WWII Marine Armament source

Atla

Atla

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Working on a WWII/Pacific Island/Jap/Sea Monster book and was doing some digging and found a pretty good source. This is going to keep me from looking like a total boob.

https://www.battleorder.org/usmc-rifle-co-1944

f%20series%20marine%20platoon-01.webp


Organization (January 1944 to May 1945)​

  • Type: Marine Infantry Company​

  • Origin: U.S. Marine Corps (United States)​

  • Time Frame (Battles): Saipan, Guam, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, Okinawa​

  • Personnel: 7 Officers and 228 Enlisted (217 Enlisted before March '44)​

​

Company Headquarters (3 Officers and 49/50 Enlisted)​

→ 1× Company HQ Section (2 Officers, 31 Enlisted) [30 Enlisted before March '44]​

  • 1× Commanding Officer, Captain (OF-2), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Executive Officer, Lieutenant (OF-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× First Sergeant, First Sergeant (OR-8), armed with 1 M1 Carbine
    ​

  • 1× Gunnery Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant (OR-7), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Mess Sergeant, Technical Sergeant (OR-7), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Supply Sergeant, Sergeant (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Demolition Sergeant [added in March '44], Sergeant (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Armorer, Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Signalman, Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Carpenter, Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 2× Field Musicians, Field Music (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine each​

  • 2× Messengers, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Rifle each​

  • 1× Barber, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Cobbler, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Driver, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 11× Other Duty Marines, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Rifle
    ​

  • 1× Chief Cook [removed March '44], Chief Cook (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Field Cook, Field Cook (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 4× Assistant Cooks [only 3 before March '44], Assistant Cook (OR-2), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

​

→ 1× Mortar Section (1 Officer, 19 Enlisted)​

  • 1× Section Commander, Lieutenant (OF-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Section Leader, Sergeant (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Carbine
    ​

  • 3× Mortar Squads (6 Enlisted):​

    • 1× Squad Leader, Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

    • 1× Gunner, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 60mm mortar and 1 M1 Carbine​

    • 1× Assistant Gunner, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

    • 3× Ammo Bearers, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine each
      ​

→ Attachments:​

  • 1× Hospital Corpsman (U.S. Navy)
    ​

→ Additional Equipment: Each company headquarters section had 1 jeep with trailer, 3 Bazookas (reserve), and 6 M2 Browning heavy machine guns (reserve). The jeep would often be used to support the Mortar Section as they lacked a handcart.​

​

​

3× Rifle Platoons (1 Officer and 44/45 Enlisted each)​

→ 1× Platoon Headquarters (1 Officer and 6 Enlisted) [5 Enlisted before March '44]​

  • 1× Platoon Commander, Second or First Lieutenant (OF-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Platoon Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant (OR-6), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Platoon Guide, Sergeant (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Demolition Corporal [added in March '44], Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 3× Messengers, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Rifle each​

​

→ Attachments:​

  • 2× Hospital Corpsmen (U.S. Navy)​

​

→ 3× Rifle Squads (13 Enlisted each)​

  • 1× Squad Leader, Sergeant (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Carbine
    ​

  • 3× Fire Teams of:​

  • 1× Fire Team Leader, Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Rifle​

  • 1× Automatic Rifleman, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle​

  • 1× Assistant Automatic Rifleman, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Rifleman, Private (OR-1) to Technician 4th Grade (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Rifle
    ​

  • Additional Equipment: All men in the Rifle Squads with M1 Carbines were authorized M8 grenade launchers on paper. All men in the Rifle Squads with M1 Rifles were authorized M7 grenade launchers although these were usually used by fire team leaders.​

​

​

1× Machine Gun Platoon (1 Officer and 36/43 Enlisted each)​

→ 1× Platoon Headquarters (1 Officer and 4 Enlisted) [3 Enlisted before March '44]​

  • 1× Platoon Commander, First Lieutenant (OF-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Platoon Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant (OR-7), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 1× Ammunition Corporal [added in March '44], Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

  • 2× Messengers, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Rifle each​

​

→ Attachments:​

  • 1× Hospital Corpsman (U.S. Navy)​

​

→ 3× Machine Gun Sections (13 Enlisted each) [11 Enlisted each before March '44]​

  • 1× Section Leader, Sergeant (OR-5), armed with 1 M1 Carbine
    ​

  • 2× Machine Gun Squads of:​

    • 1× Squad Leader, Corporal (OR-4), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

    • 1× Gunner, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1919A4 machine gun and 1 M1 Carbine​

    • 1× Assistant Gunner, Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine​

    • 3× Ammo Bearers [only 2 before March '44], Private (OR-1), armed with 1 M1 Carbine each​

​

→ Additional Equipment: Each Machine Gun Squad was authorized 1 hand cart for the machine gun.​

​

​

 
@Atla
I don't see any Thompson 45's listed.
You know the Marines would/could have found a couple "laying" around somewhere.
 
ronn47 said:
@Atla
I don't see any Thompson 45's listed.
You know the Marines would/could have found a couple "laying" around somewhere.
Click to expand...
I noticed that, because there are lots of images of them carrying Thompsons on the islands. And I've got to have them in the book!

But from what I'm gathering, it seems they were issued early on in the war and later replaced with the BAR for the most part due to low effectiveness at range and in cover.
 
Don't forget Winchester 1897s and flame throwers.
Both were used a lot on the islands.
Also, island warfare was brutal to the max, no quarter given.
 
Atla said:
I noticed that, because there are lots of images of them carrying Thompsons on the islands. And I've got to have them in the book!

But from what I'm gathering, it seems they were issued early on in the war and later replaced with the BAR for the most part due to low effectiveness at range and in cover.
Click to expand...
The Thompsons were more effective in the tropical islands but on the more open atolls and volcanic islands the BAR would be preferable.
 
Do you have the TO&E 1942-1944? They went through a few changes (D-series, E-series, F-series) in their organization based on better C&C they came up with (actually came up with most of the changes pre-war, but didn't have time to implement them).

Also, what's interesting--but probably beyond the scope of what you are doing--is how they managed their divisions and corps.
 
Just from period photographs it looks like the Army had more Thompsons and M3s in use especially in Europe than the Marines in later battles in the small islands and Iwo Jima and Okinawa
 
rufrdr said:
Just from period photographs it looks like the Army had more Thompsons and M3s in use especially in Europe than the Marines in later battles in the small islands and Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Click to expand...

The army def had more, esp tankers and airborne (60 something I think for airborne rifle co?).
 
No sniper with a scoped Garand?
 
rufrdr said:
The Marines used the 03 with the Unertl scope for most if not all the war.
Click to expand...
I was about to say the same. The Springfield 03 was all they had for the most part. Until they stole the M1’s from the army when they finally showed up.

There were very few M1’s in the corps. Most marines thought it was a Mickey Mouse POS until a few people used them in combat.

Then they stole a bunch. Lol.
 
The Army used 03s and 03A3\A4 throughout the war. 03s for grenade launching and early war combat and 03A3s for combat support units in Europe. Lots of photos of Signals and MPs with A3s as well as service support troops with them.
 
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