Customer Reviews

Patton's Vanguard: The United States Army Fourth Armored Division

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every few years a book comes along that is truly impressive and this book is one of them. The author has written an excellent account of an armored division at war. It is very easy to read and understand and he is very descriptive of the battles and movement of the 4th Armored Division. The author talks about the big picture to help the reader understand why the division attacked in certain directions. He also peppers each chapter with small unit actions that conveys the terror and triumphs the men of the division experienced. The chapter on the relief of General Wood was well written and thought out. The author avoids trying to lay blame at one person's feet, but tries to show how certain factors (from COL Withers incompent handling of CCA to Wood's arguments with his corps commander, Eddy) may have lead to Wood's dismissal from command of his beloved division. The only "flaw" if you can call it that is at the beginning of each section he includes a map of the area of operations the chapter is describing. What would have been helpful would have been if the author showed the routes of CCA, CCB and CCR along with what units were on the flanks. It would have helped follow the action a little better. Nonetheless this book is worth every penny and If the author decides to write another book on "Patton's Best" I will be first in line to buy it.

The problem with most World War II books is that you are given overviews and opinions. This book is highly detailed and gives the blow by blow descriptions of specific battles. It is excellently researched and backed up by personal accounts of General Al Irzyk, Colonel James Leach and others.

I felt like I was there in my own Sherman tank and it is a must read for someone who craves small unit and company action.

I am 32 and most books I have read about WWII have been overviews or concern a specific theatre or action. This is the 1st book I have read so specific within the subject. I found it to be somewhat easy to read and follow overall. Certain chapter descriptions I could easily make a mental picture of the battle. Some of it was overwhelming in detail, which is probably what some of the soldiers thought of the war. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in military history and especially the ETO. Would definitely read the next book by the same author. Thank you Mr. Fox

This book gives an outstanding account of the small unit action and individual efforts of the soldiers of the Fourth Armored Division. The details of the skirmishes and battles bring you back in time with the clarity of the Spielberg classic Saving Private Ryan. The movements of platoons and companies are as well detailed as those of the entire division. First hand accounts and unit histories were meticulously acquired and sifted through to compile a comprehensive, insightful novel that is both enjoyable and accurate. One of the most enjoyable, if not THE most enjoyable WWII book I've ever read.

One can hear the sound of the tank treads rumbling as one reads this very well written portrayal of the exploits of Patton's "crack" 4th Armored Division , from before "the beach" of Normandy , through the harrowing combat leading to Bastogne.
Long ago tank battles and house to house fighting again come alive as the reader only begins to feel the tension and suspense of men at war. What was it really like, fighting in the cold , in the snow, and at times, in the dark, against a cunning and desperate enemy? This book goes far in giving the reader some idea of what these soldiers experienced.
One day, all too soon, World War II will be as remote to most people as the American Civil War. This book preserves a much needed link to the past through the use of diligent research and vivid accounts of 4th Armored Division survivors. We can only hope for, and look forward to, a sequel.

Re. the battle for Salzburgen (Chateau-Salins), the author states, "The attack on Chateau-Salins was made no easier by the fact that the population of the town had a strong German heritage, and their sympathies generally fell in the direction of the enemy" Well that's wrong. The town had a synagogue and a strong Jewish/ Italian minority, including my grandfather Petronillo Cantoni, a resistant (husband to Marie Jenft). The town was "defended" by the 559th panzerjaeger whose soldiers lobbed grenades into basements, killing dozens of civilians and resistants alike, including several of my relatives. The nazi defense was incredibly brutal and the last remaining civilians, including Marie Jenft, Petronillo Cantoni, and their daughters Laure and Liliane, were rescued by the Americans after a 3-day carnage that left over 3/4 of the local population dead, or maimed. How can you expect "flowers, wine, songs and embraces" when you've lost 3/4 of your relatives? The 500-year debt of gratitude to the US army remains. But flowers ? Only in films. fortis10@gmail.com

I bought this book solely for the purpose of researching the battle at Singling and was very pleasantly surprised at the overall wealth of detail throughout the book. If you have an interest in tactical details this would probably be a good choice for you. Good pictures and maps as well.

For the most part, I liked the book, it did a great job of detailing the division's activities from Normandy to the Ardennes.It was well detailed and the descriptions were well carried out. The big problems if there were any was that the writing style seemed to switch mid-book. The early part of the book was written a bit more "rah-rah" than the latter half, and the book suffered a little for it. Also, I feel the maps could have been better, and should have had the division sub-units movements marked.

In any case, I found it a solid work that did it's intended job well.

Patton's Third Army was made up of many great units, but few are as well known or as famous as the 4th Armored Division. This book provides a great account of the 4th's major actions (and there were many) during WWII. It also provides a great portrait of the men and officers who did the fighting.