MARINE WEAPONS

Marine Corps’ weapons requirements were somewhat different to those of the Army. Major restrictions were shipping space, and the fact that larger weapons could be on- and off-loaded easily on landing craft, e.g. a 105 mm howitzer’s wide tyres and wheels were replaced with the narrower 2½ ton truck’s so that it could be loaded in a DUKW amphibian truck. Mobility was another requirement, especially in rugged, hilly, tropical jungles. Direct fire weapons were worthless if they could not be manhandled into position to engage the enemy in confined terrain such as ravines and swamps. Vehicles were often in short supply during the early stages of amphibious landings, so many support weapons had to have manhandling capability by small crews. For example, when under attack from two tanks, desperate Marines manually lifted a 37 mm AT gun over Betio’s five-foot-high sea wall.

In contrast to the concern caused by massed German armour, the Japanese tank threat was minimal, and anti-tank weapons were most commonly employed to reduce enemy positions by direct fire. In the Pacific, the Marines faced a greater air threat than the Army did in Europe, so anti-aircraft weapons played a more important role. They were also employed in both direct and indirect fire roles.

Artillery played an important role in providing indirect fire support. Defence battalions initially had the principal responsibility of protecting advanced naval bases. For this they employed coast and antiaircraft artillery. The coast defence role was soon obsolete, as the Japanese lost their ability to threaten forward bases, and the semi-mobile coast guns were subsequently replaced by towed field artillery.

Tanks were of minimal use on many of the islands the Marines fought over, due to terrain restrictions and the limited threat from enemy armour. However, a significant armour threat was encountered on islands closer to Japan, such as Saipan and Okinawa. Tanks were more often than not employed as assault weapons to defeat strong-points, and for this reason the Marines went to great lengths to develop tank-mounted flamethrowers.

The Marines were first and foremost an infantry force. The rifle was considered to be a Marine’s ‘best friend’ and great attention was given to marksmanship. Night combat, close jungle terrain, and banzai attacks demanded a high density of automatic weapons. Reducing bunker and cave strong-points was of primary importance, so there was widespread use of flamethrowers, bazookas, and satchel charges.

Infantry small arms

The Marines fielded the .30-cal. M1903 rifle in 1908, and the ‘03 Springfield’ provided excellent service to the Corps through World War I, the ‘Banana Wars’, China, and into World War II. While a better made weapon, the Springfield offered no more firepower than the Japanese Arisaka; both were bolt-action with a five-round magazine. An improved version of the Springfield, the M1903A1 was standardised in 1929, but not produced until 1939, while the M1903A3 was adopted in 1942.

The most commonly used sniper rifles were the early war M1903 with a Layman No. 5A 5× telescope and the ‘special reference’ M1903A1s with a Unertl 8× target scope – issued in late 1943. The M1903 rifle was briefly retained after the adoption of the M1 rifle on the basis of one per squad with an M1 rifle grenade launcher fitted. It could fire both anti-tank and anti-personnel grenades.

Wearing an Army camouflage one-piece jungle suit, a 1st MarDiv Marine uses his camouflage helmet cover to close the head opening of his OD medium weight poncho. On Cape Gloucester the incessant rain rusted equipment, rotted boots, and caused immersion foot.

The Marines were introduced to the Army’s semi-automatic 30-cal. M1 Garand rifle on Guadalcanal in 1942, although its adoption had already been under consideration. The M1 was phased into the Corps a regiment at a time, and by 1943 the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th MarDivs were armed with this rugged eight-shot rifle. Although its adoption was resisted by many ‘old time’ Marine marksmen (it was considered not accurate enough, and too complex for recruits), all Fleet Marine Force units were soon armed with it. The M7 rifle grenade launcher was provided for the M1 rifle.

A 2.36 in. M1A1 bazooka team poses in the correct crew positions. The M1A1 possessed a breech protection guard not found on the M1 and an improved firing system.

