How was the Thompson Carrying Soldier Equipped During WWII

[rpbcps]

I have always seen Magazines Pouches carried on Belts.....then I saw this photo from a Paratrooper Display.

 

Just a thought when looking at the picture. I think the five cell pouches mounted on the suspenders would be more practical with the pouch opening facing inwards, rather than the way they are. It would make it easier to access the magazines I believe.

[Rabbit57]

Richard, Thank you!

As mentioned before, I see plenty of these 20 round magazine carrying pouches. This is one of my favorites.

[Rabbit57]

I am not really sure how some of these airborne guys carried all of their gear and still walked. These guys are pretty loaded, but I have seen photos of where they had even more gear.

Edited September 27, 2021 by Rabbit57

[rpbcps]

Great Question: Answer : I don't think there is a photo of any Marine or US Army cat with 30rd magazine pouch during ww2, there possibly might be USMC imagery during Japanese home island occupation immediately after WW2 but..... There was load outs planned for US Army and Marines during WW2, thing is it varied to theater, mission and location. I'm mostly in tune with how Marines did their thing. Its all over the board.... Marines certainly had the 1928A1 issued early on but they mostly had the M1 and M1A1's. With that said, there are photo's of Marines in 1945 Okinawa with 1928's and drum magazines, when drums were axed years prior, why you ask? because some Salty Dog Marine Gunny or MSgt wanted it that way, they made it happen, individual exceptions. .....Probably all the old timers from the 1rst Marines carried this type of thing forward as the Corps grew to 6 Divisions. One thing is absolutely certain.... a single fully loaded 30rd magazine weighed 2 lbs do the math on 5 to 10 magazines and a 10/11 pound weapon....

 

What is the pouch wrapped around the leather gun holster on the front of the bike?

 

[rpbcps]

DqV7j-0XgAE5m3b.jpg

 

Richard, Thank you!

 

As mentioned before, I see plenty of these 20 round magazine carrying pouches. This is one of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

My pleasure and good photos that I have not seen before. I am still convinced wearing those five cell pouches mounted on the suspenders, would be more practical with the pouch opening facing inwards,

[rpbcps]

I am not really sure how some of these airborne guys carried all of their gear and still walked. These guys are pretty loaded, but I have seen photos of where they had even more gear.

 

 

fullsizeoutput_3be6.jpeg

 

Being a former paratrooper myself, a life time ago, I appreciate that once you hit the ground it is beneficial to have as many loaded magazines on hand as possible, as in situations where paras are usually dropped into, resupply is not always immediate. On operations in Africa, AK’s were considered a useful weapsons to have, as you could ‘resupply’ yourself from enemy stocks...

[gijive]

 

Great Question: Answer : I don't think there is a photo of any Marine or US Army cat with 30rd magazine pouch during ww2, there possibly might be USMC imagery during Japanese home island occupation immediately after WW2 but..... There was load outs planned for US Army and Marines during WW2, thing is it varied to theater, mission and location. I'm mostly in tune with how Marines did their thing. Its all over the board.... Marines certainly had the 1928A1 issued early on but they mostly had the M1 and M1A1's. With that said, there are photo's of Marines in 1945 Okinawa with 1928's and drum magazines, when drums were axed years prior, why you ask? because some Salty Dog Marine Gunny or MSgt wanted it that way, they made it happen, individual exceptions. .....Probably all the old timers from the 1rst Marines carried this type of thing forward as the Corps grew to 6 Divisions. One thing is absolutely certain.... a single fully loaded 30rd magazine weighed 2 lbs do the math on 5 to 10 magazines and a 10/11 pound weapon....

 

What is the pouch wrapped around the leather gun holster on the front of the bike?

 

US Indiana Bike and TSMG.jpg

rpbcps.

 

Looks like a WWII reenactor to me, based on the automobile in the background. He is portraying a U.S. Army soldier and the U.S. Army did not issue a three-cell thirty-round canvas magazine pouch during WWII. There are USMC marked thirty-round magazine holders dated 1944, but I have never seen a WWII combat photo or field manual with USMC personnel wearing that pouch. They are legitimate, but apparently issued too late in WWII to make it into combat zones. That is why there so many pristine examples of that pouch that have surfaced over the past thirty years.

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by gijive

[thirtyround]

RBPCPS / GI JIVE dimed it, Great photo, might even be the real thing but the vehicle designs in background are beyond 1945.

[thirtyround]

Wouldn't doubt this is a movie set gig for the movie "Patton" with George C Scott. Just cant remember any motorcycle scenes

[Rabbit57]

Richard, the other cool thing about this photo is that it looks like there is a Thompson cleaning rod sticking out of a pouch right above this soldier's canteen. I could spend hours looking at these old pictures!

Edited September 27, 2021 by Rabbit57

[Waffen Und Bier]

Bike looks like an Indian 741.

