WWII Bayonets, 03's and USMC Snipers

[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.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[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.

[Jim Tarleton]

The Marine Corps strength in 1916 was 15,578 Marines, all that were armed with rifles were armed with LN 03's. The Marine Corps strength in 1918 was 75,101 Marines with 24,555 in the AEF (only 6,000 in combat), with most armed with 03's between SN 800,000 and SN 900,000. If one assumes 75%, or less, of the Marines were armed with 1903's (the Corps has a low ratio of Officers to Enlisted), they had approximately 50,000 1903's. In 1940, the Marines had 54,000 1903's, of which 4,000 were not serviceable, which agrees with the previous assumption.

In 1940, the Marine Corps strength was 28,345 Marines, which went to 54,539 Marines in 1941 and 142,613 in 1942. They actually hit 75,000 Marines in early 1942 (approved in mid-1942), which means the Marines probably picked up another 25,000 or more HN 1903's prior to the time the Corps had enough M1's to equip the Marines. I would suggest that maybe 15% to 25% of the Marines at Guadacanal were armed with LN rifles. No one will ever know for certain.

I agree with John. Even though famous for their LN Springfields, the WWI and WWII Marines were predominantly armed with HN 1903's.

Jim

[John Beard]

Jim,

Here's a statistic you overlook. For logistics purposes, the Army budgeted three rifles for each enlistee. I'm sure the Marines had a similar figure.

FWIW.

J.B.

[Jim Tarleton]

Jim,

Here's a statistic you overlook. For logistics purposes, the Army budgeted three rifles for each enlistee. I'm sure the Marines had a similar figure.

FWIW.

J.B.

Due to the huge surplus of rifles left over from WWI, I doubt the Marines had such a logistical factor between the two wars. If you have 17,000 men and 50,000 rifles, acquisition of rifles would be sparse at best (mostly rifle teams and spare parts). I don't know for certain, but I suspect when WWII loomed on the horizen, the Corps was looking for every rifle they could find.

The Corps was already receiving M1's in 1940, but at a rate too slow to arm the entire Corps in time for war. If my memory serves me correctly, they were receiving 350 M1's a month in 1940, and requested that number be raised to 1250 per month.

Jim

[Jim Tarleton]

One added note, the Marine Corps manpower strength is set at 20% of the manpower strength of the Navy. Bear in mind, the Marine Corps is not part of the Navy (before you squeal, check your facts), but an autonomous military force. Marine pay checks do not come from the Navy. By law, only two people can command the Marines, the Secretary of the Navy and the President.

Marines on a Navy ship come under the direct chain of command of the Marine in command on the ship, and not the ship's Captain. A Marine is not subject to Ship's Mast, but is subject to Office Hours (Marines punish Marines). That does not mean Marines can ignore the Captain of any ship (or any other officer or non-com that outranks them), because they must, just as a Marine or Army Private must obey an Air Force General (legal and lawful orders).

Jim

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Yes, It's an M8 grenade launcher.



I've read that a lot of GI's simply didn't trust the M1 Garand at first because it was a semi-auto and they trusted the dependability of a bolt action.
- GI's are gonna gripe regardless.

[Jim Tarleton]

Amen, Brother John.

I started out thinking exactly as TDH, but the facts demonstrate otherwise.

Semper Fi,
Jim

[Rick the Librarian]

Maybe wanting eggs in my beer, but any idea what the percentage of early Remington M1903s used by the Marines might have been?