This companion book to volume 1 records the lives and activities of additional personalities associated with Nazi Germany. With their in-depth biographies appear scores of never-before-published photographs and hundreds of rare signatures and documents. Among the characters covered are the cohorts of the Nazis, many of them puppets who moved only when Hitler pulled their strings; the "dark" individuals whose deeds are unique in the annals of human depravity; in sharp contrast are the German leaders who plotted to overthrow the regime and paid the ultimate price; cultural leaders including philosophers, inventors, artists, actors and authors; the military leaders, many of them aloof from the politics, are described in chapters on the Field Marshals and Luftwaffe heroes; and the wily German spies who sometimes altered history with their clandestine activities. This historical document has been superbly researched and written and belongs in the library of every person that loves and cherishes the autograph hobby, both collector and dealer alike.

Leaders & Personalities of the 3rd Reich: Their Biographies, Portraits, and Autographs, Volume 2

History

Charles Hamilton

Europe

R. J. Bender Publishing

The War Merit Cross awards have always been seen as somewhat of a poor relation to the Iron Cross. While the lower grades of the War Merit Cross series were indeed issued in huge numbers, the range of recipients and reasons for which the award was bestowed make a fascinating subject for study. The First Class without Swords, being issued some 91,239 times, is in fact a scarcer award than the Iron Cross First Class, and the Knight's Cross, bestowed less than 300 times is far rarer than its Iron Cross equivalent. This book provides a full-color and in-depth coverage of the awards themselves, with detailed studies of original examples and variants from a wide range of manufacturers. The reader is also given a full listing - in most cases with accompanying biographical details - of all known recipients of the Knight's Cross of the War Merit Cross. This is the most accurate listing published to date, and is the result of many years of research.

War Merit Cross

Gordon Williamson

Josef Charita

German Cross in Gold 
Holders of the SS and Police: Volume 3 
Regiment and Division "Nordland 
Mr. Yerger follows up "German Cross in Silver" and "German Cross in Gold," Volumes 1 and 2 with Volume 3, Regiment and Division Nordland. Yerger once again shows us what a marvelous researcher he is. His extensive contacts throughout the world helped him once again author a historical journey that leads us through the combat actions of recipients of The German Cross in Gold in great detail. Featuring 139 photos throughout the 252 pages, this latest volume of "German Cross in Gold;" is a must have for collectors and history buffs alike. 
See also "German Cross in Silver" and "German Cross in Gold" Volumes 1 and 2.

German Cross in Gold - Holders of the SS and Police, Volume 3 - Regiment and Division Nordland

Mark C. Yerger

The author presents the reader with an in-depth development of HJ Gebiet triangles, shoulder straps, uniforms and their colors, and the ranking systems. 
Since the 1960s Bann lists have been available in Europe and later, lists have appeared on the Internet. This handbook is based only on official sources and contains the most complete listing of Bann numbers and their locations. 
At a glance, one can check a number's development and its relationship to a specific triangle. Additionally, the triangles and shoulder straps for all known special forces and formations are covered, as well as their organizational development. 
To supplement the massive amount of information contained in this 784 page volume, over 1,000 color photographs of triangles and shoulder straps, plus documents and beautiful period portraits support the text. This book is a Must Have for all HJ collectors and researchers.

Handbook of the Hitler-Jugend Bann Numbers and Gebiet Triangles

Wilhelm P.B.R. Saris

Philippe Gillain

Jeff Hammond

German Cross in Gold, Holders of the SS and Police: Volume 4 presents in depth new material and photos, correcting previous texts on the Waffen-SS Cavalry. The emphasis is on the Kavallerie Brigade, Florian Geyer, and Maria Theresia. Data for unit devel opment, commanders, and senior staff, is the most inclusive yet published. The award holder biography area adds tangent information, A full campaign report by a senior commander, Allgemeine-SS riding units, Honor Clasp, and Close Combat Clasp in Gold holders are included. Feldpost data, multiple officer assignment lists and addendum.

