Premium Reference Books and Unit Histories

An ORIGINAL 1908-1910 COLT Firearms Cash Ledger

This is a unique book, as it was the Cash ledger for the company for the fiscal years June 1908 to June 1910. This was a significant period in the company's history as the 1911 pistol was in development and government contracts as well as suppliers were recorded.

The book is sewn, heavy leather bound and the pages are machine numbered 1 to 500.  Entries start at page 1 and end at page 499.

• Front Cover

• Back Cover

• Sample detail Pages 1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5

This is an invaluable reference if you are a historian of the COLT P.F.A. Mfg. Co.

The condition is good to near very good, as shown.  This book has signs of considerable use, with bumped corners, wear to the cover boards, soiling and wear and tear on the leather covers.  The contents are in near very good readable condition.  The ink is faded from exposure to humidity and moisture.  Some pages are stuck together but can be separated without damage to content. The entries are written in a very clear script hand and are not difficult to decipher for the most part.  There are the usual cryptic accounting notations.

It measures 17-1/2 x 13 inches.  There are 499 pages of text content (some pages are left intentionally blank when accounting practices didn't require supplemental data to be present).

This is a very intriguing book, especially in the light of the historical nature of this famed American corporation.

An ORIGINAL 1945 New York Times BOUND Newspaper Set

This is a very hard to find book, as it contains in one binding the complete month of the most dangerous fighting on Iwo Jima and other events of significance from the 30 day period from February 18, 1945 through 19 March, 1945.

The book is sewn, heavy pasteboard paper cover bound with cloth spine cover and corners. The entire contents of each day's paper is present including the advertising copy and classified sections. Sunday edition special photo essay inserts are also bound in. There are a number of the famous AP photographer Joe Rosenthal photographs with accompanying news stories of the day.

• Spine Label Top

• Spine Label Bottom

• Sample detail Pages 1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 6 -- 7 -- 8 -- 9

This is an invaluable reference if you are a historian of the Battle of Iwo Jima or other events of this particular time frame.

The condition is very good to near excellent, as shown. This book has signs of considerable use, with slightly bumped corners, wear to the cover boards, soiling and wear on the covers.  The contents are in near very good readable condition.

It measures 17-1/2 x 23 inches.  There are approximately 500 pages of content (some pages are left intentionally blank). It is over 3-1/2 inches thick.

This is a very intriguing book, especially in the light of the historical nature of this period in time.

This is a rare set (two of an original three volumes) of the classic Erotica Reference Books of the Works of Jean de Bosschère (1st 1929 English Translation)

This set was published by Covici-Friede of New York in 1929 as the first English Translation of All of the Extant Works of Francois Rabelais by Samuel Putnam and illustrated by Jean De Bosschère. There are many colorful lithographs as well as some black & white illustrations attributed to Francois Rabelais.

There is some minor staining to the covers, but it does not affect any of the artistic content or text pages. Every page and illustration in these 11 inch by 13-1/4 inch books is in near perfect condition and the bindings are very strong. There originally were three volumes to this set, however only Volume One and Volume Two remain. The publication run was limited to 1300 printings and these two books are numbered "10".

François Rabelais  (c. 1494 - April 9, 1553) was the son of a French lawyer. He was a major French Renaissance writer, doctor and humanist. He is regarded as an avant-garde writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, dirty jokes and bawdy songs.

Jean de Bosschère, Illustrator was a poet, painter, illustrator, novelist, essayist, art historian /critic: this lengthy and far from exhaustive list of labels for the creative identities of Jean de Bosschère tells of multiple interests, marshaled in a lifelong pursuit of evocative emotion. One facet of Bosschère’s particular genius stands out for anyone who studies this strange and affecting figure closely: his lifelong quest to marry word and image.

• Spines

• Front cover

• Title Page and Frontispiece (Vol I)

• Publication data (Vol I)

• Sample detail pages (Vol I) 1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 6 -- 7

• Title Page and Frontispiece (Vol II)

• Frontispiece Detail (Vol II)

• Sample detail pages (Vol II) 1 -- 2 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 -- 6 -- 7 -- 8 -- 9

This is an invaluable reference if you are a collector of early 16th Century or Renaissance era erotica.

The condition is apparent in the many images provided.

This is a very rare book titled The United States Album Embellished with the Arms of Each State and other Appropriate Engravings containing the Autographs of the President and Cabinet, the 28th Congress, Supreme Court, Ministers, and other Officers of Government.

