Post by quincannon on Oct 18, 2023 15:10:28 GMT
As Mike will attest, I read "Panzer Killers" by LTG (Ret) Danial P. Bolger over this past summer. This book covers operations of the 3rd Armored Division under Major General Maurice Rose through France, the Battle of the Bulge, and on into the heart of Germany in 1944-45. That book was excellent. So, when I went to the PX at Peterson SFB this past week I discovered another book "Spearhead" which covers these same operations through the eyes of a tank gunner in the 32d Armored Regiment, and a rifleman in the 36th Armored Infantry Regiment. To a bit lesser extent it also covers these same operations from the other side of the hill as seen through the eyes of a panzer crewman.
The tank gunner and the rifleman were paired in the same combined arms task force most of the time, and both were in Task Force Doan at Cologne and Paderborn in February through April 1945. The tank gunner Clarence Smoyer you may be familiar with in deed if not in name. Most of us have seen that film clip of the Pershing tank knocking out that Panther that was waiting to ambush them as TF Doan moved into Cologne. Smoyer was that gunner and the tank Eagle 7 belonged to Easy Company of the regiment, the single Pershing in a company whose other tanks were a mixture of several models of Shermans.
Also of interest to me was the death of Maurice Rose. Spearhead covers in in detail. I did not realize until reading this book that Rose was not just killed in action, but rather murdered by an out of control German sergeant while Rose, seeing he and members of his staff were trapped and trying to surrender. Rose was hands down in the top tier of U S Armor commanders. Few could equal him, the rest did not even come close.
Great book, enjoyable, well written. Couple of mistakes that did irritate me like saying shovel instead of entrenching tool, but all in all quite minor.
For my friends in the UK, in that same PX excursion I also saw a book I did not buy at the time dealing with the SAS. Wish I had picked it up then, but I will remedy that on my next visit. Can't recall the name right off, Churchill's somethingorothers, but when I get it I will report on it - if it is any good.
The tank gunner and the rifleman were paired in the same combined arms task force most of the time, and both were in Task Force Doan at Cologne and Paderborn in February through April 1945. The tank gunner Clarence Smoyer you may be familiar with in deed if not in name. Most of us have seen that film clip of the Pershing tank knocking out that Panther that was waiting to ambush them as TF Doan moved into Cologne. Smoyer was that gunner and the tank Eagle 7 belonged to Easy Company of the regiment, the single Pershing in a company whose other tanks were a mixture of several models of Shermans.
Also of interest to me was the death of Maurice Rose. Spearhead covers in in detail. I did not realize until reading this book that Rose was not just killed in action, but rather murdered by an out of control German sergeant while Rose, seeing he and members of his staff were trapped and trying to surrender. Rose was hands down in the top tier of U S Armor commanders. Few could equal him, the rest did not even come close.
Great book, enjoyable, well written. Couple of mistakes that did irritate me like saying shovel instead of entrenching tool, but all in all quite minor.
For my friends in the UK, in that same PX excursion I also saw a book I did not buy at the time dealing with the SAS. Wish I had picked it up then, but I will remedy that on my next visit. Can't recall the name right off, Churchill's somethingorothers, but when I get it I will report on it - if it is any good.
