Hatcher Hole?

[Jim Tarleton]

Julian Hatcher worked in ordnance almost his entire career. He was in no position (rank wise) until 1940 to take credit for anything. He may have recommended "gas relief holes" be drilled in 1903's in 1936, but he was in no position to see that it got accomplished. An order to modify every rifle in the Army by drilling a hole in it surely came from one of the Ordnance Boards, and if Hatcher recommended it, it would be "Hatcher's Hole", along with all the blame if it failed.

If you are trying to locate a document that indicates Hatcher believed he deserved credit for the idea, I wish you luck. A man who graduates with Honors from the Naval Academy and then goes into Army Ordnance doesn't sound self-centered to me. Someone under Hatcher may have had the original idea, but not be in the position to recommend same. If I was some lowly officer that came up with a battleplan for trashing the Afgans, and it worked, it would forever be referred to as "(insert commanding officer's name)'s Battleplan"!

Jim

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[John Beard]

Julian Hatcher worked in ordnance almost his entire career. He was in no position (rank wise) until 1940 to take credit for anything. He may have recommended "gas relief holes" be drilled in 1903's in 1936, but he was in no position to see that it got accomplished. An order to modify every rifle in the Army by drilling a hole in it surely came from one of the Ordnance Boards, and if Hatcher recommended it, it would be "Hatcher's Hole", along with all the blame if it failed.

If you are trying to locate a document that indicates Hatcher believed he deserved credit for the idea, I wish you luck. A man who graduates with Honors from the Naval Academy and then goes into Army Ordnance doesn't sound self-centered to me. Someone under Hatcher may have had the original idea, but not be in the position to recommend same. If I was some lowly officer that came up with a battleplan for trashing the Afgans, and it worked, it would forever be referred to as "(insert commanding officer's name)'s Battleplan"!

Jim

I have neither intent nor desire to trash Hatcher. I'm just trying to track down the original source where Hatcher takes or is given credit for the left side gas escape hole. As I recall, Campbell gave him credit for the hole. I assumed Campbell got it from Hatcher's Notebook. But, I am unable to find it in Hatcher's Notebook.

I now have a formal Test Report from Springfield Armory recommending the left side gas escape hole. And Hatcher's name is nowhere in it.

J.B.

[Jim Tarleton]

I have neither intent nor desire to trash Hatcher.

J.B.

I know you weren't trying to trash Hatcher, and neither was I. I was just pointing out that in the Army, matters of blame and glory sometimes ignore fact and reality. Marine Lt. Robertson received the DSC for taking Boureches on 6 Jun 1918 and he wasn't even there. Lt. Cates took Bouresches, but he didn't get the medal, and to add insult to injury, Lt. Cates had to stand in formation at attention while Lt. Robertson received his medal.

It may help to find an early reference to a "Hatcher Hole". If the practice began in the thirties, most likely the credit is deserved. I have a lot of gaps in my AR's of that period, but I will look anyway. From my search of military libraries, it appears it was not a term used by the military.

From Hatcher's job description of that period, he obviously worked closely with both armories.

Jim