africa against massed German armour, Japanese tanks caused a minimal threat for the Marines, and they used their anti-tank weapons more often in direct fire against enemy positions. Unlike in Germany, the Marines faced more problems with Japanese air attacks, and consequently light and medium flak was more often used by the Marines in the Pacific theatre. Also covered is the Marine artillery, as well as the use of armour to defeat fixed strongpoints, especially with tank mounted flame throwers. The use of .30 calibre is also covered, along with the tactics used by the Marines in their arduous island hopping campaign in the Pacific. The information on the organization of the Corp is welcome, as is the background on their uniforms and personal equipment.

A top read!

First-class reference source
I was on active duty in the Marines from 1975 to 1979--History and Traditions was a large block of basic training at MCRD San Diego.World War Two made the modern Marine Corps, and battles such as Iwo Jima still justify the Corps existance today.Osprey's "US Marine Corps 1941-45" is quite informative--I have a large number of history books and official and unofficial manuals on the Marine Corps.I wanted this book to help me build small WWII Marine Corps units in minature for display and to develop accurate war games--Osprey didn't disappoint.I did note that on page 9 the line and block charts showed 1965 organizations, but I know from personal experience that the official manuals have errors in them and the rest of the book made up for this typo.First, the detail on Marine units from Defense Battalions to Raider Battalions was amazing in such a thin volume.The "ordinary" rifle regiments and BLTs were not neglected.The period photos showed rare pieces of gear in action, and the famous Opsrey color plates proved valuable for detailing my minature Marine collection.Where there are Marines, the Navy isn't far behind, and this slim book had color plates of Corpsmen, SeaBees, and the crew of landing craft.Unique Marine weapons were also pictured--the M1903A1 rifle with Unertl telescopic sight, Johnson Light Machine Gun, the Reising submachine gun--and the British-designed Boys .55 caliber anti-tank rifle.Order of battle information, too?Unit histories as well?The information is a balance between covering most of the subjects and covering those subjects in depth.I would have liked a book list in the back, but the index is handy.I recommend getting "US World war II Amphibious Tactics, Army and Marine Corps, Pacific Theater," also by Osprey, as a companion volume to this book.

A Good Solid Effort
This book is well worth the time and money for those interested in the Story of the USMC. This team of Mr. Rottman & Mr. Chappell has produced a good book about the Marines and the Corps most glorious times in its proud history. It is very clear to me that both of these Gentlemen have a lot respect for one of America's toughest units and it shows. ... Read more

Product Description
This engaging book plunges readers into the culture shock of Marine Officer Candidates School, a ten-week physical, intellectual, and emotional testing ground so grueling that every fourth candidate fails to complete. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Historical Military Leadership
This book was exceptional and I thoroughly enjoyed it!This was a walk down memory lane with the author and his classmates from his officer training class in the Marine Corp.He compared, and on occasion, contrasted the classes from years ago to today.This comparison and contrast were made with objectivity and after research into current trends.A must-read for military enthusiasts and those who love military leadership and development.I will recommend it to those interested in leadership.

way overpriced
i was just browsing this book and somehow i accidentally bought 2 copies when in the end i wanted none. now i have to return them and wait for the order to go out. ugh.

One Of Us: Officers Of The Marines
Terrific book!!Brings back many memories.Just wish I could afford to give it to all my Marine Corps associates.

Very interesting historically informative
The author paints a vivid description of the differences in the OCS/TBS training between his era and the current one. It was excellent in the historical persepective. However, I was a bit disappointed at the lack of specificity in the current standards and practices. I had hoped to gain moe insight in the how the officers leading today's Marines are selected and trained.

However, for those interested in the rich culture and history of the US Marine Corps - you won't be disappointed in this book.

Informative look at OCS and beyond
To start, this rating is actually two grades averaged: purely as a book, One Of Us gets three stars.The writing is directed at facts, not style, and it's recounting a process rather than a story, since the author.There are certainly great moments, especially where Ruppert interviews his old OCS classmates.But there are also horrifically boring moments, like the chapter analyzing demographic and survey data on OCS classes, and most of the writing is simply average both in style and in ability to hold interest.

As an information resource, however, this book is second to none and gets five solid stars.It is first and foremost a thorough examination of what today's OCS is like, the process and stress candidates must undergo, and excellent preparation for anyone planning to attend.The information Ruppert gives on TBS is also useful, though less specific.Anyone reading this will instantly have great insight into how Marine officers are trained and what those trainees should expect, if not a kind of cheat sheet on how to act and hopefully succeed.In a way, Ruppert is actually probably doing OCS a service in its mission of selection: anyone thinking of going to OCS will get such a solid picture of the experience that it'll probably either scare them far away or motivate them for the challenge.

The bottom line is that this book should be required for anyone interested in becoming a Marine officer, but others should save the time and money.For those looking for a great narrative of Marine training, read Thomas Ricks' outstanding book Making The Corps, a book Ruppert actually mentions several times. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1952, overriding American political objectivesdictated that the tactics of UN forces in Korea shift from those ofmaneuver to those of holding on to territory recently gained at greathuman cost.In western Korea, along “main lines of resistance,”men of the 1st Marine Division patrolled from lonely outposts.Thusbegan “the outpost war,” a forgotten period of the “forgottenwar”—but one during which 7800 Marines lost became casualties.

