D-Day Paratroopers: The Americans [Hardcover]

Christophe Deschodt (Author), Laurent Rouger (Author), Alan McKay (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2004

On the night of 5- 6 June 1944, US paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were dropped over the Cotentin peninsula, on the western part of the Normandy beachhead.

The uniforms, equipment and small arms of these men immortalized by 'Band of Brothers' are presented here in the sharpest detail, as well as their orders of battle and insignia.

Illustrated throughout in full color.

"Another treasure from ... Histoire and Collections ... a superb color photographic collection" Military Trader, May 2005

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Histoire and Collections (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2915239290
• ISBN-13: 978-2915239294
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #919,136 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great photographs and original material, November 27, 2004

By 

Jonathan Gawne "But then, what do I know..." (The great Northeast) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: D-Day Paratroopers: The Americans (Hardcover)

Much of the material in this book comes from an older double issue of Militaria Magazine (which without question is the best publication in world for military collectors). That large article has been expanded and updated into a pretty good book.

One of the reasons that having people involved in this project that have an AB interest that pre-dates the recent movies is that they have been looking into this area for a while. Coupled with the fact that the primary authors live in France and spent a lot of time finding original stuff from the farms in Normandy-
So its one of the few books where you can see, in color- some original items, not the more recently made fakes which are flooding the market.

Is it perfect? no book is,and I am sure nitpickers everywhere will claim the glove leather color is wrong (etc.) but on the whole they've done a good job. Of major importance is the stunning graphical layouts with lots of period photos, modern color reconstructions, and kit layouts. Not to forget state of the art graphics to show things like organization.

Thereis also awarning about the rariety of orignal WW2 paratrooper items. I am sure some big dealers will say negative things about the book as it may cut into their mass prooduction lines of fake jump helmets and reinforced jump suits

So for now, this is probably the best book available which illustrates the US Paratrooper in WW2. If you want true stories of Airborne derring do- the best stuff and most historically accurate stuff written today is from Mark Bando.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous detail on paratrooper equipment from helmet to boots, August 3, 2005

By 

Alan C. Simkin (Ellicott City, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: D-Day Paratroopers: The Americans (Hardcover)

Anyone familiar with the French language magazine "Armes Militaria" knows that the quality of both the original equipment and the photography is outstanding. This book was published by or in concert with those publishers, and the quality is exceptional. Page after page of clear photos of original equipment, weapons, personal items, insigina, etc. The book is well organized, and covers everthing from the smallest insignia details, to the aircraft that carried the troopers to Normandy. This book is a goldmine of information, don't pass it up.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ANOTHER SUPERB PRODUCTION, November 29, 2005

By 

El Cutachero (MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Day Paratroopers: The Americans (Hardcover)

Histoire et Collections has done it again.A fine work of the quality which the collector and researcher has come to expect from this publisher.
I have previous works on the British Tommy in NW Europe and Canadian soldiers. All are elaborately illustrated with charts, individual item photos, and reconstructions worn by models of combinations of equipment and clothing as qoen in northern Europe. In addition there are many lists, charts, and tables gathering together informatioon gleaned from many scarce and obscure publications.
Muxh of rhia work has appeared in the excellent French language periodical Militaria published also by Histoire et Collections. This method of proceeding has the great virtue of first publishing in a more temporary format and inviting the readers to submit corrections and additional data which can be used to improve the final work published in book form.