Please read the above talk page descriptions of all of the horrendously bad history that is in cooper s book. He wrote training day 2001, cowrote the fast and the furious 2001, and directed harsh times 2005, street kings 2008, end of watch 2012, sabotage 2014, fury 2014, suicide squad 2016 and bright. Please read the above talk page descriptions of all of the horrendously bad history that is in coopers book. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii at. Hisham, from the cad pics on the web page this looks to be t26 e3 that went to europe for combat test with the 3rd armored div. You can enhance belton cooper s memory by upgrading beltons public record with words and pictures, signing beltons memory book, recording an audio memory or lighting a candle. 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, an ordenance officer in the us 3rd armoured division, across the west european campaign of wwii and as such fills a. Death traps, belton coopers aptly name book about american armored divisions in ww2 evidences this fact. Remembering the death traps belton cooper 3rd armored division. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a. The survival of an american armored division in world. Common myths about wwii tanks page 4 historical articles. Cooper is president of the herman williams company in. Jan 29, 2015 invariably, when this topic is raised in an online forum, someone will bring up the book death traps by belton cooper. However, the truth is apparent to those that read belton coopers book, death traps that while armored vehicles can be knocked out most if not all, of them can be recovered and put back into service, if they are not allowed to totally incinerate. Cooper is a very polished writer, and the book is very readable. Death traps is a somewhat unique book among books written about wwii in so far. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii.
The trials of building 10, the four patients meet with their. Coopers death traps, about american armored units in world war ii and. Death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii, by belton y cooper. Coopers book, death traps about americas sherman tanks in wwii, and had brought my copy for him to.
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. The united states world war 2 main battle tank, the m4 sherman was obsolete by 1944. The main theme of the book is that m4 sherman was, as the title implies, a death trap to the men that operated them. Belton coopers memoir of his world war ii service with the 3d armored division in europe is a gem. Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. 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. This was a dangerous job that often required him to travel alone through. Of course, when something like this happens, conspiracy theories arise quickly in the conspiracy field. Belton cooper was a mechanic during the war, and thus lacked a good overall perspective of the shermans performance. When asked by one of his crew whether he really wants to do this, his answer is, no, its not what i want to do but its what were doing. His book reflects his frustrations at having to send young, undertrained tank crews out to almost certain death in the face of mark iv, mark v and mark vi german tanks. 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. Rebecca cooper, a very pretty lady, full of southern charm, answered the door.
Belton cooper saw how the german panzer tanks were destroying. 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. For everyone else here is the text of belton cooper s death traps, that as he said opened a can of worms and it still does. Its been 28 years since carter coopers death by suicide at age 23, but brother anderson cooper and mom gloria vanderbilt say they have still not achieved closure and actually detest that. I did not find the account to be as wellwritten or compelling as other tankers memoirs such as brazen chariots, the ken tout books, or belton coopers recent death traps and the book. The technical inferiority of american to german armor in world war ii is well documented and very familiar to. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Cooper s experiences in the battle to defeat germany. Death traps an important contribution to the history of world war ii. 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.
Death traps is a very good memoir by belton cooper. Dec 18, 2007 an important contribution to the history of world war ii. Death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii ebook. 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. 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. Belton cooper s book death traps is a good book about the sherman.
Belton cooper s memoir of his world war ii service with the 3rd armored division in europe is a gem. He was born in huntsville, alabama on october 4, 1917, son of the late jimmie lou youngblood cooper and george price cooper, jr. 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. 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. The book relates cooper s experiences during world war ii and puts forth an argument against the us armys use of the m4 sherman tank during the war. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii is a 1998 memoir by belton y. I have never before been able to learn so much about mai. Mar 18, 2018 invariably, when this topic is raised in an online forum, someone will bring up the book death traps by belton cooper. Some say it was a pure assassination, a hit job to get rid of this annoying person. Cooper served with united state army s 3rd armored division fighting the germans in 19441945. This was a heavy armored division that was the tip of the spear of the allied advance across europe. Belton coopers death traps is a great read by an american maintenance officer in an armored division in the postdday eto. Belton coopers death traps is fabricated nonhistory and should not be used as a reference i just removed a reference from coopers book that somebody tried to sneak in.
Coopers job was to ensure that the 3rd armored vehicles tanks, jeeps, half tracks and such. From our experience in north africa, it had been belatedly recognized that both the m4 and the m4a1 were inadequately protected. Belton coopers memoir of his world war ii service with the 3rd armored division in europe is a gem. Aside from being the best christian film i have ever seen, fury is based on a true story, related in belton coopers memoir death traps. Belton cooper s death traps is fabricated nonhistory and should not be used as a reference i just removed a reference from cooper s book that somebody tried to sneak in.
