Review (PDF) Patton's Unsung Armor Of The Ardennes
When Hitler's huge counterattack was overwhelming First U.S. Army's thin line in the Ardennes Forest in December 1944, the 10th Armored Division of Patton's Third Army secretly roared 75 miles north overnight, flung its tanks in front of the German panzers at Bastogne--and held. This book, rich with new accounts of the men who fought there, is written by one of them. It will help history catch up to the too-long-secret dimension of one division's stand which its corps commander said he doubted any armored unit in the U.S. Army could parallel. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Hardcover: 108 pages
Publisher: Xlibris (August 8, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1436338077
ISBN-13: 978-1436338073
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.4 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,778,184 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #295 in Books > History > Military > Weapons & Warfare > Conventional > Armored Vehicles #509 in Books > History > Military > Regiments
The famous defense of Bastogne by the 101st Airborne Division has become a deeply held legend in the US military. The holding of the critical road junction frustrated the German battle plan for exploiting the rupture of the American defense lines in the Ardennes region. What many people do not appreciate is that the 101st Airborne would have found Bastogne already in German hands if not for the desperate defense by the 28th Infantry Division on the front lines, by the sacrifice of part of the 9th Armored Division to slow the Germans and by part of the 10th Armored Division that held the roads in front of Bastogne long enough for the paratroopers to move in and set up an organized defense. The these elements of the 10th Armored pulled back into the Bastogne perimeter and became a mobile reserve force. The balance of the 10th Armored joined Patton's fierce counterattack to relieve Bastogne and their trapped comrades. Mr. Patterson gives a basic overall view of the battlefield and adds his personal experiences as a member of the 10th Armored. Very readable and quite an enjoyable book. Recommended for those who are WW2 buffs or enjoy reading beyond the legends.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning the real story about the Battle of Bastogne. Elements of the 10th Armored Division went into Bastogne with the 101st Airborne Division to provide them with armor and help to hold the town against repeated German assaults. This book tells that story.I knew an old gentleman personally who was a member of the 10AD and he would occasionally tell me stories of the siege and how the 10th never got due credit. One of the things that fascinated me from the Bastogne stories he told was that when the breakthrough column finally arrived, one of the first people he met was a guy from his own home town. I love listening to these old veterans and hearing little anecdotes like this about their experiences.I encourage anyone interested in WW2, The Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne, or the 10th Armored Division to get this book.
It details events told to me by my father. He was with team O'Hara at Marvie and lived. It is nice to read a chronicle where they get overdue credit. The author puts in place their contribution to the defence of Bastogne. Dec 16 is coming up, it has been 67 years since the battle begain. Not many survivors are here to remember.
I have an abiding interest in the Battle of the Bulge not just because of my life long interest in military history, but particularly because my father was in Bastogne with CCB of the Tenth Armored division. This account is detail-rich and authoritative, recounting the story of the critical role of elements of the 10th Armored division in Bastogne before the 101st airborne arrived, as well as through the rest of the battle. I was extremely pleased to find this nice little book. It's not particularly easy reading, because of the sheer amount of detail that needed to be included, but overall I consider it a gem.
I was excited when I found this book. I'm always looking for new information regarding Armored units in WWII. This is a great memoir, but only a good history if you're looking for something new. The publishers reviews make this sound like it's a detailed academic look at the Tenth Armored Division. It's not. It is a very easy to read, accurate memoir which adds some of the author's experiences to the details that are already there. At 106 pages, it's not much longer than the Osprey books. I recommend this for someone who is already aware of the role that Armored units played in stopping and reversing Hitler's Ardennes assault and the holding of Bastogne, especially if you believe the version told by the "Airborne Mafia" that it was purely by the tenacity of the Screaming Eagles! By itself, it will leave you wanting more.I absolutely am glad I got the book, but the publishers promised more than it delivers.
Overall, an informative, quick read on the 10th Armored in the Battle of the Bulge and on General George Patton. The only "new" information were the individual stories of some of the tankers and infantry, of which I never can get enough. I am surprised that the author felt that the "Tigers" had not received their due from the history books, because I became very aware of the 10th Armored desperate fights in such books as "The Bitter Woods", "Seven Roads to Hell", "Hitler's Last Offensive The Surprise German Assault The Triggered The Battle Of The Bulge", etc. Also, I was disappointed that the author focused so much on Patton's affair than on his stregths as a leader.
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