If you were a WWII infantry soldier...

[Moose458]

Dad was a squad leader in WWII fighting the Japanese. I ask him this same question, and he told me that his first choice was the Thompson, then the M1 Garand. He had no use at all for the M1 Carbine. He said it did not have enough knock down power, especially if it had to go through any vegetation.

 

[CZguy]

My Dad liked the M1 Garand in Europe for it's range, my Uncle liked the M1 Garand in the Pacific because it would shoot through the palm tree logs that the enemy was taking cover behind. So it's an easy choice for me to pick the M1 Garand.

 

[dirtymike1]

Stupid, off topic question: Were WW-II infantrimen of any origin given ear protection? I can't imagine what it must have been like to be on the front lines without hearing protection.

I've often wondered if that was the reason we'd have to yell into the phone when talking with my grandfather.

Nope, not that I've ever heard of. One thing that I've heard of them doing was sticking cigerette butts into their ears for a little protection. BUt one thing to remember, these were the men that built the old school, by hand, walking up hill both ways in 5ft of snow without shoes. From what my dad's told me about his father, who served in the 87th Infatry Divison which was in the battle of the bludge, wsa that any kind of complaining was looked down on. So yes, that's why you had to yell on the phone.

And from what I understand, my Grandpa carried a Garand and a belt for the .30cal.

 

[627PCFan]

1. 03 Bolt action
2. Garand
and for backup, keep the .45 and give me a pump action SG.

I prefer to shoot what Im competent with.

 

[ccsniper]

m1 carbine, range to about 150 it is perfect and there are other guys in the squad carrying Garands and 03's to shoot at snipers. The carbine gave the option of carrying A LOT of ammo compared to everyone else. Most other guys carried around 120-150 rounds of ammo do to its weight where the m1 carbine could carry around 300 rounds of ammo very easily.

 

[walleyealx]

took twice as much ammo to kill a guy, so I guess they would have to carry 2x more

 

[Flatbush Harry]

Both my father and my uncle served in WWII, my dad in the PTO and my uncle in the ETO. My dad was enlisted, carried an M1 Garand until he was promoted to Sgt., at which time he switched to an M1 Carbine. My uncle was an infantry officer, carried an M1 Garand on Utah Beach, later switched to a Thompson SMG and, while recuperating from injuries and wounds, was a REMF with an M1 Carbine.

The M1 Carbine was designed as a substitute for a handgun for officers and non-coms...it was not intended to be a battle rifle. Both my dad and uncle suggested that, if you had to bet your life on your rifle, a Garand was a good, albeit heavy, bet. I have four Garands, two M1As and an AR15A2 and I'm a paper puncher (in the USAF, my issue weapon was a S&W .38 Spl)...but if I had to pick one rifle to bet my life on, it would be one of my Garands.

FH

 

[Coronach]

My grandfather fought in WWII, and his take was this: .45 Thompson and a lot of grenades if you were clearing buildings, M1 rifle for everything else. Usually, you had to go with what you had, since there wasn't a caddy with a golf bag full of weapons following you around.

He had nothing good to say about the 1911 or the M1 carbine.

Mike

Ps Oh! And grenades and a net for fishing.

 

[Kernel]

I'd take a Stg-44, but wouldn't want to wear the uniform that was issued with it. The Johnson Semi-Auto Carbine would of been interesting, but only five were ever made.

 

[Quoheleth]

In #29, is that a Tiger or a Panzer? (I'm guessing Tiger)

My goodness, that thing is huge! The treads alone are massive! And to think, our Shermans had to try to fight against them... No wonder they called Shermans "Spam cans".

Q

 

[Kernel]

Tiger II

 

[Aren't we all]

according to olive drab .com more like 30,000 Johnsons produced.
10 rd rotary mag loaded with 2 5 round stripper clips, an easily removable barrel firing the 30.06, What's not to like? Not much of a bayonet..
The LMG versions were even better, you could load single rounds into the left side of the action with the 20rd mag still attatched! genius

 

[Storm]

Tiger II

Panther.

As to one rifle, and one rifle only, the Garand. No doubt here on that one.

 

[Maverick223]

Panther.

Nope, the Panther's turret was boxier and more of a cheesebox shape. The Tiger I had a different exhaust/intake system on the rear of the tank and didn't have sloping armor, where as the PzKpfw VI Ausf. B Tiger II (King Tiger) Tank has a exhaust similar to the Panther (twin pipes that curve to the rear). Other factors that contribute to the identification is the wide tracks (characteristic of the large lumbering beast), lengthened turret (hard to make out), larger barrel (not visible in photo), and the Zimmerit camouflage coating (doesn't appear to be present on this example). The dead give away is the interleaved road wheels that are not dished (the panther has interleaved road wheels that alternate the dished side, the Tiger I has all dished to the inside), the protruding hubs for the inner road wheels, and simply the number of visible road wheels. It is without a doubt the PzKpfw VI Ausf. B Tiger II (the infamous King Tiger).