The Garand, however, was preceded by another semi-automatic, the short-lived .30-cal. M1941 rifle, the Johnson (designed by Capt. Melvin Johnson, a Marine Reservist). It offered little advantage over the M1, other than a ten-shot rotary magazine; both were the same weight, 9.5 lbs. Since the M1 was far into mass production, the Johnson was dropped.

The M1 carbine was adopted in 1942 for Marines requiring a weapon more compact than a rifle but more substantial than a pistol. In fact it entirely replaced the pistol in infantry and artillery regiments between April 1943 and September 1945 when the ‘pistol’ was reintroduced in these units. This lightweight, 5.5 lb semi-automatic weapon had a 15-round magazine. Small numbers of folding stock M1A1 carbines were issued to parachute units in 1942, and limited use was made of the selective fire M2 carbine fielded in early 1945. The latter’s 30-round ‘banana clip’ magazine was subsequently adopted for the M1 carbine, which was a .30-cal., but used a smaller cartridge than the M1903 and M1 rifles. Reviews on the carbine were mixed: some complained of its lack of knock-down power, while others praised its longer range and higher firepower when compared to a pistol.

The issue of sub-machine guns was relatively limited, although many units possessed more than were authorised by equipment tables. The Marines had used Thompsons since 1922 for railroad mail car guards for the postal service and during the ‘Banana Wars’. The .45-cal. M1928A1 sub-machine gun saw limited use and was replaced by improved versions, the M1 and M1A1, in 1942. The heavy, 10.45 lb ‘Tommy gun’ was officially issued only to divisional scout and military police companies, and to raiders. The M1928A1 had used a 50-round drum or 20-round box magazine; the M1 came with a 30-round box magazine and could use the 20-round. In April 1944 it was ordered that all Thompsons be withdrawn from service and replaced by the M3A1 ‘grease gun’ (Thompsons were to be supplied to other countries). Although the Marines retained them in small numbers, they remained ill-suited for frontline use since they sounded like Japanese 6.5 mm light machine guns.

More controversial weapons were the Reising .45-cal. M50 and M55 sub-machine guns. The Reising was adopted in 1940, with some 4,200 authorised per division. Just over 500 were assigned to an infantry regiment. Produced until 1942, by the time of Guadalcanal most had been withdrawn and relegated to Stateside guard duty. Only the parachute and raider battalions employed them to any extent. The 6.75 lb M50 had a full wood stock, while the 6.25 lb M55, intended for parachutists and tankers, had a folding wire stock and no muzzle compensator. Both used a 20-round magazine. They were plagued by jamming, a faulty magazine feed, and were prone to accidental firing.

Winchester 12-gauge M1897 and M1912 riot type shotguns were pooled at regimental level for issue as needed. These pump-action shotguns had become popular among the Marines during the ‘Banana Wars’. They were not allotted in equipment tables until April 1943, when infantry regiments were authorised 100. They had a 20 in. barrel, a six-round tubular magazine, a perforated barrel hand guard and a bayonet lug. They were popular for clearing bunkers, caves, and trenches and for guarding the (rare) prisoner.

The Colt .45-cal. M1911 and M1911A1 pistols had been the standard side-arms for the Marines since 1912 (the major difference between the two was the inclusion of a grip safety on the A1, adopted in 1926). Both had a seven-round magazine. Marine aviators were issued either a Smith &Wesson Military and Police or a Colt Victory Model revolver. These were of similar design, with six-round cylinders and firing the .38-cal. special.

A 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines 75 mm M1A1 pack howitzer crew on Tulagi prepares for a fire mission protected by former Japanese position constructed of sandbags dabbed with green camouflage paint. The 16 lb. high explosive projectiles are yellow with black markings. In 1943 HE munitions were painted a camouflaging OD with yellow markings.

The .30-cal. M1918A1 and M1918A2 Browning automatic rifles provided the rifle squad’s basis for firepower and tactics. The squad began the war with one BAR. Interestingly, in 1940 the Marines predicted that with the adoption of the new M1 rifle and M1919A4 machine gun, the cumbersome BAR ‘should no longer be seriously considered’. The realities of combat proved otherwise, and in early 1944 squads were each authorised three BARs. The A1 (sometimes called the M1918 [Modified]), adopted in 1937, added a bipod forward of the hand guard to the original M1918. The A2 re-positioned an improved bipod near the muzzle, upgraded the rear sight, and added selective low and high rates of fire; it weighed 19.4 lbs and had a 20-round magazine.

