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by Samuel de Korte.
Hardback (6.5×9.5 inches). 351 pages. 2025.
Subtitle: Destroyers of the Luftwaffe and Jim Crow
The 452nd AAA formed on May 9, 1942 and by the end of the year was staffed with 50 white officers and 843 black enlisted soldiers (p61-62). On May 13, 1943, Lt. Col. Lamar Radcliffe was assigned as commanding officer and served as CO for the duration of the war.
On Nov 3, 1943, it was in the UK. Battery D landed at Utah Beach on June 23, 1944 (p71) with most of the rest of the unit landing later.
It faced the same type of discrimination as other black units. As with the other black units, they compiled an impressive record while guarding bridges, supply dumps, and field artillery units from the Luftwaffe. The Army credited the unit with 68 enemy aircraft shot down. It had a mix of 40mm AA guns and 50-cal MGs.
The book is well-researched and quite thorough. It reads well, although somewhat repetitious in the back half because de Korte latched onto the day-by-day unit log. An author only has so many ways to note locations, aircraft shot at, and the number of shells fired. Only a Campaign for North Africa player will revel in tracking ammo expenditures.
The book contains 21 black and white photos and two black and white maps.
I appreciated the introductory text that outlined what constitutes an AAA battalion — weaponry, equipment, organization, vehicles, and other elements — and the deployments the 452nd performed. Often, these were with other units. By the end of the book, you’ll have a great feel for AAA battalion action in WWII.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