Lee Ballenger’s THE OUTPOST WAR tells the story of thedivision’s move to the Jamestown Line in western Korea where theassault-trained-and-equipped troops must dig in and learn to fight anunusual defensive war.It describes their steep, deadly learningcurve and reports on major battles of the period, including BunkerHill and The Hook, while including the trials and tribulations ofindividuals who were there.The author’s use of official archivalsources blended with oral accounts places the reader on the battleline with the Marines.Nearly all of the material in THE OUTPOST WARhas never been published before.

LEE BALLENGER served in U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance and tankunits during the Korean War.He is currently at work on a sequel tocover Marine Corps operations in 1953.This is his first book.Helives in California. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

........ "THEOTHER KOREANWAR" ........
....This Marine author has zeroed in on the final two [2] years of the Korean WAR Victory, why Victory??...it was just that, ask any combat Marine who fought and survived that WAR. Most all Americans thought the WAR was over after the 1st Marine Division's heroic/fighting withdrawl from the Chosin Reservoir sector, far from it...the WAR raged on for almost two [2] years later; in fact, Marine casualties far exceeded what happenned up on the Reservoir, our Marine blood flowed/gushed just as red, I kid you naught...this is the beauty of Sgt Lee Ballenger's two [2] revealing volumes, which Ballenger shines light on 1952 and 1953 on what the hell was going on the Western Front 40-50 miles north of Seoul until an uneasy truce was signed on 27Jul53...this is indeed a tome to fill in the gaps for eternal miltary history...the author researched every one of his chapters through the US Marine Command Diaries so diligently collated; in addition, the writer brings you into each combat situation as if you were a recent replacement...his penchant for this attribute is unique compared to alot of historical books on Korea, men of the pen, who were not directly involved; conversely, Lee was a Marine combat tanker with much Reconstealth and ability. Another attraction is his military acumen to cover Marine Tank Bn sorties which took place every single day or nite, if so required...it's a wonderful read of bad and good times in mortal/close combat or in the mischievious Reserve Areas when Asiatic Marine types act up due to the stressors of too much combat...I love this book as if it was mine...thank you, Sgt Ballenger for shedding more light on this other Korean WAR, it was Harry-[S]-Truman's WAR which he was totally incapable of stopping...it's rarified air being a survivor to Bon Voyage out of Korea..who am I??...I invite you to read Chapter 3..[thank you]......Sgt Lee Ballenger-USMC..."Well Done, Marine"......SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF

A long overdue history.
A Marine Korean War combat veteran, Lee Ballenger has gone far toward filling a major gap in the history of the "forgotten war." Almost all Korean War books dealing with the Marine Corps are about the epic fighting withdrawal from the Chosin. It would almost seem that the stalemate that followed was not worth mentioning. In fact, when the 1st Marine Division was assigned responsibility for western Korea in an extended front known as the Jamestown Line, there was almost constant sharp fighting. The difference was that the conflict was rarely on a grand scale, but rather sharp, short, and vicious fights, often hand to hand. This book is the first of two volumes to chronicle the Marines and their new kind of war. Trained to assault and aggressively attack, the Marines found themselves in static positions, frequently patrolling, but most often in defensive battles for outposts.

This is a very good book and long overdue. Most of the information in it is seeing print for the first time and the personal accounts of the fighting are well presented. One of the better recollections is LT William Watson's account of the fighting on Bunker Hill and the Hook. Also of interest was the use of armor in the fighting and patrolling.

Like my war, Vietnam, Korea saw a lot of responsibility placed on the shoulders of young sergeants and lieutenants and the very young grunts. Even the upper level mismanagement (I won't dignify it by calling it leadership) was reminiscent of Vietnam. This book is a valuable recounting of a neglected part of our military heritage, a time when the property fought for was not as important as the killing done to hold or retake it. Any Marine-- indeed, any American -- should be proud what was done in the Outpost War. Semper Fi, Mr. Ballenger. I look forward to Volume Two.

Provides Many Missing Pieces of Korean War History
Lee Ballenger has written an important work in this first book, and hisdecision to produce another as a sequel covering the final stages of theKorean War is admirable.For a first-time author, this initial book is amajor achievement.It is rich in coverage and attention to chronologicaland geographical detail.No other comparable written work is available tothe researcher on the "forgotten part of the forgotten war" --Korea 1952-1953. Ballenger gives the Marines earned respect with hisrecognition of the tactical role played by the First Division of the Corpsin defending the Imjin River line in the last 2 years of the war.As anamateur military historian and former Marine, I salute Lee Ballenger andhis efforts.His book will have a prominent place in my personal library. It belongs in many others. ... Read more

Product Description
Ninth book in the series of operational monographs, all based on official sources. Well illustrated with b/w photos & 9 fold-out maps. ... Read more

Product Description
The daily workout that is the heart of
Marine Corps physical fitness

The Daily 16 is the exercise program at the heart of Marine Recruit Training, a regimen of stretching, warm-up, and calisthenics that is the fundamental building block of the Marine recruit's legendary strength, endurance, agility, and quickness. This clear, accessible, and profusely illustrated guide makes the Daily 16 available to men and women of all ages and at all levels of fitness. The intensely focused, hour-long workout includes

¸ Dynamic stretches
¸ Static stretches
¸ Conditioning exercises
¸ Conditioning runs
¸ Cool-down

These segments of the workouts are all balanced to help you attain the superb level of fitness Marine recruits must achieve. With tables to chart aerobic fitness, standard requirements for Marine Recruit Training tests, and an Introduction by L. M. Palm, Major General, USMC (Ret.), and executive director of the Marine Corps Association, Marine Corps Daily 16 Workouts is a no-frills, no-nonsense, whole-body training program. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Daily Grind...
The core of Marine Corps PT is the Daily 16, which is something that with some little changes can be done by anyone.This book by itself will not put one in Marine Corps shape (the Daily 16 is just a beginning), but this is a good well-rounded exercise programme that you can use in daily life, with little equipment.

