IRON KNIGHTS (Hbk)

The history of the United States 66th Armoured Regiment, the famed "Iron Knights", from its baptism of fire in the mud of the Western Front in the First World War to its triumphant march into the rubble of once great Berlin in July 1945. As America's senior and most distinguished armoured regiment, the history of the 66th is a microcosm of the history of American armoured forces. This story weaves together the official records and the stories of its veterans. In First World War the 66th was the only American heavy tank unit to see combat. During the 1920s and 1930s it was the largest of only a few tank units left in the United States Army, where it served as a test bed for new ideas and equipment. In 1940, the 66th trained under General George S Patton, becoming one of the two armoured regiments in the famed 2nd Armoured Division. The 66th fought in North Africa and Sicily before landing on Omaha Beach. Later, fighting around Aachen, a company commander, Captain James Burt, earned the Medal of Honor. During the Battle of the Bulge, the 66th attacked the northern flank of the Bulge. The regiment ended the war on the Elbe River. Now out-of-print and limited stock available.