Another squad automatic weapon was used only by parachute units. It was the Johnson .30-cal. M1941, a light machine gun similar in capability to the BAR, with a curved 20-round magazine and selective fire. It weighed only 13 lbs, but, like its rifle counterpart, was too flimsy and did not see wider use.

Infantry crew-served weapons

The light air-cooled .30-cal. M1919A4 machine gun was issued to rifle company weapons platoons. Adopted just before the war, their numbers were gradually increased. They were also mounted on a variety of vehicles and landing craft. Weighing 31 lbs (plus a 14 lb M2 tripod), it was a comparatively heavy weapon, but extremely effective and reliable, as were all of Mr Browning’s machine guns. It was fed by a 250-round web, and later a disintegrating metallic link belt. The similarly fixed M1919A5 machine gun was mounted co-axially with tank main guns.

Prior to the adoption of the M1919A4, the standard light machine gun had been the Navy .30-cal. Mk 6 Mod 1 (similar to the Army’s M1917). The 27 lb bipod-mounted Lewis, with its 47-round pan magazine, was used by the 4th Marines in the Philippines, and even by the raiders, as well as aboard early war-landing craft.

The standard heavy machine gun was the water-cooled .30-cal. M1917A1 machine gun. This 41 lb (with water) gun, coupled with its 53.15 lb M1917A1 tripod, proved to be an extremely effective long-range support weapon. They were initially used to arm battalion weapons companies, but the latter were eliminated in 1944, and their three heavy machine gun platoons were merged with rifle company weapons platoons.

The .50-cal. M1921A1 and M2 anti-aircraft machine guns were water-cooled weapons (their differences were internal). Filled with water, the M2 weighed 121 lbs and its pedestal mount 401 lbs. They were replaced largely by 20 mm Mk 4 guns in defence battalions. The air-cooled .50-cal. HB-M2 machine gun (HB – heavy barrel) was mounted on tanks, amtracs, and on. cargo truck ring mounts for air defence. It weighed 84 lbs; its M3 tripod added 44 lbs. The ‘.50-cals’ used 110-round metallic link belts, but a 500-round container was commonly used with the water-cooled guns.

The 60 mm M2 mortar was the standard company-level mortar and was used throughout World War II. The 81 mm M1 mortar was used at battalion level. It proved to be an effective fire support weapon and could be transported in the M6A1 hand-cart. Marines quickly found that Japanese 81 mm mortar rounds could be fired in the M1.

The Marines made little use of the portable flamethrower as an offensive weapon at first, but then small numbers were employed on Guadalcanal, and before long their use was expanded. They were especially useful in reducing bunkers and cave strong-points. The M1 flamethrower was first used, on a limited basis, on Guadalcanal in January 1943. It suffered numerous problems and had only a 15 yd range. The M1A1 flamethrower used the new thickened fuel and had a 50 yd range; it arrived in the Pacific in July 1943. The 60 yd range M2-2 flamethrower was first used on Guam in July 1944.

A fire team leader (corporal) stands ready in his fighting position bearing the tool of his trade, an M1 rifle, or ‘piece’. Prior to the war the Marines used prone foxholes, they learned to dig deeper holes for better protection from artillery and to allow them to fight standing from the Japanese on Guadalcanal.

Artillery

The towed 75 mm M1897A2 gun, or ‘French 75’, was standard equipment for divisional direct support artillery battalions until the beginning of World War II when it was replaced by the 75 mm pack howitzer. However, two were retained per regimental weapons company. Too heavy for manhandling, the ‘French 75’ was replaced by the 75 mm M3 self-propelled gun in mid-1942.

