ARMY MAPS   Description of the Maps     Larger maps listed first.    Wall Map of Italy - Large wall map of roads in Italy and includes Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica and piece of Tunsia and nothern border countries.  Map is based on Italian Touring Club Map No 17.  Includes names of towns, routes and mileage and features such as rivers, mountain passes and topographical details.  Prepared by US Army Engineers in 1943.    Color:  route numbers, mileage, ocean,  mountain features & roads.     Size:  40 X 47 inches.     Scale:  1:1,000,000   (1in = 15.8 miles or 1cm = 10km)     Printed on heavy stock.     Dated: 1943.    Tourist Map of Europe- Consociazione Turistica italiana, Dal Mare Del Nord Al Mediterraneo -  "Italian Tourist Map From the North Sea to the Mediterranean".  Large wall map of Europe printed in Milan in 1939.  It includes England, Germany and most of England, Norway and Sweden, as well north part of Spain and Italy as far down as Rome.   This map is covered with many names of the towns and regions.  The roads are barely visible.  Interesting to see names of countries and regions in Italian.  Includes names of towns, routes and mileage and features such as rivers, mountain passes and topographical details.  Apparently the owner was plotting the progress of the two armies closing in on Berlin.     Color:  blue ocean, shaded terrain, red roads.  Ink dots placed on cities in and around Germany.     Size:  37 X 54 inches.     Scale:  1:500,000   (or 1in = 8 miles or 1cm = 5km)     Printed on light paper---poor condition, torn at folds.  Italian markings "Dall International Atlas".    Dated: 1939.    Paris to Rome - Special Air Navigation Chart -  A colored contour map that covers much of Europe including Paris, Caen, Munich, Budapest, Rome & Naples and part of Sardenia, east coast of Spain and west coast of Yugoslavia.  Map shows every railroad with legend for 1 & 2 tracks and also mine quarries.  No roads.  I assume this map was used for planning tactical bombing missions.     Color:  contours in 5 colors.  Magnetic navigation compases printed in red in 4 places.                  Airports are indicated with red circles or red labels.     Size:  34 X 52 inches.     Scale:  1:100,000   (1in = 1.58 miles or 1cm = 1km)     Printed nice paper.     Dated: March 1944    Marked RESTRICTED.          Italy Road Map  -  A series of 30 maps were made that cover all of Italy.  These maps have shaded topographical details.  Includes mileage, ID of state roads, elevation of peaks.  "A.M.S. M592 First Edition 1943".  See illustration below for an ID guide for this set.          Color:  Blue ocean &  roads.          Size 41 X 26 inches(including wide margin along bottom).          Scale 1:200,000   (1 in = 3.16 miles or 1cm = 20km)          Dated: Sept. 1943. Description of My Maps     See Map ID guide, below.     No. 2  -  Northern border from Lake Vico & Vitervo to Piombino, Grosseto, & Orvieto.     No. 7  -  Western border, Turnio(Turni), Pavia, Alessandria, Alba.     No. 8  -  Central Italy: Modena, Ferrara, Piacenza, Mantova.     No. 9 -   East coast, south of Venice and Istria pennisular.     No. 11 - Florence, Pistoia, Lucca, Bologna & Hiway 9.     No. 12 - East coast, includes Ravenna & Hiway 9 to Rimini     No. 13 -  West coast, Perugia, Firenze,  Livorno, Pisa & Arno River       No. 14 -  Fermo, Macerata, Ancona, Fabriano & Fossombrone on the East coast.     No. 15 -  West coast, north of Rome, , Viterbo, Grosseto.        No. 17 -  Rome, Anzio, Civitavecchia, Cassino.     No. 18 -  East Coast & "spur"; Foggia, Torricella, Vasto, Venafro, S. Bartolommeo.     No. 19 -  West coast, South of Rome.  Salerno, Naples, Minturno, Gaeta.       Road Map Sheets 19, 20 & 22 - Salerno area -   This map is the same type as the above Road Maps.  This large-scale map covers the entire area of the Salerno landings that are included on portions of Road Maps #19 #20, & #22.  The Salerno area is split between the different maps so this map combines the area just for Salerno.                Color:  Blue ocean &  roads.                Size 41 X 26 inches(including wide margin along bottom).               Scale 1:200,000   (1 in = 3.16 miles or 1cm = 20km).                (Sample of map not shown on this page.  Same as above Italy Road Maps) Tactical Maps  These maps were used by infantry and artillery commanders in the field.  The coordinates used in the Operational Reports are based on these maps.  The map sheets were numbered from North to South. Color:  3 to 5 colors; red, blue used to denote roads and water. Size:  24 X 20  inch. Description of Tactical Maps:        Sheet 89-III - RAVENNA W.-  Bagnacavallo, Mezzano, Fusignano        Sheet 88-I  - ARGENTA -  town of Argenta, Hiway 16, Reno River        Sheet 88-II  -  IMOLA -  Lugo, Massa Lombarda- Dated Feb 1945                            [Reverse side is CANCELED map of Postumia, Sheet 40B-1,                             dated 1945.  