Major Minor Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 Mr. Tittles Member Member # 12873 posted January 08, 2004 12:28 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- quote: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I know US Paratroopers dropped heavy. That is, they had M1 Rifles/M1 Carbines on them. They would have items in bags that were attached to their body with rope. They would unfurl this before hitting the ground themselves (to lessen the impact). Not exactly a egg-hunt like the Germans dropping cannisters with rifles/MGs separately. Not quite - US Paras only used the leg attachments during the D-Day drop and that was a last minute thing at that. Since most of the drop aircraft were flying too fast and jinking, the resulting slipstream tended to rip the bags from their legs. Since they had been told to put their primary weapon (either M-1, Thompson, carbine) in the bag many Paras hit the ground without a primary weapon. US Paras also jumped with a support weapon such as the .30 machine gun precisely because they needed the firepower immediately. I believe the Brits were more enamored with the leg parcel and used it up to the end of the war. I pulled this from reading Ambrose and another book dealing with US tactics from D-Day to war's end (sorry, having a senior moment and can't remember/find the title). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingknives Posted January 8, 2004 Share Posted January 8, 2004 IIRC, the british army still uses a variation on the leg-bag today. It beats landing with a bergen on, I believe 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Tittles Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 The M1 Garand was supposedly broken down and carried. It was reassembled on landing. The M1 Carbine had a special holster and was not broken down. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Tittles Posted January 9, 2004 Share Posted January 9, 2004 This pic shows troops waiting to board a C47. They have the rifles intact. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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