This series of journals takes a close-up look at elite military and law enforcement forces from around the world. Explore these elite units and their missions with atmospheric photos of their equipment and personnel. The 64 page format features colour photos throughout, plus an informative text. Each journal has bewteen 4 and 7 independent articles contributed by leading authorities. This volume contains the following articles: Screaming Eagles in Kosovo Massachusetts State Police STOP Team Sweden's Coastal Defense Elite Spanish GEO Counter-Terrorist Unit Poland's 18th Air Assault Battalion

"Of all the books on Native American service in the U.S. armed forces, this is the best.... Readers will find the story of the Comanche Code Talkers compelling, humorous, thought-provoking, and inspiring." -- Tom Holm, author of Strong Hearts, Wounded Souls: Native American Veterans of the Vietnam War

Among the allied troops that came ashore in Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, were thirteen Comanches in the 4th Infantry Division, 4th Signal Company. Under German fire they laid communications lines and began sending messages in a form never before heard in Europe-- coded Comanche. For the rest of World War II, the Comanche Code Talkers played a vital role in transmitting orders and messages in a code that was never broken by the Germans.

This book tells the full story of the Comanche Code Talkers for the first time. Drawing on interviews with all surviving members of the unit, their original training officer, and fellow soldiers, as well as military records and news accounts, William C. Meadows follows the group from their recruitment and training to their active duty in World War II and on through their postwar lives up to the present. He also provides the first comparison of Native American code talking programs, comparing the Comanche Code Talkers with their better-known Navajo counterparts in the Pacific and with other Native Americans who used their languages, coded or not, for secret communication. Meadows sets this history in a larger discussion of the development of Native American code talking in World Wars I and II, identifying two distinct forms of Native American code talking, examining the attitudes of the American military toward Native American codetalkers, and assessing the complex cultural factors that led Comanche and other Native Americans to serve their country in this way.

The true story of the most famous SAS operation in history. 'Bravo Two Zero' was the code-name of the famous SAS operation: a classic story of bravery in the face of overwhelming odds. BRAVO TWO ZERO by patrol commander 'Andy McNab' became an international bestseller, as did the book by 'Chris Ryan' (THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY). Both men became millionaires. Three members of the patrol were killed. One, veteran sergeant Vince Phillips, was blamed in both books for a succession of mistakes. As Michael Asher reveals, the stories in BRAVO TWO ZERO and THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY grew considerably in the telling. Their heroic tales of taking out tanks with their rocket launchers, mowing down hundreds of Iraqi soldiers, the silent stabbing of the occasional sentry, were never mentioned at their post-war debriefings... In an investigation literally in the footsteps of the patrol, Michael Asher tells the true story.

President George W. Bush has told all Americans that the war against terrorism would be like no other war. But what does this mean? Who will fight? How will they fight? What weapons will be used? Most informed commentators agree that the war against terrorism will be fought largely by "special forces"--that is, by a relatively new community within the American military known as Special Operations Forces, or SOF's. This new "branch" of the armed forces was created in the mid-1980s and is organized under its own unified command, called U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Consisting of special units from the other branches of the armed forces, such as Green Berets, Rangers, SEALs, and Delta Force, this new fighting command is recognized internationally as the most well-trained and well-equipped special operations force in the world. Their missions are varied--including combat terrorism, search and rescue, reconnaissance, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping duty, and conventional and unconventional warfare.Despite special forces' international reputation for excellence, Americans know little about this remarkable fighting force. "U.S. Special Forces" provides a handy and comprehensive compendium, including descriptions of the units and their operational specialties, training, and organization, as well as the equipment and technological gadgetry, weapons, armor, planes, helicopters, and support vehicles used by each unit.

Peter Wilkinson's vivid insider account of the undercover campaigns of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during the Second World War looks at the foundation and structure of the SOE, as well as his personal experience as an intelligence officer during the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the Polish Campaign of 1939. The book is a valuable contribution to the secret history of the Second World War. It concludes with an account of the SOE's hazardous attempt under the author's command to infiltrate the Third Reich from 1943-1945.

This three-volume set is unquestionably the best reference on German SS military uniforms ever produced. This spectacular work is a heavily documented record of all major clothing articles of the Waffen-SS. Hundreds of unpublished bw photos were used in production. Original and extremely rare SS uniforms of various types are carefully photographed and presented here.

