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Best Militaria Reference Books


Bob Hudson
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We want to put together a list of what might be the top five or ten essential books for militaria collectors. Please post your own list or even just your single favorite. We are looking for books that assist collectors, not novels or general histories or biographies.

 

Thanks

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"The WWII GI / US Army uniforms 1941-1945 in color photographs" by Richard Windrow & Tim Hawkins

 

"G.I. Collectors Guide: US Army European Theater of Operations" by Henry-Paul Enjames

 

"U.S. Army Uniforms of WWII" by Shelby Stanton

 

"The M-1 Helmet: A history of the U.S. M-1 helmet in World War II" by Mark A. Reynosa

 

"Spearheading D-Day: American special units of the Normandy Invasion" by Jonathan Gawne

 

"World War II Order of Battle" by Shelby L. Stanton

 

"Complete guide to the M1 Garand and the M1 Carbine" by Bruce N. Canfield

 

"A Collector's guide to the '03 Springfield" by Bruce N. Canfield

 

Some of these authors have written more excellent books, but these are the ones I have myself. All must-haves in their own right I would say. Of course there are many more good books.

 

Greetz ;)

 

David

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'The Collar Disk Story (1907-1999)'; L. Albert Scipio II

 

 

What's amazing is how expensive some militaria books are - or become. I suppose it's because most have a limited printing. This one is on Amazon.com for $100! When a book gets to that price I wonder why an author doesn's re-print it? Print-on-demand technology today will let you have just ten books printed at a time so you don't need to mortage your house the way you did when a minimum printing was a few thousand copies.

 

Anyway, thanks for the tips. When we get a lot of them, we'll put together some sort of consensus and feature them in our slowwwwwwwly evolving USMF bookstore.

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I would like to second the opinion for "The Call of Duty." The 2nd Edition is a must for anyone considering US medal collecting, plus you have an amazing historical text on the development of these awards!

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Chevrons and Encyclopedia of United States Army Insignia and Uniforms by Emerson

 

The first is very hard to find but is the only book of it's type on the subject matter.

 

 

Also, for WW1 collectors, the basic library should include:

 

American Armies and Battlefields in Europe -- GPO

Order of Battle of United States Land Forces in the World War -- GPO

America's Munitions -- Benedict Crowell

Helmets and Body Armor in Modern Warfare -- Bashford Dean

Army and Navy Uniforms and Insignia -- Dion Williams

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I own a small surplus store and just about anything can come through the door. I am more of a history geek than a collector and I once bought a few years worth of old (1990s) Manions catalogs off of Ebay for less than $20 and I have found them invaluable for quickly identifying the items that come through the door.

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Collectors of what?

 

A good psychology book to get some insight into why people collect (acumulate) stuff and explains the abnormal psychology that motivates dealers.

 

A good book on how to deal with stress and anger, especially when going beserk over what someone on eBay has done.

 

A book on conservation and preservation of material items.

 

A book on how to stop bragging about things acquired at bargain prices and encourages people to come clean and admit to the items they paid too much for.

 

A book on budget, finance, health and estate planning.

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Combat Flying Equipment by Sweeting

Combat Flying Clothing by Sweeting

Flying helmet books by Prodger

Survival equipment book by Breunninger

The Parachute Manual by Poynter

All of Shelby Stanton's books

All QM and other manuals reprinted by National Capital Historical Sales - These are VITAL

US Navy in WWII series (6 books, 3 out so far) by Jeff Warner

All books printed by Militaria Magazine in France.

 

And on and on and on...

 

Tom thumbsup.gif

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For Swords: "Civil War Cavalry & Artillery Sabers: A Study of United States Cavalry and Artillery Sabers, 1833-1865." by John Thillmann

 

Very impressive work that covers these popular swords. Includes rarer models and markers as well as the more common types we see at shows...great images of each sword. A must.

