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The Bailey Bridge is a type of portable, pre-fabricated, truss bridge. It was developed by the British during World War II and saw extensive use by both British and American military engineering units. It had the advantages of requiring no special tools or heavy equipment to construct. The wood and steel structural elements were small and light enough to be carried in trucks, and lifted without requiring the use of a crane. The bridges were strong enough to carry any military load, including tanks. Stories of Bailey Bridges being built and erected during the Second World War are legendary. By the end of the war, the US Fifth Army and British 8th Army had built over 3,000 in Sicily and Italy alone. Today, they continue to be vastly used in civil engineering construction projects and to provide temporary crossings for people and vehicles. Created in 1943, this technical manual reveals a great deal about the Bailey Bridge's design and capabilities. Intended as a manual for those charged with bridge construction, it also details many aspects of bridge maintenance and traffic control. Originally labeled restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.

Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917; To be used by Engineer companies (dismounted) and Coast Artillery companies for Infantry instruction and training has been regarded as significant work throughout human history, and in order to ensure that this work is never lost, we have taken steps to ensure its preservation by republishing this book in a contemporary format for both current and future generations. This entire book has been retyped, redesigned, and reformatted. Since these books are not made from scanned copies, the text is readable and clear.

First published in the summer of 1941 by the War Department and then revised in 1942, this Soldier's Handbook was standard issue for WWII enlistees and inductees. The Handbook's purpose was to "...give the newly enrolled member of the United States Army a convenient and compact source of information and thus to aid him in performing his duties more efficiently." Within its pages are chapters concerning group life including military obligations, discipline and courtesy, post and station activities, and more. The book also features a discussion of Army uniforms, insignia, the infantry pack and field equipment (including gas mask), as well as care and service of the standard issue U.S. rifle, Caliber .30, M1 and the M1911 automatic pistol. Later chapters include notes on marching, camping and bivouac, platoon and interior drill, the School of the Soldier without Arms (dismounted) and School of the Soldier with Arms (dismounted), as well as guard duty and security. Finally, the book includes information about rations, pay and allowances, sanitation, first aid -- and how to prepare a last will and testament. This high quality reproduction was created from an original copy of the book, with great care taken to preserve the integrity of the text and illustrations.

Developed from the highly successful French Brandt Mortar in 1935, the American M1 Mortar is an 81mm weapon. During WWII, the M1 was supplied to every U.S. infantry battalion, and was also mounted on the M3 Half-track. Producing a rate of fire of eighteen rounds per minute, with a muzzle velocity of 700 feet per second, the M1 could launch rounds up to 1.9 miles. Ammunition included both heavy and light explosive rounds, smoke, illumination and phosphorus / incendiary rounds. The weapon was typically serviced by a crew of 7-8 personnel, including a squad leader, gunner, assistant gunner, and ammunition bearers. The one drawback of the M1 was that the tube, mount and base plate weighed roughly 136 pounds. Starting in 1951, it was replaced by the considerably lighter M29 mortar. Produced in 1943 by the War Department, this restricted field manual was standard issue for M1 Mortar crews. It includes sections on maintenance and care, as well as information on the training of crew members. This includes chapters on the use of fire control instruments and sights, marksmanship and adjustment of fire, and advice for instructors. This manual has been reproduced in its entirety, with care taken to preserve the integrity of the text.

Every American soldier, airman, seaman and auxiliary personnel in WWII wore a wristwatch or carried a pocket watch. For military operations, reliability and accuracy in timekeeping has always been paramount, and in WWII the need for both became undeniable: the pace of modern war made highly synchronized operations the rule rather than the exception. In order to meet these requirements, a whole new generation of timepieces were issued. Innovative new models featured a host of improvements, from second-hacking capabilities to improved waterproofing, more durable and accurate movements, and purpose-driven complications. No wonder that many of today's modern brands market "classic" WWII watches as a key part of their product lines. The job of keeping America's WWII military timepieces in good condition fell to a group of specially-trained military watchmakers. This book, which was originally published in 1945 by the War Department, was the standard issues training manual for this cadre. It contains detailed instructions for the inspection, disassembly, assembly, maintenance, and repair of military issue pocket watches, wrist watches, stop watches, and message center clocks. Some of the specific models featured include the Bulova wristwatch model 10 AK, the Waltham wrist watch models 10609 and 10617, Elgin pocket and wrist watches, the Hamilton pocket watch model 992B, various Elgin stopwatches and the Message Center Clock M1. Originally "restricted", this manual was declassified long ago and is reprinted here in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the original text and photographs.

A modification of the 2-ton "deuce", the DUKW amphibious truck was designed in 1942 by a team that included a British sailor, an American yacht builder and an MIT engineer. Powered by a GMC Straight-6, 270 cubic inch engine, the DUKW's six drive wheels allowed it to move up to 50 mph on the road and at roughly 6 mph in water. It was the first vehicle ever designed to allow tire pressure to be adjusted from inside the cab, allowing it to operate easily and efficiently on sand, rock, gravel and paved roads. The vehicle lacked armor, but one in every four produced came equipped with a machine gun ring mount. Overall, the DUKW weighed 6.5 short tons empty and could carry 2.5 short tons or twelve soldiers. The DUKW's career in combat was unique, being used to ferry supplies and men from ship to shore, and operating in flooded environments. It was used in landings in the Pacific and European Theaters, including at D-Day, and many were also used during the Korean War at Inchon. Incidentally, the term "DUKW" is not a military term, but rather an acronym coined by General Motors. "D" stood for the year it was designed, 1942. "U" stood for "Utility", "K" for front wheel drive, and "W" for two powered rear axles. Over 21,000 DUKWs were built during WWII. Some remain in use today as amphibious tour buses. Originally created in 1945, this War Department technical manual contains a full description of the DUKW and shows how to operate and maintain it. Originally restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.

Designed by Swedish cryptographer Boris Hagelin, the M-209 Converter was a portable, mechanical cipher machine. Used extensively during WWII and the Korean conflict by both the Army Signal Corps and the U.S. Navy (which designated it the CSP-1500), Hagelin's device allowed a rapid and secure means of communication. The lunchbox-sized machine was so simple that little training was required to use it, yet its cipher scheme proved very difficult - but not impossible - for the Germans to crack. The M-209's elegant design uses six adjustable key wheelsor rotors to produce a reciprocal substitution - also known as a Beaufort cipher. The effect was that of sliding a normal alphabet sequence against the same sequence reversed, with a high degree of irregularity in the shifting process brought about by a train of gears. In the train of gears, the number of teeth on the driving number was also varied by the use of keying elements. Prepared by the War Department for the Signal Corps and other users, this M-209 technical manual describes the operation and care of this fascinating device. Originally printed in 1942 and classified restricted, it was declassified long ago and is here available in book form.