This set was arranged and designed by J. Franklin Reigart of Lancaster City, Pennsylvania in 1844 with engravings by P. S. Duval, Philadelphia. There are many fantastic original engravings as well as a facsimile of the Declaration of Independence including the signatures of the Signers. The complete Constitution of the United States and Bill of Rights (numbering 12 Amendments in 1844) text is also included.

There is some minor to moderate wear to the gilt embossed leather covers, but it does not affect any of the artistic content or text pages. The front cover shows a depiction of the Capitol as it appeared in 1844 and the rear cover has "The President's House" (White House), also embossed in gilt. Every engraving in this 8 inch by 10-1/4 inch books is in near excellent condition and the binding is strong and tight. The first 2/3 of the book has the engravings and text, the remainder of the book is blank pages. A couple of the pages have period notations, one is dated October 16, 1864.

• Rear Cover

• Title Page

• Publication Data

• Declaration of Independence

• Representative Autographs

  • President Tyler
  • House
  • Ministers
  • Territories
  • Supreme Court
  • Virginia

This is an invaluable reference if you are a collector of early 19th Century pre-Civil War autographs.

The condition is apparent in the many images provided. There is some minor to moderate foxing to the interior pages from age.

This is an early cloth covered two volume set with gilt, silver, black and red on blue covers. There is a large folded map in a pocket at the back of Volume 2. It is fragile, but intact

The title is THREE YEARS OF ARCTIC SERVICE: An Account of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition of 1881-1884 and the Attainment of the Farthest North. by ADOLPHUS W. GREELEY Lieutenant US Army, Commanding the Expedition. With Nearly One Hundred Illustrations Made From Photographs Taken By the Party, and With the Official Maps and Charts.

The technical specifications are 2 volumes. First edition (Editorial Copy). 2 frontispieces with 42 full page plates (several folded), 81 text illustrations, 8 maps, 1 large unattached folded map in rear pocket. 8vo, blue pictorial cloth boards embossed in gold, silver, red and black. V1 xxvi, 428; V2 xiv, 444 with index.

The title pages of both volumes are quill pen annotated with "Editorial Copy -- With Compliments of Charles Scribners Sons" Volume 1 Volume 2  The copyright dates are shown as 1895 on Vol 1 and Vol 2

This particular book regards the actions of one of early tragic events in the history of polar exploration. Only six members of the expedition survived. The story is related in the first person, told by Lieutenant Greely with supporting text from the diaries of Lieutenant. Lockwood and Sergeant Brainard.

There are a number of engravings from original sketches, photos, and drawings from this U.S. Army expedition that was sent to establish a scientific observation post at Lady Franklin Bay (just north of the 81st parallel). They actually reached 83°24' by advancing along the coast of Greenland, breaking the English record by 4 miles. The high number of fatalities was a clear indication of the extreme difficulty of reaching the North Pole.

The condition is generally good to very good. with some rubbing wear present on the heavy cloth covered boards. The boards are detaching from the binding at all gutters. The corners are bumped and worn, as is the top and bottom of the spine covers. The contents are intact and remain bound throughout. The map is in complete and intact condition, with some foxing on the reverse side and minor yellowing to the exposed surfaces. There is very little foxing on the pages.

This set was originally part of the Henry Watterson Memorial Collection. Watterson was a 19th century journalist and received this set from the publisher for review. There are library markings on the title pages, and accession numbers in the usual places. This set was removed from service as excess.

It measures 9 by 13-1/2 inches.

An ORIGINAL 1923 Edition The Book of the American Indian by Hamlin Garland with Many Drawings by Frederic Remington Some in Color Unit History in original shipping sleeve and dust jacket.

This is a very rare 1923 First Year Edition of this work. It is in exceptional condition, having been stored in its original pasteboard sleeve case. It is unlikely you'll find a cleaner or tighter copy of this particular book.

The book is profusely illustrated with a number of illustrations from several noted artists of the Old West, notably Frederic Remington and others.

• Sleeve

• Title Page

• Table of Contents

• Table of Illustrations

• 1923 Copyright

• Detail Page 1

• Detail Page 2

• Detail Page 3

This is an invaluable reference if you are a historian of the Native American or appreciate the artworks of noted artists of the turn of the century.

The condition of the book is near mint, as shown.  The sleeve has some significant wear and tear, however the sleeve did its job protecting the contents in nearly mint condition. The only significant flaw to the book is a 1 inch tear (virtually invisible) on the front just to the left of the title.

The publisher's custom made sleeve measures 9-1/2 x 13 inches, and has a Frederic Remington rendering on the face with the title data.  There are 276 pages of text and illustration content.

