Armor Reading List - Books on Tanks and Armor

Tanks For The Memories: An Oral History of the 712th Tank Battalion from World War 2 by Aaron Elson
Armor Magazine
It is a must read for any tanker, and should be purchased by all libraries near an armored unit. ... Tanks for the Memories is mainly a story about how a unit really functions in wartime.

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Panzer Battles : A Study of the Employment of Armor in the Second World War by F. W. Von Mellinthin
When Sam Donaldson interviewed General Norman Schwarzkopf in his quarters in the Gulf, PANZER BATTLES was one of the books on his desk. A model military history, this is one of the few close looks we will ever have of the tactics, the planning, and the operations of tank warfare from a participant. It was the decisive victories of the German Panzer divisions in North Africa in World War II that taught the Allies the importance of an integrated combat team consisting of tanks, infantry, and artillery. PANZER BATTLES is a vivid account of the major campaigns of that war, especially the legendary desert battles fought by Rommel, who found the desert to be the perfect terrain in which to wage almost purely theoretical armored warfare with large-scale tank formations. Here is an unparalleled look at what the American military learned from the experience of fighting in WWII -- experience that was put to use in the Gulf War. Amazon Review.

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They Were All Young Kids by Aaron Elson
From the Author
The story of Jim Flowers, a brash young lieutenant from Dallas whose courage and sacrifice helped turn the tide in one of the bloodiest battles of the Normandy campaign, is taught to French schoolchildren. Yet it is virtually unknown in the United States. I have been privileged to interview at length the surviving members of Flowers' ill-fated platoon, and have been deeply moved by their account.

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Armor Attacks : The Tank Platoon : An Interactive Exercise in Small-Unit Tactics and Leadership by John F. Antal

Armor Attacks is an excellent book. This book entertains as well as teaches. In this book the reader determines the ending by his or her decisions. Every junior officer in the Army and Marine Corps should read this book. Civilians will enjoy it too, and get a glimpse of what it is like to be a tank platoon leader. Very well done! Amazon Review.

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Camp Colt to Desert Storm : The History of U.S. Armored Forces by George F. Hofmann, Donn A. Starry

A must-read for armor specialists
Anyone interested in tanks and mechanized infantry in the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps ought to read this collection of historical essays. The emphasis is upon technical and doctrinal development, and while most of these topics have been treated elsewhere, their compilation here makes for a nice (if uneven) survey. Amazon Review.

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Tip of the Spear : U.S. Marine Light Armor in the Gulf War by G. J. Michaels

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TUSKERS: An Armor Battalion in the Gulf War by David S. Pierson

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A Fine Night for Tanks : The Road to Falaise by Ken Tout

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