Border of Italy & Yugoslavia- Cerknica, Rakek]       Sheet 88-III - CASTEL S. PIETRO DELL'EMILLA -  Medicina, Hiway 9       Sheet 77-IV - ARIANO NEL POLESINE - town and Po River & Valle Giralda       Sheet 87-I  -  CASTEL MAGGIORE -  northern half of Bologna, S. Giogio di Piano                                (This map adjoins the photo-map 87-II NW, below)       Sheet 105 - LUCCA -  Bivouac for 328FA in December 1944. Scale 1:100,000       Sheet 111 - LIVORNO - Map is mostly ocean including port, "Leghorn".   1:100,000       Sheet 113 - S. CASCIANO in VAL Di PESA -   Scale 1:100,000        Sheet 49  - VERONA  -    Scale 1:100,000 More Tactical Maps: These maps were bought as a set and were trimmed and taped to form two larger maps.  Some are annotated; one is hand-colored to show topography.     Sheet 88-III   - CASTEL S. PIETRO DELL'EMILLA     1:50,000     Sheet 87-II    -  BOLOGNA          1:50,000     Sheet 98-I    -  LOIANO                 1:50,000           Sheet 88-III SW  -  VARIGNANA SUPERIORE          Overprint of rivers  1:25,000     Sheet 87-II NE   -  BOLOGNA                   1:25,000     Sheet 87-II SE   -    ??? (Top title cut off)                     1:25,000     Sheet 87-II NW  -  CASELCCHO DI RENO    1:25,000     Sheet 87-II SW  -  SASSO BOLOGNESE   1:25,000      Sheet 98-1 LOIANO – Road and Trail Overlay -  This a medium-scale map that is a little smaller than the above maps.  Includes the towns along Hiway 65: Sambuco, Monghidoro, Loiano, and Livergano(called “Liver ‘n Onions” by GI’s).  These towns were captured by the 91st Division.   Map is marked "Prepared by P.I. Sect. HQ II Corps” and “Overprint by 66th Engr. Top. Co., US Army September 1944".   Based on the date, I believe this map was printed after the fighting in this area for use by support personnel . [See Map II Corps Attack on Livergano]        Color:  No color.  Brown on white paper with roads marked in bold black.      Scale:  1:50,000  ( 1 inch = 1,388 yards or 1cm = 549 yds)  1 grid is 2cm square.      Size:    22 x 20 inch  (effective width is about 17 inches due to wide margin).      Dated: 14 September 1944.  Marked "Reproduced by 66 Engr. Co. (Top)".     Sheet 117-1 S.E. Agugliano -  An example of a small-scale map used in the field.  Very detailed with symbols for all types of terrain, roads and structures. This one is of an area just west of coastal town of Ancona.   Map is marked "Revised by 514 Corps Fd. Svy. Coy. R.E. Mar 1944" and "Reprodued by 12 Polish Corps Fd. Svy. Coy. Apr. 1944".   I believe this is the area that the Polish troops passed through.      This is the SouthEast quadrant from a larger 1:50,000 scale map Sheet 117-1.      Color:  Blue Oceans, Red roads.      Scale:  1:200,000  (1 inch = 3.16 Miles)      Size:  24 X 20 inch.      Dated: 1944.    Sheet 150 ROMA & Sheet 136 TUSCANIA -  Two maps purchased from a collection of Polish II Corps archival maps.  These appear to be more of the print style used by the British.   One is marked "46 Survey. Coy. S.A.E.C. Mar. 1944".   I believe this is the area that the Polish troops passed through.       Sheet 150 includes Rome and area East and SouthEast.        Sheet 136 has portion of Lake di Bolsena in upper right and Montalto di Castro in lower left.      Color:  Blue water, Red topographical lines & roads.      Scale:  1:100,000       Size:  24 X 20 inch.      Dated: 1943 & 1944.       Intelligence Maps - Bologna & Varignana Superiore - Some maps were printed with intelligence data showing German positions.  Usually a regular map was printed in one color, green or light blue and the enemy positions were over-printed in red or sometimes black.  The map would be dated in margins to show relevance of intel data.      Sheet 87-II NE   - BOLOGNA  -  Dated March 1945  1:25,000      Sheet 88-III SW   - VARIGNANA SUPERIORE    "Marked Co. M, 337 Infantry"  1:25,000       The Gothic Line  -  German defenses along the GOTHIC Line   1:100,000       Defense of Futa Pass  -  Details of above map for area around Futa Pass  1:10,000    Photo-Maps - Bologna & Mantova - Sheets 87-II & -III and Sheet 62-II & -III  Amazing detailed maps made from aerial photographs.  Grid lines and coordinates are super-imposed using the same coordinate system.  These are a little difficult to visualize the elevations but it has some excellent details of buildings, bridges and bomb damage.    A collection of maps that include (a) eight of Sheets 87-II & 87-III of southern half of Bologna and Hiway 64 and (b) seven of Sheets 62-II & 62-III of Mantova, just south of Verona .      Color:  None--Photo print, overlayed with black & white details.      Scale:  1:12,500 (1 inch = 694 yds)      Size:  22.5 X 20 inch.      Dated: February, March  April, 1945.      Stamped on back:  Army Maps Service Library & ID and date.     