An ORIGINAL April 1940 (Anno XVIII) 1st Edition Legione di Roma in Terra Iberica Legions of Rome in Spain Italian Spanish Civil War Unit History.

This is a very rare 1940 First Edition of this work.  It was formerly in the Library of Congress and disposed as a surplus duplicate copy. It has the original Library of Congress book plate, acquisition stamp (dated 3 May 1945), perforated LC embossings on the title page and page 99, and the surplus disposal stamp.

The book is profusely illustrated with a number of illustrations from photographs and original combat art prints and detailed narrative descriptions of the various Legions of Rome active during the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939.

• Foreword

• Preface

• Table of Contents 1

• Table of Contents 2

• Mussolini portrait

• Detail Page 1

• Detail Page 2

• Detail Page 3

This is an invaluable reference if you are a historian of the Italian military or the Spanish Civil War.

The condition is near very good, as shown.  This book has signs of moderate use, with bumped corners, wear to the cover boards and some looseness in the binding.  The gutters are intact and not split (unusual for this very large oversized book).  The contents are in very good to near excellent condition.

It measures 9-1/2 x 13-1/2 inches.  There are 314 pages of text content and an additional 30 pages (Roman numbered) of front matter. There are about 6 colored one-sided unnumbered pages of combat art prints.

This is a very well presented book, with coarse weave cloth (linen) in Spanish colors.

An ORIGINAL 1920 1st Edition The Stars and Stripes: The Complete File of The Stars and Stripes The Official Newspaper of the American Expeditionary Forces Printed in France From February 8th 1918 to June 13th 1919 Unit History.

This is a fairly rare 1920 First Edition First Printing of the landmark newspaper that served to inform and entertain the members of the AEF in France.

The book is profusely illustrated with a number of photographs, many articles and news from the front and abroad. All period advertising and pages are set just as originally printed.

• Copyright Title Page

• Page 1

This is an invaluable reference if you are a historian of World War I.

The condition is near very good, as shown.  This book has signs of moderate use, with bumped corners, torn gutters, wear to the cover boards and moderate soiling on the cloth covers.  The contents are in near excellent condition. however it was printed on newsprint and reasonable care in handling is necessary to avoid tearing fragile pages.  The content is readable and complete throughout.  The last page has a minor tear at the lower corner that does not affect content.

The paper was printed weekly, each issue having 8 pages.  This book has Volume 1, Number 1 through Volume 1, Number 52 and Volume 2, Number 1 through Volume 2 Number 19, which was the entire printing run of 71 weeks.

This is the A.E.F. Publishing Association, Minneapolis printed edition which is harder to find in very good to near excellent condition than the more commonly available Washington National Tribune edition.

It measures 24 x 18 inches.  There are 568 pages of newspaper content and some front matter additional content.

An ORIGINAL 1965 1st Edition Fighting the Flying Circus by Captain Eddie V. Rickenbacker Unit History.

This is a fairly rare First Edition of the landmark book which is a fascinating account of the most prolific ace in US aviation history, recording 26 confirmed kills in approximately 6 months of active combat flight time, a feat that has not been met or exceeded to this day.  Captain Rickenbacker was the recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions in shooting down two planes in one sortie

The book is illustrated with a number of photographs from the International of aviators and their aircraft during WWI.

The condition is near very good, as shown.  This book has signs of light use, with virtually no wear to the cover boards and original plastic covered dust cover.  The contents are in near excellent condition.

The book is signed and dated 1918/1965 and dedicated as shown. Also included in this lot is one of Captain Rickenbacker's early calling cards with his Rockefeller Center address and NYC letter code phone exchange phone number (pre-1965).

It measures 8-3/4 x 5-3/4 inches.  There are 296 pages of text content and an additional 8 pages (unnumbered) of photographs with captions.

An ORIGINAL 1957 1st Edition British Aeroplanes: 1914-1918 by J. M. Bruce Unit History.

This is a fairly rare 1967 First Edition of the definitive reference work on the aircraft used by British forces during WWI.  There are hundreds of makes and models listed, pictured, and detailed in text, as well as the Allied and German Empire planes they engaged during the war.

This massive book is profusely illustrated with hundreds of photographs from the a variety of period references.

• Title Page

• Sample photo page

• Sample text and table page

This is an invaluable reference if you are a historian of the aviation and aerial warfare during the formative years of powered flight.

The condition is near excellent, as shown.  This book has signs of very slight use.  The contents are in near excellent condition.

It measures 9 x 11-1/4 inches.  There are 742 pages of text and photographic content.

