Military Collection: Branches of the U.S. Military

Two Army veterans and members of the National Guard are the authors of this handsome and heavily illustrated history of the US National Guard. The photos and historical accounts, which date from the Guard's formation as citizen's militia under James Smith in 1607 and go to 2002, are drawn from sever

This history of the U. S. Army National Guard covers its beginnings as a militia from the 1600s to the present, including sections on the National Guard from 1636-1897, from 1898 to 1945, and from 1946 to 2000.

How "a handful of bastards and outlaws fighting under a piece of striped bunting" humbled the omnipotent British Navy. Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military had become the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect American commerce against the Mediterranean pirates, or drain the treasury and provoke hostilities with the great powers? The foundersparticularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adamsdebated these questions fiercely and switched sides more than once. How much of a navy would suffice? Britain alone had hundreds of powerful warships. From the decision to build six heavy frigates, through the cliffhanger campaign against Tripoli, to the war that shook the world in 1812, Ian W. Toll tells this grand tale with the political insight of Founding Brothers and a narrative flair worthy of Patrick O'Brian. According to Henry Adams, the 1812 encounter between USS Constitution and HMS Guerriere "raised the United States in a one-half hour to the rank of a first-class power in the world." 16 pages of illustrations; 8 pages of color. - From dust jacket.

In "The Price of Admiralty," leading military historian John Keegan illuminates the history of naval combat by expertly dissecting four landmark sea battles, each featuring a different type of warship: the Battle of Trafalgar, the Battle of Jutland in World War I, the Battle of Midway in World War II, and the long and arduous Battle of the Atlantic. --Amazon.com

The most complete history of the U.S. Navy SEALs--from their roots in World War II to their celebrated efforts in the War on Terror--written with the unprecedented cooperation of the  Naval Special Warfare community. The book will tie-in with a fall 2014 PBS series. Over the last fifty years, a small Navy unit has evolved into the world's most celebrated fighting force: the U.S. Navy SEALs. Until now, their stories have been sealed in the chambers of operational secrecy--and the brotherhood of SEAL anonymity.  Drawing on exclusive interviews with more than 100 former special operators, highly respected retired SEAL Dick Couch and award-winning author Bill Doyle record their stories in Navy Seals and give us the epic chronicle these legendary warriors deserve. Navy Seals charts the SEALs story, from their origins in the daring  Naval Combat Demolition Teams, Underwater Demolition Teams, Scouts and Raiders commando units, and OSS Operational Swimmers of WWII to their coming of age in Vietnam and rise to glory in Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11. Illustrated with 40-pages of photographs,  here are the greatest missions of the world's most legendary special operators--in their own words.

From the museum of airplanes, missiles, and aviation exhibits, from the Wright Brothers to the Present.

The author uses the personal and official correspondence of the major players to give an insider's view of the political, legal, and military machinations leading to the creation of a winning air force for World War II and the creation of a separate Air Force.

Surveys American military air power, from Kitty Hawk to Korea, emphasizing the 1947 establishment of an autonomous Air Force and subsequent roles, missions, leaders, weapons and logistics

The mission of Air Combat Command is to be the primary force provider of air combat forces to America's warfighting commands, the geographic Unified Combatant Commands, specifically to United States Central Command, United States Southern Command, and United States Northern Command, where ACC Numbered Air Forces serve as the air components. In addition, ACC augments the forces of the United States European Command, United States Africa Command, United States Pacific Command, and United States Strategic Command. ACC organizes, trains, equips, and maintains combat-ready units for rapid deployment abroad while also ensuring air defense of the United States is strong enough for both peacetime and wartime needs.

Aerial warfare has dominated war-making for over 100 years, and despite regular announcements of its demise, it shows no sign of becoming obsolete. In this Very Short Introduction Frank Ledwidge offers a sweeping look at the history of aerial warfare, introducing the major battles, crises, andcontroversies where air power has taken centre stage, and the changes in technology and air power capabilities over time. Highlighting the role played by air power in the First and Second World Wars, he also sheds light on the lesser-known theatres where the roles of air forces have been clearlydecisive in conflicts, in Africa, South America, and Asia.Along the way, Ledwidge asks key questions about the roles air power can deliver, and whether it is conceptually different from other forms of combat. Considering whether bombing has ever been truly effective, he discusses whether wars can be won from the air, and concludes by analysing whetherthere is a future for manned air power, or if it is inevitable that drones will dominate 21st century war in the air.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, andenthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Previously published in hardback as Aerial Warfare: The Battle for the Skies.

This book is not the whole story of the Marine Corps in World War 2. It is limited to six fighting divisions and the predecessors of one of them, the Sixth - four Raider battalions, a brigade, and an independent regiment. Each division had a different origin and fought under widely varying conditions. The First and Second Divisions, activated shortly before the outbreak of war, were composed mainly of regulars and highly trained reservists. The Third Division, the first of the strict wartime units, was inclined to be less formal and easier going-but not in combat. The Fourth Division had the unique experience of staging for a Pacific operation at San Diego; the first island many of the men ever saw was the one they had come to seize. The Fifth had only one campaign to its credit but suffered the highest casualties by a unit of comparable size in a single WWII operation. The Sixth was formed in the field from a combination of new and veteran units. The six authors of Uncommon Valor have two things in common; all were professional writers, and all served with their Divisions in combat. As a group, they have captured both the tremendous esprit de corps and healthy rivalries which characterized the Marines in World War II. And fighting is a Marine Division's reason for existence.