Jump to content

US Army infantry 1950s


griffman
 Share

Recommended Posts

Good evening Gentlemen,

I am looking to put together a mid 1950s (1955-56) Army Infantry impression in Western Germany. I have started out doing some basic goodle searches and looking through Stanton's book on the Cold War. My problem is that I cannot find any information detailing what was worn and how for this period. Based on my research I so far I figured they would have

1st Pattern OG107 uniform

M1948 Russet Boots

WWII Vintage helmet (Either bare or with burlap cover)

m51 field jacket

m45 field pack (Suspenders at least; I havent seen any photos of packs themselves in use)

M52A flak Vest (a little unlikely but the berilne brigade wore them in '62)

m1 catridge belt with canteen cover and 1st aid pouch

m43 shovel and cover

 

My questions are

Was the M1 bayonet still in use or had they transitioned to the ones in the m8 scabbards?

If the pack wasnt in use, where were personal items carried? In a vehicle?

What ponchos were in use the WWII type or the early vietnam type?

 

Do any of you know this or where I could find the information I am looking for?

 

Thank you

Griffman

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My father served in Able co. 2nd Armored Rifle Bn, 48th Infantry, 3AD in 58-59 and his pictures show M1 bayonets. He once told me that some were cut downs from the longer WWI bayonet and at the time no one understood why some had bowie type points, others spear point and the an upswept point like on an Arisaka bayonet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While it's no doubt true that some older WWII era Korean War Era Bayonets were still issued, even into the 60s, especialy in the Reserve Componants, this would be the common Bayonet of the 1950s through the 60s (remembering the NG used the M1 Rifle throughout the 60s into at least the very early 70s)

post-34986-0-18927600-1379034665.jpg

 

the M5 Bayonet Fixed.

post-34986-0-57931800-1379034875.jpg

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M5_bayonet

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is a pic of my grandpa in Germany in 56 or 57. He was using the M1945 pack and the M5 bayonet. As for a list of what was carried, you may want to find a 1956 dated FM 21-15. The FM 21-13 of the same period may have some of the info you need, but I'm not sure of the exact contents of that manual. I'm still trying to find the 1956 issue of the FM 21-15 myself for a display I'm trying to put together but haven't had any luck. Here's the pic during his service the the 8th ID.

Posted Image

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see you want a poncho, the type used will be the M51 type, officially Poncho, Light Weight, Olive Drab, with Hood, the specs on this type were dated 18 September 1951. We see you already got Stanton's Cold War Uniforms, another great one to get is his Korean War Uniforms, this is where I seen the Poncho dope.

 

 

post-34986-0-70395600-1379042978.jpg

 

WOW they are a bit pricey now!, glad I got mine years ago, but still check around Amazon etc, soft cover may less.

http://www.ebay.com/ctg/U-S-Army-Uniforms-Korean-War-Shelby-L-Stanton-1992-Hardcover-/1104339

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Gentlemen

I checked on Amazon and as it turns out Stantons book can be had on the Kindle for $9.99! Thank you for all the help

Kindle. what's that?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While it's no doubt true that some older WWII era Korean War Era Bayonets were still issued, even into the 60s, especialy in the Reserve Componants, this would be the common Bayonet of the 1950s through the 60s (remembering the NG used the M1 Rifle throughout the 60s into at least the very early 70s)

 

Some units of the Regular Army were still using the M1 Rifle in the early 60's as well. Full production of the M14 didn't begin until 1959, but even then delays prevented widespread issue until the mid-60's.

 

I'm sure you've seen the photo, but in Stanton's Cold War book there's a great shot of a bazooka team from 1-3d Infantry in 1964, and the gunner has an M1 Bayonet in M7 Scabbard attached to his M1956 shovel carrier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Some units of the Regular Army were still using the M1 Rifle in the early 60's as well. Full production of the M14 didn't begin until 1959, but even then delays prevented widespread issue until the mid-60's.

 

I'm sure you've seen the photo, but in Stanton's Cold War book there's a great shot of a bazooka team from 1-3d Infantry in 1964, and the gunner has an M1 Bayonet in M7 Scabbard attached to his M1956 shovel carrier.

Right, my comment did include the Regular Army, it would be the Reserve Componants that we can rest assured used the old M1 Bayonet in greater numbers in the latter part of the 50s into well into the 60s. In the Old Guard I do believe though they carried the older M1 Bayonet because that was the standard issue with the M1 Rifle, they apparently used the M1 Garand for quite awhile into the early 60s, maybe a little past the time the majority of the Regular Army started to get the new M14. Another photo from around the same time, a little earlier, shows a Davy Crockett Crew, they too have the M1 Bayonet on them.

 

In checking that photo in Stanton, provided that date in the caption is correct, (it may be a couple of years earlier in fact, as they do not have Leaf Covers on their Pots, they should have them really by 1964) look at how shiny and polished the metal parts bayonet handle is, even the throat of the scabbard has been stripped to the bare metal, this was as mentioned because they used these bayonets for the cermonial duties as well, and apparently didn't have two issues, one for DC duties, and another for field use, where did they go again, Camp A.P. Hill?

 

 

Here's the Davy Crockett one, as we see here the M1 Bayonet is carried, I think the date of this photo is 1961?

post-34986-0-40961500-1379477494.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, the M1 Bayonet used by NG troops as late as 1968, the 46th Inf Div Detroit Riots 1968, however other photos from the period of riots in the big cities do show both types, the M1 and M5 bayonets in use by the NG.

post-34986-0-74478200-1379479121.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...