Like the title of the book, Marine Corps Daily 16 Workouts, this is a book that shows daily routines, and gives you something to do every day. Fitness needs to be a daily activity. This book has no set author. It is done by staff of the US Marine Corps and Marine Corps Association. The photographers are Arnold Crane (combat training photos) and Bruce Laurance (exercise routine photos). This is not a glamour shots book -- don't get it for that. All the pictures are black and white, basic exercise photos which have no background.The combat training photos show real guys in platoons doing various group exercises and obstacle course pieces.

The book is big on pictures and light on words. This is a book for ACTION! One doesn't get fit by reading about fitness just like reading about football isn't playing football or reading about music is not listening to music. One could read through this book and get the ideas in less than one hour.

There are several parts to this book:

1. Introduction
2. The Daily 16
3. Aerobic Fitness
4. Warm-up and Dynamic Stretches Card
5. Stretching Card A
6. Stretching Card B
7. Stretching Card C
8. Exercise Card 1
9. Exercise Card 2
10. Marine Recruit Physical Training Test Requirements

This book was put together in 1999, making it fairly current on what is required, but the Corps is always changing, so there might be a few changes here and there.

There is a letter from Major General L.M. Palms, USMC (ret) who is at the Marine Corps Association at Quantico. He talks about the real burden of Marines, why they need to be fit and what recruits at Parris Island or San Diego go through.He also discusses the differences between the routines in this book and 'real life Marines'.

The Daily 16 talks about how the Daily 16 replaced the Daily 7 because there was not enough work for the lower body. The Daily 16 always requires 7 pieces however, so the number 7 did not disappear.

1. Dynamic stretches
2. Static stretches
3. Conditioning Exercises
4. Conditioning Runs
5. Cool-down
6. Conditioning Exercises
7. Static stretches

The heart of the book is the section with pictures and descriptions of how the exercises are done, and how they are organised into 'card' systems, so that one isn't doing exactly the same thing over and over.

Exercises are to be done In that order, not mixed around.The exercises are performed one right after another with no break, giving aerobic benefit too.

Aerobic Fitness
This part is not from the USMC staff but comes instead from Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, a pioneer in aerobic fitness. He gives a point system to follow to judge aerobic fitness based upon weeks of training and age. There are definitions for walking, walk-job, jog, and run.Most Marines are required to get into the excellent range of Cooper's fitness classification. Many get into the top range of superior. A minimum level of good is required to progress through the Corps and the routines in this book.

Cooper's charts go by age groups -- under 30, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59 for walk/jog/run routines and separate charts for those who use treadmills.

The end of the book lists the Marine Recruit Physical Training Test Requirements - after following the routines here after a while, one can judge achievement against these criteria.

Okay, but....
This book was a bit strange. If you are getting this to recapture your boot camp days you may be surprised--most people I talked to about this book do not remember much stretching in the old days, and situps are done a bit differently now--hopefully to avoid injury and get more of a workout.

A lot of the stretches look like what you would get on an Oxycise! tape. If you were to do the stretches on all three "cards" with the oxycise breathing (or body flex for that matter) you could get a similar workout. In this book, you don't hold stretches very long, so I wonder how much good they do.

As to the rest of the workout, well, most fitness instructors no longer do the "donkey kicks" exercise because it is easy to injure yourself. The "dive bomber" pushup could also easily cause injury if not done properly.

Buy this book for the stretching, but if you want an entertaining AND useful boot camp book, buy Boot Camp:Be All You Used to Be.

Great Place to Start
The Daily 16 is a great book for people at any level who wish to begin a self-paced workout regimen, maintain top-notch health and also avoid unnecessary gym fees.

All the exercises and suggested programs require nothing more than you, the book and self-determination.Clear illustrations coupled wiht concise instructions on proper form also ensure that you will never injure yourself attempting to perform any of the exercises.

Be aware that the author is not unnecessarily verbal. Be sure to read the introduction (pgs 9-11)as it is the only place in the text where you are told how to put all the exercises together, pace yourself and advance to greater levels of fitness.

you work, it works
I am a fifty year old who runs a few miles daily.This course, centered on a two to three mile run is a basic, physically sound, and no-frills program.Not for dabblers or beauty queens. It does just what the intro states.Adding this to my running and having many age-specific guidelines has really begun to pull me into shape. With all due respect to the wannabe future Marine's review, acourse such as this, which can be performed virtually anywhere (treadmill or running, exercises indoors or out), will probably benefit anyone who seriously goes at it. It may not become a best-seller, but it may become the standard of this type of book.