German Cross in Gold, Vol. 4 - Holders of The SS and Police

Just as the 1850s can be considered a decade of national divisiveness and discord, 1859 was a year of divisiveness and discord within the Marine Corps Quartermaster Department. The Marine Corps had a new commandant after almost three decades of management by Colonel Commandant Archibald Henderson and he came into the job with different ideas and a different management style, but the change in dress and equipment was necessary regardless as to who commanded the Marine Corps. Civilian fashions in Europe and the United States had changed and by the 1850s the Marine uniform was more anachronistic than fashionable. Equipment was also evolving and military leaders in the Army and the Marine Corps were well aware of these developments. The time had come to make a change and, to its credit, headquarters Marine Corps prompted by the new commandant seized the opportunity. Unfortunately, the unique nature of Marine service with detachments constantly leaving on long sea deployments, others returning, and still others guarding naval establishments, coupled with a new commandant and an inexperienced quartermaster, made the development of the new uniform and equipment more difficult than might otherwise have been the case. The uniform and equipment that emerged was all in one elegant, distinctive, and functional, even if not the product of efficient planning and development. 
 From the perspective of naval operations, the Marine Corps of the Civil War era was heavily committed and rendered significant service. Unfortunately, the contribution of Marines serving ashore and afloat has gone largely unrecognized until the publication of co-author David M. Sullivan's four-volume series on the subject&gt; 
 The objective of The Civil War Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps: The Regulations of 1859 was initially conceived to put a face on the officers and enlisted men of the Civil War era Marine Corps by bringing together the many mostly unpublished images of officer and enlisted Marines photographed between 1859 and 1875. Where possible, the officers and Marines in the images are identified by name and service history. Rather then simply present the photographs as portraits, the decision was made to organize the images according to the dress and equipment being worn. In addition to being able to determine the extent to which the 1859 regulations are a reliable guide to what was actually being used, this decision gave the authors the opportunity to incorporate many of the surviving examples of uniforms and equipment held in various museums and private collections. The uniforms, weapons, and equipment became the basis for arranging the photographs, consequently the chapters follow the precise subject matter arrangement of the 1859 Regulations for the Uniforms and Dress for the Marine Corps of the United States, October, 1859. Each chapter begins with the text pertaining to that section along with the 1859 publication s original illustrations. 
 The man appointed as Quartermaster of the Marine Corps who would oversee the development of the 1859 uniform and equipment was Major Daniel J. Sutherland, who came to the assignment in 1857 with minimal experience having served only two years as assistant quartermaster. The Quartermaster Department itself had always been small and was the creation of Captain Elijah J. Weed in the early 1820s. Breveted captain in November 1828, Weed instituted the practice of having selected lieutenants assigned as assistant quartermasters until the position was made official on 1 July 1834. Augustus A. Nicholson was one of these officers and, as a brevet captain in July 1834.....

The Civil War Uniforms of the United States Marine Corps: The Regulations of 1859

Lt. Col. Charles H. Cureton

USMCR (Ret.)

David M. Sullivan

Reference

Throughout the 1970s and on occasion in the 1980s while home on leave from the military, I would patrol the wide and bountiful aisles of the Ohio Gun Collectors Association show, which was one of the greatest gun shows of the old era. It was a superb source for military items as well as weapons, because so many gun collectors at that time were erstwhile militaria buffs. Most were also WWII veterans, and they sometimes brought their own souvenirs to sell. It was common to purchase quality original German helmets there, and the favorite thing to do was get there as early as possible and zoom up and down the aisles hoping to find a jewel for the collection. I recall from that era a few faces of the competition other young collectors who pursued the same prizes; one of them being Ken Niewiarowicz. 
 The reason I tell this story is to provide the reader some indication of how long Ken has been a student of German helmets. Not only the length of time, but the originality of the specimens he was obtaining, are important factors here. Ken learned originality, learned what he liked, and stuck with it, building upon his knowledge over the years. The fruits of his efforts include a world-class website featuring fine original helmets and now, a superbly researched and authoritative work on German helmets arguably the new standard for all authors on the subject. 
 Delving into the chapters, one can see evidence of exhaustive effort in seeking out original helmets from some of the best US and international collections, the finest examples of which are presented here accompanied by a text composed of facts and observations layed out in a direct and cohesive manner. Myself having trod this path, I can attest to the patience which it requires. But Ken has gotten the job done and the quality and value of this effort are evident. 
 In terms of enhancing the modern study of original German WWII helmets, Ken s methodical approach in analyzing finishes, lot numbers, and corresponding decals of so many fine examples constitutes an important building block of updated forensic study that will benefit all collectors into the future. Therefore, it is my view that this book is the most definitive and complete work available on Third Reich helmets, and will quickly become the cornerstone of helmet collecting literature. 
 Kelly Hicks, LTC, US Army (Ret.)

