LINKS:   History | Equipment | Company E | Mentors | Forever Young | Agnew Tribute | Winters Tribute


Above you have an assortment of gear, to include an M1A1 Carbine in it's holster, a pair of MK 2A1 grenades one of which is in an M1 Grenade launcher device. This would be placed on the grenade launcher assembly on the rifle to give more range for the grenade. Also pictured is an EE-8 field phone with a paratroopers wrist compass on top of it, and a BC-611 walkie talkie.

Here you can see communications gear including a pair of wire reels for the field phone as well as other equipment. You can see the M-227 signal lamp, used from drop zones to signal drop aircraft, and also a panel marker in its case on the left side of the picture. Above the marker is the BC-1000 radio used for communications within the company and also to the battalion headquarters. TO the right of the BC-1000, you see 6 BC-611 walkie talkies. Towards the front of the photo, you can see the M-209 encryption device, and the EE-8 field phone again.

Here is a close up of the BC-1000 radio, and behind it you can see a lineman's kit and also wire cutters.




Here is a close up of the M-209 encryption device. Similar to the German Enigma machine, code were set by a predetermined schedule, and put in place by positioning the individual dials.



This is an assortment of a medics gear. Different size bandages as well as more advanced medical items were carried by the medic in the field. Obviously this stock would be depleted rather quickly in combat situations, and resupply either by air drop, or by contact with ground forces was needed. Enemy medical items were also utilized when necessary.

Above is the Paratrooper individual first aid kit. Include in it were one each of the following: Carlisle bandage, Sulfa powder for wound treatment, Morphine syrette for pain, and a tourniquet for critical bleeding care.



K rations in their shipping crate. The K ration was one of the main rations provided to the GI, and came in Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner versions. While smaller than the later developed C Ration, they still proved bulky to pack with the individuals other equipment.


This shows the basic contents of a K ration. All of the individual items fit into the waxed box top left. This box was then inserted into the box top right. The waxing helped to hold out water and keep the contents fairly water proof.


A trio of M1 Garand rifles. The top one having a bayonet attached, the center with the M1 Grenade launcher in place. The M1 at bottom is broken down into its three main groups for carrying in the Griswold bag that it is laid out on.


A close up of the M1s with attachments.





A close up of the M1 prepped for the Griswold bag.





A pair of Trench guns (12 GA. Shot guns) is at the top of this picture. To the right on the crate are the 12 gauge shells in a bandolier. Below are the M1A1 Thompson, and the M3A1 "Grease Gun". Also pictured above is the BC-1000 radio.


The earlier M3 "Grease Gun" (not the later M3A1), and below that is the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), M-1918A2.




A collection of weapons. Included are a pair of Service Revolvers in holsters in the lower left, an ammo can of .30 caliber machine gun ammo. Two M1911 .45 caliber Automatic Colt Pistols (ACP) are to the right of the open crate. M1A1 carbines with paratrooper stocks are in the upper right of the photo, and along the right side are the M1919A6 .30 caliber machine gun and the M1919A4 .30 caliber machine gun. The A6 is identified by the shoulder stock and the A4 by it's tripod. The A4 also has the Traversing and elevation device fitted for the sustained fire role.

Illustrated is the M9A1 bazooka. This was the second U.S. variant produced during the war. The M9A1 was an improved version of the original model (M1) it featured a vastly improved day/night sight, an improved shoulder stock, and was designed to be broken down into two pieces to facilitate tactical transport of the weapon.  Both the M1 and the M9A1 bazooka fired a 2.36 inch (60 mm) shaped charge projectile which was intended to penetrate and destroy enemy tanks and armored vehicles. Unfortunately the round proved to be too light to reliably and consistently be effective against German medium and heavy tanks. Also illustrated in the photo is an ammunition bag intended to carry three rounds in their cardboard packing tubes, and the crate which the tubes were shipped in.

The M1 81mm Mortar to the left and the two M2 60mm mortars top the right are pictured here. The 81mm mortar had smoke rounds as well as High Explosive (HE) rounds. The 60mm mortars had HE and Illuminating rounds available.

Note: All images are Copyright ©2003 Brian Wilson

 
  Email: info@easy506th.org | images@easy506th.org | webmaster@easy506th.org
Copyright 2006 Northeastern World War 2 Historial Preservation Association
Copyright 2006 www.easy506th.org