Jump to content

ParaMarines w/1928A1 1943


Recommended Posts

Drum would help him get to ground faster lol In all seriousness I cant imagine how much of a pain it would have been using drums in the field like that.

Yes thats a Johnson LMG

Thanks! My uncle carried a Thompson throughout the Pacific and dumped the drum early on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice photo. He still believed in loading and carrying that drum. What is the weapon on the right with the big mag? Johnson MG?

 

Right, Johnson light machine gun. I also notice that two of the Marines carry Garands, while a third carries an M1903 rifle with M1907 bayonet attached, probably as an individual preference.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here we see US Marines armed with both the Johnson LMG and M1941 Johnson rifle. They wear the short-lived camouflage combat uniform.

 

 

USMarineJohnson.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is this the same uniform?

 

USMC Camo Uniform.jpeg

 

Where were these used, I am guessing in the Pacific theatre?

 

Stay safe

Richard

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During this time frame, utilizing the drum mags were still widely practiced, lots of pictures of Marines with drums in their Thompsons all the way to Okinawa in 1945. Although from my research the practiced dropped sharply but not completely. Not much for humping the jungle / patrolling but defense at night, static positions. Although heavy as a cement block, these guys were young, tough and making memories. What a day and time.... there just wasn't as much nationwide confusion then as there is obviously now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My father was in a machine-gun section with 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division and carried a TSMG. He mentioned drums were still in use in May-June 1945 on Okinawa. He preferred stick magazines because the drums were difficult to reload at night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was a kid all of the Dads were WW2 vets in their 30s-40s. One of my best

friends Dad was in the Marines in the Pacific in WW2. He and his buddies signed up

right after Pearl Harbor. He didn't say much but I well remember that he was on

Bougainville and his great memory was being stabbed in the back by the long banana

mag on the Johnson LMG he had to carry. Also, he said he never saw a living Japanese

soldier except for one time he had one in his sights but the guy instantly disappeared

into the jungle. And this guy was in combat.

 

Which reminds me of my boss when I had a part time job as a janitor in a department

store when I was in high school. he was a Korea vet, in combat, wounded three times

(was on a 75mm recoiless rifle team) and he never saw a living enemy soldier. He said

they shot at bushes, trees, buildings, but never actually saw a living enemy.

 

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Early printed camouflage uniforms of the Pacific war:

 

Photo Essay #2: Early Printed Camouflage Uniforms of the Pacific War (1942-43) (usww2uniforms.com)

 

I've read more than one USMC WWII Pacific veteran quoted as saying that he preferred to have an L drum on his M1928A1 for the 50 round firepower but used stick mags after the drum was exhausted. Sticks were faster to switch out and left the bolt open on the last round.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

M1941 Johnson rifle visible in this pic, shamelessly lifted off of the internet. Looks like one of the onlookers has an unscabbarded sword.

rifle_6.jpg

Edited by TSMGguy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

M1941 Johnson rifle visible in this pic, shamelessly lifted off of the internet. Looks like one of the onlookers has an unscabbarded Japanese sword.

 

any more info on this photo, unit, location, aprox. date?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

M1941 Johnson rifle visible in this pic, shamelessly lifted off of the internet. Looks like one of the onlookers has an unscabbarded Japanese sword.

 

any more info on this photo, unit, location, aprox. date?

 

None given. I wonder if these are Javanese troops? There's more than one M1941 in the photo.

Edited by TSMGguy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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...