US Recon Battalion

[Crank_GS]

Can anyone out there tell me TO&E of a '44 US Reconnaisance Battalion is?

I am writing a battle from some reading I have done, and I need to know the difference between them and regular Infantry, if anyone can help.

Thanks chaps

[Chupacabra]

Britwar has it as:

BHQ with 2 jeeps, 3 M3 A/Cars and 3 M3 Halftracks

1 Light tank troop with 3 Platoons each of 5 M5 (M3) light tanks and a HQ section of 2 tanks.

1 SP Gun Company split into 4 platoons each with

2 M8 GMC and 2 M3 halftracks with a HQ platoon of

1 M3 halftrack and light transport.

3 Armoured Recce. Companies each of 3 Recce. Platoons each with a Armoured section of 3 M8 Armoured Cars and a light section of 6 jeeps. (Total of 9 A/Cars and 18 Jeeps per Company) with a CHQ Platoon of 3 jeeps, 3 M8 A/Cars and 3 M3 halftracks.

[Redwolf]

Gamey bastards...

[dalem]

And the 6 jeeps in each troop have 3x M2 60mm mortar and 3x .30cal MG amongst them.

-dale

[Scott B]

Originally posted by Crank_GS:

Can anyone out there tell me TO&E of a '44 US Reconnaisance Battalion is?

I am writing a battle from some reading I have done, and I need to know the difference between them and regular Infantry, if anyone can help.

Most important difference - they have next to no infantry.

From here:

Divisional Recce Squadron (Battalion)

SHQ (Bttn HQ): 3x M8 Greyhound, 3x M3 H/T, 3 rifle sqds, 2x Jeeps

3 Troops@ THQ (CHQ): 3x M8 Greyhound, 3x Jeep/.50"

3 platoons@ 3x M8 Greyhound, 6x Jeep/.50", 1x Carbine sqd, 3x 60mm mortars

1 Troop: THQ: 2x M5A1 Stuart

3 platoons@ 5x M5A1 Stuart

1 Support Troop: THQ: 1x M3 H/T, 1x Jeep

4 platoons@ 2x M8 HMC Stuart, 1x M3 H/T

This seems to complement the stuff at the Britwar site.

It is worth noting that in some cases later in the war an independant cavalry group (two separate cav recce squadrons) would sometimes (in at least one case - I'm under the impression it was more than once, though) work with a ranger battalion-- for example, 2nd Ranger Battalion worked with 38th and 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons in early 1945, with ranger companies paired up with recce troops-- Ranger Companies A, B, and C in the 38th Cav, and D, E, and F in the 102nd. It would seem that they worked together well, as the rangers gave the cav guys substantially increased dismounted capability when they were used in a direct combat role (as was all too often the case).

(38th Cav Sqdn's AARs can be found at the MHI Digital Library site.)

Scott

[Crank_GS]

Wow, great info, troops. Thanks.

Now the question: How would one go about making a Recon Company CMBO style? Here is my best guess:

Co. HQ (Jeep or M3 mounted...?)

9 (or would it be 12?) M8

18 Jeeps (MG or otherwise)

3 Squads (no such thing as a Carbine squad in CMBO...)

and 9 mortar teams?

Seems a little odd. The Battle I have in mind had a "recon company acting as infantry" - guess they would certainly have been weak. I know the number of Stuarts involved, so that is easy. Maybe best to structure it as a 6 x 1/2 squad platoon with attached mortars?

Anyway, I will stop musing now, and thanks guys.

[dalem]

Originally posted by Crank_GS:

Wow, great info, troops. Thanks.

Now the question: How would one go about making a Recon Company CMBO style? Here is my best guess:

Co. HQ (Jeep or M3 mounted...?)

9 (or would it be 12?) M8

18 Jeeps (MG or otherwise)

3 Squads (no such thing as a Carbine squad in CMBO...)

and 9 mortar teams?

Seems a little odd. The Battle I have in mind had a "recon company acting as infantry" - guess they would certainly have been weak. I know the number of Stuarts involved, so that is easy. Maybe best to structure it as a 6 x 1/2 squad platoon with attached mortars?

Anyway, I will stop musing now, and thanks guys.

Crank-

I made a scenario starring a Mech Recon Troop - I can send it your way if you want to see the details. I pulled the OB from Nafziger and other "accepted" sources.

-dale