The Senoi Praaq is a Malaysian special forces unit originally created in 1956 by the British colonial authorities to fight communism during the Malayan Emergency. The term Senoi Praaq, which roughly translates as war people, stems from the Semai language and is the basis of a colorful legend in Malaysia. The unit is largely comprised of non-Malay tribal peoples known collectively as the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia. Jumper details Senoi Praaq inception as a private army and its subsequent development into an affiliate of the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) in this fast paced and often graphic account of irregular warfare as it applies to counterinsurgency.

The unit began as a creature of British Military Intelligence and fought in the deep jungle as Special Air Service (SAS) proteges, eventually replacing the latter upon Malaysian independence from Great Britain. They then served as mercenaries employed by the United States Central Intelligence Agency in Vietnam and later fought on Borneo during Malaysia's own undeclared war with Indonesia. Today the unit remains under arms and heads up a large paramilitary apparatus maintained in conjunction with conventional military forces. Malaysia's capacity to project force throughout South East Asia should not be underestimated, Jumper warns. The Senoi Praaq is a unique fighting force upon which Malaysia may rely to preserve her sovereignty.

Who is Matt Cvetic? Hero? Scoundrel? Mole? The man who loosely provided the inspiration for the B-Grade cult movie I Was a Communist for the FBI had a life that was marred by alcoholism, damaged expectations, and greed.

Cvetic, at the request of the FBI, joined a Pittsburgh branch of the CPUSA in 1943. He became one of many plants in the Party during that decade and gained the nickname "Pennsylvania's most significant mole." However, because of his erratic behavior, the FBI fired him in 1950, at which time he surfaced and suddenly became a celebrity through his testimony before the HUAC hearing. Journalist Richard Rovere described Cvetic as a "kept witness," a term that fits those who "made a business of being witnesses," thereby "befouling due process."

Cvetic was the subject of a multipart series in the Saturday Evening Post. The articles bordered on fiction, but they gave Cvetic the national exposure he needed to secure a screen deal. Warner Brothers bought the story, made the movie, and enhanced Cvetic's celebrity as pop icon. In the mid-1950s, Cvetic was discredited as a witness by the courts. His career ended and he found a new niche on the Radical Right, yet he died in 1962 after years of fighting to uphold his image with the media. Today Cvetic's image is dimly remembered as he continues to fight "the Red Menace" on late-night television.

Leab juxtaposes Cvetic's real life with his reel life. He chronicles his fall from grace, yet admits that Cvetic's life offers fascinating and useful insights into the creation, merchandising, and distribution of a reckless professional witness. Leab also writes about Cvetic's life prior to his involvement with the FBI, his glory days, and shows that there is much to be learned from the story of an "anti-Communist icon."

Strike and Hold is a fast-moving memoir of T. Moffatt Burriss's extraordinary experiences as a platoon leader and company commander with the U.S. Army's 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82d Airborne Division in Europe and North Africa during World War II. Burriss and his fellow paratroopers saw combat in many of the pivotal battles of the war and quickly won a reputation as disciplined, resourceful, and highly effective assault troops. They were an almost unstoppable fighting force that earned the nickname "devils in baggy pants" from Germans who dreaded encountering them. Burriss's compelling narrative, interspersed with recollections by other men with whom he served, gives the reader a firsthand account of harrowing combat. The key battles and campaigns the author chronicles include the Allied invasion of Sicily, the landings at Salerno and the offensive up the Italian peninsula, the bloody amphibious assault at Anzio, the heroic Waal River crossing during Operation Market-Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and the break through the Siegfried Line into the heart of Germany

"Vigorous training, hazardous duty." These were the words that lured prospective volunteers to the First Special Service Force, and that promised, for those who measured up, the chance of getting into the war quickly. Unique during World War II, the First Special Service Force evolved as the amalgam of two Armies, Canadian and American, and the men who filled its ranks were among the hand-picked best from throughout North America. Their diverse and intensive training took them from the dust-covered prairies of Montana, to the bitterly-cold peaks of the Great Divide, to the waters of Chesapeake Bay. Their skillfulness, their remarkable esprit de corps, and their legendary endurance saw them through tough combat missions in both the Asiatic-Pacific and the European Theaters of operation. The Supercommandos chronicles the organization, training, and combat operations of the First Special Service Force during its brief but exhilarating history. Accompanying the broad text are nearly 400 black and white images, most unpublished, including a photo-essay by renowned combat photographer, Robert Capa. As well, there are more than forty extraordinary full-color wartime images of the Force both in training and in the combat zone. Beautifully rendered full-color maps, highly detailed Order of Battle graphics, charts, and numerous facsimiles of noteworthy original Force documents are also included. Completing this volume are over eighty full-color images of exceptionally rare, authentic First Special Service Force uniforms, insignia, weapons and equipment. The Supercommandos offers an unparalleled view of one of the world's all-time military elites, and will prove to be an invaluable resource for any collector, reenactor, veteran, or historian.

