Description
You are bidding on a BEAUTIFUL and RARE example of a VERY RARE WW2 U.S. Army Historical Book titled, “DAREDEVIL TANKERS – The Story of the 740th Tank Battalion”. Come complete with the ORIGINAL issue cardboard sleeve!
Featuring text by Lt. Col. George K. Rubel, this book chronicles the complete wartime history of the 740th Tank Battalion from activation in 1943 through the European campaign, the Ardennes, the Siegfried Line, the Roer River, the Ruhr Pocket, and the final drive to the Baltic Sea. The edition includes numerous photographs, maps, decorations/awards pages, casualty lists, and a full roster of tankers.
Printed in 1945, this is the RARE and ORIGINAL 1945 edition of, “Daredevil Tankers”, covering the full history of the 740th Tank Battalion during WW2. This example remains in VERY NICE condition for its age, and the cover retains its original artwork and colors! Some slight staining due to the age, however, the binding is quite tight overall, and the pages are also 100% COMPLETE with no missing sections, tears, folds, bends, or stains! Extremely clean interior overall.
Contents include:
3rd May, 1945 German Soldiers Everywhere
740th Formed in Fort Knox, 1 March 1943
We Become a Special Battalion
In the Arizona Desert
Back in Fort Knox On the Way to the European Theater
In the United Kingdom
Utah Beach
Belgium and Buzz Bombs
Von Rundstedts Breakthrough-Battle of the Ardennes
Thru the Siegfried Line
We Cross the Roer at Duren
Thru the Dragons Teeth Again with 7th US Army
Back up North and Into Ruhr Pocket
The Lord Mayor of Dusseldorf
From Bleckede on the Elbe to Wismar on the Baltic Sea with the 2nd. British Army
From V-E to V-J Day
Dark Moments
In Memorium
Distinguished Unit Citations
Silver Star Awards
Oak Leaf Clusters to Silver Star
Soldiers Medal Awards
Bronze Medal Awards
Oak Leaf Clusters to Bronze Star
Order of the Purple Heart Awards
Some Pictures of Some of the Principals
Roster of Tankers
As seasoned collectors know, original 1945/46 battalion history books are significantly rarer than the later association reprints. These occupation-printed copies were produced in very small numbers, strictly for the men of the 740th – NOT sold to the public. 335 pages in total, they almost never appear on the market, especially in this condition. A FANTASTIC and historically important volume…complete with the ORIGINAL issued cardboard cover…it would make a PERFECT addition to any WW2 armor, U.S. Army, unit history, or European Theater collection!
