GOVERNMENT ISSUE: U.S. Army European Theater of Operations Collector Guide [Hardcover]

Henri-Paul Enjames (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

This is spectacular new book from Europe's leading uniform and equipment publisher will follow in the footsteps as such classics from the past as From Doughboy to GI.

Histoire and Collections has earned a reputation for producing the finest, incredibly detailed and sumptuously illustrated books. Their technique reaches a new level with this latest book.

All the uniforms, insignia, badges, weapons and equipment of the ETO are described in detail and depicted in both photographs and full color graphics.

This book is a must for any collector in the field.

REVIEWS

"This book must rate a perfect "10" for your reference library...the heavyweight champion of reference books for anyone interested in modeling the World War II G.I.'s and their equipment... one resource book that can just about do it all...This treasure book even concludes with a selection of some trophies "liberated" from the other side. If you can only buy one book for your WWII G.I. references, buy Government Issue and see where the term "G.I." came from. Thank you, Mr. Enjames."Historica Formus 3/05

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Histoire and Collections; U.S. of "Act of edition (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2913903878
• ISBN-13: 978-2913903876
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,180,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Beginners Book for US Army World War II ETO, March 7, 2004

By 

W. Nelson (Broomfield, CO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: GOVERNMENT ISSUE: U.S. Army European Theater of Operations Collector Guide (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent reference guide for beginning collectors of militaria items issued during World War II to U.S. Army soldiers in the European of Theater Operation (ETO).

This book is a must have if you are going to be purchasing your items from online sources such as EBAY and surplus stores. This book will absolutely help you identify authentic U.S. Army issued items. This is very important given the explosion of modern day reproduction of many of these same items now being sold commercially.

This large(Literally)sized book is comprised of numerous detailed colored photographs accompanied with brief written descriptions of each article of issue. I very much liked the layout of this book; it is well organized in a logical manner starting with Insignia and Decorations, moving through to Uniforms, Equipment and Weapons. I especially liked the specialized sections for Armored Troops, Airborne Troops, Mountain Troops, Female Personnel, and Military Police. The author also included special sections for The Corps of Engineers and Signal Corp. I also enjoyed the (seldom seen) sections dealing with Army Rations, Army Publications and Personal Items. I found this format to be easily used to locate the items I was interested in and compare the large photographs in the book to items I was planning on purchasing online.

This book is very reasonably priced compared to other military collector books such as "Doughboy to GI" and does not contained a lot of information I do not need anyway , but end up paying for with other military collectors books.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get a museum in 272 pages!, July 27, 2005

By 

Alan D. Cranford (Salt Lake City, Utah USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: GOVERNMENT ISSUE: U.S. Army European Theater of Operations Collector Guide (Hardcover)

This large book is a museum. I remember a lot of this equipment from my childhood (I was an Air Force brat and was with my father in Europe during the early 1960's) and some of the World War Two equipment is still in service with today's US Army. One example, the RL-39 on page 147 hasn't been improved upon. The vintage canteen cup is still current issue--with a new "National Stock Number" instead of the WWII "Stock Number." The Browning .50 caliber heavy machine gun, despite many attempted replacements, still soldiers on in Iraq. Most of the items pictured are now memories, though. Mr. Enjames has assembled a fine collection between the covers of this book.

In "real" museums, there are often glitches, errors, and substitutions in the displays. One World War One trench scene was littered with modern 7.62mm NATO brass (adopted by the US Army in 1956, but experimentally available earlier) instead of the correct 8mm Lebel shell casings--the museum was working with limited resources and couldn't get a bucket full of the French brass for the diarama of an American doughboy in action during 1918. Mr. Enjames appears to have used only vintage stuff in his photos. Many of the smaller, "common" items such as the K-rations, C-rations, pamplets, hand tools, communications equipment, sewing and toilet kit contents, and chemical warfare gear won't be found in most museums.

I will be using this book as reference when constructing minature World War Two dioramas. If I were a re-enactor, this book would be a valuable resource. Collectors not only can use "Governmetn Issue" to check the authenticity of a uniform item, but there's an under-exploited realm of collecting for those beginners on a tight budget--all those little items that make up "sets, kits, and outfits"--tool boxes for a tank or a jeep, medical clothing, field kitchens, field offices. Armies frequently have to take everything they might need with them because they operate beyond the frontiers of civilization--or because war has destroyed most of the things we take for granted, but need for routine, day-to-day operations. Ever run out of toilet paper?

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BETTER VALUE THAN DOUGHBOY, April 20, 2004

By 

Patrick Walker (Lincoln, ca United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: GOVERNMENT ISSUE: U.S. Army European Theater of Operations Collector Guide (Hardcover)

While this book has less volume in the amount of stuff than Douboy to GI. it is exactly what I was looking for in a militaria type book. I mostly wanted information about packs and helmets so I would be educated in what type to look for to make a nice display with my WWII jeep. well I wish I had just bought this book and used the money I spent on the other book on a couple of pieces. I love the fact that it shows some other equipment that I am interested in like radio's and such. and the large color pictures give me the kind of detail that I can rember when I run across an item at a flea market or swap meet.