Road Map of West Central Italy - Army Road Map subtitled "Principal Roads, Showing Fifth Army Route Numbering" and marked "Prepared by Engr. Sect. HQ Fifth Army, 25 Jan. 1944".    Simple map with only towns, roads and route numbers. Map covers local area near Rome, from Naples east to Benevento and north to Carsoli.  Cheap map probably issued to all truck drivers.  Obtained from a American owner who noted on container that map was found on a German prisoner.      Color:  No color.      Scale:  1 inch = 5 miles      Size:   20 X 13-3/4 inch.      Dated: 1944.     Sheet 36   Benevento -  A colorful map that appears to be British but matches the same type above.  Map includes area around Benevento and Luccera, and has a small portion of Salerno and Naples bay at the bottom.  This map is printed with letters for map sections and some elevations are printed in a white box.  First printed by Geographical Section, General Staff, War Office 1941.      Color:  Green for terrain & purple for elevation, blue for water.      Scale:  1:250,000      Size:  24 X 16 inch.   Map is not square:  17high X 13 wide.      Dated: 1943.  Bolzano N.E. 46/10 Color Map -  A unique and colorful British map that has color similar to the above but the scale is smaller.  Includes Trento, Bolzano and as far north as Munich and Salzburg.  Interesting feature is that on the back of this map is another map and the legend; the map is a CANCELED map of TOULOUSE (France) and has a bright red X printed across it.  I have another example of this map that is attached to a cloth backing..       Color:  Full color topography with purple and greens.  Printed both sides.      Scale:  1:50,000  ((1 inch = 1,388 yards or 1cm = 549 yds)      Size:   34 X 26 inch.      Dated: 1943.  Marked EUROPE (AIR)    Cloth Escape Map of Italy -  "AAF Cloth Map - Mediterranean Series".  Rayon "silk" map was used by flight crews in case they were shot down.  One side is identified as "No. 4 Tyrol" and includes Italy and parts of Yugoslavia, Hungary and Czechoslavakia.  Other side is identified as "No. 6 Balkans" and covers the Balkans area.          Color:  Blue ocean  & roads.          Size:  25 X 20 inches.          Scale:  1:200,000          Dated: Sept. 1943.     For detailed description of all AAF cloth maps, refer to external link www.silkmap.com .        Town Plan of Naples -   Two Maps of Naples, prepared by British Royal Engineers.  Major roads & building complexes, such as hospital, factories, etc. are named but streets are not identified.   "Reproduced by 19 Field Survey Coy, R.E. Nov 1944".  Usually you find these maps printed on two sheets with eastern half of Naples on one sheet and western half on another; maybe to save printing cost.          Color:  Blue ocean & roads.  City is shaded grey, large buildings are black.          Size:  35 X 25 inches, each half of the city          Scale:  1:10,000   (1 inch = 833 feet or 1 cm = 100meters)          Dated: 1944 (corrected), July 1943.     Town Plan of Florence (Firenze)-   A similiar map as above with good details of Florence.   Also have a 16 X 12 inch map issued by the 5th Army Rest Camp that is printed with post card images of famous buildings of the city.  It has legend of the sites and was issued to enlisted servicemen as a tour guide.         Color:  Blue ocean & roads.  City is shaded grey, large buildings are black.          Size:  30 X 25 inches.          Scale:  1:10,000   (1 inch = 833 feet or 1 cm = 100meters)          Dated: 1924  (penciled date of Oct. 14, 1944).             RAF Map Series  -  A set  of air navigational maps were issued by the British for use by the Royal Air Force.  I was told that this series had 14 maps in the set and probably covered all of Italy and Corsica and maybe more.  I only have 4 of the series.  Marked "1:500,000 Europe (Air)".  The maps are identified by a name and number of the lattitude and longitude of the lower left-hand corner.          Color:  Terrain elevation is noted by pink to purple.  Green forrest, Blue ocean & Red roads.          Size:   34 X 25 inches.          Scale 1:500,000   (1in = 7.9 miles or 1cm = 500m)          Marked: "Complied and drawn at the War Office 1941. Heligraphed at Ordnance Survey 1942".          Dated:  1942.          Back is marked:  "F/O J T Wann"; an RAF Flight Officer .                    Each map is numbered in pencil.  The official name is in quotes, below. Description of RAF Maps  (Each map is numbered in pencil on the back)     No. 11 -  "Nice NE 42/6" - Corsica, La Spezia, Italy & coast of France that included Nice & Marseille.     No. 12 -  "Firenze (Florence) NE 42/10" - Starts just north of Rome and ends just south of Bologna.     No. 13 -  "Roma NE 40/10" - West coast, Rome, Naples,  2/3 of map is sea.     No. 14 -  "Napoli NE 40/14" - West coast with Naples & Salernao; east coast is most of "heel".