Not that great.
Though this book did not have that much info that I didnt already know, it was a little insintive to get excersizing. As a person who wants to be a marine it helped a little, but there are better books out there. ... Read more

Product Description
The Barbary War - the first American war against Libya - was the first war waged by the United States outside national boundaries after gaining independence and unification of the country. The four Barbary States of North Africa - Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli - had plundered seaborne commerce for centuries. This was piracy on an extraordinary scale: they controlled all trading routes through the Barbary waters and North Africa: demanding ransom and booty for safe passage.
In 1801 the newly elected President Jefferson ordered a naval and military expedition to North Africa in order to put down regimes that endorsed piracy and slavery. The Pasha of Tripoli declared war on the United States. Under the leadership of Commodores Richard Dale and Edward Preble, the US Navy blockaded the enemy coast and engaged in close, bitterly contested gunboat actions. On 16 February 1804 LT Stephen Decatur led 74 volunteers into Tripoli to burn the captured American frigate The Philadelphia. British Admiral Lord Nelson called the raid "the most daring act of the age". In 1805 Marines stormed the Barbary pirates' harbor fortress stronghold of Derna (Tripoli), commemorated in the Marine Corp Hymn invocation "To the Shores of Tripoli."
The US Navy troops were recalled before they could secure their gains, but returned after the War of 1812. Their success then won worldwide admiration for the Americans and their Navy. They marked the way for the European nations to finally quash the Barbary States and end the piracy.

This event marks the true birth of the US Navy and Marines and is ever remembered in the Marines' battle hymn. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fairly Good Book on this Forgotten Little War

In general, this is a well written book with a lot of information.The maps are uncluttered and the author did an excellent job of showing where each ship was stationed during a particular battle.The book contains a multitude of color and black and white drawings.These illustrations provide the reader with an excellent visual image of the various engagements.The book, however, also has some shortcomings.

First, the author expends five pages on the Lewis and Clark expedition.Osprey books are intentionally short and space is a precious commodity.This narrative is found in the chapter on the "World Around War." One page on Lewis and Clark might be appropriate but five pages was a waste of space.This expedition had noting to do with the Barbary Wars.

Second, the author did not spend enough time on William Eaton.His march across the African desert and capture of Derna was a major event.This was the first instance of US covert action taken to overthrow a foreign government.This was also the first time the US flag was planted on foreign soil after combat.Shamefully, the logistical support provided to Eaton was so negligible that it is a miracle he survived, much less succeeded.This entire event is covered in minimal detail.The author also presents a biased view of the peace treaty made by Tobias Lear.Tobias Lear is given credit for a peace treaty but no mention is made of its humiliating hidden clauses.Lear was more interested in making a name for himself than in achieving an honorable peace.All of this history is left out.

Finally, the author wasted too much space in the chapter on "Conclusions and Consequences" by philosophizing over slavery.He discussed the hypocritical attitude of America, which opposed white slavery, but proceeded to enslave thousands of black Africans.Although the author makes an interesting point, this book is not the place for such commentary.

The best part of the book is found in the chapter on the war's ending.This chapter covers the Algerine Wars of 1815.After the War of 1812, The US Navy returned to the Mediterranean under Commodore Stephen Decatur.Decatur achieved a true honorable peace with the Barbary nations.Soon afterward, the British Royal Navy under 1st Viscount Exmouth put a complete end to Mediterranean piracy when he bombarded Algiers in 1816.This chapter ends with a discussion of the French invasion of Algeria in 1830 which led to the subsequent colonization of that country.

Bottom line: this is a pretty good book.On the down side, the author wasted space on unrelated topics and omitted relevant aspects of the War.On the up side, this book does a great job of discussing how the U.S. and Royal navies eventually put an end to Barbary piracy a decade after the war's end.Despite these shortcomings, the reader will still find this an enjoyable and informative book.

Ideological shortcomings
The author does a fine job covering details of the military conflicts that took place between the United States and the Islamic Barbary states.It was, in fact, the United States' first war on terror.

However, the author fails to connect the "pirates" making war on nations (i.e. the United States) who had done them no harm with the teachings of Islam to make war on the infidels, the unbelievers, in other words all non-Muslims.He also failed to mention the exchange between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who in 1786, went to negotiate with Tripoli's ambassador to England Sidi Haji Abdrahaman.When the two Americans asked him why they make war on countries who had done them no injury Abdrahaman replied, "It was written in the Koran, that all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave; and that every Muslim who was slain in this warfare was sure to go to paradise."So he misses the Islamic influence and connection altogether.

President Obama, in his Cairo speech, referenced a quote from John Adams in 1796 that "the USA has in itself no enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims" he also ignored the quote from the Tripolitan ambassador.It isn't that we have enmity toward them but that they have perpetual enmity towards us, the unbelievers of Islam.

Also, on page 63 it states that Stephen Decatur was born January 5, 1799 when actually he was born in 1779.

Barbary Pirates Tothe Shores of Tripoli
Thus far a good read and insight into the mentality of the pirates and leadership that still haunts that area of the world.

The Wars of the Barbary Pirates.....
A current interest in the War of 1812 led me to this book by Gregory Fremont-Barnes, who holds a doctorate in history from Oxford University. The very long title for a relatively small book tells you exactly what to expect from it. Its 95 pages are so well presented, so succinct yet so full of information, that it is a pleasure to read. Illustrations on every page -- maps, reproductions of historical paintings and line drawings are indeed worth thousands of words. The two-column pages offer a journalistic feel -- that current news is being presented by top reporters.

A three-page chronology summarizes the contents of the book for those who want to find facts instantly. The Introduction is also all-encompassing -- it tells all that the book contains. A "Further Reading" list at the end leads readers and researchers to other sources on this fascinating subject. An index pinpoints all the events, people, places and shipping vessels found in the book.

