Customer Reviews

The View from the Turret: The 743rd Battalion During World War II

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My father was the driver of a tank destroyer under General Patton, so I have a great affinity for, and admiration of, the men who fought in tanks. This work is an excellent example of the history of one unit from Omaha Beach to V-E day. There are enough first person quotes to show the authenticity of the record, and the writing, though a bit stiff at times, reveals an exciting tale of action, heroism, danger and death. I know that the author has done his research well, for he states that many tankers suffered hearing loss due to their proximity to the large tank weapons going off in the confined space of a tank. That's absolutely true, for my father had a significant hearing loss in his right ear, which was the ear closest to the turret gun of his tank destroyer. If tanks are your thing, or if you just like to read a good small unit history from WW II, I highly recomment this book.

I had spent hours talking with 743rd Vets over the years and I enjoyed reading some of the stories I hadn't herd. This is a book about the "everyday" soldiers who didn't get the headlines and were doing the tough job winning the war despite the shortcomings of the M4 Sherman Tank. They overcame and adapted to defeat an entrenched tough enemy.