The evolution of elite personal protection units--also known as close protection units--within the former Soviet Union is one of the least examined, yet crucial political developments in this region. Due to the often-violent environment in which the political leaders of this region now operate, the need for these special military units is obvious. This study examines the similarities between these the current units and those of the Soviet past and finds that, in spite of the highly unstable nature of politics in post-communist Russia, these elite units have not intervened to the degree that many might have expected. They have, however, played a significant political role throughout the region.

These close protection forces may very well determine the success or failure of the democratization process now underway. On the other hand, establishing a Praetorian Guard within the very walls of the Kremlin may in itself portend an end to democracy. Ultimately, a complete understanding of future politics in the former Soviet Union is impossible without acknowledging the role that these modern Praetorians play in the civil-military balance.

This fast-moving memoir of T. Moffatt Burriss shows his extraordinary role as a platoon leader and company commander with the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Europe and North Africa during World War II. He saw a great deal of combat on Sicily, at Salerno, on Anzio Beach, in Holland during Operation Market Garden, and during the drive into Germany. This book portrays World War II as seen vividly through the eyes of the young American citizen-soldier.

This work offers a history of the Special Operations which preceded and followed the Nazi invasion of France in 1940, and the work done by the Special Forces sent into France under cover by the Allies during the Occupation. The book details the intelligence missions, the work of the Resistance, including a record of the Combats de l'Ombre which harassed the enemy forces during the Occupation. The famous Allied secret services of World War II, the British SOE, the American OSS and the French BCRA. Based on interviews with actual participants who lent their first had memories and original documents, the book features the men and women, the operations and the strategy of the Special Operations.

"
"With their renowned squadron leader Greg "Pappy" Boyington, Marine Fighting Squadron (VMF) 214 was one of the best-known and most colorful combat units of World War II. The popular television series "Baa Baa Black Sheep" added to their legend--while obscuring the truly remarkable combat record of the Black Sheep and Boyington. A retired naval flight officer and former historian for the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, Bruce Gamble provides a highly readable account that serves to both correct and extend the record of this premier fighting force.
"

"

"From the Paperback edition."

Ever since Charles Whitman gunned down over a dozen innocent people in 1966 from his perch atop the University of Texas clock tower, "SWAT team" has become a household word. In this compelling book, police veteran Robert L. Snow takes us into the midst of the nation's heroic SWAT teams, allowing us to eavesdrop on harrowing negotiations between killers and cops. He gives us a balanced look at what SWAT teams do right and what they do wrong and recommends ways to improve their tactics in future hostage situations. While he gives no-holds-barred analyses of such dire failures as Waco, he also celebrates SWAT's greatest triumphs--thousands of incidents in which no one was hurt. No policeman or citizen can afford to miss this harrowing yet hopeful look at society's main weapon against sudden terror.

" Smedley Butler's life and career epitomize the contradictory nature of American military policy through the first part of this century. Butler won renown as a Marine battlefield hero, campaigning in most of America's foreign military expeditions from 1898 to the late 1920s. He became the leading national advocate for paramilitary police reform. Upon his retirement, however, he renounced war and imperialism and devoted his energy and prestige to various dissident and leftist political causes.

