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Longshore Soldiers
Defying Bombs & Supplying Victory in a World War II Port Battalion
Longshore Soldiers
Defying Bombs & Supplying Victory in a World War II Port Battalion
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Description
Longshore Soldiers chronicles the wartime experiences of port battalion veterans, part of the US Army's Transportation Corps.
This battalion, along with all others of the Corps, were responsible for ensuring military materiel was delivered to the front line, allowing the fighting to continue without delay; an essential part of the Allied war effort.
Andrew Brozyna, grandson of one of the veterans, traces the stories of the veterans from training in the United States to supplying the British at El Alamein, dock work in Antwerp, supplying the beaches of Normandy as part of D-Day and finally to deactivation.
While this is a subject that might not be as instantly recognizable for most military history fans, Brozyna offers a compelling narrative, packed with first-hand accounts and personal histories, of an overlooked aspect of the Second World War. Longshore Soldiers examines the logistics of the European theatre and how these veterans vitally kept the Allied armies moving as they marched into the Reich.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1: Schenectady
Chapter 2: American Locomotive Company
Chapter 3: In the Army Now
Chapter 4: Boston
Chapter 5: The Atlantic
Chapter 6: England
Chapter 7: The Invasion
Chapter 8: Utah Beach Dangers
Chapter 9: Beach Work
Chapter 10: To Antwerp
Chapter 11: The V-weapons
Chapter 12: Work in the Port
Chapter 13: The Ardennes Offensive
Chapter 14: War's End
Chapter 15: Homecoming
Epilogue
Appendix A: Timeline
Appendix B: 519th Port Battalion Honors
Appendix C: 519th Port Battalion Historical Data report
Appendix D: Company Rosters
Appendix E: D-Day Port Battalions
Appendix F: US Military Units in Antwerp
Bibliography
Endnotes
About the author
Product details
Published | 20 Aug 2012 |
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Format | Ebook (PDF) |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 174 |
ISBN | 9781782004967 |
Imprint | Osprey Publishing |
Illustrations | 35 b/w |
Series | General Military |
Short code | GNM |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
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Longshore Soldiers is an excellent read. It combines personal accounts and detailed unit history of often unheralded yet vitally important men who kept the Allied war machine rolling. Though sometimes overshadowed by front line combat troops, the men who kept the supplies moving were in no less perilous positions than those at the front. Without food, ammunition, and equipment, there is no battle. The men of the port battalions are every bit the hero as their counterparts and this book tells their story. No study of the Allied victory in World War II is complete without an understanding of what it took to keep the armies supplied and the men who did it. It is a quick read and very informative.
Ken Koskodan, author of No Greater Ally
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Brozyna does a good job in describing the duties and experiences of his grandfather's unit during the D-Day landings, the fighting in Belgium, and the Ardennes Offensive. Without a doubt, the port battalions made numerous contributions in supporting the soldiers in the field.
World War II History Magazine
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This is an eloquent tribute to a beloved grandfather and an impeccably researched unit history.
Professor Peter Schrijvers, author of Liberators: The Allies and Belgian Society, 1944–1945
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Books on the supporting units of D-day are long overdue, and this one provides a great insight into what you may have previously perceived as a dull, safe transportation unit. These units played a vital role in keeping the troops ashore at Normandy, and without men such as these the invasion easily could have failed.
Jon Gawne, author of Finding Your Father's War and Spearheading D-Day
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Most army histories concentrate on the troops at the sharp end. Those that cover soldiers serving in the rear areas are generally tedious attempts at humor. So it was a delight to discover Longshore Soldiers. Brozyna's well-written and researched book is a fine tribute to his grandfather and the other men who served with him. Theirs was a demanding, often dangerous, and largely unsung task. This book colorfully brings their story to life.
Mark Zuehlke, author of Terrible Victory and the Canadian Battle Series
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I was completely captivated by the role played by the longshore soldiers at Normandy and Antwerp. I knew in my heart that they must have a compelling story, but was always drawn away by the glitz of the combat arms. That was a mistake. The men of the 519th Port Battalion lived and died as genuine heroes. This little story is a major contribution to the saga of men at arms. A real treat.
Colonel David Fitz-Enz, US Army (ret.), author of Why a Soldier? and Redcoats' Reveng

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