New Books from Squadron Signal

Squadron Signal Publications has announced two new books in their "In Action" series.

M48A3 in Vietnam in Action
by David Doyle

Publishers Description: The M48 Patton tank was the most prominent U.S. tank during the Vietnam War years of the 1960-1970s. U.S. Marines, who arrived in Vietnam with M48A3s in March 1965, were the first American forces to bring tanks to Vietnam. Close behind was the U.S. Army, with its Patton's in October 1965. Beginning in July 1971 the US began supplying M48A3 tanks to the South Vietnamese Army in line with the commitment to the Vietnamization of the war. Although the 52-ton Patton was received with some skepticism when introduced, the M48 possessed features that proved well adapted to combat conditions in Southeast Asia. The thick armor of the M48 protected crewmen from Viet Cong mines, and the vehicle’s sheer mass enabled it to force its way through thick jungle vegetation. Illustrated with 109 photos, plus color profiles and detailed line drawings.

 
M50A1 Ontos Detail in Action
by David Doyle

USS Iowa Escapes Scrapping

The battleship USS Iowa which is anchored at Suisun Bay in California will be spared from the scrap heap.

The U.S. Maritime Administration this week agreed to remove most of the decrepit collection of military vessels dating back to World War II.

The gray and rust-red ships, some with their hulls flaked with peeling paint, are anchored in rows in Suisun Bay, a shallow estuary between San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

Studies by the administration have suggested the old warships have dumped more than 20 tons of copper, lead, zinc and other metals into the estuary, a critical habitat for a number of endangered species.

The USS Iowa won't become a museum or tourist attraction yet. The Defense Department plans to keep the battleship in storage in case the ship needs to be brought back into active service.