The compact, towed 75 mm M1A1 pack howitzer initially equipped three of the division’s howitzer battalions; in mid-1944 the battalions were reduced to two. The towed 105 mm M2A1 howitzer had been introduced early in the war, with one battalion assigned to the division artillery regiment for general support. In mid-1943 an additional 105 mm battalion had been added, and in late 1945 they completely replaced the 75 mm howitzer.

Although standardised by the Army in April 1942, the 105 mm M7 self-propelled howitzer was not assigned to the Marine regimental weapons company until late 1945, when it replaced the halftrack-mounted 75 mm M3 gun. However, the actual change was made in May 1945 and the 1st and 6th Marine Divisions received the M7 in time for use on Okinawa.

The French-designed Schneider towed 155 mm M1917 howitzer was a World War I piece which saw limited use by the Marines. Its only combat use was by 4th Battalion 11th Marines on Guadalcanal. The towed 155 mm, M1 howitzer equipped some FMF artillery battalions and was assigned to one battalion of the division artillery regiment in late 1945 for general support. The cumbersome 5 in. naval guns originally used by defence battalions were soon replaced by the more mobile World War I French-designed GPF 155 mm M1918 gun. These were in turn replaced by the 155 mm M1A1 gun, which also equipped some FMF artillery battalions. This massive towed ‘Long Tom’ could be mounted on a fixed pedestal mount, the ‘Panama mount’, for coast defence.

The 4.5 in. T45 self-propelled rocket launcher equipped FMF rocket detachments, which were later assigned to divisions as platoons. It consisted of two launcher racks (14 rockets each) mounted on an International 1 ton 4×4 truck. In 1944 the barrage rockets were also mounted aboard landing craft, Infantry (Rocket)-LCI(R).

A 1st Raider Battalion light machine gun crew awaits the next Japanese attack in its water-filled position. The assistant gunner, to the left, has an M1910 pick-mattock attached to his M1941 haversack while the gunner has an M1910 entrenching tool on his.

The Solomons campaign saw the first use of trained war dogs by US forces. This German Shepherd and his corporal handler patrol a beach to prevent a Japanese counterlanding.

Various marks of modified obsolete 3, 5, 6 and 7 in. naval guns were employed for coastal defence by the defence battalions. These semi-mobile pieces were fitted on awkward concrete and timber mounts that required a great deal of time and effort to emplace. The 5 in. 51-cal. gun was the most common (removed from battleships undergoing modernisation), but was replaced by towed 155 mm pieces in 1942–43.

Anti-aircraft artillery

The 60-round magazine-fed, fully-automatic Oerlikon 20 mm Mk 4 anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun (the same as those mounted aboard ships) was more effective against aircraft than tanks. However, its high profile, weight and bulk limited its usefulness as an anti-bunker weapon in rugged terrain, and it was replaced by the 37 mm M3 anti-tank gun in 1942 in regimental AT platoons.

The towed 10-round clip-fed Colt 37 mm M1 anti-aircraft gun was used by some defence battalions as a light anti-aircraft gun, but was largely replaced by the more effective 40 mm. Some defence battalions removed the 37 mm gun from its mount and replaced it with twin 20 mm Mk 4 guns to provide a more mobile weapon than the 20 mm’s stationary mount.

The four-round clip-fed Bofors 40 mm M1 anti- aircraft gun was one of the most widely employed anti-aircraft weapons in World War II, used by virtually all combatants. It was, however, poorly suited as an anti-tank weapon due to its size. A towed automatic weapon, it was used by divisional special weapons battalions until mid-1944 and by defence and, later, anti-aircraft artillery battalions.

Col. Lewis ‘Chesty’ B. Puller, Commander, 7th Marines, directs a subordinate at Cape Gloucester, Western New Britain, providing a good view of the M1941 suspenders.

The 3 in. M3 anti-aircraft gun initially equipped defence battalions, but was later relegated to training purposes; its large towed mount and short range limited its usefulness, and it was replaced by the 90 mm M1 anti-aircraft gun. Standardised in early 1941, it equipped divisional special weapons battalions until mid-1943, and was widely used by the defence and, later, anti-aircraft artillery battalions.