In this second installment in the Warfighters series, author/photographers Rich Llinares and Chuck Lloyd provide an in-depth look at the United States Marine Corps aviation organization and its specialized training unit the Marine Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1). The squadron, located at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, trains both fixed and rotary wind aircrews in the "Six Functions of Marine Ari." Twice a year, the fines aviators in the Marine Corps attend the intense WEapons and Tactics Insturctor (WTI) course under the direction of some of the best pilots in the world. Take to the skies over the Arizona desert in the Marines most advanced aircraft. Join the amazing AV-8B Harrier vertical short/takeoff and landing jet as it conducts close air support missions in support of Marine ground troops. Strap in to the advanced F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter on deep strike escort missions with EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare jets. Join the crews of the rugged KC-130 Hercules while they conduct demanding low altitude aerial refueling missions. Marine aviation is more than just fast jets; over half the Corps aircraft are helicopters. Fly in the massive CH-53 Stallion helicopter on air combat maneuvering training missions against the Marine Corps dedicated adversary tactics squadron, the Snipers in their nimble F-5E Tiger II jets. Get down low in the weeds with Marine CH-46E and UH-1N helicopters as they conduct assault support missions with the devastating AH-1W Cobra gunship. Through extensive research, and access to many of the key personnel, both past and present, the authors tell the complete story of Marine aviation and how it serves America\s 911 force - the U.S. Marine Corps. In rich detailed text and spectacular full color photos the history of this amazing military organization is described along with its force structure and air wings. Hear directly from the Marines who planned and executed the daring rescue of USAF Captain Scott O\Grady from war torn Bosnia. Take a first hand look at how the unique MAWTS-1 unit teaches Marine airmen to be experts in their aircraft and missions. Warfighters 2 also contains a first hand look at the unique HMX-1 squadron which fulfills a number of key requirements from flying the President to conducting the operations test and evaluation of all rotary aircraft flown in the Marine Corps. Each of the aircraft operated by the Marines are examined through words and pictures. Join the aviation combat element of the few, the proud, the Marines - the first to fight the last to leave.

The United States Marine Corps is America's best-known military unit, and perhaps the most famous in the world. It is the nation's oldest unit, as far as recognition by Congress goes, and has been almost continually engaged in active operations for all its existence, when other branches of service were on peacetime status.Such a long and varied service, and the type of personnel required for such an elite unit, have produced a trove of lore and legendary unparalleled in the world. Albert A. Nofi, the leading force behind Combined Books' acclaimed "Civil War Book of Lists," has taken on the task of producing a definitive compendium of Marine Corps facts and statistics.The Corps' long history is well-represented, with such lists as Greatest Battles, Medal of Honor Winners, Commandants, Marines in American Wars, Greatest Foes, Foreign Marine Corps, Confederate Marines, Marines in Congress, Marines in Space, and numerous others. A sharp focus is maintained on the present as well, since the book is also intended for those currently involved with the military. Current Marine units, bases, schools, orders of dress, traditions and specialized vocabulary are given complete coverage."United States Marine Corps Book of Lists" will prove to be of equal interest to military history buffs and those currently involved in military affairs.Albert A. Nofi has a Ph.D. in Military History from the City University of New York and was associate editor for many years of the ground-breaking military journal "Strategy and Tactics." He was a founder of wargaming, the conflict simulation system used both by hobbyists and military planners. Dr. Nofi has written numerous books and articles on military history andwas a news media military commentator during the Persian Gulf War. He is also the author of "The Gettysburg Campaign" and "The Waterloo Campaign."

Special operations, though most commonly associated with the period from the Second World War to the present, have played a key role throughout the history of conflict from the Trojan War to the great arms struggles of the 20th century. This volume introduces the reader to the broad sweep of the history of special operations, and also includes several excerpts from the classic literature on the subject. Contents: Origins: Robert Graves, 'The Wooden Horse', 'The Sack of Troy'; Raiding in the Age of Sail: G.M. Thomson, 'The Damage Done by this Corsair', 'The Wind Commands Me Away'; Ian Grimble, 'The Imp,^Rrieuse'; The Early American Tradition: Kenneth Roberts, 'The Raid on St. Francis'; Fred Cook, 'Struggle for the South'; R.E. Dupuy and W.H. Baumer, 'Wars With the Barbary Pirates'; 19th Century Colonial Warfare; Leo Tolstoy, The Raid; Wyatt Blassingame, 'How the Legion Began', 'The Legion Fights in Algeria'; The Civil War: Archer Hines, 'Military Means, Political Ends'; Bruce Catton, 'Total War and an Election'; World War I: Lowell Thomas, 'Trapped by a G-Ship..'; T.E. Lawrence, 'The Raid Upon the Bridges'; World War II in Western Europe and North Africa: Cajus Bekker, 'The Coup de Main at Eben Emael', 'The Blood-Bath of Crete'; Paul Carell, 'A British Commando Attempt to Capture Rommel', 'The British Raid on Tobruk', 'Brandenburgers in Action Behind the Front'; John Lodwick, Raiders from the Sea, Chapters 16-18; The Pacific War: Walter Lord, 'A Very Private War';Ronald Spector, 'The Road to Myitkyina'; Milton E. Miles, 'Chinese Pirates and the SACO Dragon'; Algeria, Round II: Jean Lart,^Rguy, 'The Leap of Leucadia'; The Ultimate Rescue: Chaim Herzog, 'Entebbe'; Bibliography; Index.