Germany's Combat Helmets - 1933 - 1945: A Modern Study

Ken Niewiarowicz

Over three million personnel served in Vietnam, but only those of the U.S. Navy Task Force 116 wore the distinctive black beret while serving and fighting as the River Patrol Forces in the murky, brown waters of the Mekong Delta. Those who served in Task Force 116 are among the most elite teams deployed by the U.S. Navy in Vietnam: PBRs, SEALs, Seawolves, and Black Ponies. Their mission was to route the enemy deep within the secluded waterways of the Delta. Sharks, dragons, seawolves....this book illustrates the colorful insignia, emblems and artifacts used by these units in great detail. Many of these patches, jungle fatigues, and tigerstripes didn't survive because of the environments of war in South East Asia and the restrictions placed upon U.S. sailors. The unit patches produced by the River Patrol Forces used symbols of heraldry, strength, defiance, and sometimes humor which represents the best of men fighting to protect their brothers in arms. The black berets and the distinctive unit patches emblazoned on their jungle jackets and worn into battle brought these men together as a team.

River Patrol Insignia of the United States Navy (Vietnam) 1966/1972

Scott Kraska

Stephen Kirby

At 380 pages with over 1,100 photos (most in color), War Badges of the Kriegsmarine is the perfect companion to Torpedo Los. 
 This book covers the War Badges of the Kriegsmarine with particular emphasis on the surface units. Packed with detailed obverse and reverse color shots as well as close ups of hinges, pins and maker marks giving the collector and military enthusiast detailed coverage of all the major variants of these desirable badges. 
 As well as the badges themselves, a huge range of rare award documents, paybook entries and other documentation is provided, along with many rare and previously unpublished detailed wartime images showing the awards being worn.

War Badges of the Kriegsmarine

This is the second printing and an expanded edition to SS-Steel. It is an increase of 64 pages of the latest information and brings the total number of photos to over 500. SS-Steel The central issue regarding collecting SS helmets is the huge amount of fakes now on the market. SS-Steel is intended to assist the collector in determining the fakes from the real thing. It provides information specific to their paint, decals and general characteristics. This analysis is conducted within the framework of history; illustrating how the forces of politics and war influenced the equipping of Germany's elite guard. During full-scale production of the M-35 series of helmets, each of the five German helmet makers installed their own pattern of SS decal on helmets at the factory. Fine examples of dozens of helmets show clear evidence of this maker-to-decal correlation. In addition to the decal analysis, SS-Steel explores the high degree of re-use and re-issue of helmets, compared to the other services. Variations, unusual and rare helmets, and "foreign volunteer" SS helmets are also explored. Since the first edition of SS Steel, a lot has taken place. Numerous superb original examples of helmets have surfaced that not only reinforce the decal to maker correlation, but also to give authoritative context for exceptions to this correlation. Both the reinforcement aspects and the exception aspects will be illuminated further in this update. Some of the information that has surfaced deals with more accurate dating of helmets via anecdotal use of batch or lot numbers, which loosely give a helmet a production period that in combination with the decal it displays from the factory can lead to determination of when certain patterns of decals were used and perhaps why. An example of this is the ET M-35 SS helmet with factory issue C.A. Pocher decals. In the first edition of SS Steel, this happenstance was characterized as an early characteristic, based on several examples of 1937 or earlier dated M-35s, plus some period photos showing early use of Pocher decals. In the intervening period since the first edition, it has been definitively determined that C.A. Pocher decals were also used on factory issue ET M-35 helmets, alongside and even intermingled with standard ET decals, during a large portion of 1939. This is due to their correlation to the 4,000 series lot numbers, which loosely equate to 1939 production overall. So this very significant point has been identified and helps refine and advance collector knowledge on M-35s. Other useful information has been incorporated into this update, with the intent of creating greater clarity on production and use of all helmets across the wartime spectrum of the SS. It is my greatest hope that this information will help solidify and strengthen the body of knowledge surrounding these magnificent trophies of the Second World War.

SS-Steel: (Expanded Edition) Parade & Combat Helmets of Germany's Third Reich Elite

Kelly Hicks

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