Product Description
Some 84 of the 250 Hornets committed by Central Command to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) proudly bore MARINE titling on their rear fuselages. A further 14 were marked with the distinctive kangaroo roundel of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The exploits achieved by the units that flew these jets into combat is detailed in this volume, the third of three titles published in the Combat Aircraft series on what has been dubbed by many TACAIR insiders the ‘Hornet’s War’. Although the bulk of this book deals with the major hostilities phase of OIF I, which ran from 20 March to 20 April 2003, the decade of pre-war OSW missions and ongoing post-war OIF II operations are also covered in significant detail from the Marine Corps perspective. Profusely illustrated with rare frontline photography and more than 30 specially commissioned colour artworks, this book also features the combat experiences of 24 pilots and Weapons Systems Officers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

In-the-Cockpit View of USMC/RAAF Hornets at War!
Osprey's multi-talented editor/author Tony Holmes concludes his coverage of F/A-18s in action over Iraq with this volume covering Marine Corps and RAAF Hornets.

Holmes had unparalled access to Hornet pilots, WSOs and ground crew. As a result, this book, like the two preceding volumes on USN Hornet units in action, is brimming with first-person narratives of air-to-mud ops. Lots of color photos of aircrew and aircraft along with 10 pages of USMC/RAAF F/A-18 color side-views complement the text in typical Osprey style.

Good reading for those that prefer the current crop of fast movers!

Very Authentic
Tony Homes did a great job putting this book together.If you want a detailed, authentic account of what fighter pilots are thinking and feeling during combat operations, this is the book you need.The stories are accurate and straight from the aircrew's mouth. ... Read more

Product Description
These is sometimes a basic assumption that a World War II United States Marine Corps rifleman was essentially trained, uniformed, equipped, and armed much the same as a US Army rifleman. While there were of course similarities, the Marines conducted their own unique training programs, wore mostly different uniforms and equipment, and possessed some unique weapons, although they also used many of the same weapons as the Army.

The Marine Corps was not part of the Navy, but a component of the Navy Department alongside the Navy.While the Marines specialized in amphibious warfare, the Army actually conducted more amphibious assaults in the Pacific than the Marines. The typical Marine was extremely proud of his service and acutely aware that there were only six Marine divisions but 89 Army divisions. The Marine Corps began World War II with less than 66,000 officers and men;more than that would be wounded before it ended.The Corps grew to almost 487,000. It provided only 5 percent of the US armed forces, but suffered 10 percent of overall American casualties.

The Marines were able to build on their proud traditions and history to transform a small branch of service into a premier combined arms amphibious assault force. Regardless of its expansion by 750 percent, the Corps was able to maintain its sense of tradition, instill that into thousands of new Marines, and create an elite arm of service.Here, Gordon L Rottman, follows the Marine rifleman through his draft and training, and then participation in operations such as Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands, Saipan and Tinian in the Mariana Islands, and Iwo Jima.

The opening sentences of the Marine Creed, composed shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor
This is my rifle.There are many like it, but this one is mine.It is my life.I must master it as I must master my life.Without me my rifle is useless.Without my rifle, I am useless. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great!!!
Great Book!! Recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the Corp in a simple to read informative book!!!

Ambious title reachs too far.
Marine Rifleman in WW2is a very ambitious title and, as it turns out too ambitious. The book covers the basic training and some deployments of newly enlisted members of the US 4th Marine Division.

It gives no real insight to tactics used or what more experienced Marine units experienced or thought of the new recruits, other than a lamentation at the death of the all volunteer corp.

The book does give VERY good detail on the induction, indoctrination and training of US Marines in WW2 and on their equipment. If you have an interest in how the draft system worked or what made a raw recruit into a `leatherneck' then this is a good book. If you are looking for more though it will leave you disappointed.

I put a lot of the blame for this with the publisher, Osprey, who limits who much space the author has to work with. That having been said, the final blame falls on who green lit the title. Had it been "Training of US Marine" This would be a 5 star from me, but in covering the vast topic of "Marine rifleman" in World War Two this falls far short.

Private's view-point
What was it like to be one of the half-million Marines in service from 1939 to 1945?Gordon L. Rottman tells all in a slim, 64-page book packed with vintage photographs and eight pages of color drawings by Howard Gerrard.Rottman orients the reader with a chronology, then writes about conscription and how it affected the Corps.When I was a Marine recruit at MCRD San Diego in June thorugh September 1975, I was told that Marines were all volunteers, that none were drafted.Rottman gave a good account of how the Marine Corps claim of "no draftees" and the US law that ended voluntary enlistments on December 5, 1942 were reconciled: Selective Service Volunteers!The Blue Star program was mentioned.Then Rottman got into the subjects that were my reason for buying his book:
* Training
* Appearance
* Equipment
* Belief and belonging
* Camp Pendleton
* Conditions of service
* On campaign
* The aftermath of battle
* collections, museum,s and reenactments

The color plate section shows the naval service identity disks (dog tags), the Marine's Handbook, C and K rations, the contents of the first aid kit and toilet articles.Rottman condensed the experience of being a World War Two Marine into a short, easy to digest book.

