Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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?

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.

If I could give this book six stars, I would.
There will be a lot of comparisons with "Doughboy to GI" and I think that's unfair. The author very smartly decided to focus on ONE SPECIFIC AREA and timeframe. I applaud his ability to focus his work, unlike so many other "catch-all" books out there. Sure, there's a few gaps and some errors (check out the postwar French guide with the Department of Defense logo on the cover), but overall, my library would be incomplete without this fine reference work. And, he also showed items from OTHER COLLECTIONS. Let this be a trend in books, please! We're all tired of the "Lookit mah kewl collection of stuff, some of which might not be related to the subject" books.
This is the standard by which I will judge reference books in the future, and thanks for putting it out in English!!!
Hey, why ARE all the best reference books on US stuff done in other countries anyway?

For the "Newbie" or the "Veteran" collector. This is a wonderful reference showing great color pictures of nearly every piece of U.S. Military uniform and equipment. The great thing about this guide is it explains and shows the differences in a particular piece comparing it to later issues of the same piece of equipment. Lists items with pictures and dates of issue and use. This book is invaluable in preventing a person for buying an item that maybe represented as original or from a particular year's production when it may in fact be a later version. I highly recommend this book. Oh yeah...for those modelers that have trouble determining what colors to paint uniform items on their soldiers..this book is a godsend.

No one book will provide all the information that every person would ever want, but when it comes to uniforms, insignia and personal equipment of the U.S. Army in WWII this book is a great start.

It is a book of 272 pages of high quality colour photographs showing thousands of items in the majority of cases as they were issued (brand new).

This book only covers ETO (European theatre of Operations) but considering the size of this book this is not a bad thing.

The only thing that I can think of to make this book better is more period photo's to show how these items looked and were worn in the field.

For students of World War 2 history or Scale model makers (I am both) this is a must have in your reference library.

Hi, the title of this book, G.I. Collector's Guide is a great book, but it is a little bit misnamed. The author of the book is a French guy who collected GI militaria. He has a great collection, and this is a great book for a reenactor, WW2 history student, but it is NOT what a collector of WW2 militaria needs. There is one picture of everything I've ever heard of the US Army in Europe using during the war, but only 1. Collectors know that there were several (sometimes several hundred) manufacturers of each item, and a collector would need to know how each manufacuter's items differ. This IS a great book, but, as I've stated, not a collector's book.

This is the most in depth book I have found in color on the subject of European Theater American WWII collectibles. This is my most favorite book on the subject and I highly recommend it if you are getting started in this hobby. It accompanies me to all shows I attend. But be careful, with more knowledge, comes the a greater want to buy the stuff! Highly recommended!

As a World War II reenactor, there have been plenty of times when I've wanted to double check the information on a particular item. I'd seen this book for sale at a couple of shows, but shied away from the price. Finding it at Amazon for much less sealed the deal.

Want to ID a division patch? Need to know where the "U.S." pin belongs on the service coat? Found a old military wool overcoat in the closet and want to know more about it? These questions and much more can be answered with this fantastic book. It has helped me several times, both before and after a militaria purchase. Dress uniforms, cold weather gear, equipment, weapons... everything you'd expect and everything you wouldn't. Gear for chaplains, female personnel, signal corps, engineers. Want to know what a Medical Department food tray looked like? Snow shoes by the Mountain troops? How about a company field desk? Chemical Department gloves? Ever wonder about what kind of cigarettes were included with the rations? Wonder no more. Just about the only area the book doesn't cover is anything to do with the Army Air Forces, which is a pity.

If I had known about the treasure trove of information that this book held within it's pages, I'd have scooped it up years ago. I anticipate using it for research for years to come.

This book was recommended to me by a fellow US Army collector / enthusiast. It gives superb descriptions of each item, as well as detailed pictures. Since purchasing this book, I have realised just how valuable some of my collection is - & have also discovered the history behind some items that I thought were not that important. A must for any US Army enthusiast.