Anti-tank weapons

Standardised in February 1942, the 37 mm M6 self-propelled anti-tank gun equipped special weapons battalions until it was phased out in mid-1943. It consisted of an M3 AT gun mounted on a ¾ ton 4×4 truck. While mobile enough, it was difficult to manoeuvre into firing position, in close terrain, especially since it often had to be backed into position, as forward firing required its barrel to be raised too high.

The lightweight 37 mm M3A1 anti-tank gun was copied from the standard German AT gun. It replaced the 20 mm gun in 1942, and equipped both special weapons battalions and regimental weapons companies. While the Army found it to be of limited use as an AT weapon, due to the heavier German armour it faced, it was quite capable of dealing with most Japanese tanks. Its main use was as an anti-bunker weapon, and it could be manhandled through difficult terrain (although there were complaints of its limited effectiveness in this role).

The 75 mm M3 self-propelled anti-tank gun had a forward firing M1897A4 gun mounted on an M3 halftrack. Standardised in November 1941, it equipped both special weapons battalions and regimental weapons companies; it was concentrated in the weapons companies in mid-1944, but began to be replaced by the 105 mm self-propelled in 1944. In North Africa the Army had found the 75 mm to be a poor tank destroyer, but the Marines employed it principally as an assault gun for knocking out fortified positions and for indirect artillery fire. It was commonly known as the SPM (Self-Propelled Mount).

The 2.36 in. M1 rocket launcher, or ‘bazooka’, was adopted in 1942 on a limited scale, mainly as an AT weapon. Its numbers within the division was almost doubled in mid-1943 when it was found to be highly effective against bunkers. Besides being used to equip infantry units, it was issued to other units for AT protection; but there were no dedicated crews. The slightly improved M1A1 replaced the M1 in mid-1944, but their numbers were reduced in support units due to the limited threat posed by Japanese armour. In 1944 the M1A1 began to be replaced by the 2.36 in. M9A1 and M18 rocket launchers. These improved bazookas had a longer range due to a lengthened tube which could be broken down into two sections for carrying. The two new launchers were identical, except the M18 was developed for use in the Pacific theatre so was made of aluminium to prevent rusting.

An 11th Marines 75 mm pack howitzer, in full recoil, crew at Cape Gloucester cuts charges on the next round. Both wear Army camouflage one-piece jungle suits.

The massive Boys .55-cal. Mk I anti-tank rifle was used by raider battalions. The 36 lb weapon was mainly employed to knock-out bunkers. It was bolt-action fed by a five-round magazine and fitted with a bipod.

Tanks

The M2A4 light tank, introduced in 1939, was little used by the Marines; the M3 tank was the principal model employed. The M2 mounted a 37 mm M5 gun and up to five .30-cal. M1919A4 and A5 machine guns (side sponsons, bow, turret top, main gun coaxial). The General Stuart M3 and M3A1 light tanks were introduced in early 1941. The M3A3 light tank came out in late 1942. Differences between the models were mainly internal. All mounted either a 37 mm M5 or M6 gun and three M1919A4 and A5 machine guns (five on the M3; the others lacked sponson guns). They began to be replaced by the M4-series in mid-1944. The Marines retro-fitted the Satan A-H1B flamethrower to M3A1 tanks atop their turrets. A small number of the M5A1 light tank, an upgraded variant of the M3-series, were employed in early 1944. Its armament was the same as the M3A3’s.

The General Sherman M4A2 and M4A3 medium tanks mounted a 75 mm M3 gun, two M1919A4 and A5 machine guns (bow and co-axial), and a .50-cal. HB-M2 atop the turret. Some M4A3s were armed with a 105 mm M4 howitzer and employed as assault tanks. The M4A2 was actually preferred, as its diesel engine used the same fuel as landing craft, thus easing logistics requirements; the M4A3 was petrol powered. Some M4s were fitted with an E4–5 flamethrower in lieu of the 75 mm main gun. The M3–4–3 was a flamethrower kit retro-fitted to some M4s in place of the bow machine gun.

