3 July 2025 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

Maj. Lawrence Varsi Castner was an intelligence officer assigned to the Alaska Defense Command in 1940. Castner formed the Alaska Scouts — nicknamed “Castner’s Cutthroats,” though they preferred to be called “Alaska Scouts” — from a collection of Alaskan trappers, hunting guides, commercial fishermen, miners, prospectors, and many Alaska Natives. The Alaska Scouts officially became the 1st Combat Intelligence Platoon on Nov. 19, 1941, weeks before the surprise attacks on Pearl Harbor.





Standard issue for Castner's Cutthroats was a Trapper Nelson pack, hunting knife, .22LR caliber target pistol and a sniper rifle, instead of the standard issue Springfield rifle, or M1 Garand. However, when it came to firearms, personal preference was the deciding factor. Al Brattain, a crack shot, preferred the M1 Garand because its reduced recoil did not spoil his aim. Trapper Nelson packs held all their supplies for their long mountainous treks. They lived off the land, which allowed them to stay light, unlike most military units of the time. To move from island to island, the men used canoes, from which they fished for salmon. The salmon was dried and stored for the winter, furthering the unit's ability to stay out in the field.