TO&E

[Lil Beav]

I was wondering if anyone could link me or emial or post a copy of US infantry Company TO&E in 1950. Thanks
Lil Beav

[jonprince]

Not exactly what your after but from FM7-10 'Rifle Company Infantry Regiment' October 1949 the basic organisation of a Rifle Company is:

Company H.Q. of
1x Company Commander
1x Executive Officer
1x First Sergeant
1x Company Clerk
1x Communication Sergeant
2(?)x Radio Operators
1x Bugler (assists Comms. Sgt.)
3x Messengers
2x Orderlies


Weapons Platoon of:
Platoon H.Q. (6 Men) of:
1x Platoon leader
1x Platoon Sergeant
2x Drivers (2 x 1/4 Trucks for transport of weapons, ammo etc.)
2x Messengers

Mortar Section (17 Men)
Section H.Q. (1x Section leader, 1x Messenger)
3x 60 m.m. Mortar Squads each of 5 men & 1x 60 m.m. mortar:
1x Squad Leader
1x Gunner
1x Assistant Gunner
2x Ammunition bearers

57m.m. Rifle Section (17 Men)
Section H.Q. (1x Section Leader, 1x Messenger)
3x 57m.m. Rifle Squads each of 5 men & 1x 57 m.m. Rifle
1x Squad Leader
1x Gunner
1x Assistant Gunner
2x Ammunition Bearers

3 x Rifle Platoons each of:
Platoon H.Q. ( 1x Platoon Leader, 1x Platoon Sergeant., 1x Assistant Platoon Sgt., 2x Messengers, 1x Aid man attached from Regimental Medical Company)

1x Weapons Squad #
3x Rifle Squads *

#Weapons Squad (9 men):
1x Squad Leader
1x L.M.G. gunner
1x L.M.G. Assistan gunner
2x L.M.G. ammo bearers
1x Rocket Launcher gunner
1x Rocket Launcher Assistant Gunner
2x Rocket Launcher ammo bearers

Rifle squad (9 men):
1x Squad Leader
1x Assistant Squad Leader
5x Riflemen
1x Automatic rifleman
1x Assistant Automatic rifleman

Organic transport for a Rifle Company:
4x 1/4-ton trucks & trailers:
1 for use of Company Commander
1 for transport of weapons of Weapons Squads of Rifle Platoons & resupply/evacuation of Rifle Platoons
2 attached to Weapons Platoon for transport and resupply
1x 2 1/2 ton truck with 1 ton trailer (as Company general utility vehicle)

Not much more detail in the book but it gives FM 7-17 as 'current Table of Organisation and Equipment, Rifle Company'.

[Lil Beav]

thanks a lot.
do you have any Idea of the weapons distribution ?
Lil Beav

[jonprince]

Sorry little mate, I don't have anything more detailed at the moment. I'd imagine it's all neatly laid out in the TO&E mentioned though, maybe someone on here has a copy tucked away somewhere? I can say fairly surely that riflemen carried a rifle and B.A.R. men carried a B.A.R., I don't think there were any Carbines or .45 pistols in Rifle squads, I'd imagine they were all in the H.Q. elements and weapons platoons/squads much like W.W.2. No idea where things like the Grease gun, Thompson or Snipers rifle would fit in. If I get anything more concrete I'll add it to the above.

[Lil Beav]

Thanks Anyhow
Lil Beav

[btswanfury]

Actually a LOT of GI's carried M-1 carbines in Korea.

That's one of the major differences between WWII reenacting and Korean war reenacting is that in WWII, basically on leaders have carbines.

Carbines are nice and perfectly fine for Korea in either the M1 or M2 configuration. Be advised, however, that plenty of veteran accounts reference GI's shooting at Chinese soldiers and having the bullets bounce off or otherwise be stopped by the Chinese padded winter clothes, and even in WWII issues of stopping power were brought up.

Also, there were VERY few Thompsons in Korea. The vast majority were M-3 Greaseguns.

So I don't know, but I'd say that for a rile squad, say 60-70% with Garands, 0-20% with carbines, and one BAR per squad, upgraded to two per squad for Marines and later-war squads. Just a guess tho.

Marc

[jonprince]

Sorry, I should have made it clear that I was referring to the official/'by the book' establishment for units as stated in the field manual mentioned above rather than modifcations/changes made at unit level. Maybe I should have asked in the first place, but Lil Beav, what is it exactly your looking for, the official TO&E for a Rifle Company or a more general idea of what was being carried in terms of personal small arms? As in 'I have X weapon, what should I portray?' type scenario?

One interesting point that arises from reading personal accounts is that you get to some exent the typical soldiers attitude of 'The grass is always greener on the other side'. Men issued one type of weapon but disliking it so pick up something else, heavy and cumbersome rifles dumped in favour of carbines B.A.R. (though in at least one case in favour of a B.A.R. because of it's higher rate of fire), men issued carbines but wanting something with more stopping power so picking up a rifle etc.

[frank44]

In a rifle squad, the operative word is "rifle." In a 9 man squad, you need two BARs (later in the war) and 7 rifles. Number 7 and 8 guys in the sqyad carried extra BAR clips and were designated "assistant" BAR men, to take over the BAR if needed. BAR weighs twice as much as M-1 rifle. M-1 rifle has greater range and stopping power than carbine -- carbine was more of a personal weapon for close in use, issued to those whose primary task is not contributing to the field of fire but doing something else. So commo, platoon leaders, etc. would have carbines (M-1 or M-2). M2 could, in a pinch, be put on automatic fire selector and use 30 round "banana clip" but they ate ammo so mainly used "as needed." Early in the war, I believe they tried adding more BARs to rifle squads to increase firepower but this created ammo supply problems (plus have you ever carried a 20 pound weapon in a Korean summer?). So they went back to the prescribed TO&E. Regarding M-3 grease gun, you might see jeep drivers or commo wiremen carrying them -- carbines and grease guns were luck of the draw. The M-3 was strictly a close range weapon, but .45 cal slug does not lose many arguments.

[frank44]

Onhe more thing. The regimental TO&E had 3 rifle battalions (each with 3 rifle companies and a weapons company). In addition, regimental headquarters (RHQ) had its own support companies Medical, Service, Heavy Mortar (4.2 in.), and a Tank company (medium tanks to support infantry, as needed, plus recon).

[42gpw]

Not to change the subject. My dad was in Korea during the war. He started with a Garand. Went to a carbine, then a Thompson. Then back to a Garand. said the stopping power was greater. He stated that the carbine bullets bounced off, and broke a few over the reds heads. The Thompson didnt have the range. And went back to the Garand because he could shoot at long range and they would penetrate the cold weather clothing. The only disadvantage was loading in a timly manner. but you got better at it. Also the stock would hold up better at Hand to hand. God love those guys. As for TO&E. Ill do some research. Ill check through the General Weiemer Library.

Matt R