An ORIGINAL 1932 1st Edition I Saw Hitler! by Dorothy Thompson Unit History.

This is a fairly rare 1932 First Edition of her landmark book which ridiculed Hitler and his posturing for power by one of the premier journalists of the era.  Hitler was so infuriated with her that he ordered her expelled from Germany with only 24 hours notice in 1934.  She later married author Sinclair Lewis, and was a radio commentator (very unusual for a woman in those early days).

The book is profusely illustrated with a number of photographs from the International News Pictures service.

• Copyright Title Page

• Page 1

• Sample detail

This is an invaluable reference if you are a historian of the Third Reich.

The condition is near very good, as shown.  This book has signs of moderate use, with bumped corners, wear to the cover boards and soiling on the cloth covers.  The contents are in near excellent condition.

It measures 8-1/4 x 5-1/2 inches.  There are 36 pages of text content and an additional 75 pages (unnumbered) of photographs she captions with her own style of narration.

This is a very intriguing book, especially in the light of history.  Some of her speculation is eerily prescient, and she completely misses the mark on some of her predictions.

This is the last one of the great barber catalogs before the Stock Market crash of October, 1929.  The produc tion quality is outstanding throughout with sixteen pages of literally breath-taking brilliant color plates, and nearly 100 illustrations on 156 hard milled glossy heavy stock pages.

Some typical items offered are:

• Hydraulic barber chair oil to wall clocks
• Enamel and Electric signs (color)
• Revolving and non-revolving barber poles (color)
• Streamline Mirror and Art Deco Tile Barber Stations (color)
• Column and Art Deco pedestal hydraulic barber chairs (color)
• Electric Globes and window signage (color)
• Razor Strops (Russian Eagle, Horse Hide, Chamois Shell, etc)
• Shaving mugs with Fraternal and Society Designs
• Electric Massage Vibrators
• Vibrator Accessories

This is the title page, showing the 1929 date and catalog number.

The price list shows the (1929) price of every item and it is well-indexed and cross-referenced.  A couple of pages of detail are shown here and here.

The condition is near excellent with some slight wear present on the heavy cloth spine cover.

It measures 9 by 12 inches.

This is a scarce book detailing the history of NBC in context to WWII from the 1930s to the (then) present, 1944.

The title refers to the Fourth Chime (G-E-C-C), used in wartime and times of emergency by NBC in lieu of the usual three-note "G-E-C" familiar to almost everyone. There is some speculation about the significance of the notes, the most prevalent being that the G-E-C was a subliminal reference to General Electric Company (Corporation), the parent of NBC at the time.

This is the title page, showing the 1944 date and NBC logo.

An indication of the subject matter is shown in the table of contents.

The condition is near excellent with some minor wear present on the heavy red cloth spine cover.

It measures 8-1/2 by 11-1/4 inches.

This is a very scarce book with instructional text, photographs, sheet music, and detailed specifics regarding the study and learning of classical dance forms (primarily ballet).

The history of Vera Caspary and her various forays into writing fiction and non-fiction before and during the Great Depression and her ties to the Communist Party in the US and connection to the party (which she had rejected after having issues with the secrecy and philosophy) nevertheless caused her grief in later years. 

After her graduation from high school in 1917, her father enrolled her in a six month course in a business college. By January 1918, Caspary found herself working as a stenographer. Caspary went through a string of menial office jobs, looking for one where she could write instead of taking dictation from people with bad grammar. While working at an advertising agency composing copy, she invented the fictitious "Chicago School of Classic Dancing", a mail order dance course -- of which this appears to be the complete manual.

This is the title page, showing the 1922 date and First Edition printing.

An indication of the subject matter is shown here:

• text detail
• photo detail
• dance detail

The condition is near very good with some moderate wear present on the leatherette cover.  The gilt embossed cover with an elaborate Russian-derivative style coat of arms is detached from the binding, but could be easily reattached, if desired.

It measures 8-1/2 by 11-1/4 inches and nearly 3 inches thick.

This is one of a series of very detailed collections of maps, charts and narrative content describing the actions of the 82nd Airborne Division in combat during WWII. The 82nd was the only airborne division to serve in two theaters during the war, and was the first airborne division in action.

This particular book regards the actions of the 82nd in Normandy and Northern France from June to July 1944. It was classified RESTRICTED.

It has 60+ pages of narrative content, including maps.

Subjects covered are:

• Preface, Narrative, Distribution (35 pages) Annexes (17 pages)
• 10 large maps, several in color

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper.

It measures 9 by 15 inches.