[rpbcps]

 

 

Great Question: Answer : I don't think there is a photo of any Marine or US Army cat with 30rd magazine pouch during ww2, there possibly might be USMC imagery during Japanese home island occupation immediately after WW2 but..... There was load outs planned for US Army and Marines during WW2, thing is it varied to theater, mission and location. I'm mostly in tune with how Marines did their thing. Its all over the board.... Marines certainly had the 1928A1 issued early on but they mostly had the M1 and M1A1's. With that said, there are photo's of Marines in 1945 Okinawa with 1928's and drum magazines, when drums were axed years prior, why you ask? because some Salty Dog Marine Gunny or MSgt wanted it that way, they made it happen, individual exceptions. .....Probably all the old timers from the 1rst Marines carried this type of thing forward as the Corps grew to 6 Divisions. One thing is absolutely certain.... a single fully loaded 30rd magazine weighed 2 lbs do the math on 5 to 10 magazines and a 10/11 pound weapon....

 

What is the pouch wrapped around the leather gun holster on the front of the bike?

 

US Indiana Bike and TSMG.jpg

rpbcps.

 

Looks like a WWII reenactor to me, based on the automobile in the background. He is portraying a U.S. Army soldier and the U.S. Army did not issue a three-cell thirty-round canvas magazine pouch during WWII. There are USMC marked thirty-round magazine holders dated 1944, but I have never seen a WWII combat photo or field manual with USMC personnel wearing that pouch. They are legitimate, but apparently issued too late in WWII to make it into combat zones. That is why there so many pristine examples of that pouch that have surfaced over the past thirty years.

 

US Indiana Bike and TSMG-1.jpg

 

Well spotted, difference between seeing and observing.... classic example of 'not seeing the wood for the trees'

[Autorotate]

I am not really sure how some of these airborne guys carried all of their gear and still walked. These guys are pretty loaded, but I have seen photos of where they had even more gear.

 

 

fullsizeoutput_3be6.jpeg

I have to agree with Richard on the orientation of the 5 cell magazine pouches being more user friendly inboard vs outboard facing. The troops in the picture utilizing the 5 cell pouches all seem to have the opposite orientation.

 

Regarding the 3 cell 30 round pouches being used, it looks to me the soldier kneeling front left side has such a pouch. The snap closures appear different. I can’t tell if there are two “more” cells hidden by his knee.

[gijive]

 

I am not really sure how some of these airborne guys carried all of their gear and still walked. These guys are pretty loaded, but I have seen photos of where they had even more gear.

 

 

fullsizeoutput_3be6.jpeg

I have to agree with Richard on the orientation of the 5 cell magazine pouches being more user friendly inboard vs outboard facing. The troops in the picture utilizing the 5 cell pouches all seem to have the opposite orientation.

 

Regarding the 3 cell 30 round pouches being used, it looks to me the soldier kneeling front left side has such a pouch. The snap closures appear different. I can’t tell if there are two “more” cells hidden by his knee.

Looks to me like he has two five-cell pouches on his suspenders just like the rest of his comrades. He has the openings of the pouches facing inwards, however.

 

[MG08]

On the 5 cell suspender pouches - Having carried a lot of gear and ammo/ mags in my gear, the pouches would seem to have been better secured too- the wide belt opening on the back would have flopped a lot on the narrow suspenders, so I wounder if / how they secured them ? I can see the openings working either way, but still a decent way to carry extra ammo/ mags. Also worked as an impromptu BPV to stop frag/flack/ bullets. We used four 30 rd M16 pouches (ea with 3 mags) on our gear, and carried a 4-20 rd pouch on the fanny pack. Balance the load with two canteens and extra ammo in a bandoleer rolled up in our fanny pack. add a 45, kbar, etc. Never jumped that load, but I can see it being an issue when the Paras were so heavily loaded to start with. .

[TGCJ]

My Dad was a member of a light machine-gun section on Okinawa with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. Dad carried a M1928. He said that he kept a 20 round magazine in the gun and carried a pouch with three 30-round magazines. He kept a 50-round box of 45 ACP in his pack. He said ammunition was never a problem and everyone carried as much as they wanted. He said that in his battalion the Marines attempted to get as many Thompsons as possible in the machine-gun sections to protect the guns during night attacks. Apparently there were still 50-round drums available as late as June 1945 - Dad told me drums were not popular because they were too difficult to re-load at night. Dad also carried a M1911A1 pistol is a shoulder holster as well as two hand grenades. He brought the pistol and holster home and it remains in my collection. Dad mentioned the Thompson is one of his letters home -"...I am carrying a Tommy Gun now. Boy is it heavy." As a kid in the 1930s Dad played Cops and Robbers - carrying a "Tommy Gun" was a big deal for him. The 7th Marines replaced their Thompsons with M1 Carbines in 1946 in North China. Dad told me he hated to give up his Thompson - he considered carbines to be worthless. Dad saw a lot of combat on Okinawa - as far as he was concerned the Thompson was THE GUN. He mentioned seeing one of the Chinese Thompson copies carried by Nationalist Chinese troops.

