HISTORIE & COLLECTION

Spearheading D-Day: American Special Units, 6 June, 1944
by Jonathan Gawne - Hardback

The invasion of Normandy is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated military events of the 20th century. However, many of the smaller units that played important roles have been forgotten or ignored, with the result that many unconfirmed or erroneous myths about the American landings have been repeated in popular books. In "Spearheading D-Day," military historian Jonathan Gawne examines the US landings at Omaha and Utah with an eye to what other writers have ignored. Utilizing the original military records and extensive veteran interviews, this book covers such diverse topics as how the invasion tactics were developed, the organization of the units involved, as well as the uniforms and equipment of the assault troops.

For the first time, both Navy officers directly involved with the first waves at Utah Beach speak out on what actually caused the misdirection of the Utah landings. The harrowing experiences of the advance demolition teams on Omaha are described, as well as the daunting tasks of US engineers, frogrmen, pathfinders and Rangers. Heavily illustrated, the emphasis of "Spearheading D-Day" has been placed on little-known photos, including a selection of rarely seen color stills taken from Coast Guard movies of the Normandy invasion.

Another discription:
Although volumes have been written about the invasion of Normandy, very little has ever been printed on the specialized units that were developed specifically for the landings. Jonathan Gawne, the well-known American military historian specializing in the development of uniforms for the US Army, tells the story of these units, and how they fit into the overall invasion plan. Spearheading D-Day examines each unit for not only its mission in the landings, but also its organization, uniforms, insignia and equipment.