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1st Marine Division - 'The Old Breed'

$24.95

Spearhead - Book 8

By Ian Westwell
Published in 2002 by Ian Allen Publishing, UK
Softcover, 96 Pages
Size - 25cm * 19cm

The United States Marine Corps' 1st Division - 'The Old Breed' - is the oldest, largest and most-decorated division-sized unit in the corps. Divisional regiments first saw service as early as March 8, 1911, when the 1st Marines was formed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before performing in 15 major engagements during World War I.

In World War II the 1st Division was blooded at Guadalcanal, and then went on to fight throughout the entirety of the Pacific campaign. The Pacific War saw some of the most uncompromising warfare in World War II.

Each amphibious landing and bloody battle to take the Pacific islands was a small-scale version of D-Day and the USMC was at the heart of the action. The 1st Division would earn three World War II Presidential Unit Citations for its role at Guadalcanal, Pelelieu, and Okinawa - each was well deserved.

Spearhead looks at the cutting edge of war, units capable of operating completely independently in the forefront of battle. The series examines the unit's:

Origins and history

Organisation, order of battle and how this changed

Battle history, theatre by theatre

Insignia and Markings

Top people biographies of commanders and personalities

Each book ends with an assessment of unit effectiveness – as seen by itself, its opponents and the wider viewpoint of history – and a full reterence section including:

Critical bibliography

Relevant museums or exhibits

Website links

Re-enactment groups

Memorials

About the author
Ian Westwell has worked in publishing for more than 15 years and has been a full-time author since 1997. He has contributed to several military books and periodicals, and has most recently written or co-authored World War 1 Day by Day, The Encyclopedia of World War 1 and In the Path of the Third Reich. He also wrote 1st Infantry Division – the 'Big Red One'. (Spearhead Series).

Fully Illustrated with B&W photos, 7 colour photos, 2 colour drawings and 6 maps