I was seeking information on the USS Epervier, the ill-fated ship that was lost at sea returning to America from North Africa bearing the Treaty of Ghent which formalized the end of the War of 1812 between the British and the Americans. I also wanted information on Stephen Decatur and other prominent commodores and captains of US ships of that era. This book far exceeded my expectations. I am so very pleased that Google pointed me to it and Amazon.com had it in stock. I love this book, and recommend it without reservation to anyone wanting a palatible source of information on this pivotal period of our history that is so woefully lacking in below-college-level schools.

The unmatched bravery of the Navy of a new republic
This is a terrific book about the long forgotten Naval war against the Islamic pirates of North Africa.It recalls our Navy's first heroes, particularly Stephen Decatur.It should remind everyone that the history of conflict between the civilized world and Islam goes back many centuries.The book documents conflicts between those who recognize the situation for what it is and seek to end it by force, and the diplomats who seek to appease the Barbary pirates.Not surprisingly, then as now, the Navalists were right.Altogether, this is a well-told, well-documented book about the conflict of civilized nations, with one of the world's longest running pathologies. ... Read more

Product Description
This work contains, in alphabetical order, the names of all officers of the navy and marine corps, commissioned, warranted and appointed, including volunteer officers who have entered the service since the establishment of the navy department in 1798, showing the dates of their original entry, progressive rank, and the manner in which those no longer in the service severed their connection from it. The data has been compiled from the original manuscript records of the navy department and from the official navy registers, issued semi-annually by the department. The volume also contains a list of all midshipmen, cadet engineers and naval cadets who have entered the Naval Academy since its establishment, arranged alphabetically by classes through the year 1900. A sketch of the navy from 1775 to 1798, with a register of the officers in service between those dates, as well as a complete and carefully revised list of vessels of the United States Navy from its inception to the present time, form a valuable feature of the work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Priceless Resource
Worth it's weight in Gold!The best reference on Naval Officers in existence for Naval researchers.If it happened before 1900 in the U.S. Navy it's in this book in some way or other.A must have for serious Naval Historians. ... Read more

Product Description
By January 1944 the US Marine Corps had grown to a total of 405,169 personnel, comprising 28,193 officers, 10,723 officer candidates, and 366,353 enlisted men. The Fleet Marine Force now had two amphibious corps, four divisions, a separate infantry regiment, 19 defense battalions, and numerous support and service units. Following on from Battle Orders 1: USMC in the Pacific Theater of Operations 1941â€"43, this book examines the continuing development of the Corps's organization, its training, tactics, weaponry, and command structure, as well as the battles fought in the Southwest Pacific on New Britain, and in the Central Pacific on Tarawa, Roi-Namur, Eniwetok, Saipan, and Tinian. The organization of the 4th Marine Division (MarDiv) and III and V Amphibious Corps (IIIAC, VAC) is also discussed along with smaller, new units. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Must have Organizational History of the WWII USMC
Gordon Rottman, a prolific writer and historian who has recent some of the best Osprey titles, succeeds brilliantly with this 3 volume organizational history of the USMC in WWII.In a clear concise manner, Rottman, manages to give a detailed overview of the development of the USMC order of battle during the war.This book, as well as the other two volumes, is a must have for those interested in the Marine Corps WWII order of Battle. ... Read more

Product Description
The US Air Power series is the definitive illustrated guide to recent American dominance in the skies. Covering the planes and crews of the USAF as well as Naval, Marine, and Army air wings, these books cover a period from World War II through to the present day in which American pilots have prevailed in all combat situations and have laid the foundation for the swift and decisive victories achieved during that time. The series covers all of the major conflicts in which the U.S. has been involved recently, including both Gulf wars, the Balkans, and Afghanistan. Modern US Navy & Marine Corps Aircraft features the cutting edge of America's Navy and Marine Corps aircraft that contribute to its massive combat might. The book includes some of the most famous names in operation today: the F-14 Tomcat, the AV-88 Harrier, the T-45 Goshawk, and CH-46 Sea Knight, among others. The 72 pages include well over 100 photographs, 16 pages of which are in full color. Every photo features a detailed caption outlining combat history and technical specifications. ... Read more

Product Description
The 5th and 6th Marines were amongst the first elements of the expeditionary force to be sent with Gen. Pershing to France during the First World War: they were thus among the first US troops to experience regular warfare since the engagements of the Spanish American War twenty years earlier. This fine text by Mark R. Henry examines the organisation, uniforms, insignia, decorations, weapons and equipment of the US Marine Corps in World War I, with splendid illustrations and photographs throughout, including eight full page colour plates by Darko Pavlovic ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent
Fine work on an important aspect of USMC lore, that often goes unlooked by most! OORAH!!

