The markings on tanks of the United States Marine Corps during World War II are so varied that some have concluded they were meaningless, even anarchic. Official documents offer little insight, but a careful study of period photographs and film, crossreferenced with combat reports and veteran accounts, reveals the different systems of markings that combat units used to identify their vehicles. These markings varied between units, and from one campaign to the next, but were well thought out and designed to be practical and easy for tankers to interpret. In addition to tactical markings, most tankers were given names by their crews, and these were added to the tank's marking. Personifying the tank often boosted crew morale and led to even more careful maintenance of the tank. Names were approved by tank commanders, and also followed systems that aided quick identification in combat. Illustrated with numerous period photographs and detailed color profiles, this book explains the markings used by USMC tank combat units during the Pacific War, from 1942 to 1945., each chapter details one unit, covering markings down to section level and showing how the markings and names changes through that unit's campaigns.
AUTHOR: Romain V. Cansière is a native of southern France, interested in the U. S. Marine Corps since his teenage years. His current historical research is on the Marine Corps in World War I.
150 photographs and artworks
By:
Romain Cansiere
Imprint: Casemate Publishers
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 254mm,
Width: 203mm,
ISBN: 9781636245867
ISBN 10: 1636245862
Pages: 160
Publication Date: 15 May 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
CHAPTER 1 1ST TANK BATTALION CHAPTER 2 THE TANK SECTIONS OF THE DEFENSE BATTALIONS CHAPTER 3 1ST CORPS TANK BATTALION (MEDIUM) CHAPTER 4 2ND TANK BATTALION CHAPTER 5 3RD TANK BATTALION CHAPTER 6 TANK COMPANY, 4TH MARINES CHAPTER 7 2ND SEPARATE TANK COMPANY/TANK COMPANY, 22ND MARINES CHAPTER 8 4TH TANK BATTALION CHAPTER 9 5TH TANK BATTALION CHAPTER 10 6TH TANK BATTALION APPENDICES 1 Structure and Organization of Marine Corps Tank Units 2 Markings for Aerial Observers, 19431945 3 History of the Marine Corps Armored Corps 4 The Marine Corps Campaigns in the Pacific
Romain V. Cansière is a native of southern France, interested in the U. S. Marine Corps since his teenage years. His current historical research is on the Marine Corps in World War I._x000D_ _x000D_ Oscar and Romain coauthored Tanks In Hell: A Marine Corps Tank Company On Tarawa, winner of the 2016 General Wallace M. Greene Jr. Award for distinguished nonfiction.