This is one of a series of very detailed collections of maps, charts and narrative content describing the actions of the 82nd Airborne Division in combat during WWII. The 82nd was the only airborne division to serve in two theaters during the war, and was the first airborne division in action.

This particular book regards the actions of the 82nd in Sicily and Italy from 9 Jul 1943 to 22 Jan 44. It was classified RESTRICTED.

It has 132 pages of narrative content, including charts and tables. There are no maps in this book

Subjects covered are:

• Preface
• Sicily
• Italy
• Distribution
• Casualties, Decorations, & Citations

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper.

It measures 9 by 13-1/2 inches.

This is one of a series of very detailed collections of maps, charts and narrative content describing the actions of the 82nd Airborne Division in combat during WWII. The 82nd was the only airborne division to serve in two theaters during the war, and was the first airborne division in action.

This particular book regards the actions of the 82nd in Holland from 9 Jul 1943 to 22 Jan 44. It was classified SECRET. Note the name is the early version of the operation, later known as MARKET GARDEN.

It has 7 pages of narrative content by General Gavin. This his tory contains a number of very detailed LARGE maps (averaging 22 by 22 inches, some larger some smaller) including detail LARGE statistical charts and tables of glider operations and airborne jumps.

Subjects covered are:

• Narrative
• Graphic Plates
• Maps of Landings
• Statistics

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper.

It measures 9 by 16-1/2 inches.

This is one of a series of very detailed collections of maps, charts and narrative content describing the actions of the 82nd Airborne Division in combat during WWII. The 82nd was the only airborne division to serve in two theaters during the war, and was the first airborne division in action.

This particular book regards the actions of the 82nd in Belgium from 18 Dec 1944 to 18 Feb 45. It was classified CONFIDENTIAL and portions SECRET.

It has 9 pages of narrative content by General Gavin, and 13 pages of SECRET chronology and tabular data. This history contains 9 very detailed color diagramed LARGE maps measuring 16 by 22 inches.

Subjects covered are:

• Preface
• Division Commander's Report
• Chronology
• Distribution
• Charts

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper.

It measures 9 by 16-1/2 inches.

This is one of a series of very detailed collections of maps, charts and narrative content describing the actions of the 82nd Airborne Division in combat during WWII. The 82nd was the only airborne division to serve in two theaters during the war, and was the first airborne division in action.

This particular book regards the actions of the 82nd in Central Europe in April and May 1945. It was classified RESTRICTED.

It has 28 pages of narrative content by General Gavin. This history contains 6 very detailed color diagramed LARGE maps measuring 16 by 22 inches.

Subjects covered are:

• Action on the Rhine
• Action East of the Rhine
• Miscellaneous Information
• Maps
• Distribution

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper.

It measures 9 by 16-1/2 inches.

This is a fairly rare unit history of this unit, formed on Friday 13, August 1943 and deactivated in August 1945.

This particular book regards the formation and composite units of the division and has several hundred photographs of the men in action at Camp Mackall.

It has approximately 100 pages of content.  It measures 9 by 12 inches. A couple of representative pages are shown here and here.

Subjects covered are:

• Glider Infantry Regiments
• Parachute Infantry Regiments
• Airborne Artillery and AA units
• Airborne Combat Engineers
• Other support units

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper cover.  The cover is detached from the binding but could be easily reattached if desired with no loss of value.  The cover is intact, the glue originally holding it in place dried over the years.

It measures 9 by 16-1/2 inches.

This is a fairly rare unit history of this ship, comprising ALL of the issues of the shipboard newsletter covering the period 1917-1918.

This particular ship was noted for several famed exploits and events at sea during the war, including carrying the President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson to Europe and back during wartime. This book belonged to a Marine of the USMCR, and it is signed in the front.

It has approximately 270 pages of content, including COMPLETE rosters of all officers and men assigned or transported by the ship during the war by date, unit, branch, and assignment. The Title Page and Table of Contents are shown at the links.

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the cloth covered boards.  The front cover is slightly detached from the binding at the gutter but could be easily reattached if desired with no loss of value.

It measures 8 by 9-3/4 inches.

This is one of a several books published in the 1930s by the Irvin Air Chute company.

It has 50 pages of narrative and photographic content.  This shows the title page and contents.

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper.

It measures 6 by 9 inches.

This is one of a several books published in the 1930s by the Irvin Air Chute company.

It has 56 pages of narrative and photographic content. There is a long roster of early pre-WWII Caterpillar Club members (through 1935) from all countries.  Hundreds of names and dates are listed, including Charles Lindbergh (twice in 1925 and twice in 1926) and James Doolittle (three times: 1928, 1929, and 1931).  Detail is shown here and here.

