Belton cooper's book death traps by belton mo

His laments about shermans being no good against tigers and panthers are questionable, as his unit did not encounter tigers and panthers. Belton was an ordnance officer in the 3rd armored div or spearhead division. If you want to talk about shermans, then i suggest you read a book entitled death traps by belton cooper. Belton coopers memoir of his world war ii service with the 3d armor division in. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii is a 1998 memoir by belton y. And if he is irrelevant, then why would hunicutts books be. An important contribution to the history of world war ii. Cooper, a veteran of the tank war, wrote in the book death traps, one of many sources mr. Belton cooper s book death traps is a good book about the sherman. This is fairly recent publication and goes into the design and use of the sherman in 194445 in western europe. Death traps is a somewhat unique book among books written about wwii in. As a member of the 3d armored division maintenance battalion, he had liaison duties that took him far and wide, so he saw more of the war than most junior officers, and he writes about it better than most anyone. Death traps by belton cooper and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Quill and sigh for a merlin by alex henshaw and alert in the west by willi heilman all being a tie for second and belton cooper s death traps a close third.

Cooper was an officer in a maintenance battlion in the 3rd armored div. If you read death traps you understand the tone of the movie as well as why the eponymous tank is named fury. Fury is a fictional film about a tank crew during the final days of the war in europe. Ws 1 15 digital web by media index publishing group issuu. Get the fuck out of here, if youre actually dumb enough in this day and age to buy into belton coopers money grab of a book and here i thought people were getting wiser with so many now finally debunking so many pop history myths instead of reading about the actual history of the sherman and the war overall, youre far too much of an. In the minds of too many army officials, computer graphics have painted a mythical arena where wheeled trucks and armored cars can shuttle men and supplies forward to the edge of a linear battlefield much like belton cooper describes took place in wwii europe in his book, deathtraps. In a downtoearth style, death traps tells the compelling story of one mans assignment to the famous 3rd armored division that spearheaded the american advance from normandy into germany. Cooper saw more of the war than most junior officers, and he writes about it better than almost.

Aug 28, 2000 as a young ordnance lieutenant in the 3d armor division, it was belton cooper s job to travel with the combat units during the day and assist in coordinating the recovery, repair, and evacuation of the battledamaged tanks. Mar 18, 2018 invariably, when this topic is raised in an online forum, someone will bring up the book death traps by belton cooper. Death traps the survival of an american armored division in. New dsc show greatest military clashes the high road. The book relates coopers experiences during world war ii and puts forth an argument against the us armys use of the m4 sherman tank during the war. Simmons had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death. An urgent examination of free speech in americaaddressing cancel culture, acceptance of lying, dialogue that limits the life quality of othersfrom critically acclaimed journalist and bestselling author of the rage of a privileged class. With spitfire a test pilots story by jeffrey quill and sigh for a merlin by alex henshaw and alert in the west by willi heilman all being a tie for second and belton cooper s death traps a close third. Invariably, when this topic is raised in an online forum, someone will bring up the book death traps by belton cooper.

This is a subreddit for war thunder, a cross platform vehicular combat mmo developed by gaijin entertainment for microsoft windows, macos, linux. The true saga of spearhead heroes of a different sort. Cooper random house publishing group, dec 18, 2007 history 384 pages. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Death traps is a somewhat unique book among books written about wwii in so far that it features the accounts and feelings of a man who by his own admission. Belton cooper s memoir of his world war ii service with the 3rd armored division in europe is a gem. Jan 30, 2015 but the wikipedia article on the film mentions it was inspired by death traps, the autobiography of maintenance company officer belton y cooper. The united states world war 2 main battle tank, the m4 sherman was obsolete by 1944. Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from penguin random house. It keeps coming up in forum threads as people keep citing it, so i figured i may as well make my position clear in a more formal manner. Floridas stand your ground law, which gives people wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat during a fight, may. Just nosey about what books folk are reading at mo plus what are the most. Cooper served as an ordnance officer with the forward elements and was responsible for coordinating the recovery and repair of damaged american tanks. As a young ordnance lieutenant in the 3d armor division, it was belton cooper s job to travel with the combat units during the day and assist in coordinating the recovery, repair, and evacuation of the battledamaged tanks.

Oct 25, 2014 as third armored division ordnance officer belton y. Cooper s experiences in the battle to defeat germany. Ayer was influenced by the service of veterans in his family and by reading books, such as belton y. The technical inferiority of american to german armor in world war ii is well documented and very familiar to students of that conflict. His laments about shermans being no good against tigers and panthers are questionable, as his unit did not encounter tigers and panthers when he. History of randolph county, missouri pdf free download. Oct 27, 2014 the m4 sherman tank was hell on wheels and a death trap. Fury, starring brad pitt, a raw look at warfare the new york times. For the same reason internet hobby historians love to rate the tiger ll as the greatest tank ever the m1 abrams is based off it dontcha know and routinely place rommel at the top of the list of greatest generals ever. Coopers experiences in the battle to defeat germany. The m4 sherman tank was hell on wheels and a death trap.

