M1 Carbine Picture of the Day

[CapnJohn]

Brigadier Gen. Frank D. Merrill, Merrill's Marauders fame, with M1 Carbine armed Nisei interpreters, T/SGT Herbert Miyasaki (L) and T/SGT Akiji Yoshimura, Burma, 1944.

In early 1944, the Marauders were organized as light infantry assault units, with mule transport for their 60 mm mortars, bazookas, ammunition, communications gear, and supplies. Although the 5307th's three battalions were equivalent to a regimental-size unit, its lack of organic heavy weapons support meant the force had a combat power less than that of a single regular American infantry battalion, a fact that General Stilwell and his NCAC staff did not always appreciate.[8][9] Without heavy weapons support, the unit would have to rely on flexibility and surprise to outfight considerably larger Japanese forces.

Weight was critical to the Marauders, and the need for a compact, lightweight field ration was essential; unfortunately, the best solution, the dry Jungle ration, at 4,000 calories per day, had been discontinued for cost reasons in 1943.[10] On the advice of Army supply officers in Washington, General Stilwell and his G-4 staff determined that a one-per-day issuance of the U.S. Army's 2,830 calorie K ration would be sufficient to maintain the Marauders in the field.[11] While compact, the K ration not only had fewer calories but less bulk, and included some components so unappetizing as to be thrown away by nearly all users.[12][13].

On the advice of British General Orde Wingate, the force was divided into two self-contained combat teams per battalion. In February 1944, in an offensive designed to disrupt Japanese offensive operations, three battalions in six combat teams (coded Red, White, Blue, Khaki, Green, and Orange) marched into Burma. On February 24, the force began a 1000-mile march over the Patkai region of the Himalayas and into the Burmese jungle behind Japanese lines. A total of 2,750 Marauders entered Burma; the remaining 247 men remained in India as headquarters and support personnel. Courtesy WikiPedia

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