Infantry combat is a team sport, not individual competition--and Rottman begins by taking the reader through basic.Today, a minimum of 16 weeks of combat training is required before committing a new Marine to combat--but in the early scramble to build up the Corps, boot camp was shortened to three weeks.By 1944, basic training in either San Diego, California, or Parris Island, South Carolina, was officially eight weeks.Basic training was (and still is) all about making team players.After basic training, the newly-minted private is then assigned to his new squad and has to train all over again so that the 13 Marines can function as a single organism.At the beginning of the war, peacetime rifle strength was eight Marines, usually all armed with the M1903A1 Springfield rifle.On paper, there was supposed to be an automatic rifle in the squad.The Marine rifle squad was commanded by a corporal and was organized the same as an Army rifle squad.Wartime strength was supposed to be 12 men in both services.By 1944, the Marines had found a better way to organize the squad, one that is still used today.A sergeant commanded three corporal fire team leaders.Each fire team was built around an automatic rifle, which provided the bulk of the fire team's killing power, along with hand and rifle grenades--though officially the M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle was the rifle squad's major weapon system.The rest of the squad was armed with a mix of M1 carbines, M1 rifles, the occassional Thompson submachine gun or Springfield rifle, perhaps the new M3 "grease gun" submachine gun, demolitions, grenades, K-bar jungle knives, bayonets, and sometimes a pistol or two.Battle experience found that a small group could survive and fight better than a large squad, and the platoon leader, squad leader, and fire team leader of 1944 wasn't as over-extended as the 1940 counterparts: the platoon leader directed three squad leaders, each squad leader directed three fire team leaders, and each fire team leader directed three riflemen (okay, and automatic rifleman, and assistant automatic rifleman, and a scout!).This modular organization functioned better in the latter frontal assaults from the sea against Japanesedeliberate area ambushes from fortified fighting positions.Under the old organization, a squad would be paralyzed if it took two or three casualties.With the three fire-team organization, as long as the fire teams took no more than one casualty each, they remained effective because the casualties were compartmented.One entire fire team could be lost and the squad could still function.If two fire teams went down, the remaining fire team could and did conduct the squad's mission.There was a heavy price paid for this--the units had to be rebuilt after combat operations.

Two of Rottman's books appear in the bibliography.While Marine Rifleman provides a concise overview, some people will see this book as a starting point.Marine Rifleman provides enough informaiton on its own for most readers. ... Read more

Product Description
A story of one Marine's quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; throughout the decades of American history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

They Couln't Have Won the War Without Us
This is an easy, interesting read, with each chapter being the brief story of an individual Merchant Marine. A very personal human look into some of the history of WWII. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

A great reference on Marines and their uniforms
Cureton's book is a wealth of knowledge packed into a relatively tightformat. Although all of the books in this series are very informative, mostdo not span the time frame that this book does.(It covers roughly1800-1991) The book has a very good mix of color and black and white photoswith accompanying text. It is written in such a way that the beginner couldfollow easily, but yet still provides the valuable information that thestudent of military history seeks. Many of the photos are rare shots fromthe National Archives and the Marine Corps museum in Washington D.C., thatthe uniform collector, or military modeller will find indespensable. Alsoincluded are examples of rarely seen womens uniforms and that of Navajocodetalkers. I highly recommend this book to beginners in the field ofmilitary history and uniforms, and it would be a welcome addition to thecollections of serious military and Marine Corps buffs alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The u.s. marine corps
I would recommend this book because you can learn so much more about the u.s. marine corps. it tells you how important the marine corps are and what they do. people who like to learn more and read about the u.s. marine corps then this is the book to read. the purpose of this book is to let you learn more about marine corps.
Michael K

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Customer Reviews (1)

A book about planes using by US Navy/Marine corps
If you are looking for introductory information about aircraft/helicopters using by US Navy/Marine corps, you should love this book.

This book contains colorful pictures, specifications, operators and variants of over 50 different modern aircraft/helicopters.However, this book is not forthose who is finding detailedstory of a specific aircraft, norinformation about submarines/carriers... ... Read more

Product Description
In late1944 the US Marine Corps prepared for the toughest battles of the war. It had grown to 35,598 officers, 5,384 officer candidates, and 366,353 enlisted Marines, totaling 431,573 personnel, and now comprised of two amphibious corps, six divisions, 26 non-divisional artillery battalions, and numerous support and service units. Following on from Battle Orders 1 and 7, this book examines the continuing development of the Corps' organization, its training, tactics, weaponry, and command structure. It details the formation of the 5th and 6th Marine Divisions and the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, and examines the Corps' performance in the brutal battles on Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, and its deployment as an occupation force. ... 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