14 Nov 2022 Garand Picture of the Day

[fjruple]

In close air support, artillery, mortar, and naval gunfire support fires, it is the term included in the method of engagement segment of a call for the fire which indicates that friendly forces are within close proximity of the target, usually 600 meters however The close proximity distance can be determined by the weapon and munition fired.

Given the posture of the marines and the size of the detonation, it would appear to me that this is not air support, artillery, mortar, and naval gunfire support fires - more along the lines of a satchel charge type of detention. If they had called in some ordinance I would expect them to be on the ground before detonation

Mark--

Probably not a satchel charge, too low of a yield. Looks like a a block or two of TNT attached to a fragmentation grenade. These were often attached to the end of a long pole so the soldier/marine did not have to get too close to the opening where the enemy was hiding.

[Mark in Rochester]

Mark--

Probably not a satchel charge, too low of a yield. Looks like a block or two of TNT attached to a fragmentation grenade. These were often attached to the end of a long pole so the soldier/marine did not have to get too close to the opening where the enemy was hiding.

While we can not be certain it can easily be as you stated. My original point was that it does not appear to be called in ordinance but rather a hand-delivered device.

In World War II, combat engineers used satchel charges to demolish heavy stationary targets such as rails, obstacles, blockhouses, bunkers, caves, and bridges. The World War II–era United States Army M37 Demolition Kit contained eight blocks of high explosive, with two priming assemblies, in a canvas bag with a shoulder strap. Part or all of this charge could be placed against a structure or slung into an opening. It was usually detonated with a pull igniter. When used as an anti-tank weapon, charges were sufficient to severely damage the tracks. 4 kg (8.8 lb) charges were enough to destroy medium tanks.

M37 Demolition Kit

The M37 Demolition Kit is a prepared satchel charge consisting of 8 pounds of TNT with a variety of detonators.

Along with the TNT itself, the M37 comes with a single blasting cap, a "clacker" handheld detonator, and a set of time pencils. There's one time pencil each for 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours, 5 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours.

[CINDERS]

Either way if their deep the pressure wave will sort them, I'd gather the flamer will poke a good bit of liquid fire to ensure they aint coming out of that hole.
Of all the war fronts engaged the pacific islands and New Guinea were just brutal in every aspect I'm not saying Africa or the ETO was a cake walk but against such an unyielding mother nature couple with an equally brutal and fanatical enemy demanded our troop adopted the same type of tenacity brutality to defeat them. "A let'em come on and eat lead attitude, no wonder they came home shattered'.
Brave lads one and all from what ever state you came from.....

[fjruple]

Mark--

The M37 demo kit brought a lot of memories of my instruction of demo classes while I was assigned to the Engineers. The M37 came a bit later in the war as the M2 kits were made of Tetrytol demo blocks which were temperature sensitive (67 degrees F). About that temperature the tetrytol demo blocks becomes unstable. In the hot climates of Tarawa, it would not take much to set off the explosives. The M37 was developed due to this problem and use plastic explosives. Personally, I would pre-make several of these demolition charges by breaking down a the M37 kit into 2 demo blocks, they are already daisy chain together with det cord, attach the two blocks to the end of six foot piece of pole or lumber with thousand mile tape. Add a M26 frag grenade with the safety pull facing to the rear of long end of the pole. Run a piece of commo wire from the safety ring to long end of the pole. You can put a loop in the end to make it easier to pull out the ring. You can also tape a burst type WP grenade to the demo charge to make thing interesting if they are available.

This post reminds me of the war movie, "Hell is for Heroes" where Steve McQueen uses a demo kit to blow up a German bunker.

[Mark in Rochester]