The US Army in World War II (2): The Mediterranean, Men at Arms 347, Osprey

It was the Mediterranean theatre which saw the blooding of the US Army against the German Wehrmacht, in North Africa in winter 1943/44. After this rough education the US forces pressed on to Sicily, the South of France and the Italian mainland. Here, faced by difficult terrain , they and their British Commonwealth allies fought a long campaign until VE-Day.

This second of a series of three MAA titles covers the uniforms worn on these fronts, including US Army cold weather, airborne and tankers' gear; some particularly interesting and important units, including mountain, Japanese-American and African-American troops; and a variety of crew-served weapons. Men-at-Arms 342, 347 and 350 are also available as a single volume special edition as ‘The US Army in World War II'.

Contents: 

INTRODUCTION

UNIFORMS

• Cold weather clothing overcoat
• 'tanker's' jacket and trousers
• mountain troops' uniforms
• airborne troops' uniforms
• M1943 combat uniform

ORGANISATION

• Heavy armored division
• light armored division
• airborne division
• 1st Special Service Force
• 10th Mountain Division
• 1st Airborne Task Force
• ethnic troops: Nisei
• African-American troops
• 1942 pay scale
• radios

CREW-SERVED WEAPONS

• Machine guns
• bazookas
• recoilless rifles
• mortars

VEHICLES

• Jeep
• trucks
• scout cars
• halftracks

MEDITERRANEAN THEATRE CAMPAIGN SUMMARY

DIVISIONAL CAMPAIGN SERVICE & SHOULDER PATCHES

THE PLATES

• NCOs' rank insignia
• medals for valour
• Combat Infantryman's Badge
• gasmasks

Author: Mark Henry