Death traps and fury fury is a relentlessly grim world war ii movie, and as the source autobiography death traps makes clear, it should be. Coopers room, where he was confined to a wheelchair due to a leg broken from a household fall. Death traps is a somewhat unique book among books written about wwii in so far that it features the accounts and feelings of a man. Belton youngblood cooper cooper, belton youngblood, age 89, of birmingham, died may 26, 2007. 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. Belton youngblood cooper october 4, 1917 may 26, 2007 served in the reserve. Belton coopers description of the inadequacies of the m4 sherman tank and the superhuman efforts of maintenance crews to restore damaged ones to combat is very gripping.
Death traps ebook san antonio public library bibliocommons. Cooper grew up in huntsville and attended the virginia military institute and the university of michigan. Belton was an ordnance officer in the 3rd armored div or spearhead division. A memoir is a historical work, and a primary source, of course a memoir could be wrong, and should be contrasted if possible with other sources, but definitely memoirs are historical works and primary sources. As one who loves wwii history, i could not put this book down. Death traps by belton cooper is a memoir of his us army service in world war 2. Jan 03, 2016 i have recently read belton cooper s memoir death traps and generally liked it but i would like to make a couple of remarks on it. The extra metal on the tank was from knocked out panthers and done in the feild, as the crew believed the armor would not stand up to the big german guns. Later, cooper recalled the experience in a book, death traps. Cooper served as an ordnance liaison officer of the us 3rd armored division from the invasion of normandy until the end of the war. Jan 30, 2015 death traps and fury fury is a relentlessly grim world war ii movie, and as the source autobiography death traps makes clear, it should be. The film portrays us tank crews in nazi germany during the final days of world war ii.
Mar 31, 2016 its been 28 years since carter coopers death by suicide at age 23, but brother anderson cooper and mom gloria vanderbilt say they have still not achieved closure and actually detest that. The main theme of the book is that m4 sherman was, as the title implies, a. 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. Was the ww2 memoir death traps by belton cooper historically accurate. Ayer was influenced by the service of veterans in his family and by reading books, such as belton y. Coopers experiences in the battle to defeat germany. An important contribution to the history of world war ii. Good wwii books heavily focused on actual soldier experiences. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii by benton y. The technical inferiority of american to german armor in world war ii is well documented and very familiar to students of that conflict. Belton cooper s death traps is a great read by an american maintenance officer in an armored division in the postdday eto.
Belton cooper s description of the inadequacies of the m4 sherman tank and the superhuman efforts of maintenance crews to restore damaged ones to combat is very gripping. Invariably, when this topic is raised in an online forum, someone will bring up the book death traps by belton cooper. Lebanon, ohio a judge sentenced a franklin man to seven years in prison tuesday for his sons scalding death. Citing death traps holy shit sherman tanks were not nearly as efficient or as armored as the primary german tank, the panzer iv. Death traps the survival of an american armored division in. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii mass market. 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. David ayer born january 18, 1968 is an american film director, producer and screenwriter. He married, had three sons and began his career at u. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Belton coopers book death traps is a good book about the sherman.
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. Death traps the book the true saga of spearhead heroes of a different sort written by 3rd armored world war ii veteran belton cooper of birmingham, alabama, and first published in 1998, death traps has received wide acclaim in military circles. Jul 28, 20 please dont use the 5 m4s 1 panther myth. It is written in the style of a memoir, but it also presents itself as a history of the 3rd armored division, the unit in which cooper served as an ordnance lieutenant. Weigley, author of eisenhowers lieutenantscooper saw more of the war than most junior officers. I read this book immediately after reading spearhead.
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. For everyone else here is the text of belton coopers death traps, that as he said opened a can of worms and it still does. However, the truth is apparent to those that read belton cooper s book, death traps that while armored vehicles can be knocked out most if not all, of them can be recovered and put back into service, if they are not allowed to totally incinerate. The survival of an american armored division in world war ii, published in 1998. Read death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii by belton y. Read death traps the survival of an american armored division in world war ii by.
Fry consults with bo cooper at the national institutes of healths building 10. Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from penguin random house. He served in the unit responsible for recovering damaged and destroyed tanks. 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. Cooper served as an ordnance officer with the forward elements and was responsible for coordinating the recovery and repair of damaged american tanks.
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