Rants and death traps the chieftains hatch world of. Was the sherman tank really the worst tank of wwii or that is. Made with wow slider create beautiful, responsive image sliders in a few clicks. The case was assigned to me to determine whether he was mentally retarded as mandated by the us supreme court in atkins v. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii by belton y. Van buren will re call to the medical profession one of tne most remarkable cases of transfusion of blood that have ever occurred in thitcountry and one which at the time when the operation was performed attracted universal attention among men of sci ence. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii belton y. Ahmed rukmini callimachi st louis postdispatch mo, february 10, 20. Cooper served with united state armys 3rd armored division fighting the germans in 19441945. The trucknet uk drivers roundtable view topic bookworms. He served in the unit responsible for recovering damaged and destroyed tanks. As third armored division ordnance officer belton y. Cooper s insight makes this book an interesting read from a historical point of view death traps definitely has a significant amount of historical contents. M1 gavin armored tracks could transform its light units from their.

Best ww2 books probably iron coffins herbert werner. Belton coopers book death traps is a good book about the sherman. This was a heavy armored division that was the tip of the spear of the allied advance across europe. It was a literal death trap for the crews manning it. The short life and curious death of free speech in america by ellis cose amistad sep 15, 2020 read detailed book description. Senate journal 1142016 south carolina legislature online. A daily digest of texas news, the latest from texas monthly, plus a monthly message from our editors. This information, however interesting, is also the book s achilles heel. The book, commonly found, is wellwritten, an easy read, and provides good insight as to the thinkings and workings of a junior grade ordnance officer in a field unit. Written by 3rd armored world war ii veteran belton cooper of birmingham. Death traps the survival of an american armored division. Ayer was influenced by the service of veterans in his family and by reading books such as belton y. He was a liaison lieutenant in the 3 rd armor division for the maintenance battalion.

T34s were on paper an amazing tank, having a powerful gun, decent armor that was strengthened by be. He saw a lot of battle damage on american tanks from german guns. Belton cooper s memoir of his world war ii service with the 3d armor division in europe is a gem. Death traps is a very good memoir by belton cooper.

Fundamental army assumptions and labels flawed the army lumps m1 gavin light tracked afvs into its heavy units when these 10. The book itself is called death traps and it refers to the thousands of crew members who died or were injured in sherman tanks because the tank was designed by a committee and it was no match for german panzers with far superior armour and firepower. Death traps death traps is easily one of the bestknown memoirs of any us junior officer during world war ii, and certainly so for the us armored forces. Belton cooper was born on october 4, 1917 in huntsville, alabama, usa. You can enhance belton cooper s memory by upgrading beltons public record with words and pictures, signing beltons memory book, recording an audio memory or lighting a candle. Most memoirs written by the soldiers in the field focus on the anecdotes which can. Losses of us sherman crew in ww2 sat at around 8% while infantry at %. Cooper served as an ordnance liaison officer of the us 3rd armored division from the invasion of normandy until the end of the war.

I read this book immediately after reading spearhead. Was the sherman tank really the worst tank of wwii or that. But the wikipedia article on the film mentions it was inspired by death traps, the autobiography of maintenance company officer belton y cooper. There is some doubt as to the veracity of the notion that the pershings gun was actually gyrostabilised as the photo caption of this incident in belton cooper s otherwise excellent death traps claims between p. Full text of history of randolph county, missouri see other formats. Death traps the book the true saga of spearhead heroes of a different sort written by 3rd armored world war ii veteran belton cooper of birmingham, alabama, and first published in 1998, death traps has received wide acclaim in military circles. Cooper wrote in his memoir death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii, his division entered france with 232 sherman tanks, but by the end of the war, it had lost 648 shermans totally destroyed, and an additional 700 had been knocked out of action and later.

Death traps by belton cooper is a memoir of his us army service in world war 2. I would like to know why death traps by belton cooper is considered irrelevant. While most people like to think about the famous tiger panzer vi or t34 and how amazing they were, the truth is they werent. The most challenging book,but also fabulously written,would be the most dangerous book in the world by sk. Read death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii by belton y. Sep 30, 2016 for the same reason internet hobby historians love to rate the tiger ll as the greatest tank ever the m1 abrams is based off it dontcha know and routinely place rommel at the top of the list of greatest generals ever. And if he is irrelevant, then why would hunicutts books be considered relevant. Belton cooper was a mechanic during the war, and thus lacked a good overall perspective of the shermans performance. Cooper s death traps, about american armored warfare in world war ii. I have never before been able to learn so much about mai. With a forward by popular historian stephen ambrose and the backing of a major publisher, death traps has become quite well known amongst ww2 history aficionados. As a member of the 3rd armored division maintenance battalion, he had liaison duties that took him far and wide, so he saw more of the war than most junior officers, and he writes about it better than most anyone.