Korean Era Question

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T J

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I have the current understanding that the main battle rifle of the Korean War (Conflict?) was still the M1 (Garand) rifle. Was this standard issue for all troops including officers, or were officers issued something different? My Father-in-law is a Korean Vet (Lt), and if the Garand was likely a rifle he would be very familiar with it is my intent to hand one to him when he is not expecting it and ask him if he has ever seen one of these before (I don't think he knows I have one yet). Maybe see if he would like to field strip it (I don't know, maybe I get more fun out of stuff like that than most people). He's a good guy, and very interesting when you can get him away from other people at times. Has some good stories, methods and tactics...interesting when you can get him there.
 
If he was a Lt. among the soldiers he might. If he was doing office work or inside, he might not have become quite as familiar. In either case, being an officer, he would probably know the 1911 like the back of his hand.
 
Outlaws,
It is certainally my impression he was no pencil pusher back in those days. Got mad at some of his superiors for not even knowing how to read a compass and set headings or read a map correctly. Told me an interesting way to set an effective booby trap out of commonly available items (well, if you are in the military with all the goodies they have at hand). Never thought about a 1911, will have to hit him with one of those two. Good idea.
 
I've read several things by both WWII and Korea vets who stated Officers and NCOs were usually given their choice of M1 Garand, M1 carbine, or Thompson/M3 SMG.
 
Well, I guess I'll give it a shot and see where it goes (sans the over the head suggestion, sheesh) Saw him today, but he is supposed to come out next weekend to teach some family members some basic orienteering (sp?) around the house.
 
I have the current understanding that the main battle rifle of the Korean War (Conflict?) was still the M1 (Garand) rifle
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Yes.
We still had the M1 when I got off active duty (USMC) in 1959.
 
Smallarms KW style

In 52-53 1911 pistols were in very short supply in Korean Theater. I bought my own 1911 (from Sears and Roebucks $61.50 in Aug '52) and took it with me, still have it and shot 50+ rds out of it last month. (the barrel is a replacement, the rest original). BTW: I actually used it in two different firefights in April '53-- dija hear about Pork Chop Hill??? Officers in all Combat Arms were issued the Carbine, by early '53 Armor and Field Artillerey officers were issued M2 full auto carbines, Infantry officers still had M1 Carbines (at least in the 3d ID where I served), but many carried 12 ga shotguns on patrol. Front line infantry carried M-1 Garands with at least one BAR per squad. Armor and Field Arty crewmen were issued Carbines and/or Grease Gun 45 ACP sub-machine guns dependent on the unit's TA. In my experience, more 30-06 ammo was fired out of my unit's BARs than any other weapon we had including machine guns---our BAR men were certainly our saviors on several occasions.
 
Rifle depends on what he was

Most infantry had the M1 Garand, but some had carbines. Support troops usually had carbines, part of the time. I had a friend who was a lineman (telephone), and he carried a carbine during the summer, and when it got cold, they "took away our carbines and made us carry that damnd heavy M1!"

The brass had doubts about the .30 carbine penetrating the heavy quilted overcoats of the Chinese. At least, his did. Since he didn't actually have to use it, he hated the extra weight of the Garand.

Officers generally carried pistols, carbines, or SMGs, varying with the unit, and the individual, and their duties.
 
Interesting information, looks like we now have this narrowed down to a small herd of possible arms he might have carried. Well, I guess so much for getting the "jump" on him, suppose I might have to resort to actually asking and talking to him about it. I sort of hope in one way that this idea of mine to hand him a Garand will induce him to talk a little more with me about his experiences. The small amount he has shared has been very interesting to me, when I can get him in the right mode and situation (without a bunch of other family members around). He has a vast amount of knowledge that he just has not shared with me I'm certain, as he was in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M- class of '52, range master at Fort Hood, in the Army in Korea, and a Boy Scout Leader. I have way too many people coming out this next weekend along with him (well, at least for my blood), so may not get the feedback I'm hoping for from him then either. Suppose I'll have to wait and see.
Thanks for the responses, very interesting.
 
I was in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 1958-1962 (between Korea and Vietnam) grunts were generally issued M1 Garands. Commissioned and non-commissioned Officers were issued carbines, some were straight semi-auto, some were switchable (semi-auto, 3-round group, and full auto). All commissioned officers and some non-commissioned officers were also issued semi-auto .45 caliber pistols (1911 type).
 
Bobo,
I wonder how much the configuration of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has changed over the years (from back when you were in it to now-a-days). I think now days there are two sorts of segments, the Civil (lakes, rivers, etc.) and the Military (DOD installations). The company I work for has done a lot of work over the last close to thirty years for the Military (DOD) segment (if that is the correct terminology) on military installations over a several state area. I have worked for this company for over twenty years on military installations, and suspect that things may have changed to some degree. Seems like in the old movies the Engineers were building bridges etc. in a war zone, which I think may still happens in some sort of altered form today. I know one of the Corps guys I have dealt with went to Afghanistan for like six months. As an aside, I have done some shooting on one of the military installations I was working on, but I didn't really enjoy it too much as was too regulated for what I am comfortable with. I don't anticipate doing that again, as it is such a big deal it seems like getting weapons onto the installation post 911. One of the main disadvantages to working on military installations is that I can't have my CCW with me, which is not as large a concern on the installation, but more so during the miles of commute before and after.
 
