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Post by m1junny on Mar 15, 2007 14:06:28 GMT -5
I have seen a couple pictures and footages of U.S. Marines with Thompson submachinegun in Korea. But generally Thompson was not so widely used (especially by Koreans) because for one they weren't issued any and two they had too many friendly fire incidents because they sounded similar to PPSH. How often was Thompson used by U.S. Army?
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Woodard
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Post by Woodard on Mar 15, 2007 21:14:22 GMT -5
I haven't seen any pics of Thompsons being carried by Americans (that I can think of), and I know they had "officially" been phased out in favor of the M3A1. I've seen pics of Chinese carrying them (lend lease WW2 and Aid to Nationalists). Marshall, in his piece "CCF in the attack", mentions finding large numbers of US made Thompsons on dead Chinese at Chosin. I'm sure any GI who carried one in WW2 would be glad to grab one off the battlefield. I can't find the official loadout for an infantry company during Korea, but even during WW2 it was very light on SMG's. Not to say they weren't carried, just that they were scarce and usually "unofficial".
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ben
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Post by ben on Apr 1, 2007 12:52:57 GMT -5
There is a picture in Stanton's book of an MP with an M1928A1 Thompson. I would have to do further research on it but I think the greasegun pretty much took over by 1950.
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Post by 8idmpgrandson on Jul 27, 2007 1:00:21 GMT -5
I believe w/ the adoption of the M2 carbine which had full auto capability, and w/ the M3 being so much cheaper than the Thompson, that it was kind of just phased out of front line service. I don't recall any pics out there w/ Tommy's in Korea.
Paul
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Post by foxholetom on Jul 27, 2007 10:16:50 GMT -5
There are photos of the Thompson being used by the 40th Division. I would put this down to the 40th being a National Guard unit and having some old stocks. By the same token, the 40th Division didn't get rid of their last M3A1s until roughly 2000....
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Woodard
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Post by Woodard on Jul 27, 2007 16:16:49 GMT -5
Seems like I see very few pictures of SMGs in Korea. I assume it is due to the introduction of the M2 carbine, which I see a lot of. Does anyone have the Infantry company TO&E?
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Post by foxholetom on Jul 27, 2007 21:57:25 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure tankers had greaseguns.
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Woodard
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Post by Woodard on Jul 28, 2007 11:35:54 GMT -5
I remember going to an 82nd Airborne display at Ft. Bragg, mabey like 95/96 or so. They had a display table of tanker equipment (We got to see them drop M551 Sheridans, right before the Division got rid of them) and I remember the guy being surprised when I just picked up a grease gun and obviously knew how to operate it. I musta been like 15 or so, but I always look a lot younger than I am. Anyway, they had grease guns and this was a top of the line unit.
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Post by foxholetom on Jul 28, 2007 21:01:25 GMT -5
If you read army documents on the weapon systems the M4 carbine was intended to replace/supplement, the greasegun was on the list.
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Woodard
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Post by Woodard on Jul 29, 2007 8:20:40 GMT -5
IIRC even during WW2 an Infantry company had at most one or two SMG's.
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Post by foxholetom on Jul 29, 2007 9:52:55 GMT -5
The 1944 TO&E gives them 6 M3A1s, plus 6 extra BARs (in addition to the ones standard to rifle squads).
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Post by ghostsoldier on Jul 18, 2008 20:06:03 GMT -5
My fiancee's grandfather was a Sargent with the 5th Regimental Combat team. He carried a Thompson. I wish I had the pictures, cause he has a lot of really cool ones.
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Post by lonestarcommie on Aug 15, 2009 11:36:40 GMT -5
For what it's worth, here's a shot of a U.S. Soldier in the Korean War with a Thompson... I don't know his name, division, etc., but it is clearly KW and not WWII. The Thompson appears to be the M1928A1 variant without the common Lyman back site, and it has a smooth barrel instead of the more common finned one. Kind of a cool pic...  |
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