Meeting the Fox
The Allied Invasion of Africa, from Operation Torch to Kasserine Pass to Victory in Tunisia
1st Edition
Published on 24. April 2002
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-0-471-41429-2 (ISBN)
Description
Praise for Meeting the Fox
"Orr Kelly has dramatically brought to life the desert war bymasterfully weaving the view of higher headquarters with the pathosof the foxhole. Meeting the Fox takes the reader on a grippingjourney from North Africa's beaches and drop zones, the practicallyforgotten disaster at Sidi bou Zid, to the final battles inTunisia. Meeting the Fox is destined to rank among the bestnarrative histories on the American experience in NorthAfrica."
-- Patrick O'Donnell, author of Beyond Valor and Into the RisingSun
"An almost bullet-by-bullet, shell-by-shell account, Meeting theFox offers riveting personal experiences from those who fought theAxis forces during the desperate campaign for North Africa."
--Gerald Astor, historian and author of A Blood-Dimmed Tide and TheGreatest War, Vols. I--III
As their unproven commanders struggled to match wits with the wilyDesert Fox, 100,000 poorly equipped, undertrained, andinexperienced GIs battled their way across North Africa. Hobbled byinferior weaponry and an inexperienced officer corps, these greenbut courageous citizen soldiers clashed head-on with the fabledGerman Afrika Korps and its legendary commander, Erwin Rommel.Meeting the Fox tells the unforgettable tale of the men whotransformed themselves, in the heat of battle, from a poorlyorganized army of convenience into a relentless and unstoppablefighting force.
"Orr Kelly has dramatically brought to life the desert war bymasterfully weaving the view of higher headquarters with the pathosof the foxhole. Meeting the Fox takes the reader on a grippingjourney from North Africa's beaches and drop zones, the practicallyforgotten disaster at Sidi bou Zid, to the final battles inTunisia. Meeting the Fox is destined to rank among the bestnarrative histories on the American experience in NorthAfrica."
-- Patrick O'Donnell, author of Beyond Valor and Into the RisingSun
"An almost bullet-by-bullet, shell-by-shell account, Meeting theFox offers riveting personal experiences from those who fought theAxis forces during the desperate campaign for North Africa."
--Gerald Astor, historian and author of A Blood-Dimmed Tide and TheGreatest War, Vols. I--III
As their unproven commanders struggled to match wits with the wilyDesert Fox, 100,000 poorly equipped, undertrained, andinexperienced GIs battled their way across North Africa. Hobbled byinferior weaponry and an inexperienced officer corps, these greenbut courageous citizen soldiers clashed head-on with the fabledGerman Afrika Korps and its legendary commander, Erwin Rommel.Meeting the Fox tells the unforgettable tale of the men whotransformed themselves, in the heat of battle, from a poorlyorganized army of convenience into a relentless and unstoppablefighting force.
Reviews / Votes
"Orr Kelly has dramatically brought to life the desert war bymasterfully weaving the view of higher headquarters with the pathosof the foxhole. MEETING THE FOX takes the reader on a grippingjourney from North Africa's beaches and drop zones, the practicallyforgotten disaster at Sidi bou Zid, to the final battles inTunisia. MEETING THE FOX is destined to rank among the bestnarrative histories on the American experience in North Africa."(Patrick O'Donnell, author of Beyond Valor and Into The RisingSun: In Their Own Words, World War II's Pacific Veterans Reveal theHeart of Combat)
"An almost bullet by bullet, shell by shell account, Meeting theFox offers riveting personal experiences from those who fought theAxis forces during the desperate campaign for North Africa."
(Gerald Astor, Historian, Author of A Blood-Dimmed Tide and TheGreatest War Vols. I-III)
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
Photos: 38 B&W, 0 Color
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
765 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-471-41429-2 (9780471414292)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
ORR KELLY is the author of many books on the military, including Brave Men, Dark Waters: The Untold Story of the Navy SEALs, a definitive portrait of the Navy SEALs. He has also written two novels in the SEALs Eagle Force series, Desert Thunder and Eagle Strike.
Content
Maps and Illustrations.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction: Visit to a Forgotten Cemetery.
PART ONE: THE LONG WAY TO BERLIN.
The Longest Reach.
"Things Must Not Be Going So Good."
Oran: Seize the Airfields.
Landing at Algiers.
The Axis Reacts.
First Blood.
Seizing the High Ground.
Fight for the Air.
PART TWO: MEETING THE FOX.
Is Anyone in Charge Up There?
On-The-Job Training--the Hard Way.
A Spring Breeze from the East.
A Valentine's Day Surprise.
First Armored to the Rescue.
"Men Just Running--It Was Panic!"
Rommel Takes Over.
Changing of the Guard.
The Battle of El Guettar.
PART THREE: VICTORY IN TUNISIA.
Ordeal at Fondouk Pass.
Gaining the Upper Hand in the Air.
A Hill Called "609".
Victory in North Africa.
A Note on Sources.
Bibliography.
Index.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction: Visit to a Forgotten Cemetery.
PART ONE: THE LONG WAY TO BERLIN.
The Longest Reach.
"Things Must Not Be Going So Good."
Oran: Seize the Airfields.
Landing at Algiers.
The Axis Reacts.
First Blood.
Seizing the High Ground.
Fight for the Air.
PART TWO: MEETING THE FOX.
Is Anyone in Charge Up There?
On-The-Job Training--the Hard Way.
A Spring Breeze from the East.
A Valentine's Day Surprise.
First Armored to the Rescue.
"Men Just Running--It Was Panic!"
Rommel Takes Over.
Changing of the Guard.
The Battle of El Guettar.
PART THREE: VICTORY IN TUNISIA.
Ordeal at Fondouk Pass.
Gaining the Upper Hand in the Air.
A Hill Called "609".
Victory in North Africa.
A Note on Sources.
Bibliography.
Index.