"Captain Robert Dickerson’s weapons platoon would trade out their light machine guns for the heavier M1919 machine gun, providing parity in range." I would be interested in what light machinegun was being used before being replaced by the M1919 (A4 or A6) Browning? I thought they started with the M1919A4 and used it until 1945 when the M1919A6 was available.
Thanks for this. I began a deep dive into the subject of glider troops after choosing to do a British Army glider infantry officer impression for a reenactment (in a side eye acknowledgment of the many reenactors who choose to do a rather unconvincing paratrooper impression). Despite now having about six shelf feet of books on the glider troops this packed more new learning into fewer words than any of my previous reads. BTW, I just finished reading The Clay Pigeons of St Lo, and as the 1/115th neared their objective of St Lo they also adopted this attack column tactic of sending their attacking element forward on a very narrow front which increased their penetration of the German defenses and usually persuaded the very under strength Germans to pull back. N
I think you may have it backwards. The M1919A4 is an air cooled, belt feed medium machinegun and is mounted on a tripod when fired. The machinegun and its tripod are both heavy. The air cool barrel when removed requires the headspace and timing to be reset after the barrel is replaced. After 250 rounds continuous fire the barrel is hot enough to burn and continuing to fire will destroy the rifling. This machinegun was replaced by the M1919A6 which added a bipod and a stock and did away with the tripod. This replacement was lighter than the machinegun and tripod together but was still too heavy. The M1919A4 weighed 31 lb (14 kg) and the tripod 14 lb (6.4 kg). The M1919A6 weighed 32.5 lb.
The M1917A1 is considered a heavy machinegun as it weighed 32.6 lb without the water jacket filled. Its tripod is heavier than the M1919A4. Total weight M1919A1, water, and tripod is 103 lb (47 kg). The water jacket allowed the barrel to be cooled by the water, the resulting steam being captured through a hose attached to a container. Without water the barrel quickly over-heated. The US Army used this machinegun in the Heavy Weapon Company of an infantry battalion. It was very good as a defensive weapon but too heavy to be carried.
The original weapon was the M1917A1. It was pretty quickly determined this was not an ideal weapon for paratroops (these were used but landed by glider with the glider regiment in the Parachute Division). By 1943 these were out of the parachute regiments and replaced by a M1919A4, one per squad. The Paratrooper's heavy weapon companies would also use it. Eventually the M1919A4 would be replaced in the parachute squads by the M1919A6. This machinegun would soldier on until the M60 light machinegun was issued in the 1960's. SOURCES: INFANTRY WEAPONS of WWII by Ivan V. Hogg and M1919 Browning machine gun article in WIKIPEDIA, and US AIRBORNE UNITS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER 1942-44, Gordon L. Rottman, Osprey Publishing Battle Order series.
If interested in US Paratroop organization I recommend Mr. Rottman's books published by Osprey. He covers the entire war and has titles on several WW2 subjects including the USMC. All of his books are excellent.
As you correctly point out, the airborne forces were all using the 1919’s when they went overseas, and they all referred to this gun as a “light machine gun.”
Captain Dickerson’s statement reads: “The light machine gun section, now armed with heavy machine guns, was to be placed...” That would mean they ditched the 1919’s, and I assume here what they traded up to was the 1917’s for the range, because a .50 caliber would have been too large, no?
No. They ditched the M1917 because it weighed too much for a Parachute drop and it required water to keep the gun cool. They replaced the M1917 with the M1919A4 because it was half the weight and could be broken down into two loads to allow it to be air dropped. The M1919A4 is air cooled. The loss of range didn't effect the tactics. The air landing Regiment (glider regiment) did bring in M1917 heavy machineguns in the heavy weapon platoon.
The paratroop rifle platoon had a HQ with 2 officers, platoon Sgt, 2 radio operators, and 2 runners. It had a bazooka and 2 M1919A4 machineguns with no crews. The LMGs and bazooka would be issued as needed and manned by the squads.
There were three platoons each with two rifle squads. The rifle squads had 12 men each. Sqd leader, assistant squad leader,light machine gun gunner, assistant LMG, ammunition bearer for LMG ammunition, one M1919A4, and 7 riflemen. No BARs.
The third squad was 6 men with a 60mm light mortar.
A third squad was added in December 44..
The glider regiment platoons was organized as a regular rifle company less the weapon company plus a 60mm mortar and 1 bazooka in HQ.
The organization would in Dec 1944 change at company level with a company HQ, three platoons each with three 12 man squads with 1 or 2 M1919A4 each and a Plt HQ with a bazooka. and a 60mm mortar team. In Dec 44 one LMG was exchanged for one BAR and the third squad added. The glider troops had 1 BAR in the squad.
You are correct for paratroops, but this article is solely limited to glider troops. They did have the M1917’s as late as 1 AUG 1944 in the T/O for the heavy weapons company, including hand carts to transport them.
Capt Dickerson is referring to an authorized exchange of 1919s for 1917s in his rifle company weapons platoon.
Glider Rgt had 8 M1917 or M1917A1 .30-06 heavy machineguns in two battalions until Dec 16 1944 TO&E where it jumped to 24 in three battalions. The number went 4-6-8-12-24. P
"Captain Robert Dickerson’s weapons platoon would trade out their light machine guns for the heavier M1919 machine gun, providing parity in range." I would be interested in what light machinegun was being used before being replaced by the M1919 (A4 or A6) Browning? I thought they started with the M1919A4 and used it until 1945 when the M1919A6 was available.
