Going thru some old American Rifleman and came upon this little article.

First part states: the questioner’s father was in the Navy in 1909 and said he was armed with the Kragicon and the son wants to know “When did the Navy start using the M1903 Springfield?”

Ludwig Olson of the AR staff answered:

“The Jan. 5, 1911 issue of Arms and The Man announced the Navy purchase of M1903 rifles for sailors and marines on board battleships and armored cruisers in commission”.

Nothing mentioned about sailors or marines stationed at land bases.

This is from the July 59 AR.

First possible use of the M1903 by the US Army in a combat situation (not counting bar fights and riots in this) IS: 4th Cav. Regt, Troops F, G, I, & K, Capture of/Battle of Mount Dajo 06 to 08 March 1906.

Now this is a maybe, Springfield stated all Army had M1903s of one type or another by the end of fiscal 1906, June 06??. Alaska and Philippines had priority, so maybe. McAulay states 4th Cav. had 03s at end of 06, so maybe. But I am not sure if he means fiscal or annual. Does any one know if the Philippines and Alaska were in the Department of California????

From the little I have read about the US Army in the Philippines, the first unit located in the southern islands that received the M1903 would be the first to use the 03 in combat. Lots of small but deadly stuff. Again, this definition of Combat is very loose. The Moros Uprising would be more like putting down a rebellion.

45B20
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