'03 Springfield Picture of the Day

[Jim Tarleton]

I have a picture of King George VI of Great Britain inspecting U.S. Marines on the battleship Washington in early 1942 and the rifles are definitely M1s. Seems kind of strange that they found M1s for Marine ship detachments while FMF Marines carried M1903s on Guadalcanal.

As for the "rest of the story", the Washington's sister ship, the North Carolina was torpedoed at the same time as the Wasp. A gutsy performance by the Japanese skipper of the I-19 and the deadly Japanese torpedoes.

I have boarded the U.S.North Carolina on several occassions. She currently resides grounded in Cape Fear River near downtown Wilmington, NC. Sitting in the 16" gun turrets is an interesting experience. The park has a fence of 16" projectiles. You have to see them to realize just how huge they are.

I sat at the bow and looked down and realized that falling off a battleship would be an unfortunate experience. It is a long way to the water.

Jim

[Bolo Badge]

There is a good photograph in Scott Duff's "The M1 Garand: World War II", that shows the Marine Detachment of the heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa in formation with gas trap Garands. Information presented in the book indicates that the Marine Corps was issued 400 M1 rifles in December 1938. It may be that the Marine Corps decided to completely replace the M1903 rifles in its smaller, self contained type, units first. With such a small initial issue I would think this might have been due to the Marine Corps logistical system being unable, at that time, to provide anything but minimal support for a new weapon.

[beachbumbob]

My take on the matter would be that the Navy SUPPLY System was used to taking care of the Navy. Even if they were going to be used by Marines, if it was afloat, nothing was too good for the guys that would be onboard.

I saw Marines using stuff the Army would have shotcanned years before. Imagine what would happen if you gave Marines, the good stuff?

Bob

[Jim Tarleton]

In 1939-40, the Corps asked for delivery of 1,200 M1's a month. I doubt they got that many. Since Marine Troop Strength (TS) was only 75,000 Marines at the time, it still would have taken many months to equip them at that rate (figure 50% were issued rifles, but ALL trained with a rifle). By mid-41, I think TS was close to 125,000 Marines.

When FDR cut off Japan's oil and steel supplies, I think FDR knew there would be a war with Japan. It was just a matter of how it was to be ignited.

Jim

[Fredtheobviouspseudonym]

The USS Washington was the only US battleship to sink another battleship in battle during WWII. Her Captain was awarded the Navy Cross for that action. The Washington did not suffer any KIA in that action. That Jap battleship now resides at the bottom of IronBottom Sound.

Washington was certainly the only US battleship to single-handedly reduce another capital ship to sinking condition; IIRC Kirishima was scuttled after the crew was evacuated.

However, in Surigao Strait, 25 October 1944, West Virginia, Tennessee, and California smashed Yamashiro to wreckage burning end to end. Perhaps the destroyer torpedoes finished the job, but after the hammering by the old ladies of Oldendorf's battle line Yamashiro was going nowhere but down.

[Jim Tarleton]

My take on the matter would be that the Navy SUPPLY System was used to taking care of the Navy. Even if they were going to be used by Marines, if it was afloat, nothing was too good for the guys that would be onboard.

I saw Marines using stuff the Army would have shotcanned years before. Imagine what would happen if you gave Marines, the good stuff?

Bob

And you must remember the Navy is our largest military force, even in war time. They gotta have some pull.

Ji

[Bolo Badge]

Prior to WWII when a marine was assigned to a naval vessel how was he armed?

Did/was he:

(a) report with his previously assigned rifle
(b) issued a USMC rifle by the ships Marine Detachment; or
(c) issued a US Navy rifle from the ships weapons locker.

Is this still SOP today?

Thanks.