From Thermopylae to Belfast, elite military formations have been deployed against conventional or irregular forces. This study offers a superb analysis of elites in military history. A collection of brilliant studies by distinguished scholars, it illuminates, through a combination of overview and case study, a historical subject that has profound implications for the development of specialized forces in the post-Cold War Era. The study uses a comparative approach which investigates the topic over time and across culture.

The first detailed account in English of the battle that defined the elite unit's fidelity to the mission. The battle was fought at Camerone, some 40 miles west of Vera Cruz, Mexico, on April 30, 1863; the opponents were the half-strength 3d Company, 1st Battalion, of the Legion opposed by more than 2,000 Mexican regulars and guerrillas. After several fights against the Mexican lancers just beyond the deserted La Trinidad Hacienda at Camerone, the 3d took cover behind the old walls of the hacienda. There, for ten hours the Legion withstands repeated assaults from a Mexican force that grew to more than 2,000 men. Finally, the surviving officer and four men of the 3d charge into the midst of the massed "juaristaS." The officer is mortally wounded, two men are killed, the other two captured. The Legion has never regarded Camerone as a defeat but rather as the prime example of fidelity to the mission. Annually, on April 30, Legion units, whether in peace or war, commemorate the gallantry of the 3d of the 1st.

The Operational Groups (OGs) are the "unsung heroes" of the OSS, and this story is about the Norwegian OGs, who operated deep behind enemy lines in France in 1944, and in Norway, China, and Indochina in 1945. OGs were the "Infantry of the OSS." They were uniformed military personnel designed as hard-hitting units trained to operate deep behind enemy lines to conduct sabotage upon Axis forces. The OGs were trained in parachuting, demolitions, weaponry, commando tactics, communications, amphibious warfare, and skiing.

David and Mady Segal analyze the adaptation of American soldiers assigned to the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Desert in support of the Camp David Accords, in the context of the evolution of multinational peacekeeping forces as mechanisms for achieving international security. The reactions of soldiers and their wives to the peacekeeping assignment are considered from the perspective of the social construction of reality, in which the role of the military has been defined as war-fighting. The press has ignored peacekeeping until very recently, and it falls to military organizations, to soldiers and their families, to make sense of the mission. Lessons learned from the Sinai MFO experience should be used to help U.S. troops better prepare for their increasing role in multinational peacekeeping.

The nexus of this study lies in the recollections of 146 Women Reservists who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and who were surveyed by Peter Soderbergh in 1990 and 1991. Soderbergh's purposes were (1) to gather primary data before it was lost; (2) to cast the women's experiences in the social context of their time; (3) to contrast the role of women in the armed forces of the 1940s with the role they play today; (4) to give these female pioneers a voice that speaks to current generations about values, relationships with male counterparts, patriotism, and competence; and (5) to provide a yardstick with which we may measure how much, if any, progress women have made in our patriarchal society over the past half-century. His study provides a social chronicle of a little-studied facet of U.S. military and women's history. The basic purpose of the book is to pay tribute to the women of the World War II generation who were courageous enough to join the newly created military auxiliaries. It is the only study of its kind done on Women Reservists in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. There have been official histories written by female Marine officers, but this is the first social history. The oral histories of these women add a dimension to our understanding of what life was like for Women Reservists. These women, most of them now in their seventies, come alive as they share their experiences openly, express their feelings candidly, and remember the good war vividly. The book inccludes many vintage photographs from the 1943-1946 period. Women who have or are serving in the military and their families, those interested in women's studies, and students of the military will be especially interested in this volume.

How have the U.S. Army Rangers acted as special operations forces in military operations since 1942? Hogan's study examines the nature and purpose of the Rangers over the past fifty years and shows how they have served as scouts, raiders, assault troops, and elite infantry. They have spearheaded amphibious landings, raided enemy prison camps, patrolled behind enemy lines in Korea, served alongside Green Berets in Vietnam, and carried out special missions in Grenada. Professional officers, military historians, students, and general readers will find this a fascinating history. This analytical account opens with a short description of the origins of the Ranger legend in America and then moves to a discussion of their use in World War II, as commandos in 1942, then as spearheaders in 1943 and 1944, as line infantry in Europe and as special operations forces in the Pacific. This provocative assessment also traces the development of Ranger raider units in Korea, the special training and use of Green Berets as Rangers in Vietnam, and the shifting of Ranger roles into more complex and varied types of operations in Vietnam and Grenada and in a world of increasing terrorism and changing combat situations. Illustrations, maps, and a lengthy bibliography add to the usefulness of the study.