The bazooka was a weapon born of dire need. When World War II began, the U.S. Infantry had nothing to fight armor except the anemic 37mm anti-tank gun. Two U.S. Army officers, thinking outside the box, developed a rocket-powered weapon that was portable and able to defeat most armor of the time. Officially called a rocket launcher, it became known by the men who would use it as a stovepipe, or a bazooka, because of its resemblance to a musical instrument used by comedian Bob Burns.

The M1 Bazooka was first used by U.S. troops during Operation Torch in North Africa. Crates of the new weapon were rushed to the ships heading out for the invasion with no manuals or instructors. Officers who found the crates in the ship’s hold taught themselves how to use the weapon and held classes for the troops on the fantail of the transports.

Gradually, troops became familiar with the rocket launcher, developing tactics and discovering the enemy tanks’ most vulnerable spots. The bazooka also became a formidable weapon against bunkers, buildings, and other defended positions. After capturing some bazookas, the Germans developed their own version of the weapon, the Panzershreck.

The book includes many accounts of the bazooka in battle, including some of the 17 actions that resulted in the users being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in WW II and Korea. There is also an account of “Bazooka Charlie” Carpenter, an army major who mounted the weapon under the wings of his Piper L4 observation plane. The bazooka continued to serve in the U.S. military until Vietnam, when it was replaced by the LAW rocket launcher, but it had influenced weapons used by other nations since it appeared in 1942.

Gordon L. Rottman has written several Osprey books, and is very knowledgeable about this subject, having served as a Special Forces weapons specialist. The color plates, cutaway diagrams, and numerous color and b&w photos will help readers identify the different versions of the bazooka and its rockets, from the 2.36 M1 to the 3.5 M20 used in Korea. Readers will also learn how the bazooka worked, and even how to operate one. A very interesting book for historians and modelers who wish to learn more about this weapon.

Thanks to Osprey Books and to I.P.M.S./USA for the review copy.