The condition is near excellent with some wear present on the heavy weight printed paper.

It measures 6 by 9 inches.

This manual includes the varieties of serrated saw blade, non-magnetic, US Army, and many other versions of this fine knife. 

The three different grip styles are shown in representative images below.

•  Long Handle

•  Military Knuckle Bow

•  Sports Handle

•  Table of Contents

•  Recommended Uses

The condition is near excellent with minor cover wear as shown.

This is a very rare book and virtually impossible to find in any condition.

This is one of a several books published in the 1900s by the US Government Printing Office in Washington DC detailing certain battles of the American Civil War.

This is a VERY large format book, measuring 22 by 27-1/2 inches.  It was printed in very limited numbers.  It is complete and intact with some minor wear to the leather and pebble grain cloth hard board covers.  There is some minor flaking of the cover flaps, however the contents (printed on hard-milled low-acid heavy weight paper) are near excellent.  The charts and map plates are in especially nice condition, retaining their bright colors and sharp precise lines.

It has several pages of narrative content describing the battles and 14 large double page plates of maps from the start to the end of the battles.

Some detail is shown here:  Cover -- Title Page -- Narrative Detail -- Map Detail -- Map Detail -- Map Detail close-up.

This is an extremely hard to find book in any condition.  This one belonged to one of the prosecution staff members assigned to the War Crimes Trial of the 21 major defendants.  This book was published prior to the execution of the principals.

This is an English-only captioned photo book, measuring 10 by 13 inches and 1/2 inches thick.  It is complete and intact with some wear and tape repairs to the spine cover paper covered hard board covers.  There is some moderate bumping on the corners and some general cover wear apparent.  The contents are near excellent.

It has several sections. The first is an unnumbered section of US Army Signal Corps official photographs (about 18 pages) of the trials, showing courtroom, cells, and general trial shots, the second part general shots of the ruins and debris of Nuremberg comprising 18 or 20 pages. There are some stock shots of Germans in the occupied country going about their business, and some scenic photos of the area (about 14 pages).  All pages are printed on one side only, with the entire page devoted to a single photograph throughout.

Some typical content is shown here:

Copyright and Foreword -- Detail: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

This book is usually seen with the gutters split at the binding.  This one has a small 2 inch separations starting at the top of the back board.  If you handle it with reasonable care, it should last a long time without needing further repair.

Bound Edition 1 March 44 to 31 March 1944

This is the complete set of every newspaper (with the exception of pages 1 and 2) from this South Carolina city during the time period. It includes all of the news and advertisements of the era.  Significant events of the period include:

• The keels of USS Tarawa and USS Kearsarge are laid down
• Anti-fascist strikes occur in northern Italy.
•  Wingate's Chindits make several successful forays in Burma.
• Japanese begin an invasion attempt on India, starting a four-month battle around Imphal.
•  American forces are attacked by Japanese troops on Hill 700 in the Bougainville; the battle that will last five days
•  A widespread Russian attack west of the Dnieper in the Ukraine forces the Germans into a major retreat.
• The creation of the Political Committee of National Liberation in Greece.
•  On Bougainville, Japanese troops end their failed assault on American forces at Hill 700.
•  The National Council of the French Resistance approves the Resistance program.
•  The "third" Battle of Cassino begins with the small town of Cassino destroyed.
• Americans take Manus Island in the Admiralty chain.
• Heavy bombing of Vienna.
•  German forces occupy Hungary. The Russians meanwhile approach the border of Romania.
• Yugoslav partisans attack Trieste, on the border of Italy and Croatia.
•  Russian advances in the Ukraine continue with great success.
•  Japanese forces cross the Indian border all along the Imphal front.
•  Frankfurt is bombed with heavy civilian losses.
•  The Fosse Ardeatine massacre in Rome, Italy. 335 Italians are killed, including 75 Jews and over 200 members various groups in the Italian Resistance; this is a German response to a bomb blast that killed German troops
• Orde Wingate is killed in a plane crash.
• Heavy bombings of German cities at various strategic locations last for 24 hours.
• Japanese troops are in retreat in Burma.
•  RAF suffers grievous losses in a huge air raid on Nuremberg.

There are dozens of pages and hundreds of articles in this volume measuring about 1 inch thick by 19-12 inches wide and 24 inches long.  The covers are pasteboards.

The condition is fair to near good with moderate wear and yellowing from age, and wrinkled from long storage present, the worst being the second page (the first page is not present). The pages are still flexible and readable with reasonable care in handling.