[mnshooter]

My Dad was a member of a light machine-gun section on Okinawa with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. Dad carried a M1928. He said that he kept a 20 round magazine in the gun and carried a pouch with three 30-round magazines. He kept a 50-round box of 45 ACP in his pack. He said ammunition was never a problem and everyone carried as much as they wanted. He said that in his battalion the Marines attempted to get as many Thompsons as possible in the machine-gun sections to protect the guns during night attacks. Apparently there were still 50-round drums available as late as June 1945 - Dad told me drums were not popular because they were too difficult to re-load at night. Dad also carried a M1911A1 pistol is a shoulder holster as well as two hand grenades. He brought the pistol and holster home and it remains in my collection. Dad mentioned the Thompson is one of his letters home -"...I am carrying a Tommy Gun now. Boy is it heavy." As a kid in the 1930s Dad played Cops and Robbers - carrying a "Tommy Gun" was a big deal for him. The 7th Marines replaced their Thompsons with M1 Carbines in 1946 in North China. Dad told me he hated to give up his Thompson - he considered carbines to be worthless. Dad saw a lot of combat on Okinawa - as far as he was concerned the Thompson was THE GUN. He mentioned seeing one of the Chinese Thompson copies carried by Nationalist Chinese troops.

Big Salute to Your Dad, and everyone else who was there.

[rpbcps]

 

My Dad was a member of a light machine-gun section on Okinawa with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. Dad carried a M1928. He said that he kept a 20 round magazine in the gun and carried a pouch with three 30-round magazines. He kept a 50-round box of 45 ACP in his pack. He said ammunition was never a problem and everyone carried as much as they wanted. He said that in his battalion the Marines attempted to get as many Thompsons as possible in the machine-gun sections to protect the guns during night attacks. Apparently there were still 50-round drums available as late as June 1945 - Dad told me drums were not popular because they were too difficult to re-load at night. Dad also carried a M1911A1 pistol is a shoulder holster as well as two hand grenades. He brought the pistol and holster home and it remains in my collection. Dad mentioned the Thompson is one of his letters home -"...I am carrying a Tommy Gun now. Boy is it heavy." As a kid in the 1930s Dad played Cops and Robbers - carrying a "Tommy Gun" was a big deal for him. The 7th Marines replaced their Thompsons with M1 Carbines in 1946 in North China. Dad told me he hated to give up his Thompson - he considered carbines to be worthless. Dad saw a lot of combat on Okinawa - as far as he was concerned the Thompson was THE GUN. He mentioned seeing one of the Chinese Thompson copies carried by Nationalist Chinese troops.

Big Salute to Your Dad, and everyone else who was there.

 

Indeed we should never forget the service carried out by all our veterans.

 

It is interesting that your dad said "that he kept a 20 round magazine in the gun and carried a pouch with three 30-round magazines". I wonder if this was one of the USMC marked, 3 cell 30 rnd mag pouches that we have never been able to find an actual photo of, in service.

 

Attached is another photo I stumbled upon, does anyone have the technology and knowledge to have a closer look at the pouch being carried by this GI?

[halftrack]

 

 

The one on the side is most definitely an e-tool carrier. I can see the handle sticking out the bottom.

Edited October 5, 2021 by halftrack

[rpbcps]

 

The one on the side is most definitely an e-tool carrier. I can see the handle sticking out the bottom.

 

Indeed, the exact same one that we were issued with in the 1980's.... but I believe there is a mag pouch in front of the e-tool carrier?

[halftrack]

I see now, duh! It would make sense that it could possibly be a 3 mag pouch holder, considering he has a 30 rd mag in his Thompson.

[TGCJ]

The fact that no one has seen a picture of a three-cell/30 round magazine pouch does not mean the pouches were not issued and used by the Marines - at least in the Okinawa campaign. My father's combat time on Okinawa was from mid-May 1945 until the island was secured in late June 1945. He was very specific about the equipment he carried so I assume he knew how many magazines his ammunition pouch held. If the 30 round pouches were issued in the last months of combat to the 1st Marine Division there would be fewer photos showing them in use. The 1903/1903A1 sniper rifles with Unertl scopes were first issued in 1943 - any photos of these rifles are scarce.

[Sandman1957]

I'm pretty sure the pouch in the photo is a German MP40 Pouch.

[MG08]

I'm pretty sure the pouch in the photo is a German MP40 Pouch.

 

looked like that to me too- but it could also be a 3 cell "greasegun " type pouch - I have a version here somewhere -

[halftrack]

I'm pretty sure the pouch in the photo is a German MP40 Pouch.

After comparing the two I would agree.