Well Deserved Drum Beating for a Worthy Force.
The USMC is one of the two major seaborne fighting forces in the world, the other being the British Royal Marines. Both can trace their origins back to the period of the American Revolution.
The original functions of marines, can be compared with those of naval infantry;two major examples of which were those of the erstwhile Japanese Navy of World War II, well noted for their tenacious fighting, and those of the former Soviet Union, also noted for their ablities, and whose exploits have been comemorated by the wearing of the blue and white striped undershirts of the sailors by Soviet special troops.
As many of the traditions of the US Navy were adopted from the Royal Navy, likewise the role of Marines was also adopted, which originally was that of foot soldiers who served on ship, both as the captain's enforcers for quelling unruly and mutinous sailors, most of whom had been impressed (forced at gun point to serve) and during battle to man the fighting tops, baskets on the top of the masts, during battle, picking off enemy officers and sailors from above, sweeping the enemy's decks clear of effectives.
Naval infantry in contrast has always been organized in units whose purpose was to invade and occupy ports for the use of the fleets, and had small arms and other weaponry.
The USMCevolved from the captain' ennforcers, into today's all arms force including aviation, whose principal role is to make the difficult task of transitioning from a ship-borne force toa land force. Some opinion over the years, has held that this amphibious role could just as well be fulfilled by Army troops, but I believe that the development of amphibious warfare techniques during the 1930s would have been subdued at best within the army, whose strength in the period when the doctrine came to fruition, was so limited that amphibious warfare would have been neglected. In the event, during WWII, both the US Army Engineer Special Brigaded of landing forces and the British used the USMC doctrine verbatim.
On the way to this role as a fully organized amphibious force, the USMC went through a transition from their limited enforcer role, no longer necessary in an all-volunteer force, first into crews who in batle manned guns of the secondary armaments. Late 19th century battleships and cruisers bristled with all sorts of secondary guns intended to fend off toropedo boats, along with big guns for fighting other ships. At that time the fleet did not include swift destroyers which would screen the next generation of battleships introduced in the early 20th century.
So with the fading away of their former ship board roles, except for ceremonies, the USMC during the oughts and teens was in search of justification for its existence. After all, most major maritme nations had never had marines as such, just designated sailors who were fought ashore. The French term, Service de la Marine does not translate directly. It is a false cognate which translates as Servic of the Sea.
In rhia era and up to WWII, US sailors were thoroughly trained in small srms, riflery and infantry drill for they could expect to be able to land and capture a port. Though incapable of land operations out of rsnge of their ships' guns, naval landing party duties were trained for and to be expected. The last time this was done was in 1914, the Occupation of Vera Cruz, Mexico,by s mixed brigade of sailors and marines drawn from the Atlantic Fleet. Today's sailors are only taught drill in order that they might be moved in an orderly fashion from place to place. It is foolish to expect a person highly skilled in scientific skills to serve as a grunt as were his coal passer and deck hand predecessors.
Upon their relief by the Army, the Marines began to ponder their future. They soon organized the Advanced Base Force on a permanent basis so the members could train as units. Before 1915 expeditions were gathered together ad hoc from shore establishments and the fleet alike. Such troops were not well suited or equipped to prevail in the face of organized opposition.
One of the major reasons for the new emphasis on capturing bases was the consequence of the change from wind power to steam power, necessitating visiting coaling stations.No longer could a ship be sailed around the world for years. In peacetime a fleet could refuel at any port, but in wartime, the laws of neutrality required that visiting fleets leave within a few days.
The US had come late to the tableat which the other major powers had cut up the world into colonies. Thus the US insistence on world wide free trade for American merchant vessels. The US Navy had taken over a few places such as Midway and islands in Samoa, but these scattered left-overs of colonialism hardly made up a coherent network of bases. Too far from the centers of trade, these outposts had been mostly ignored by the major powers.
The absorption of Hawaii, plus after the War with Spain, the acquisition of extra-territorial rights in Cuba, the takeover of the Phillipines, and the purchase of the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917, projected the US Navy unto a wide operational area.
As a result of expansion, the Marine Corps' role expanded further to base defense as well as landing duties. Just before this transition began, the World War began, andthe development of an expanded rolebecame more urgent.
During the course of this transition, the US entered the world war andthe Mzrines saw an opportunity to gain experience in modern large scale warfare and a way to justify their existence, for if they had spent the war period in continuing small scale pacification activities in the Caribbean and Central America, that role would hardly be enough to justify their continued existence as a specific force. (Today's SEALS exemplify what the Navy xould have done without a separate Marine Corps).
So it was desided that the Navy would deploy to France sailor-manned railway gun units, and a brigade of Marines organized in accordance with Army doctrine and to be included within the Army, not just accompany it for specisl duty.
During the active fighting, the Marines were given much well deserved ink in the press, which referred them as if they were a seperate force. This resulted from Gen. Pershing's ban on naming specific Army units by their numbers. This was done for security purposes, but it didn't work, as the Germans hsd plenty of spies as well as taking prisoners and reading their collar insignia. Such a policy was not followed in WWII at least at regiment and higher.
This volume describes the organization and trainng of the Marine Brigsde in France and is as thorough as it can be in this format.

A good source on a great body of fighting men
I liked this book about some of Americas WWI shock troops & their fight in the "Big War" that probabdly save the Corp from budgetary extinction in the 1920's. Some good text and remarkably good illustrations are in this book, so this is a good value for the bucks paid out.