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The ones I have closest to hand are:

 

-General Cullum's Register of the Officers and Graduates of the United States Military Academy Volume IX (through 1950)

-Armies, Corps, Divisions and Separate Brigades of the Army Lineage Series by John Wilson

-Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia

-A Complete Guide to All United States Military Medals 1939 to Present by Frank Foster and Lawrence Borts

-Call of Duty (2nd Ed)

-Vietnam Order of Battle by Stanton

-HEROES, US Marine Corps 1861-1955 by Blakeney

-Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the US Armed Forces 1941-1945 by Richard Smith

-Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the US Army 1946-1976 by Smith and Pelz

-1998 Register of Alumni of the United States Naval Academy

-2000 Register of Graduates of the United States Military Academy

-World War II Order of Battle by Stanton

-Army Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register WWII-Korea by D-Day Militaria

-Index of Decorations and Orders Announced in All Hands and its Predecessors, Prior to 1950

-World War One Collectors Handbook Vol 1 and 2

 

Those are the ones I have within arm's reach of my desk for easy reference.

 

If I had room for more on the shelf next to my desk, I'd add:

 

-Official Army Register 1948 (Vol I and Vol 2) (I use it more than my 1945 or 46 editions)

-Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and Reserve Officers on Active Duty dated 1947

-Air Force Combat Units of WWII

 

I have dozens and dozens more, but these are the ones I refer to on a regular basis.

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What's amazing is how expensive some militaria books are - or become. I suppose it's because most have a limited printing. This one is on Amazon.com for $100! When a book gets to that price I wonder why an author doesn's re-print it? Print-on-demand technology today will let you have just ten books printed at a time so you don't need to mortage your house the way you did when a minimum printing was a few thousand copies.

 

Anyway, thanks for the tips. When we get a lot of them, we'll put together some sort of consensus and feature them in our slowwwwwwwly evolving USMF bookstore.

 

Had one autographed by the author and gave it away to a serious collector in Sunnyvale, California some time ago. Not easy to find someone to donate to who really needs a copy and will hang on to it, know what I mean? So often the receiving party does not need or want the donated book and often they give them away or sell them. Always good to know who'd really having a copy. It probably alarms some to get it for free when they were expecting to pay eBay prices? w00t.gif Sarge Booker of Tujunga, California Al and I rode to the insignia meetings with Dave Shores back in the 1970s, he was a dentist at that time.

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Ironically I have most of the above books, many autographed by their authors. Amazing what one can accumulate without trying too hard over the half century? Donated 19 large boxes of books to "FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY" un Tujunga/Sunland (California), might take the military reference there when we get the next opportunity to do so; they're always pleased with the books we contribute to them. My earliest is from 1841 and have a lot of uniform regulation and uniform supply catalogues 1860s to 1940s. Offered these to the NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER at the Washington Navy Yard in the District of Columbia, never sure if they get them or not as they are under-staffed and cannot answer their mail? The hand-coloured ones are the nicest, like those for the Confederacy. Its never been a matter of money and I do not wish to take business away from the professional dealers or eBay sellers. Oh, well, off to the public library I reckon? Sarge Booker of Tujunga, California

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  • 5 months later...
88thcollector

Collectors of what?

 

A good psychology book to get some insight into why people collect (acumulate) stuff and explains the abnormal psychology that motivates dealers.

 

So what abnormal psychology do I have? The desire to make a profit and earn a living? I guess you work for free.

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Yes, that pretty much is true, I work for free! Never knew a dealer who made a living at selling unless they had their own shoppe or sold at gunshows, swap meets, and flea markets around the country and stayed in motels and ate in restaurants? I believe most dealers do it as a hobby and to supplement their income or pension. A good psychologist mike find it abnormal for someone to work for free and wonder what motivates them figuring people do something for fear of the other person, lovfe of the other person, or for personal gain, being either money or status or some other material reward. Psychologists seem to be worse off than the rest of us psychologically? I do not fear anyone, love others except my immediate family and very small circle of friends, and I don't need the money and have more than enough! I kinow some collectors and dealers either don't want to spend money or too much acquiring something or they like to get something for free. Some like to get something at least at a token of the value and then brag about the great deal they pulled off, in a very few cases, but accepting gifts from strangers worries many. If you donate something of value, you probably won't hear from them, but if they stayed in touch, they'd get more contributed to their collection. "It's too good to be true?" I would rather give stuff away as few are really willing to TRADE as TRADING is usually something done by pre-teens. I kinow some feel en empty feeling when they spend too much, more than they intended and a few even sell a pint of blood to raise capital to buy insignia, one man and his wife sell a pint of blood, she does it becausze he pressured hers, true story! I'd rather get my stuff into the hands of museums, libraries, and individuals as it'll go to the trash when I am dead. I'll be 65 on October 20th 2007, have Type II Diabetis and poor circulation in my legs and my knees give out, but, I have given as long as I can remember? Maybe because my mother taught me to share with other children? In WW2 my parents took in servicemen and fed them and provided them with overnight shelter, free laudry service, and a ride to wherever they wanted to go. Don't have an answer, just like to give, sometimes! w00t.gif Sarge Booker of Tujunga, California

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OK, guys, but I think we are getting off the topic a bit.