 

[Quoheleth]

Yep - It is a King Tiger.

Watch this 30 second vid clip. Earlier someone posted about the meatgrinder of WWII. COuld you imagine being an infantryman - or even a Sherman driver - and see this monster come out of the woods at you, knowing you have nothing that can slow it down let alone kill it?

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/vi...c0c68b21d363bcbb95b9c0c68b21d363b-31736333706

At 70 tons, the King Tiger weighed more than a B-29 by some 10 tons and more than our modern M1 Abrams by 2 tons.

Q

 

[Hatterasguy]

In #29, is that a Tiger or a Panzer? (I'm guessing Tiger)

My goodness, that thing is huge! The treads alone are massive! And to think, our Shermans had to try to fight against them... No wonder they called Shermans "Spam cans".

Q

Panzer is German for tank.

That looks like a King Tiger, the treads are so wide because what passes for Russian roads are usualy rivers of mud. The King Tiger wasn't a very good tank, it weighed to much, broke every 5 minutes, was slow, and burned to much gas.

Most German tanks were not much better than the Shermans. We didn't really fight much of the German army in Europe, only about 15%, and it was late in the war. Most of their tanks were on the Eastern front.

The back bone of the German Panzer Corps, was the Panzer IV which was about equal to the Sherman. The handfull of Panthers and Tigers that did show up on the Western made quite a name for themselves popping Shermans.

 

[Dr T]

I have an elderly friend that was in a BAR team at the Battle of the Bulge. One team member carried the BAR. Does anyone know what the other two typically carried (Besides ammo and a tripod)?

 

[axeman_g]

ETO -US Rifle M1 .30 + 1911
PTO - M97 + 1911

 

[Storm]

Oops, sorry, I got lost on that and didn't know that we were referring to that photo. I was giving my opinion as to which tank I thought superior.

As to that tank, it's most definitely a Tiger II. Now I'm trying to figure out whether it's a Porche turret. I'm thinking not.

 

[Kernel]

Panther.

The Panther and the Tiger II had similarities (especially when viewed from the rear), but there’s no question - that’s definitely a Tiger II.

according to olive drab .com more like 30,000 Johnsons produced

There were three basic types of Johnsons: the Rifle, the SMG, and the Carbine. The vast majority were Rifles, many thousands produced - some in civilian hands. The Carbine by far the rarest, with only a handful being made - the NRA Museum might have one.

The M1 Garand is revered now, but there was a time when it was in doubt…..

Army: Report on the Garand - A grave indictment of the Garand's dependability (Time Magazine) Mar. 24, 1941.

http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,884292,00.html

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

The M1 Garand is revered now, but there was a time when it was in doubt…..

Army: Report on the Garand - A grave indictment of the Garand's dependability (Time Magazine) Mar. 24, 1941.

Just goes to show that as long as there is money to be made from rifle contracts, you'll have somebody pointing out every conceivable flaw they can think of in the issue rifle.

 

[Maverick223]

One team member carried the BAR. Does anyone know what the other two typically carried (Besides ammo and a tripod)?

I believe that the BAR was typically employed in two man teams. One with the rifle and some ammunition, the other with an M1 Carbine and the bulk of the ammunition. I don't believe there were tripods used, only a bipod (typically retained on the rifle); might you be thinking of the M1919 LMG instead?.

Now I'm trying to figure out whether it's a Porche turret. I'm thinking not.

Nope, the Porsche turret had more curve to it (especially in the rear), and was produced in far fewer numbers. That is a Henschel turret.

 

[SaxonPig]

M1 Carbine. I would would not want to go into battle with an 8 shot rifle that is tricky to load under stress. I know the '06 Garand is more powerful, but I still want a higher capacity weapon.

 

[LeontheProfessional]

I think I would prefer the M1 Garand. 8 shots of semi-auto 30-06 when the enemy is still using bolt actions.

 

[Rio Laxas]

My grandfather used a P-40. If I didn't hate to fly, I'd pick that!

But since the question assumes you are an infantry soldier, I reckon I would pick the M3 grease gun. My father had an M79, an M14, and a Swedish K (not all carried at once) in Vietnam. He made it sound like the submachine gun was the handiest of the three, so that's the reason for my choice.