What every student of WWI marines needs to own.
This book is a must have for any student of the USMC during WWI who are interested in uniforms and equipment.This book is a highly detailed book that begs to be used over and over again.

excellent review of USMC uniforms, equip and org. in WWI
This is a high quality, nuts and bolts review of the USMC in WWI.Surprisingly detailed for an Osprey-format book.The illustrations are excellent.This book is a must have for the collector, reenactor orhistorian. ... Read more

Product Description
The ferocity of the Pacific war almost defied the available military technology. In this environment the evolving use of tanks by the US Marine Corps played a significant role; at the end of the Battle of Okinawa, Major General Lemuel Shepherd wrote in his report that 'if any one supporting arm can be singled out as having contributed more than any others during the progress of the campaign, the tank would certainly be selected.' This book traces the history of the US Marine Corps tank crewman, including the significant changes in doctrine, equipment, and organization that the war brought, and his experience fighting in the Pacific theater. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Splendid book
This compact volume gives an excellent description of US Marine Corps armor doctrine, equipment, training, organization, operations and personnel in WWII. Following the Osprey Warrior series format, it uses an imaginary Marine tanker as the vehicle for telling about Marine armor and tankers. The books in very well-written and packed with information. It appears to draw heavily on the research that the author used for some of his earlier (and also superb) books on the subject.

My only significant complaint is that the color plates are adequate but not up to Osprey's usual standards. This might have caused me to reduce my rating by one star, but the excellence of the rest of the book still justified five stars in my opinion.

This book is definitely worth purchasing if the subject interests you. ... Read more

Product Description
Marine Combat Water Survival, provides Marine Corps combat watersurvival techniques, procedures, and training standards. This publicationalso teaches Marines to cross water obstacles and performwater rescues correctly and safely. This publication is the foundation for teaching Marines correct water survival techniques and procedures that are used throughout the Marine combat water survival program (MCWSP). Chapter 1. Survival at SeaAbandoning Ship ..........................................................1-2Jettisoning Equipment....................................................1-2Abandoning Ship Technique ..........................................1-3Modified Abandoning Ship Technique ..........................1-6Surface Burning Oil Swim.............................................1-9Surviving With a Pack...................................................... 1-11Preparing Equipment....................................................1-12Tying Waterproof/Plastic Bags.....................................1-13Packing the Pack ..........................................................1-13Swimming With the Pack.............................................1-13Staying Afloat With a Life Preserver ...............................1-15Inherently Buoyant Life Preservers .............................1-15Inflatable Life Preservers .............................................1-15Staying Afloat Without a Life Preserver ..........................1-18Floating With an Inflated Blouse .................................1-18Floating With Inflated Trousers ...................................1-20Sling Method ...........................................................1-20Splash Method .........................................................1-26Blow Method ...........................................................1-32Avoiding Heat Loss in Cold Water...................................1-36Individual Protection From the Cold............................1-37Group Protection From the Cold..................................1-38Drownproofing Methods ..................................................1-39Crawl Stroke.................................................................1-40T-Method......................................................................1-44The Sweep....................................................................1-46Breast Stroke.................................................................1-48Side Stroke....................................................................1-52Elementary Backstroke.................................................1-57Chapter 2. Water RescuesReaching Rescue Techniques..............................................2-2Reach .........................................................................2-2Reach From a Deck ........................................................2-3Arm Extension................................................................2-3Leg Extension.................................................................2-4Wading Assist .................................................................2-4Throw ..........................................................................2-5Lifesaving Approaches .......................................................2-7Front Surface Approach .................................................2-7Rear Approach................................................................2-7Approach Strokes.............................................................2-8Crawl Stroke Approach Stroke.......................................2-8Breast Stroke Approach Stroke ....................................2-11Level Offs ...............................................................2-13Front Surface Approach ...............................................2-13Single Armpit Level Off ..............................................2-14Rescue Techniques.................2-18 ... Read more

Product Description
By 1960, following Korea, tanks and their crews had proved themselves to be a fundamental part of the Marine Corps' combined arms team. When the Marines were ordered to Vietnam in 1965, they took their tanks with them. This book explores this decision, which created a political storm. The presence of the tanks became a lightning rod for accusations of an 'escalation' of the war. Nevertheless, the tanks not only proved their value in the anti-guerrilla campaigns, but also amid the bitter conventional fighting and extraordinary casualties at Hue City. The ability to undertake such radical change and to prevail demonstrated the versatility, courage and tenacity that are the hallmarks of the 'ordinary' Marine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A big 'Numba One'
From a fellow Marine from Hill 55 just South of Danang who was given a M48 as a 21st birthday present, this is a great book. Tank warfare in the tropics is not like the movies of deserts like North Africa or Iraq and wide open spaces. No, we weren't knocking over jungle trees all the time (though we could). Our main tasks were mobile artillery and convoy security. We didn't invent the term 'Shock and awe', but it certainly applied.
When they gave me Bravo 52 with a blade, they said not to hurt it. Two weeks later, I ran over a 500lb bomb and hurt it bad. The entire left suspension was gone... not just bent and broken, gone! 1 inch bolts sheared flush. Nobody got hurt except the tank. Being surrounded by homogenous steel certainly was comforting.
Mr. Gilbert does an excellent job of painting the mental images of what is was like having one of these monsters and using it in combat.
My combat experience was not one of fighting every day. My tank was assigned to Capt. Robb's infantry company. He had just married the President's daughter, so the Colonel had told the Major that Capt. Robb was to have a good job, but not a dangerous job, so Capt. Robb, his men, and my tank group were assigned bridge security. Well, what's under bridges but water. For several months, my main enemy in Vietnam was leeches. Namo bridge duty was the high light of my tour. Two Marine tanks surrounded by two thousand Army guys to protect us. Still, I don't want to make light of the experience. I know the names of several fellow Marine Corps tankers on The Wall! This book won't become a NY Times bestseller, but it'll bring back memories for those who were there, both in tanks and those who weren't.