US AAF Cloth "Escape" Map - Detail of area south of Rome. My Dad marked the routes of his march in red and some notes in green (added about 1970's).   Note the red line labeled "CAMERA", pointing to where he obtain the German camera. Another note under GLOSSARY refers to "Cpl Forest Hit".

 

Map of Naples - Detail of city.  Extensive Railroad marshalling yard in grey, A.G.I.P. Oil, Former Torpedo Factory.

Click on photo to see an aerial recon photo that matches the Map of Naples. The above photo was taken during an Allied bombing of the railroad marshalling yard in Naples. The pier at the bottom center of the enlarged photo matches the pier shown at right.  Follow line from pier up to teh 6 oval tanks, shown in black on left of the map(CLICK HERE).

 
 

Road Map issued by 5th Army HQ - Identifies each road with a number. Detail of area south of Rome, and south to Albano, near Anzio beach.

 

Tourist Map  Consociazione Turistica italiana, Dal Mare Del Nord Al Mediterraneo  printed in Italy in 1939 Detail of area Bologna & Hiway 9.  Owner marked advance of Allies.

 

Paris to Rome Map "Air Navigation Chart" Detail of Arno River valley, including Pisa, Lucca, Prato, Pistoia and Firenze(Florence). Red circles indicate air bases.  Anchor indicates base for sea planes. Mine quaries also marked in red.  Note Castel Del Rio, shown on other map. Note "Many Tunnels" just north of Prato.  That was the longest tunnel at that time.