Regardless of what he carried, I doubt he would remember how to field strip an M1. I entered the Army in 1966 and was one of the last "classes" to train and qualify with the M14. Back then I could field strip it in my sleep. If you handed one to me today, I wouldn't know ehere to begin. And I was in almost 20 years more recently than the Korean set-to.
 
Interesting information, looks like we now have this narrowed down to a small herd of possible arms he might have carried. Well, I guess so much for getting the "jump" on him, suppose I might have to resort to actually asking and talking to him about it.
Click to expand...

You could still hand him a Garand and ask if he'd ever handled one. You don't know what he was issued, so what better way to ask?
 
WHY?

Are you just trying to put one over on him? I don't understand your motivation --sounds unworthy to me. Are you just trying to embarrass him? If so, why?

Anyhow, I'm with Aguila Blanca on this. I was intimately familiar with the Garand over forty years ago, and frankly I would not remember anything about stripping it except to somehow or another pull the trigger guard down --I think. And I had to puzzle that one out for a while.

Oh. And how to avoid M1 thumb.

Aguila Blanca said:

Regardless of what he carried, I doubt he would remember how to field strip an M1. I entered the Army in 1966 and was one of the last "classes" to train and qualify with the M14. Back then I could field strip it in my sleep. If you handed one to me today, I wouldn't know ehere to begin. And I was in almost 20 years more recently than the Korean set-to.
Click to expand...
 
No, not trying to put one over on him or anything. I guess relating to my original post where I enjoy messing with weapons including taking them apart. My motivation was to share some of the enjoyment I get from that. As pointed out, maybe not a good idea because I most likely enjoy that kind of stuff more than a lot of people. In trying to find out in this thread what he might have been issued, my motivation was to hopefully hand him the exact type of weapon he carried. Oh well.
 
USAF issued me an M2 carbine. I've never heard of a straight full auto carbine. Someone correct me if I'm wrong........Essex
 
Essex County, I think they're referring to the M2 as full auto, actually semi and full but I've heard people refer to them as full auto to diffrentiate them from the M1 carbine.
 
Thompsons were rare as hen's teeth by Korea... and officers were still allowed to use personal sidearms, provided they were .45 cal.
 
After action report

Well, the family members came out today. Turns out most of them wanted to do some shooting (at their request), so we did. Think they enjoyed it. When things were starting to wrap up, I told my Father in law that I had something I wanted to show him. I handed the Garand to him and asked if that might be something he remembered. His eyes and face kind of lit up and he said "oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah". He started handling it, and started showing me some moves of how to do a takeaway and use the weapon against the enemy when they are coming at you with a bayonet affixed to their rifle. He did not carry a Garand, but he trained recruits on them. He had his recruits take them apart and put them together blind folded, as in the midst of an encounter with the enemy you could not count on having light available should you have the need to work on your rifle. Said he did not still remember how to field strip himself now. He did not carry a Garand in Korea, but rather a Carbine(M2?). He said it was a select fire (not his exact words), and he chose to run it in semi-auto most of the time to not empty out the magazine in nothing flat. He also always wore a .45, which he preferred to the carbine in most cases if for no other reason it made more noise. In Korea, he had a unit or squad (not sure of the terminology he used) of 44 men. Also can't remember the type of unit (or what ever the correct term), but they had recoilless rifles and several other weapons I don't recall at the moment. When he went to Korea, he was replacing a string of LT's before him who had been killed. He told the Sgt and the unit that the Sgt was in charge of, that he was going to learn from them before he took the lead. Apparently that set very well with them, and that was what happened. The first time he was in an engagement, the Sgt told him to be his radio man, and the situation worked out well. My Father in law had training at Texas A&M on tactics, which he knew well and put into action before too long, but he let the guys with the in-country experience show him the ropes before he just tried to take the lead without really knowing the situation they were facing. He told some other interesting info involving WP grenades, napalm, and plastic explosives.
Evidently he doesn't talk about this too much, but he was talking pretty freely to me and a Grandson of his and seemed to enjoy it. (My Wife's Mom said he doesn't talk about this too much normally).
I hope to get to hear more from him about his experiences, as I find it very interesting. Overall, I think the outcome of my original idea to do this was a good one.
 
Thats good he liked it.

I saw a bunch of M1 Carbines (M2 but without the select fire) at the gun show this weekend for around $500-700 in really good condition. Of course the really good ones are little more pricey than that. :D

If he is really that fond of his old .45 then there are some good 1911's on the market right now. Springfield Armory has the GI model that can be had for a decent price. Its not a dead-on WW2 copy, but its about as close as you can get without buying the real thing.
 
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