Bound Edition 1 May 44 to 31 May 1944

This is the complete set of every newspaper from this South Carolina city during the time period. It includes all of the news and advertisements of the era.  Significant events of the period include:

• Heavy Allied bombings of the Continent in preparation for D-Day.
• D-Day for Operation Overlord set for June 5.
• The German Army evacuates Sevastopol the largest city and an important port in the Crimea; the Russian army moves in.
• The Battle at the "Gustav line" near Monte Cassino continues without resolution.
• The British cross the Rapido River. A "fourth" battle of Monte Cassino begins, concurrent with the opening of an offensive campaign toward Rome.
• Soviet troops finalize the liberation of Crimea.
• Large numbers of Chinese troops invade northern Burma.
• The bridgehead over the Rapido River is reinforced.
• Battle of Monte Cassino ends with an Allied victory; Polish troops hoist their red and white flag on the ruins of Monte Cassino. The Germans have ceded it and departed.
• Allied troops take airfields at Myitkyina, Burma, an important air base; the struggle over the city itself will continue for nearly three months.
• The last Japanese resistance in the Admiralty Islands, off New Guinea comes to an end.
• Increased Allied bombing of targets in France in preparation for D-Day.
• Allies advance toward Rome, after a linkup of American II and III corps.
• Germans are now in retreat in the Anzio area. American forces break out of the beachhead and link up with the Fifth Army; both then begin their advance on Rome.
• Americans land on Biak, Dutch New Guinea, a key Japanese air base; stubborn Japanese resistance until August.
• The Japanese retreat from Imphal (India) with heavy losses; their invasion of India is over.

There are dozens of pages and hundreds of articles in this volume measuring about 1 inch thick by 19-12 inches wide and 24 inches long.  The covers are pasteboards.

The condition is good to near very good with minor wear and yellowing from age. The pages are still flexible and readable with reasonable care in handling.

Bound Edition 1 November 44 to 30 November 1944

This is the complete set of every newspaper from this South Carolina city during the time period. It includes all of the news and advertisements of the era.  Significant events of the period include:

• British forces take Salonika in northern Greece. The situation for civilians in Athens is now desperate.
• "Operation Infatuate": An Allied attempt to free the approaches to Antwerp; notably there are amphibious landings on Walcheren Island.
• Canadian troops take Zeebrugge in Belgium; Belgium is now entirely liberated.
• Remaining Axis forces withdraw from the Greek mainland. German occupation forces will remain in several Greek islands until capitulation.
• US planes bomb Singapore, under Japanese control since 1942.
• Zionist terrorists assassinate the British government representative in the Middle East.
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt wins a fourth term.
• The aircraft carrier Lexington is heavily damaged by kamikazes.
• General Patton's troops and tanks cross the Moselle River and threaten the city of Metz.
• V-2 rockets continue to hit Britain, at the rate of about eight a day.
• After numerous bombings while anchored in a fjord at Tromso, Norway, the German battleship Tirpitz is sunk.
• The Germans give up Tirana, Albania, and the country is liberated by Allies.
• Hitler leaves his wartime headquarters at Rastenberg, East Prussia, never to return; he goes to Berlin, where he will soon establish himself at the bunker.
• Metz, France is taken, and Strasbourg, in eastern France, is liberated by French troops.
• The first B-29 originating from Tinian, in the Marianas, raid Tokyo.
• The USS Intrepid is hit by kamikazes for the third time; other American ships are heavily damaged.
• Japanese take Nanning in south China, as the war in that theatre continues.
• The war in Italy is at a stalemate, partly because of heavy rains.
• Antwerp is now a major supply port for the onward moving Allies.
• Russian troops enter Hungary.
• Kunming, China, an important air base, is threatened by Japanese attacks.

There are dozens of pages and hundreds of articles in this volume measuring about 1 inch thick by 19-12 inches wide and 24 inches long.  The covers are pasteboards.

The condition is good to near very good with minor wear and yellowing from age. The pages are still flexible and readable with reasonable care in handling.

Bound Edition 1 April 45 to 31 May 1945

This is the complete set of every newspaper from this South Carolina city during the time period. It includes all of the news and advertisements of the era.  This set is significant in that it covers the V-E Day period and the final days of the war in Europe and the establishment of the occupation, as well as the on-going war in the Pacific theater.

There are hundreds of pages and thousands of articles in this massive book measuring nearly 3 inches thick by 18-12 inches wide and 22 inches long.  The covers are hard boards.  Some of the content is shown at the left and there are other (different) detail images shown here:

•  April 1945
•  May 1945
•  May 1945

The condition is near very good with some wear and yellowing from age present. The pages are still flexible and readable with reasonable care in handling.

