4th Armored Division in World War II (Spearhead) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is an Osprey look-alike. It has the same dimensions and a somewhat similar format of a Campaign but with 128 pages. Those extra 32 pages provides fuller profiles of key officers, more maps, more photos, a little bit more operational dialog and a detailed organizational chart. In "Origins" the activation, training and pre-war history of the division in the US is explained. Generals Patton and Wood are introduced as well and they will be prominent throughout much of the book. It also shows the Division insignia and markings as well as clothing and personal weapons. Besides talking about the 4th AD, artillery, cavalry reconnaissance and tank destroyers are briefly covered. Personalities discussed include Baird, Wood, Hoge, Clarke, Irzyk, Gaffey, Abrams and Patton. The three Medal of Honor recipients are also discussed.
The 4th AD missed the Normandy landings but it did come ashore in mid July and took part in Operation Cobra that led to Brittany and the race to the Seine. The significant engagements driving through France are described. The key objectives in southern Brittany like Rennes, Lorient, Nantes are tasked for the 4th AD. Avranches, Troyes, Nancy and Singling are also other engagements that are also covered before the Ardennes Offensive begins. Also, the tortuous 150 mile drive north through Belgium to relieve Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge is prominent. The crossing of the German border, racing east toward the Elbe and finally its drive into Czechoslovakia at war's end completes the battle history.
The battle history is good but not as comprehensive as hoped for. The detail level is sufficient to satisfy the casual reader but experienced readers will want more. The many photos were good but if you've read a lot of US Armored history or specifically the 4th AD then you will have seen some of these photos. There are eleven colored 2-D maps. The maps have good eye appeal and are helpful but some of them could've shown greater detail.
The last chapter, "Assessment" is five pages long and does a nice job of summarizing the Campaigns the division was in as well as casualties both suffered and inflicted. The 4th Armored Division received praise from other US divisions as well as the French and even the Germans. It was one of the Elite divisions in the US Army and anyone who is interested in armor or armor tactics in all its facets would do well on reading about this division.
The book also provides a suggested reading list and a few websites to visit if you want to learn more. "Patton's Vanguard" by Don M Fox is on this list and comes highly recommended if a more robust study is desired.
As a primer this book will give a new or casual student a good start but if you want to go deeper into the division's history then one of the books on the list will be necessary.

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