 

Road Map No. 15 -  (see index, below)  Shaded terrain.  Color-coded roads.  Red dots are reference points for the mileage, also shown in Red.  Area shown is  Lake di Vico, just north of Rome.  Task Force Howze & 85th Division reached this point just south of Viterbo in late June 1944 before being relieved.  [See Index of Maps, below.]

 

Road Map Set Index to Sheets    This Set of 30 Maps cover all of Italy, Sicily, & Sardina.  Map No. 15, above, shows details of this type map.       Maps in my collection are shaded in Index to left.    2 -  Northern border, Lake Vico    4 - Milan, Aosta, Lugano    7 - Tunio, Pavia    8 - Modena, Ferrara, Mantova    9 - Venice & Istria Pennisular   10 - Genoa, Cuneo, Monaco   11 - Florence, Bologna   13 - Livorno, Pisa    14 -  Fermo, Macerata, Ancona,  Fossombrone   15 - Viterbo, Grosseto   16 - Terni, Ascoli, Aquila, Ortona   17 - Rome, Anzio, Cassino   18 - Foggio, Venafro, & "spur".   19 - Salerno, Naples

 

Wall Map of Italy         Detail View of Wall Maps showing Brescia/Verona/Vicenza area,     just north of the Po River.    Residue is from old scotch tape.

 
 

Field Maps     Maps issued to commanders in the field were identified by a name at the top and Sheet Numbers.  These maps set up with a coordinate system that was used to pin-point friendly and enemy troops.  These maps were identified as published by US Army Engineers.  It also had another identification and date as to who printed each specific one.  It is not unusual to find 2 dates on these maps.      Examples of Field Maps in different scales.

Field Map Sheet 88-III   CASTEL S. PIETRO DELL 'EMILLA   in 1:50,000 scale The larger scale map is a little easier to read than the very busy smaller scale maps.  It has simple terrain features, colored roads and rivers.  This shows Monte Grande(Hill 608) and Montecalderaro, which was the position of the front lines during the Winter of 1944/45.

Field Map Sheet 117-1 in 1:25,000 scale -  Coordinates at top corner are based on origin at Rome.  Commanders used this size map to report positions of targets, friendly forces, etc.  Positions were located using coordinates in margin, used along with a third number based on 1/10 of a grid.   Example:  The circular road at the hill-town Camerata Picena( noted with + ) would be designated by coordinates of 477- 434.

Special Intelligence Maps    Some maps were printed by an Army or Corps with special information for their command.  These maps were usually poorer quality as they were printed quickly using the most recent intelligence data.  They were usually printed in special colors or as an "overlay".    Below are two examples.    LOIANO Sheet 98-I  Scale 1:50,000 -  Area near Loiano.   Click to enlarge Map   Roads are marked in black; solid for 2-way trucks, dashed for jeep and dotted for mules.   Grid measures 2cm square = 1100 yards.   Scale on border used for coordinates.    Click on map for a larger view with portion in black & white.  The larger map includes Mt Bibel at the bottom.  This portion covers the area of fighting for  the 85th Division during early October 1944.    Intelligence Maps

VARIGNANA SUPERIORE, Sheet 88-III-SW,   Scale 1:25,000  (1 grid = 1 Km)     Published by II Corps HQ, dated 2 Dec 1944.    Hand-written note marked "3rd Platoon, Co. M, 337th Regiment. 85th APO".  View shows Montecalderaro at bottom right.  This area is the mountains that descended into the Po Valley.   Map details and contours printed in GREEN.  Enemy positions printed in RED.  The BLACK markings are hand-drawn details.  The penciled lines were probably drawn by a US machine gun crew to identify targets within range of their position.  Symbols:  Arrows are machine guns positions.  Black dots with bar are mortars.  Open circle with 4 bars are anti-tank mines.  Square lines are trenches.

BOLOGNA Sheet 87-II NE   Scale 1:25,000     Published by II Corps HQ, dated March 20, 1945.    Map printed in Light Blue with over-print of German positions in RED.  Map shows German machine gun positions and mines that block the approach from the south.  The bridges are marked as destroyed or set to blow.  An Anti-Tank Gun is located at the bottom in the shape of a solid rectangle with "U".  Mortar symbols are a round dot with a vertical line.  "NEB" next to a mortar indicated a Nebelwerfer gun emplacement.

