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Topic: Jerry : Browning Automatic Rifle(BAR) on PT Boats |
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TED WALTHER
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 19, 2014 - 5:05pm
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Jerry;
I have read instances where BAR's were used by crewmembers, but I too have not seen too many photos. I was under the impression that RON 2 and RON 3(2) had BAR's on all the boats and it was SOP for their CAL (Craft allowance List, 2-3 Thompsons, and 1-2 BAR's per boat). However, Ted Meredith, RON 7, in his book, only mentions Thompsons, Carbines, Springfield Rifles, Colt .45's and hand grenades. Maybe ask Earl or Jack Duncan about RON 5 boats.
Take care,
TED
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Frank Andruss
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 19, 2014 - 6:55pm
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Ted
Somewhere I had a list of weapons that were a part of the standard compliment for the boats. I recall the list as being M-1 Garand's, .45 Pistols, Tommy Guns, but I do not recall seeing any BAR's. I was wondering if they picked up these guns on their own.
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Jerry Gilmartin |
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 19, 2014 - 10:57pm
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Thanks Ted and Frank, I will ask Jack next month! Jerry
Jerry Gilmartin
PT658 Crewman
Portland OR |
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Frank Andruss
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 20, 2014 - 10:35am
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Jerry, I had sent an E-Mail to our friend jack Duncan from PT-103, below was his reply to me:
No BARs, but "standard" means nothing. Maybe late boats had Garands, but we had '03A3s and somehow two .22 rifles. No tellin' what might have been kumshawed; at one time I even had a Lightweight .38S&W in a shoulder holster until I found out that shooting someone with it might piss 'em off -- went back to a 1911. We variously had two or three Tommy Guns.
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TED WALTHER
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 20, 2014 - 4:44pm
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Frank;
Well that's interesting, Jack should know. I wonder if RON 3(2) and RON 2 guys, as Jack said kumshawed them from the Marines?
I did read a recent Florida Marine Corps Vet's recollections and he was originally a BAR man, and he "lost" his heavy BAR soon after landing on the hot and muddy Island, in favor of first a Thompson, then later a M1 Carbine.
Oh well.
Take care,
TED
( When I read this, I thought this was very odd, the average weight of a WW II BAR was only 19.5 lbs. plus 12-20 round Magazines for a total of around 40lbs. When we would do squad size patrolling, I always volunteered to carry the M60D, which was 23lbs and would usually carry 400 rounds of 7.62(about 28 lbs), in large M60 ammo pouches on a Vietnam era H-harnes (it just rode better than that crappy Y-harness they came out with in the late 1980's. The M60E3 and E4 were a little lighter at 22lbs).
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David Buck
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: May 21, 2014 - 6:49am
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Ted I don't know how they pick the guy for the M60 on your side of the ocean but when it came time to hand out different weapons I seemed to end up with it, this may be as I am 6'2" and was at the time of my recruit course one of the tallest in our class.
After this I found that I could handle it rather well but looking at a PT Boat it might not be the weight so much as the length of the BAR that may preclude it from choice?
And yes there is nothing in this world like a well maintained 60 on rock and roll!!!
A sad tale!
One day I was sent out to act as armorer of the day for an Infantry Battalion for tracer training using the M60, the 60s once they started firing sounded like they were 50s(very slow), I stopped all firing and inspected all weapons used and found a number of broken firing pins and damaged bolts, I closed the Range ( not very happy grunts) till I could find a cause, turned out the tracer being used was a French built ammo that had the wrong powder thereby upping the pressure in the barrel and action.
Whole batch had to be returned, 10 M60s had to be junked!
Not very happy supply staff LOTS of paperwork!!
D.buck |
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