WWII Bayonets, 03's and USMC Snipers

[Jim Tarleton]

I don't think the Marine with the carbine was missed by the shrapnel.

He looks like he was hit to me.


Can anyone identify the tank in the 3rd picture? Never seen one that small before. I didn't realize the Marines used tanks as much as they did.

Some of these photos give one some idea of the hell these men endured.

Jim

[John Beard]

Is it true many Marines didn't like the M-1 Garand,but favored the tried and trusted 1903s?Reading an article some years back,it stated the Government had a hard time making the Marines accept the M-1!

During the early days of WWII, the Marine Corps consisted of two factions: (1) old-line Marines from the pre-WWII days, and (2) new recruits and young officers who enlisted after Pearl Harbor. The old-line Marines were wedded to the M1903 rifle for various reasons. The young new Marines had no such prejudices. After Guadalcanal and the swelling ranks of young Marines saw what the M1 rifle could do, they demanded satisfaction. No government convincing was required. It then became of matter of just how fast they could get them.

As a matter of note, the Guadalcanal action didn't start until August, 1942, some 8 months into the war. By that time, Remington had pumped about 150,000 additional M1903 rifles into Navy and Marine Corps inventories.

J.B.

[TDH]

Is it true many Marines didn't like the M-1 Garand,but favored the tried and trusted 1903s?Reading an article some years back,it stated the Government had a hard time making the Marines accept the M-1!

The Marines didn't have many M1's at the beginning of the war and the 1st Marines that landed on the Canal didn't have any of them. They did have BAR's and Thompsons and even some Johnsons's but no M1's or Carbines. This came from a foreman I had that was in the 1st wave that landed on as he called it the Canal. It is well documented that after the Army came in to releive them that they had to watch their M1's like hawks or the Marines would have them. The Marines saw the distinct advantage of the M1 Garand over their tried and trusted 03's. BTW most of those 03's were low numbersjust like this one

[TDH]

He looks like he was hit to me.


Can anyone identify the tank in the 3rd picture? Never seen one that small before. I didn't realize the Marines used tanks as much as they did.

Some of these photos give one some idea of the hell these men endured.

Jim

I beleive they called it a Stewart named after J.E.B. Stewart it had a 3 man crew and a 37 MM gun. IIRC

[gunner]

Yes, that must be a Stewart. Easy to carry and mobile in difficult terrain.

[geberl]

Jim,

From what I had read and been told, I knew the Marines started out with 1903's and then changed over to the Garands but like youself have been somewhat surprised by the photos I've seen. Since I've been over here in the Pacific I had planned some island hopping of my own, leave permitting, to see some of the islands. Not sure know how many photos I've seen of Pacific island actions but it seems there were alot of marines carrying carbines, garands, thompsons, and other smgs. Definately not what I'd expected, but haven't really been researching the subject indepth either.

Gabriel

[JGaynor]

Jim since one good pic deserves another i thought you might like these. From a 1943 TM.

Jim

[Bolo Badge]

The tanks pictured in the second and third photos are M3 Stuart light tanks. The M3 series subsequently evolved into the M5 series. The tank pictured in the last photo may be a M2A4 light tank. If so, service with the Marines on Guadalcanal was its one and only combat service.

[Jim Tarleton]

More photos from that group.

Another carbine with a grenade launcher. Everyone else is dug in and this guy is crusing the beach! He must be from Jersey.

How about some Amtrac pics? I like Amtracs. Look at all the gear these guys carried.

In the last picture, what do you think those guys were thinking?

Jim

[Rick the Librarian]

The "mystery" tank in the 3rd picture is probably an M5 Stuart. Hard to tell from the back. It could also be a late M3. The M3/5 series was almost useless against German tanks in Europe, but against the anemic armor used by the Japanese, it still had a place in the Pacific.