Field Map  -  Index to Grid Letters See Sheet 117-I S.E. AGUGLIANO, above.   The Field Maps were usually in 1:100,000 scale.  Each of these maps were further sub-divided into 4 grids that were identified by an additional Roman Numerals and each of these were issued in maps of 1:50,000 scale.   For example:  Sheet 89 would be divided into maps identified as:  89-1, 89-II, 89-III, 89-IV.    Then more detailed maps were issued that were 1:25,000 scale and were identified as:     89-I-NW ,  89-I-NE, 89-I-SW, 89-I-SE.      The super-details maps of 1:12,500 scale were further further sub-divided and identified with letter suffixes: (a), (b), (c) or (d).  See Photo-Map of Bologna, below. The following INDEX are printed on these maps to explain this.       Origin of Co-ordinates The map coordinates were based on an origin near Rome.  The map notes, shown at right, describe the true origin and the True North.     Reference Source These maps were marked in the Lower LH as produced by the US Geographical Survey Department. The Lower RH edge, just below the map field, records the name of the unit that reproduced the map.  Example of a British Survey company would be marked:    Reproduced by No 2 Litho Sec M.M.P.    and P. Coy SAEC att 49 Survey Coy.   S.A.E. C Nov 1944.

Photo-Map - Map of southern half of Bologna with the Sheet identification in upper RH corner: 87-II NW (a) and the scale at the top.  Gride-lines and general elevations are super-imposed in black and white.  Some topography is included but is difficult to visualize. Other details are quite visible, such as bomb craters and blown bridges.         The grid numbers for the 1:12,500 scale would correspond to the grid numbers on maps of larger scale.

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Sheet 36  BENEVENTO printed in 1943.   Edited color to remove some red.  Purple shades used for elevation, which is very much like the RAF map, below.   Note the peak elevation in white box and map Section (R) N .  Map coordinates used the numbers in the margins preceeded by this Section Letter.

RAF Map detail of area north of Florence and south of Bologna.  View is of the area around Firenzuola, where the GOTHIC Line was attacked by the 91st and 85th Divisions.  The red road is Hiway 65 that goes through Il Futa Pass, Monghidoro, and Loiano (see above Field Map).  The minor road passes through Firenzuola and Il Giogio Pass to Castel del Rio. Highway No. 9 cuts across top right corner and close by Castel Bolognese.

Map Index       The Army had a procedure for laying out the maps and identifying them.  The tactical maps are numberd with Sheet Numbers at the top right corner.  The maps for each country would laid out in rows and columns and numbered.  This Index shows the maps were numbered from North to South and West to East.   The maps of Italy  are numbered from South to North.    Maps marked as GSGS 4229 were 1:50,000 scale,  GSGS 4228 are 1:25,000 scale.   As an exmaple, this is an Index Map for North African country of Tunisia.  Since the Allies were fighting in Tunisia in early 1943, this map may be dated around that time.  This map index identifies the maps for this country.  The map is printed on 8 X 10 inch paper.    Click on Map to open PDF file. Also, for British Maps, check out this External Link to Map Conversions:      British Map Conversions   [EXTERNAL LINK]

Full Scans of  Example Maps Click on colored Button to open PDF file.    Sheet 88-II  - Map that was marked up with code names for roads & Objectives.    Sheet 87-1  - Map includes Bologna and north of Hiway # 9.    Mosaic 87-II n.w.  - Aerial Photo Map just south of Bologna.    Mosaic 62-II n.w.  - Aerial Photo Map of Town of Montavo and Lake Superior.    Mosaic 62-III n.e.  - Aerial Photo Map just a little west of above map .

Example of a German Map of Po Valley        Click to open a large PDF file of full scane of a 1943 German map.