Note the there was a significant delay in reporting the news of his death (he committed suicide on April 30 in Berlin, two days earlier)

The back page is shown here.  The newspaper is complete and intact, having 8 pages of content (two sheets, printed front and back and folded).

The condition is near excellent with some very slight wear present at the fold.

This is a hard to find book in near excellent original condition with the original plastic covered paper dust cover.

This is a very readable book, measuring 5-3/4 by 8-1/2 inches. It is complete and intact with virtually no wear to the hard board covers or spine. There is some extremely minor bumping on the corners apparent.  The contents are near excellent.

It has more than 209 pages of outstanding narrative content of various unit activities, personalities and maneuvers.

The character "Hilts" played by Steve McQueen in The Great Escape was based on Colonel Sage's exploits and deeds in the POW camp.

This is a hard to find book in near excellent original condition with the original paper dust cover in generally good condition.

This is a very readable book, measuring 5-3/4 by 8-1/2 inches. It is complete and intact with virtually no wear to the hard board covers or spine. There is some extremely minor bumping on the corners apparent.  The contents are near excellent.

It has more than 370 pages of outstanding narrative content, with dozens of black and white photographs various unit activities, personalities and maneuvers.

This is a view of the dedication and autograph page.

This is a hard to find book in near excellent original condition with the original paper dust cover.

This is a very readable book, measuring 5-3/4 by 8-1/2 inches. It is complete and intact with virtually no wear to the hard board covers or spine. There is some extremely minor bumping on the corners apparent.  The contents are near excellent.

It has more than 246 pages of outstanding narrative content, with 21 black and white illustrations and photographs, and 12 maps of various unit activities, personalities and maneuvers.

This is a view of the dedication and autograph and the foreword page.

This is a hard to find book in near mint original condition with the original paper dust cover.

This is a very readable book, measuring 6-1/2 by 9-1/2 inches. It is complete and intact with virtually no wear to the hard board covers or spine. The author was an assistant professor of history at the US Naval Academy when he wrote the book. He provides a unique perspective to the operations of the OSS in the CBI.

It has more than 340 pages of outstanding narrative content, with dozens of black and white photographs of various unit activities, personalities and maneuvers.

This is a hard to find book in near excellent original condition with the original paper dust cover.

This is a very readable book, measuring 6-1/2 by 9-1/2 inches. It is complete and intact with virtually no wear to the hard board covers or spine. It is in near mint condition.

It has more than 282 pages of outstanding narrative content, with several pages of black and white photographs of various unit activities, personalities and maneuvers.

This is a view of the dedication and autograph page.

We occasionally have unsigned editions available at $74.99 each in similar condition available. Inquire for availability.

This is a hard to find book in near excellent original condition signed when Colonel Banks was 99 years old.  He lived to be 103.

This is a very readable book, measuring 6-1/4 by 9-1/8 inches. It is complete and intact with virtually no wear to the hard board covers or spine. It is in near mint condition.

It has more than 216 pages of outstanding narrative content, with several pages of black and white photographs of various unit activities, personalities and maneuvers written by the acknowledged Father of the US Army Special Forces.

This is a view of the dedication and autograph page. The signature is dated 31 May 2002 and shows some wavering from his age.

This is a hard to find book in near MINT condition.

This is a VERY heavy book, measuring 6-1/2 by 9-1/2 inches and 1-1/2 inches thick.  It is complete and intact with virtually no wear to the hard board covers or spine.  There is some extremely minor bumping on the corners apparent.  The contents are near excellent with some occasional yellow highlighter markings at selected passages made by a previous owner.

It has more than 725 pages of outstanding narrative content, with a number of color illustrations of various unit insignia, and hundreds of photographs.

This is a view of the table of contents and the publication data page.

This is a SHAEF London England G-2 Branch issued version of this book. It was originally classified CONFIDENTIAL. It is identified as E.D.S./G/5

This book has 7 parts and 4 annexes, listed below:

1. Historical Background and Development
2. Organization
3. Conscription and Training
4. War Service and Military Training
5. HJ Leadership, Ranks, & Uniforms
6. HJ Abroad
7. Opposition Youth Movements

Annexes:

• Order of Battle Tables
• HJ Personalities
• Diagrams and Plates
• Abbreviations

The condition is very good to near excellent throughout, with light signs of routine use. The cover boards are in very good to near excellent condition. There is some corner and edge wear from occasional reference.

The book measures 8-1/2 by 13-1/4 inches. The