 

I note that no one has mentioned any of the Osprey series. I know I have issues with most of them, but they are not a bad intro for the new guys. The art tends to be better than the text.

 

We should really list ALL of the ASMIC publications -- both DI and Patch catalogs, the motto and charges list can be very useful.

 

No one has mentioned the WW1 and WW2 era national Geographics either. For some of us, they were "it" before the other things were published.

 

John Phillip Langellier wrote several good , well illustrated books on the 18th century Army uniform and headgear.

 

Robert Rankin wrote several books back in the '60's -- Uniforms of the US Army, and Uniforms of the Sea Services. They too were flawed, but the best we had at the time. I would not be at all surprised to find them on public library shelves to this day.

 

G

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OK, guys, but I think we are getting off the topic a bit.

 

I note that no one has mentioned any of the Osprey series. I know I have issues with most of them, but they are not a bad intro for the new guys. The art tends to be better than the text.

 

We should really list ALL of the ASMIC publications -- both DI and Patch catalogs, the motto and charges list can be very useful.

 

No one has mentioned the WW1 and WW2 era national Geographics either. For some of us, they were "it" before the other things were published.

 

John Phillip Langellier wrote several good , well illustrated books on the 18th century Army uniform and headgear.

 

Robert Rankin wrote several books back in the '60's -- Uniforms of the US Army, and Uniforms of the Sea Services. They too were flawed, but the best we had at the time. I would not be at all surprised to find them on public library shelves to this day.

 

G

 

GILBERT: "Greetings & Salutations!" I've scanned most of what there is from the National Geographic Magazine for 1917, 1919, 1934, 1943, and 1944 showing everything military anhd naval to CD disks, I do NOT charge for these, but I do give them away to serious collectors and researchers, have contributed well over 300 or more so far. Take it you are at the same place in Ohio, Gilbert? If you want, can donate to to you about 4 or 5 CDs as they cannot all be contained on a single disk or two. I am residing in Tujunga, California. I have scanned many more older books and have those by Dion Williams and John W. Bunkley. Also have most of the patriotic hand-outs of brochures and leaflets as wello as United States Navy uniform regulations from 1841 to 1941, except the 1869 issue! Ephermera filed 4 CDs, plus postcard sets from World Wars One and Two showing pictures of soldiers and sailors, some tinted as well as military cartoons. I've scanned daily what I have for the past 6-years. Over 30,000 images! On Webshots I have over 6,000 images of actual military insignia of the U.K., and the U.S., Gilbert! I own most of the books if not all you mention then some and scan these all the time along with the "He's in the Marine Corps Now," "He's in the Coast Guard Now," "He's in Submarines Now," etc., over 3,500 pages for 15 books of that series. You could put the AAMUC Newsletter on CD disks, did that with Phoenix Exchange's 15 issues. As I am physically disabled (legs and knees), I spend 10 or more hours a day at my computer scanning and researching and bidding on eBay Auctions - have box loads to donate to a suitable military library or museum. Have given a lot of stuff to the Naval History Center at the Washington Navy Yard so far. I do not need the money and its all a labour of love. Ever see the 13 issues of "Crow's Nest" that was almost 400-pages of Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy insignia back around 1990. Gave two 2-volume sets to ASMIC Library, can scan that as well and preserve as much as I can on CD for present and future generations. Yes, I have and will share CDs of the National Geographic Magzine with you, Gilbert, if you will accept them as a gift? Glad to see you are still with us. Respectfully yours, H.H. "Sarge" Booker II of Tujunga, California [email protected]

post-837-1192153471.jpg

post-837-1192153496.jpg

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The cover of the December 1944 Special Edition of the National Geographic Magazine. :lol: There were two more issues, one had a bloue cover and the other was in buckram, very few of those! ;)

post-837-1192153714.jpg

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