The Fall of Fortress Europe: From the Battle of the Bulge to the Crossing of the Rhine
Greenhill Books, 72 pages, 1999, 1-85367-379-X, trade paperback, $12
GI Series

Another in the wonderful GI series for the uniform buff tackles late WWII US Infantry. The usual plethora of photos (16 in color and 101 in black and white) shows all the variations--authorized and unauthorized. The captions pick out the details, explain uses, and offer other analysis of jackets, pants, belts, boots, headgear and more.

Of particular interest are the adaptations used by US soldiers, including captured German equipment and British attire. One particular photo, of a Tank Destroyer crew of the 3rd Armored Division, shows a combination of raincoats, overcoats, and winter combat jackets. Of note, is the preference for M1 steel helmets instead of the issued armored forces helmet.

Specialist Units, including paratroopers, engineers, mine clearing teams, naval crew, and even some Soviets are included. It's a nice cross-section.

A four-page overview of operations is competently presented. All in all, it's another quality booklet in the GI Series.

Sample Pages: The Fall of Fortress Europe

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