"Ever since my younger years, I have been interested in my country's

historic past, especially in the Second World War and the United States Army.

I was fascinated by the tremendous power it brought to bear to overcome

the enemy. This army not only supplied its soldiers with the most modern equipment

and uniforms, suitable for any combat situation, but went as far as

treating them with their favorite drinks or candy bars.

I started collecting in the early eighties and I always strove to acquire items

in the best possible condition, as their markings, when still readable, provide

a wealth of information about manufacture dates and models. My only source

then was a photocopy of the 1943 Quartermaster Corps Supply Catalog 3-1,

but many books and articles on the subject have been published since.

I have aimed in this book to gather as much information as possible

on the uniforms and equipment of the American soldier in Europe during

the 1943-1945 period. All the while, I cannot boast that all will be told here,

as it is most likely that future research will uncover more material.

The purpose of this book is also to assist the enthusiast in his quest for authentic

items while the militaria market is nowadays `infected' with numerous repros,

notwithstanding the leftovers from the wardrobes of recent American war movies

and TV serials.

I hope that young collectors reading this book will be attracted to American

WW2 militaria, so that the sacrifice of those who fought for the liberation of

Europe is not forgotten."

Henri-Paul Enjames