749th tank battalion

courtesy of battleorder.org .....WWII ammo / magazine loads The base of fire for both the U.S. Army and Marine Corps rifle squads was the M1918A2 BAR, although the Army officially fielded 1 per squad (2 unofficially depending on unit standard operation procedures) while the Marines fielded 3 per squad by 1944. In the Army, the BAR gunner typically carried 10 magazines in an M1937 cartridge belt and 1 magazine in the gun. Each cartridge belt had 6 pockets that could each carry 2 magazines, although one would be used to carry a leather tool pouch. The assistant gunner and ammo bearer wer

I found the below copy and pasted article (segments copied) from NRA/American Rifleman online. It adds to the confusion of how many magazines each of the team members were "prescribed" to carry on their belts. It does not describe the particular belts beyond calling the gunner's belt a "wide" belt with a metal boot. it originally mentions 960 rounds amongst 48 magazines, then later in describing the transport of the weapon the magazine total adds up to 44. (gunner loses 2 mags for the spare parts kit....and 2nd assistant somehow loses 2 mags, but for what ? another spare parts kit ? an oil

artu44, Do you know of any PDF version of that 1918 manual that might be available online ? what is the exact title i might google ? I have a pdf version of a Sept. 1918 technical training handbook for the M1918 but it does not include photo plates like your picture shows. In regards to the count of 42 BAR magazines, is there any reference in the manual to how that number was totaled up among the BAR team's belts and bandoleers ? or was the 42 mags supposed to be a rear area ordnance / quartermaster resupply ? I get 42 if you include 6 for the gunner's belt (1 pocket conta

I know this is following some time after this original thread started but I figured to add this US Ordnance plan/drawing I found online of what many describe or label as the "1st assistant" BAR belt. As seen, it has the WWI long style belt buckle, smaller equipment attaching lower eyelets and 2 1/2" extender belt. The plans show a 5th BAR magazine pocket attached where the metal butt cup would once be, yet it retains the .45 pistol magazine pouch. The drawing is dated from 1929. I believe the Ordnance dept. was upgrading BAR belts to hold a 5th pocket on this belt (and perhaps around the

Hello all I just recently joined this forum after visiting many times as a reference tool. Now though, I can't seem to find an old post or thread involving what i think might be an obscure manufacturer of the tin/zinc plated steel canteen cups of 1942. I could swear i saw a post once, mentioning "Wire & Metal Mfg. co." I will try and include a photo of the stamping on the bottom of the cup (not handle). It appears legit to me. I have several that I saved from my father's now closed surplus store (Foley 1942, KM co. 1942, Owens Illinois 1942, and Edward Katzinger co. 1942.) any hel