https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...10/S3912-1.jpg
Infantrymen reload their rifles from a perch atop a dilapidated roof in Beffe, Belgium. January 7, 1945.(rudeerude)
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...10/S3912-1.jpg
Infantrymen reload their rifles from a perch atop a dilapidated roof in Beffe, Belgium. January 7, 1945.(rudeerude)
What was the standard ammo load out on an infrantryman in WWII?
A google search produced this more than just ammo:
http://www.45thdivision.org/Pictures...combatload.htm
128 rounds....
I wonder how quickly they burned through that in the heat of combat?
That photo was in an early GCA newsletter, also had the names of the two GI's
Several have commented on that ( how long ) and the answer is it varies. I remember one of the 101st ( don't remember who , but one of the now famous front line ones ) who carried an M1 Garand. He jumped with 80 in his belt and a couple of bandoliers ( 2x6x8 = 96 ) around him , so about 176 rounds , plus maybe a few clips scattered in his pockets . He said this would last him for maybe 3-4 days before resupply. He said that sometimes he ran low , but he never ran out.
Several books I have read about big mass charges of the enemy show that these would usually last a few minutes and the writer stating that afterward they'd have 8-10 empty clips around them. So it would vary , but these men do not seem to use as much as the newer troops do. As a matter of fact , there was an article about the older men participating in training exercises with the younger troops. They would usually win because they were the defending force , they were underestimated , and the other side ran out of ammo.
Chris