Other combat vehicles

The White 4×4 M3A1 scout car was used by the 1st and 2nd MarDivs’ scout companies from 1941 to early 1942. These open-topped ‘armoured trucks’ mounted HB-M2 and M1917A1 machine guns. Sometimes additional M1919A4 machine guns were mounted. The scout cars were ill-suited for reconnaissance on tropical islands, and were replaced by machine gun-armed ¼-ton jeeps.

The Landing Vehicle, Tracked Mk 1, or LVT1 amphibian tractor (‘amtrae’), was produced between 1941 and 1943 as an improved means of landing troops and cargo on hostile beaches. Also known as the ‘Alligator’, these early amtracs usually mounted HB-M2 and M1917A1 machine guns. (However, many variations of machine gun mountings were used on this and on later LVTs.) The Alligator was unarmoured, had no rear ramp, and carried 20 troops or 4,500 lbs of cargo. It was first used in the Gilberts, but remained in use throughout the war. All cargo LVTs had a three-man crew.

The improved LVT2 and LVT(A)2 amphibian tractors, or ‘Water Buffalos’, were unarmoured and armoured respectively. They usually mounted an HB-M2 and three M1919A4 machine guns. They still lacked a rear ramp. They were in production from early 1942 to 1944, and were first used in the Marshalls. As with all later models, they carried 24 troops or 6,500 lbs of cargo (LVT3 carried 8,000 lbs).

The unarmoured LVT3 amphibian tractor, or ‘Brushmaster’, was built between 1943 and 1945, but the only action it saw was on Okinawa in 1945. It was the first version with a ramp, allowing the transport of a 37 mm AT gun and jeep, a 75 mm pack howitzer or a 105 mm howitzer. It mounted HB-M2 and M1919A4 machine guns.

Similar to the LVT2, the late war LVT4 amphibian tractor was unarmoured, but had a rear ramp and could carry the same cargo as the LVT3. It usually mounted HB-M2 and M1919A4 machine guns. They were built between 1943 and 1945 and saw earlier service than the LVT3 (due to production delays with the latter), at Saipan in 1944.

The LVT(A)1 amphibian tank, or ‘amtank’, was based on the LVT1 chassis, but was armoured and fitted with an M3A1 tank turret with a 37 mm M6 gun and co-axial M1919A5 machine gun. Two M1919A4 machine guns were mounted at man-holes behind the turret, allowing fire to the flanks and rear. It had a six-man crew. Some were fitted with flamethrowers.

The face of combat fatigue, a 1st MarDiv machine gunner carries a .30 cal. M1917A1 heavy machine gun as his unit is relieved from the line, Cape Gloucester. Near the pistol grip is the gun’s traversing and elevating mechanism, which would be linked to the tripod.

The LVT(A)4 amphibian tank was based on the LVT4 chassis, but was armoured and fitted with an open-topped turret from the M8 self-propelled howitzer with a 75 mm M3 howitzer and turret-top HB-M2 machine gun. It had a five-man crew.

All marks of LVTs were modified for special support purposes and included command, recovery, and engineer versions. Heavy fire support weapons, ranging from flamethrowers to 20 mm and 40 mm automatic guns and 4.5 in. rocket launchers, were fitted as required.

A small number of radio-equipped M3 personnel carriers were added to the division in late 1945 as command halftracks. They usually mounted an M1919A4 machine gun.

Members of the 1st MarDiv Scout Company patrol the Natamo River, Cape Gloucester, aboard a 16 ft. LCR(L). The rubber boat was designed to carry 10 men.

A 90 mm M1 anti-aircraft gun of the 3rd Defense Battalion defends the Bougainville beachhead. The spotter, standing atop the sandbag parapet, wears a Mk 2 ‘talker’ helmet.

Although the 2½ ton DUKW-353 amphibian truck was standardised by the Army in late 1942, the Marines did not begin using the ‘Duck’ until 1944, at Eniwetok. It had a 6×6 chassis, was fully amphibious, and could transport 25 Marines or 5,000 lbs of cargo. One in four were fitted with an HB-M2 machine gun ring mount.

All weight are for unloaded weapons.

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