Stackpole, 2003, $19.95, ISBN: 0-8117-2911-7, 365 pgs., trade paperback

First published in English in 1992, this memoir of German tank commander Otto Carius tracks his WWII battles. It's quite an eye-opener for armor buffs written by a fellow who served 1940-45, with 1941-1944 on the Russian front.

Although he started out on a Czech-made Pz-38(t) in the 21st Pz Regt., he was switched to the Tiger tank in early 1943. His first action was around Leningrad in July 1943. This takes up only 32 pages.

The rest of the book concentrates on his Tiger actions until he was sent home wounded in late 1944. He recovered and was assigned to the 512th Hunting Tiger battalion armed with 30 of the Jagd Pz VIs. This part (pg. 33-231) offers an often fascinating account of front line action.

Some interesting points:

Fire at the AT guns first, as they are more dangerous than the tanks;

After battles, and often during them, Tigers would be sent to tow disables Tigers. Frontline strength varies between 50%-100% of TO&E (often 75%), but only because they'd tow the disabled tanks back. They only seem to have lost 1 tank in three years (?!). All the others were towed back to maintenance;

Artillery does little to Tigers, even in heaviest barrage. Infantry get obliterated, but only a direct hit will take out a tank, and it seems he only lost one that way...and you guessed it, the tank was towed back for repairs; and

Bazookas are ineffective against tanks as long as the commander operates with an open hatch and pokes his head out. Carius' battalion lost only 1 tank in 3 years to bazookas. Carius never fired any of the six anti-personnel mines attached the Tiger.

The rest of the book (p. 233-308) consists of various stats, documents, and after-nation reports, and then (pg. 309-359) various reproductions and translations of award certificates and letters Carius received--Iron Cross, Guderian letter, Assault Badges, etc. An index ends the book. There's also a section of 51 B&W photos from the author.

All told, this is an excellent book. It's filled with those nuances of combat only a veteran can tell, and gives a viewpoint of first-hand armor operations on the east and west fronts.