Jump to content

GI Combat Infantryman Load (Uber Groggy!)


Recommended Posts

Found this while trying to see how common the issue was of the Hawkins Grenade/Mine to combat infantry. It's incredibly detailed, right down to item by item weight breakdown, actual typical ammo count, grenade type and quantity, plus much more. Sources from which this list was developed are included. Time period is Winter 1944-45.

http://www.45thdivision.org/Pictures/General_Knowlege/combatload.htm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I liked the inclusion of "pistol, captured"... as if pretty much every GI would be carrying one. Was it really that common to try and acquire a Walther or Luger pistol?

Maybe in this context the pistol is meant to be emblematic of all the souvenirs and assorted loot that GIs tended to pick up.

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kanonier Reichmann,

My Uncle George served with (Navy) Boat Two (was a MoMM3--Motor Machinist's Mate 3rd Class, on an LCM) as part of Patton's force, and he sent home a Luger and ammo to home in Arkansas as souvenirs. Great was his consternation when he came home from the war and discovered younger brother/my future dad Bill had shot through all the ammo, apparently while waging war on turtles! Boat Two was Patton's private navy, if you will, which carried his forces across many a river to establish bridgeheads. This was the basis for his famous/notorious "rock soup" method for advancing despite orders not to do so. Boat Two, which operated LCMs, moved with Patton and hauled the M-boats on tank retrievers, as seen in the pic here on page 345.

http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/USA-in-WWII/Set-4-of-7/Disk-2/Beach.pdf

Regards,

John Kettler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

owenjones,

Boat Two is a highly obscure Navy unit. There's some coverage of it in this book.

Small Boats and Large Slow Targets: Oral Histories of United States' Amphibious Forces Personnel in WWII [Paperback]

Robert E. Witter (Author)

Large Slow Targets = LST = Landing Ship, Tank. I used to know an LST skipper. Believe he served in the Med.

Regards,

John Kettler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...