My apologies, a typo. I will edit it momentarily.
They were using the M1919, and went to M1917s with the greater range.
Thanks for this. I began a deep dive into the subject of glider troops after choosing to do a British Army glider infantry officer impression for a reenactment (in a side eye acknowledgment of the many reenactors who choose to do a rather unconvincing paratrooper impression). Despite now having about six shelf feet of books on the glider troops this packed more new learning into fewer words than any of my previous reads. BTW, I just finished reading The Clay Pigeons of St Lo, and as the 1/115th neared their objective of St Lo they also adopted this attack column tactic of sending their attacking element forward on a very narrow front which increased their penetration of the German defenses and usually persuaded the very under strength Germans to pull back. N
Deeply appreciate your compliment.
I’ll have to check that attack out. Thanks for the suggestion.
I think you may have it backwards. The M1919A4 is an air cooled, belt feed medium machinegun and is mounted on a tripod when fired. The machinegun and its tripod are both heavy. The air cool barrel when removed requires the headspace and timing to be reset after the barrel is replaced. After 250 rounds continuous fire the barrel is hot enough to burn and continuing to fire will destroy the rifling. This machinegun was replaced by the M1919A6 which added a bipod and a stock and did away with the tripod. This replacement was lighter than the machinegun and tripod together but was still too heavy. The M1919A4 weighed 31 lb (14 kg) and the tripod 14 lb (6.4 kg). The M1919A6 weighed 32.5 lb.
The M1917A1 is considered a heavy machinegun as it weighed 32.6 lb without the water jacket filled. Its tripod is heavier than the M1919A4. Total weight M1919A1, water, and tripod is 103 lb (47 kg). The water jacket allowed the barrel to be cooled by the water, the resulting steam being captured through a hose attached to a container. Without water the barrel quickly over-heated. The US Army used this machinegun in the Heavy Weapon Company of an infantry battalion. It was very good as a defensive weapon but too heavy to be carried.
The original weapon was the M1917A1. It was pretty quickly determined this was not an ideal weapon for paratroops (these were used but landed by glider with the glider regiment in the Parachute Division). By 1943 these were out of the parachute regiments and replaced by a M1919A4, one per squad. The Paratrooper's heavy weapon companies would also use it. Eventually the M1919A4 would be replaced in the parachute squads by the M1919A6. This machinegun would soldier on until the M60 light machinegun was issued in the 1960's. SOURCES: INFANTRY WEAPONS of WWII by Ivan V. Hogg and M1919 Browning machine gun article in WIKIPEDIA, and US AIRBORNE UNITS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER 1942-44, Gordon L. Rottman, Osprey Publishing Battle Order series.
If interested in US Paratroop organization I recommend Mr. Rottman's books published by Osprey. He covers the entire war and has titles on several WW2 subjects including the USMC. All of his books are excellent.
As you correctly point out, the airborne forces were all using the 1919’s when they went overseas, and they all referred to this gun as a “light machine gun.”
Captain Dickerson’s statement reads: “The light machine gun section, now armed with heavy machine guns, was to be placed...” That would mean they ditched the 1919’s, and I assume here what they traded up to was the 1917’s for the range, because a .50 caliber would have been too large, no?
Also see: https://www.avalanchepress.com/gliders
No. They ditched the M1917 because it weighed too much for a Parachute drop and it required water to keep the gun cool. They replaced the M1917 with the M1919A4 because it was half the weight and could be broken down into two loads to allow it to be air dropped. The M1919A4 is air cooled. The loss of range didn't effect the tactics. The air landing Regiment (glider regiment) did bring in M1917 heavy machineguns in the heavy weapon platoon.
The paratroop rifle platoon had a HQ with 2 officers, platoon Sgt, 2 radio operators, and 2 runners. It had a bazooka and 2 M1919A4 machineguns with no crews. The LMGs and bazooka would be issued as needed and manned by the squads.
There were three platoons each with two rifle squads. The rifle squads had 12 men each. Sqd leader, assistant squad leader,light machine gun gunner, assistant LMG, ammunition bearer for LMG ammunition, one M1919A4, and 7 riflemen. No BARs.
The third squad was 6 men with a 60mm light mortar.
A third squad was added in December 44..
The glider regiment platoons was organized as a regular rifle company less the weapon company plus a 60mm mortar and 1 bazooka in HQ.
The organization would in Dec 1944 change at company level with a company HQ, three platoons each with three 12 man squads with 1 or 2 M1919A4 each and a Plt HQ with a bazooka. and a 60mm mortar team. In Dec 44 one LMG was exchanged for one BAR and the third squad added. The glider troops had 1 BAR in the squad.
Osprey Publishing Battle Order 22 and 25.
You are correct for paratroops, but this article is solely limited to glider troops. They did have the M1917’s as late as 1 AUG 1944 in the T/O for the heavy weapons company, including hand carts to transport them.
Capt Dickerson is referring to an authorized exchange of 1919s for 1917s in his rifle company weapons platoon.
Glider Rgt had 8 M1917 or M1917A1 .30-06 heavy machineguns in two battalions until Dec 16 1944 TO&E where it jumped to 24 in three battalions. The number went 4-6-8-12-24. P
I know a Glider company switching from M1919A4 to M1917A1 was not in accordance with the Company TO&E. The battalion , yes.
But they are Airborne and the airborne were notorious for doing their own thing. So they switched them.
Ah. Was it pointed out it was glider troops not paratroops. I missed that.