Social sciences

Killed in a flying accident in February 1944, Flying Officer William Marsh left behind a personal insight into the life of a desert flyer. Desert Flyer follows Bill Marsh from his early days as a schoolboy, through his RAF training in England and Canada, joins him in his first operational squadron and ultimately his life in North Africa. Originally posted to No. 605 Squadron, Bill Marsh was to hav

This new comprehensive look at the evolution of the American flight jacket from World War I to Desert Storm addresses not only the types worn, but focuses primarily on the art and adornment applied to the jackets. The most colorful and creative period for flight jacket art was World War II, and it is this era that comprises a major portion of this book. Additionally, many of the pieces are attribu

The flag is a country’s national symbol and is far more than a mere banner. It reflects that country’s independence, the citizens, and their social views. As such, a flag is treated with respect, defended, and given a military salute. As so much is bound up in the flag, it may also be ridiculed, defiled, and burned in protest. As a symbol of the pride of the people, the flag is imbued with a varie

This book showcases a comprehensive catalog of restored WWII color Kodachrome slides. Many were taken during the heat of battle by individuals trying their hand at capturing moments of wartime service with little or no previous photographic experience. These images age with time, and vast numbers were stored in conditions not always conducive to long-term preservation. The restoration and preserva

Pop-art connoisseurs are treated to a mind-bending journey through the blistering paintings of San Francisco artist Dirty Donny Gillies. Take a visual tour of his vibrant, hand-drawn and screen-printed poster art series "Blacklight Rebellion" and hand-painted solo art show "Fantastic Voyage." This ultimate collection of cool also includes his iconic work for Stern Pinball, metal giant Metallica, V

Continuing the tradition of creating the next level of breathtaking pin-up girls in the modern world, internationally acclaimed photographer and pin-up artist Celeste Giuliano presents her classic style of pin-ups in stunning 3-D for the first time ever. The pin-up girl has been a staple of classic American culture since the 1920s. Featured on advertisements and novelty items, their coy smiles and

This book continues with the overview of the Waffen-SS units that fought during WWII. It follows each unit as it was raised and then where it fought. Within each of the various battles covered, the book focuses specifically on each Waffen-SS soldier that was awarded the Knights Cross to the Iron Cross (and higher grades where applicable). This volume covers the period January to May 1944 and featu

This guide showcases knives used by America's clandestine military in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. It provides the collector and others interested in the period a way of identifying honest SOG (Studies and Observations Group) specimens and separating them from counterfeits. With beautiful color photographs that show a high level of detail, the book identifies all known SOG specimens (ove

The 7th Waffen SS Mountain Division was raised for war in the rugged terrain of Yugoslavia. The unit included a huge number of Volksdeutsche, ethnic Germans recruited from outside the Reich. After numerous anti-guerrilla operations in Bosnia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia, towards the end of the war it was employed against units of the Bulgarian Army and Red Army forces in the difficult mission

Volume VI of the series covers the unit emblems and tactical aircraft markings of the forty-eight USAAF combat groups and eight squadrons that served in the China-Burma-India Theater and Western Pacific Area of Operations during WWII. Additional units covered include the Chinese-American Composite Wing and special AAF Air Task Forces that also served in the CBI. The three main Army Air Forces cont

USS Yorktown (CV-5) was the US Navy's first battle-worthy, purpose-built aircraft carrier. Her crew, already accustomed to wartime conditions by maintaining Neutrality Patrols during 1941 in the Atlantic, quickly adapted to the Pacific Theater, having been dispatched there immediately after Pearl Harbor. First at Coral Sea, then at Midway, Yorktown's flyers blunted the sword of Japanese aggression

Albert Schwenn was called up by the SS Cavalry Replacement Battalion in Warsaw in October 1942, and in March 1943, was seconded to the SS Cavalry Division. Schwenn gives a vivid account of the brutal combat on the Russian front, and especially operations against partisans, where he took part in so-called “pacification actions” behind the front lines. In August 1943, his division was transferred to

This book is a rare memoir from a Waffen-SS soldier who fought for six years in some of the most savage fighting on the Russian front during WWII. A volunteer, initially in the SS-Heimwehr Danzig, which became part of the SS-Totenkopf-Division in 1939, he took part in the campaign against Poland as a motorcycle messenger, and was wounded for the first time during the France campaign of 1940. In 19

The Panzerkampfwagen IV, or Panzer IV as it is more popularly known, formed the backbone of Germany’s tank formations during WWII. With production totaling more than 8,500, the Panzer IV was the most plentiful German tank of the war, and the only German tank that remained in production for the duration of the conflict. Through more than 180 photos, this volume chronicles the design, development, a

With the international success of the classic film Das Boot, U-96 is arguably the most famous of all German U-boats. Here is the true story of U-96, and its legendary commander Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock. In continuous combat from September 1940 to March 1945, follow the crew of U-96 from their bases in Kiel, Germany, as well as Lorient and St. Nazaire on the west coast of France, to intense com

The M40 Gun Motor Carriage and M43 Howitzer Motor Carriage are featured in over 200 photographs, providing a detailed study of the conception, development, testing, and combat use of these key vehicles. As the US entered WWII, the nation lacked heavy self-propelled artillery, instead relying heavily on towed artillery, much of it WWI-surplus. Only 100 examples of the nation’s first heavy self-prop

The USS Iowa (BB-61) was the lead ship in the United States Navy's last, and most battle-worthy, battleship class, which also included the New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Missouri. This volume explores Iowa's design, construction, launching, and commissioning, as well as its extensive wartime activities in both World War II and Korea. Also covered are its post-Korea years in the reserve "mothball fleet

The 17th Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier Division “Götz von Berlichingen” was one of the few SS formations to be employed exclusively on the western front during World War II. From the time of its formation in France in 1943, “Götz von Berlichingen” saw bitter and bloody fighting in Normandy, the Seine front, Metz, the Saar, the Palatinate, and later the defense of the west wall until the final battles

America’s famous and influential WWII submachine guns (SMGs) are all featured in this fully illustrated book. Beginning with the legendary Thompson submachine, its design, construction, and testing in the early 1920s, as well as its use by the US Marine Corps, the Irish Republican Army, and Prohibition-era gangsters, are presented in detail. Its famed use during WWII in all war theaters is shown i

The legendary British, World War II STEN submachine gun is featured in this concise, illustrated book. Famous for its use by British elite forces, as well as the French underground during WWII, variants of the STEN were manufactured and used by many countries during the war and up through the 1970s. Beginning with its initial design and construction, the Mk.I and Mk.I*, Mk.II, Mk.III, and Mk.5 ver