A nice original US Army new Testament bible, with leather-like cover, named to a US Army soldier serving with the 749th Anti Aircraft Artillery Bataillon, known for their heavy combat in Europe, including the rhine land campaign (see info below). the bible has his name, adress, unit, etc. A great original piece with am amazing patina. Would be great to do more research, ufnortunately I do not have time to do this. A very nice 100% original item for your US WW2 collection! See also our other interesting military books and items that we offer for auction on catawiki! History of the unit The 749th AAA Battalion was a United States Army anti-aircraft artillery unit that served in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. It was deployed overseas for approximately three years of service and participated in multiple campaigns in Northwest Europe. After arriving in the European Theater, the battalion was employed in the standard AAA mission set of the period: protecting troop concentrations, headquarters, transportation nodes, and critical infrastructure from German air attack. During 1943 and early 1944, when the Luftwaffe was still capable of sporadic but dangerous fighter-bomber attacks, AAA gun battalions like the 749th were actively engaged in defensive fire missions and alert coverage, particularly in support of advancing ground forces and logistical installations. As the Allied armies moved onto the continent following the Normandy campaign and pushed eastward, the 749th advanced with higher headquarters, redeploying repeatedly to cover newly captured areas, bridges, road networks, and supply concentrations. By late 1944 and early 1945, as German air activity declined sharply, AAA units were increasingly used in secondary ground-support roles, and the 749th followed this broader pattern. Heavy anti-aircraft guns were frequently employed in direct-fire or indirect-fire missions against enemy ground targets when air defense requirements permitted, especially during offensive operations. This dual use of AAA units was common and officially sanctioned, and it placed battalions like the 749th in forward areas where they were exposed to counterfire and ground combat conditions despite their air defense designation. The clearest documented combat operation involving the 749th AAA Battalion is its participation in the defense of the Ninth U.S. Army’s Rhine River crossing in March 1945. The unit’s own historical file explicitly references this operation, which places the battalion at one of the most significant Allied assaults of the war. During the Rhine crossing, AAA units were tasked with protecting bridge sites, pontoon crossings, engineer units, and massed troops from potential air attack, as well as engaging ground targets threatening the crossing areas. The 749th’s presence in this operation indicates that it was operating in close coordination with Ninth Army combat forces during the final offensive into Germany. Following the Rhine crossing, the battalion continued to serve during the Central Europe campaign as Allied forces advanced deeper into Germany. Although German air resistance was minimal by this stage, AAA units remained essential for area security, occupation duties, and continued ground support until the end of hostilities. The 749th remained overseas through the collapse of German resistance and into the immediate post-VE Day period before eventually returning to the United States. In summary, the combat history of the 749th AAA Battalion reflects that of a front-line U.S. Army anti-aircraft unit in Northwest Europe: sustained overseas service, participation in multiple ETO campaigns, active involvement in major operations including the Ninth Army’s Rhine River crossing, and a transition from primarily air defense to combined air defense and ground combat roles as the war progressed.