To War with the 4th: A Century of Frontline Combat with the U.S. 4th Infantry Division, from the Argonne to the Ardennes to Afghanistan

by Martin King, Mike Collins, Jason Nulton

A century of valor among one of the finest infantry divisions ever to serve, vividly chronicled through extensive research and interviews with veterans.   From the Great War to the War on Terror, the US 4th Infantry Division has always been there. To War with the 4th recounts a hundred years of combat, beginning with their first battle on September 14th, 1918. The men of the “Ivy” Division faced German artillery, fell in the hundreds, yet won the day.   On D-Day of World War II, the 4th Division landed at Utah Beach and kept fighting across Europe until Germany surrendered. From Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge, no other American division suffered more casualties in the European theater, and no other division accomplished as much. In Vietnam, they executed dangerous “search and destroy” missions and fought major engagements, including thirty-three consecutive days of close-quarters combat during the Battle of Dak To. In May 2009, they fought in Iraq at the height of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan for a year-long combat mission  in the birthplace of the Taliban.   Through firsthand interviews with veterans across the decades, and the expert analysis of the authors, the role of one of America’s mainstay divisions is illuminated in these pages.

483 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2016

About the author

Emmy Award winning British Military Historian/Author/ Lecturer who's had the honor of reintroducing many US, British and German veterans to the WWII battlefields where they fought. He lives in Belgium near Antwerp where he spends his most of his time visiting European battlefields.

His voluntary work tracing individual histories has been a labor of love for almost 30 years. He speaks, and has a working knowledge of German Italian Dutch and French. Frequently in demand as a public speaker he has lectured at many British and US colleges, universities and military bases throughout the world. The History Channel hired Martin as a Historical Consultant on their series "Cities of the Underworld". In 2007 he began a new assignment working as a Historical consultant/writer on the hit series 'Greatest Tank Battles', currently the most watched military documentary in the US. Shortly thereafter he accepted an invitation to work as a Presenter/Historical Consultant on the series 'Narrow Escapes' with Bafta Award winning documentary makers WMR.

He is a frequent visitor to the prestigious West Point Military Academy. Widely regarded as a leading authority on European Military History, General Graham Hollands referred to him as the "Greatest living expert on the Battle of the Bulge". Steven Ambrose called him "Our expert in the Ardennes". Fellow writer and notable historian Professor Carlton Joyce said "He really is the best on the Ardennes". His campaigning work for World War Two veterans recently came to attention of some leading military personnel at the Pentagon who cordially invited him to present his latest work there. Awarded 'SERVICES TO EDUCATION' certificates by the USAF and NATO. In 2015 his documentary feature 'Searching for Augusta' received no less than 7 EMMY AWARDS for 'BEST HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY'. In 2017 his book 'THe Fighting 30th Division - They called them Roosevelt's SS' was nominated in the USA for the 'Prestigious writer Award'. He's also an Honorary Citizen and chosen Cultural Ambassador

Reviews

[Robert J. Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

History of the 4th Infantry Division illustrated by the recollections of veterans of the division's many fights. Interesting and well done. Served in the 4th about 40 years ago in Colorado. Learned more about the division from this book than what the Army told us.

[Jodi Tooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing story of Army unit through its very human components over the course of five wars. I especially appreciated the first-hand accounts and information regarding how the unit was put together and why. Not your typical history book—more of an eye-witness accounting. Great details.

[Donald Shipman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Unit History, ca. WWII


Exquisite detail down to level of individuals, plain troopers and many Heroes. Now for an incredible coincidence on a personal basis. Just yesterday, Feb. 4, I was at the VA Hospital here in Dallas. Waiting on a clinic for a good while I had to take a comfort break. While in the restroom and standing at a urinal a person stepped up at the urinal next to me. As I stepped back to zip up I glanced at this person's hat. Wow! he was wearing a clover leaf and embroidery for "4th Infantry Division".

Now I don't usually strike up conversations in restroom but this was too much! I grabbed the man's shoulder and told him I was just finishing said book. Was he in WWII? He replied he just looked old, blaming his gray beard. Saying he was not even born then! Where did he serve? Viet Nam,, of course.

I had not yet read the portion of the book on Nam so I could not speak well to that, but what a helluva coincidence!