American Iliad: The 18th Infantry Regiment in World War II (review)

American Iliad is a detailed examination of the combat service of the U.S. Army's 18th Infantry Regiment during World War II. The 18th Infantry is a Regular Army regiment that was organized at the beginning of the American Civil War and has seen combat in every major conflict since then with the exception of the Korean War. The book's authors, Robert W. Baumer and Lieutenant Colonel Mark J. Reardon, brought distinct perspectives to their task. Baumer's uncle, Private First Class Robert A. Baumer, who was killed in action at Normandy on 9 June 1944 while serving with the 18th Infantry, inspired his interest in the Regiment's actions during World War II. Reardon, an Armor officer, currently serves as a Senior Military Historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History in Washington, D.C., and recently authored Victory At Mortain: Stopping Hitler's Panzer Counteroffensive (University Press of Kansas, 2002).

As a component unit of the 1st Infantry Division since World War I, the 18th Infantry Regiment saw more combat in World War II than most other units of its size. The 18th Infantry participated in three major invasions (Algeria, Sicily, and Normandy), along with several other major North African/European battles (Tunisia, Aachen, Hürtgen Forest, Ardennes, and the Ruhr Pocket). Baumer and Reardon present their history in a coherent chronological fashion and include literally dozens of combat actions at every level from squad through regiment. The authors argue, however, that the book is more than a mere regimental history, because the 18th Infantry established a battle record that was almost a microcosm of the U.S. Army's experiences in North Africa and Europe during World War II. After a bloody learning process in their first actions in North Africa, the senior officers of the 18th Infantry used initiative, flexibility, and creativity to create a cohesive combat unit that went on to defeat its Vichy French, Italian, and German opponents.

The authors used numerous primary and secondary sources in their research, including: intelligence reports, captured operational documents, personal accounts by enemy participants, and wartime reports with first-hand accounts provided by everyone from individual riflemen to senior officers. While the authors provided ample endnotes, for some reason, they did not include a bibliography. Other than that curious omission, I have only positive things to say about the book. I recommend this volume for individuals interested in regimental histories and/or the U.S. Army in North Africa and Europe during World War II.