Description: After the end of World War II, General George Patton declared that artillery had won the war. Yet howitzers did not achieve victory on their own. Crucial to the success of these big guns were forward observers, artillerymen on the front lines who directed the artillery fire. Until now, the vital role of forward observers in ground combat has received little scholarly attention.
Brief description: John R. Walker, a Vietnam veteran of the U.S. Army, holds a Ph.D. in history from Kent State University, Ohio.