The survival of an american armored division in world. Over the next 11 months, the third armored division, which began the normandy campaign with 232 m4 tanks, would see 648 of its shermans destroyed in combat, with another 700 knocked out of commission before being repaired and returned to servicea. Mar 18, 2018 invariably, when this topic is raised in an online forum, someone will bring up the book death traps by belton cooper. Rebecca cooper, a very pretty lady, full of southern charm, answered the door. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Death traps by belton cooper is a memoir of his us army service in world war 2. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii ebook. 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. Return to todays obituaries for the the birmingham news.
The survival of an american armored division in world war ii, death traps, belton y. His laments about shermans being no good against tigers and panthers are questionable, as his unit did not encounter tigers and panthers when he. Cooper s experiences in the battle to defeat germany. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. On april 30, 2001, i drove to belton coopers house in a very nice neighborhood in birmingham, book, tape recorder, and gifts in hand, and rang the front doorbell. Death traps is a very good memoir by belton cooper.
In a downtoearth style, death traps tells the compelling story of one man s 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. Death traps is a somewhat unique book among books written about wwii in. Well, i can think of a few reasons right off the bat for that like. This information, however interesting, is also the books achilles heel.
His stories are vivid, enlightening, full of lifeand. The information in this obituary is based on data from the us governments social security death index. Belton cooper was a mechanic during the war, and thus lacked a good overall perspective of the sherman s performance. Cooper served as an ordnance liaison officer of the us 3rd armored division from the invasion of normandy until the end of the war. You can enhance belton coopers memory by upgrading beltons public record with words and pictures, signing beltons memory book, recording an audio memory or lighting a candle. I have recently read belton coopers memoir death traps and generally liked it but i would like to make a couple of remarks on it. I eagerly awaited this book s coming out since i heard of its release. I have never before been able to learn so much about maintenance methods of an armored division, with precise details that underline the importance of the work, along with descriptions of how the job was done. While death traps offers a decent perspective of a soldiers first hand experience, thats all it is, a perspective.
Belton cooper was a mechanic during the war, and thus lacked a good overall perspective of the shermans performance. 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. How the super pershing got that super to its name for. After the war, he completed his studies at the university of michigan with a degree in naval architecture and marine engineering. Mar 01, 2017 belton cooper s controversial memoir death traps makes interesting reading. His experiences in the european theater were the subject of his 1998 book death traps. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii ebook written by belton y.
Cooper is a very polished writer, and the book is very readable. Death traps an important contribution to the history of world war ii. Cooper served as an ordnance officer with the forward elements and was responsible for coordinating the recovery and repair of damaged american tanks. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii 9780891418146. 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. Coopers insight makes this book an interesting read from a historical point of view death traps definitely has a significant amount of historical contents. If youre interested in reading a quality rebuttal against belton coopers antisherman book death traps, heres one of the best from amazon. His stories are vivid, enlightening, full of lifeand of pain, sorrow, horror, and triumph. 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. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii by benton y. Belton cooper s memoir of his world war ii service with the 3d armor division in europe is a gem.
If you are enjoying fog of war videos, please subscribe to the youtube channel and like my videos so i know people are. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii is a 1998 memoir by belton y. 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. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii at. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii, published in 1998. May 26, 2007 it was the first trip by this yankee to alabama.
May 31, 2015 it s really a kind of visual presentation of belton cooper s book, death traps. Belton coopers memoir of his world war ii service with the 3rd armored division in europe is a gem. Belton coopers book death traps is a good book about the sherman. Coopers experiences in the battle to defeat germany. As a young ordnance lieutenant in the 3d armor division, it was belton coopers job to travel with the combat units during the day and assist in coordinating the recovery, repair, and evacuation of the battledamaged tanks.
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. Cooper, 9780891418146, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. I read this book immediately after reading spearhead. Belton cooper s book death traps is a good book about the sherman. Its really a kind of visual presentation of belton coopers book, death traps. 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. This was a heavy armored division that was the tip of the spear of the allied advance across europe.
His job included seeing to it that the body parts were removed from shotup tanks, the blood scraped off and painted over. Ambrose, from his foreword 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, an ordenance officer in the us 3rd armoured division, across the west european campaign of wwii and as such fills a very important gap in. Read belton coopers life story, offer tributescondolences, send flowers or create a belton cooper online memorial. Death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii the survival of an american armored division in world war ii by belton y. Cooper, an ordenance officer in the us 3rd armoured division, across the west european campaign of wwii and as such fills a very important gap in litterature. Apr 29, 2003 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. Dec 18, 2007 his stories are vivid, enlightening, full of lifeand of pain, sorrow, horror, and triumph. Much of the hate against the sherman has been perpetrated post war and sadly most of it is from belton cooper. 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. 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. Belton coopers memoir of his world war ii service with the 3d armor division in europe is a gem.
The true saga of spearhead heroes of a different sort. 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. Invariably, when this topic is raised in an online forum, someone will bring up the book death traps by belton cooper. 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. Belton was a tank maintenance officer in europe and was responsible for seeing that disabled shermans were retrieved and refitted if possible. Death traps the survival of an american armored division in. Why is belton coopers death traps considered unreliable. Oct 26, 2016 german panzers had a better survival factor on the battlefield, belton cooper explains why in this study not found anywhere else captured knocked out german tanks shocked allied inspectors estimates of german technology and engineering designs that were at first thought to be of the same methods in use by everyone. Jan 29, 2015 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 world war ii. Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from penguin random house. The book relates cooper s experiences during world war ii and puts forth an argument against the us army s use of the m4 sherman tank during the war.
Belton cooper s memoir of his world war ii service with the 3rd armored division in europe is a gem. 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. Most memoirs written by the soldiers in the field focus on the anecdotes which can. Read death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii by belton y. When belton cooper was a young boy growing up in huntsville, he dreamed of building the world s first unsinkable battleship. From some checking on the arm chair general, there seems to be some discussion as to its historical accuracy.
By the way, the article is partially based on belton coopers death traps, an infamous book, responsible for several of the nastiest american tank myths shermans burned all the time, you needed 5 shermans to kill one panther, sherman was a really bad tank and others, so i hope the author took this into account. Cooper saw more of the war than most junior officers, and he writes about it better than almost anyone. Jan 03, 2016 i have recently read belton coopers memoir death traps and generally liked it but i would like to make a couple of remarks on it. Belton coopers controversial memoir death traps makes interesting reading. An important contribution to the history of world war ii. Coopers writing and recall of harrowing events is superb and engrossing. 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.
When belton cooper was a young boy growing up in huntsville, he dreamed of building the worlds first unsinkable battleship. A good historian looks at multiple perspectives and hard evidence, not just a single book to justify their already existing bias. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii. Later, cooper recalled the experience in a book, death traps. Was the ww2 memoir death traps by belton cooper historically accurate. Written by 3rd armored world war ii veteran belton cooper of birmingham. Holy crap that guy must not have done a single ounce of research for his book. While death traps offers a decent perspective of a soldier s first hand experience, that s all it is, a perspective. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read death traps. Belton was an ordnance officer in the 3rd armored div or spearhead division. Death traps the survival of an american armored division. About death traps an important contribution to the history of world war ii.