The Biographical Dictionary of World War II Generals and Flag Officers: The U.S. Armed Forces [Hardcover]

R. Manning Ancell (Author), Christine M. Miller (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313295468 | ISBN-13: 978-0313295461 | Publication Date: April 30, 1996 | Edition: First Printing

The enormous popularity of all aspects of World War II over the last half century has produced thousands of books but no single collection of biographies of American military and naval leaders during the war. This is the first definitive book containing biographical material on all of our country's generals and flag officers who served any active duty from December 7, 1941 to September 2, 1945. It includes general officers of the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, the National Guard, and the U.S. Marine Corps and flag officers of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. In addition to regular officers, it includes officers called to active duty from the Reserves, officers brought from retirement to temporary active duty, and officers promoted to high rank directly from civilian life. As the first and only definitive collection of all American generals and flag officers who served in World War II, the book will be a useful resource for both librarians and those interested in World War II.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Compilers Ancell and Miller present almost 2,400 biographical entries that represent, they believe, 99 percent of US generals and flag officers of WW II...this work will be of value in collections emphasizing history or biography of the US, military, or WW II.”–Choice

“...[a] useful complement in public and academic libraries to the standard military biographical dictionaries.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

“An essential book of World War II buffs, military history readers and writers, wargamers, students, and researchers.”–Amazon.com Books

“...impressive.”–Historical Journal of Massachusetts

About the Author

R. MANNING ANCELL, a former magazine publisher and broadcast journalist, is now an independent researcher and free-lance writer.

CHRISTINE M. MILLER, formerly a director of admissions and professor, is now a free-lance writer.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 720 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press; First Printing edition (April 30, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313295468
• ISBN-13: 978-0313295461
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,577,067 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lacks completeness: over 100 officers names missing, February 7, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Vallejo, CA U.S,A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Biographical Dictionary of World War II Generals and Flag Officers: The U.S. Armed Forces (Hardcover)

Good thumbnail sketches of those included, but many names ommited, enough (over 100) to warrant a supplemtary volume. Just a few of the flag Officers not included are Vice Admirals Charles Seymour Freeman, Marc Andrew Mitscher, William Robert Munroe, and George Dominic Murray. I would value highly a revised edition.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, but flawed!, December 3, 2000

By 

Alexander Bielakowski (Leavenworth, KS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Biographical Dictionary of World War II Generals and Flag Officers: The U.S. Armed Forces (Hardcover)

This is an excellent and invaluable resource for World War II historians. Nevertheless, as another reviewer mentioned, there are some noticable ommissions which make it frustrating to use. I agree that a revised edition, or a supplementary edition should be printed to make up for those mistakes. Nevertheless, this is a volume that every World War II historian should have on his shelf!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reference work., October 22, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Biographical Dictionary of World War II Generals and Flag Officers: The U.S. Armed Forces (Hardcover)

It may come as a surprise, that with the millions of words written about World War Two, there has not heretofore been a biographical dictionary of American generals and flag officers. This work admirably fills that gap, giving for each officer date and place of birth, education, date and type or branch of commission, early assignments, schools attended, career details, commands, decorations, and date of death, all in a highly convenient and compact form. An essential book for World War Two buffs, military history readers and writers, wargamers, students, and researchers.