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Other Map Sketches  -  Black & White Maps on my website taken from various public domain reference sources that are displayed on other pages of this site. Camp Pilot Knob  -  Desert Training Center in California where many divisions trained.  Shows several camps in the area that is now Yuma Proving Grounds. Salerno Invasion -  First Allied landing on Italian soil.  Sept. 9, 1943 -  The 36th Division landed on the southern beaches and the British divisions to the north.  The US 45th  Division was a floating reserve. Monte Porchia -  Attack by 1st Armored Division, January 4 - 8, 1944.  Maps that detail the advance of the 85th Infantry Division, May 1944.       Hill 69     Minturno    Priverno to Seeze    GOTHIC Line    Mt Canda    'Battle Mountain' - Gotic Line - (In Work) Mt Battaglia was held by 88th Division, Co G.     For a description of this battle, go to biography of Captain R. Roeder, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his action there.

Quick Conversion Table for Map Scales
 

MAP SCALE	1 INCH =	1 CENTIMETER =
1:10,000	833.3 feet        254.0 meters	328.0 feet        100.0 meters
1:25,000	2083.3 feet        635.0 meters	820.2 feet        250.0 meters
1:100,000	1.58 miles        2.54 km	3,280 feet        1.0 km
1:200,000	3.16 miles        5.08 km	1.24 miles        2.0 km
1:1,000,000	15.8 miles        25.4 km	6.21 miles        10.0 km

Army Field Manuals:

Below are some example of Field Manuals on the subject of Maps & Topography.   FM 5-230 - Topographic Drafting - This is an instructional book used to teach how to draft maps.  It begins with the basics of lettering and illustrates drafting tools. Then it gets into very technical details on photogrammetry and photo-mechanical mapping, restitution and photo offset.  Section IX is on mapping coordinates and zones and the Army use of maps in the field. Pages 300,  20 fold-out pages in back with maps and symbols and photo mosaics + a pair of 3-D glasses. November 1940.    FAB Book 200  - Field Artillery  - The Battery Detail (75-mm Gun)-  This is the book I've been searching for that explains everything about plotting targets and OP on maps.  Covers the basics of plotting from maps and photos.  Includes details about optical instruments for observation and ranging, with photos and diagrams.  More details on communications and laying of ground phone lines.  269 pages.  (9 X 6 in) 1939.   FM 21-25  - Elementary Map and Aerial Photograph Reading -  A useful training aide for maps and use of map coordinates and the compass.  Very simple.  Example, it will have a sketch of a swamp and the map symbol for the same.  116 pages. Small Format. War Department. August 1944            Cover stamped: “Battery D, 182d BTN Gun 90mm, Akron, Ohio”.   TM 5-240 - Aerial Phototopography - Complex art of transferring photographs into maps.  Photos of equipment used in the photo labs. Table of altitudes and corresponding map scale.  111 pages.  Large format. War Department. May 1942 "Notes on Map Reading" -  Appears to be a British field manual but not sure as there is a few pages with advertisements.  A good instructioinal booklet on all aspects of how to read maps. Includes color maps, similar to ones shown on this page.  95 pages with 9 fold-out color maps.  1929 Reprinted with ammendments in 1939.   TM 20-230 - Logarithmic, Trigonometric, and Mathematical Tables for Artillery - Full of tables and instruction on how to use them, but very little insight into artillery. (9 X 6 inch) October 1944.   TM 1-205 - Air Navigation -  Basic instructions on dead reckoning and radio navigation for the Army aviator. Contains photos of basic navigation instruments. Pages 298. (8-1/2 X 5-1/2) November 25, 1940.

 

Air Navigational Maps of USA    RESTRICTED     Dated 1943    Included in my collection are air navigational charts for US that cover area from Georgia to San Antonio, Texas and also Washington, DC and southern California.   Only 3 are shown. These are marked with radio navigation beacons & frequencies, routes, compasses and magnetic deviations.  The land feature include many small towns, railroads, towers & bridges for ground recognition, and Restricted No-fly zones.  The Legend key for this map matches the symbols used on "Paris to Rome Map" air navigation chart.   The city (yellow) that straddles the border of the two lower maps is Memphis, TN and Nashville is the lower city of the top map.                                                                                                      Color:  Blue water, green & brown land, yellow cities, red flight routes.        .

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Return to Reference maps from US Army History series:  Maps.

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