John G ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

U.S. Navy Aircraft 1921-1941/U.S. Marine CorpsAircraft 1914
U.S. Navy Aircraft 1921-1941/U.S.Marine Corps Aircraft 1914-1959 by William T. Larkins is the best book I've found on Naval Aviation.Would love to see a book like this up to the present.
This is really a great book.

Probably one of the best pictorial books on Naval Aviation.
Mr. Larkins book has many rare photos and is one of the best if not the best Naval Aviation books around. ... Read more

Product Description
The outbreak of World War II set in motion a massive expansion of the United States Marine Corps, leading to a 24-fold increase in size by August 1945. This book is the first of several volumes to examine the Corps's meteoric wartime expansion and the evolution of its units. It covers the immediate pre-war period, the rush to deploy defense forces in the war's early months, and the Marines' first combat operations on Guadalcanal, New Georgia, and Bougainville. It focuses on the 1st, 2d, and 3d Marine Divisions (MarDivs) and the provisional 1st, 2d, and 3d Marine Brigades (MarBdes). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

USMC PTO 1941-43
Another great piece of history by Osprey: succint and informative. Nice addition to the Pacific Campaign of WWII.

US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operaions, 1941-43
This series of books is indeed intended as order of battle studies.The reason for the Battle Orders title though is becasue of disput between Osprey and another publisher.Osprey would have preferred to call the series Order of Battle, but the legal aspests precluded this.

ORDER OF BATTLE
SOME CONFUSION COULD BE AVOIDED IF THE BOOK HAD BEEN TITLED PROPERLY:"ORDERS OF BATTLE".BATTLE ORDERS IMPLIES THE SET OF FIVE PARAGRAPH FIELD, OPERATIONS, PATROL, ETC PLANNING NOTES SOMETIMES KNOWN AS (SMEAC)OR SITUATION, MISSION, EXECUTION, ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMMAND AND CONTROL. AN ORDER OF BATTLE IS A TINY PART OF SITUATION.IN NO WAY ARE THE TWO SYNONOMOUS. ORDER OF BATTLE IS ALSO NOT COMPARABLE TO "TO&E" OR TABLES OF ORGANIZATION AND EQUIPMENT WHICH IS A THEORETICAL LIST OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT IN A GIVEN UNIT TYPE. IT IS EASY TO FLIP THROUGH A BOOK IN A STORE TO DETERMINE INTENT AND CONTENT. WHICH IS HOW I CAME TO PURCHASE IT-BUT IT IS CONFUSING WHEN ORDERING ON LINE. WILL THIS BE OF ANY HELP TO THE FUTURE BROWSER? ONLY AS A REMINDER TO CONFIRM THE TITLE IS NOT MISLEADING AND YOU ARE BUYING WHAT YOU WANT.BY THE WAY, I WANTED AN EARLY SET OF ORDERS OF BATTLE NOT A SET OF ORDERS THAT SENT MEN INTO BATTLE...SO I AM HAPPY WITH THE BOOK AND ONLY OBJECT TO AN ON-LINE PURCHASE WHERE YOU MAY NOT BE RECEIVING WHAT THE TITLE PROMISES.

Must have Organizational History of the WWII USMC
Gordon Rottman, a prolific writer and historian who has recent some of the best Osprey titles, succeeds brilliantly with this 3 volume organizational history of the USMC in WWII.In a clear concise manner, Rottman, manages to give a detailed overview of the development of the USMC order of battle during the war.This book, as well as the other two volumes, is a must have for those interested in the Marine Corps WWII order of Battle.

Excellent source, but like reading an Encyclopedia
US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1941-43 is the first of three volumes in Osprey's new Battle Orders series, which seeks to describe "command, deployment, organization and evolution of forces in battle...including doctrine, training, tactics and equipment."Rottman's first volume covers the period from Pearl Harbor to the landing on Bougainville in November 1943.Overall, this volume is an extremely usefully research tool packed with graphically appealing data, but the narrative is too sterile and does not read well. This lack of readability appears to be due to the series format, and readers expecting something akin to the Campaign or Essential Histories series will find these volumes difficult to digest.

Despite the stylistic problems, US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1941-43 gets off to a good start with sections that clearly define the four combat missions of the US Marine Corps, its doctrine and training, and unit organization.The 18-page organization section is particularly detailed, with numerous line and block charts of units from Amphibious Corps down to platoon.The 8-page section on tactics is also very detailed.A 7-page section on weapons and equipment and a 6-page section on C3I are also decent.The final section of the book is a 31-page summary of Marine combat operations in the Pacific in the first two years of the war (Corregidor, Guadalcanal, Russells and New Georgia, and Bougainville).While this summary section has a dozen tactical maps, it does not provide anything like the narrative provided in a Campaign title.Detailed orders of battle are provided for each operation - too detailed in fact, with names of each battalion commander taking 2-3 pages for major operations.A brief summary section at the end lists all USMC casualties in these operations.My only concern is that there is too little information on the Marine commanders, particularly notables like Vandegrift who was a major figure in these early operations.

Once these three volumes are available, readers will have a great reference tool available on USMC operations in the Pacific Theater.Those readers who require very detailed order of battle information will particularly enjoy these volumes, but readers expecting more of a campaign-style history will find this material too encyclopedic.Ideally, readers will rely on earlier Osprey Campaign series titles on the Pacific War to provide greater depth on operations and use these volumes to understand the organizations, doctrine and tactics. ... Read more