This layout is from a WWII paratrooper in the 503rd Regimental Combat Team of the 11th Airborne Division which fought in the Pacific.
No frills here, just lots of whoopass.
Thanks MH at KreigesGewehr
This layout is from a WWII paratrooper in the 503rd Regimental Combat Team of the 11th Airborne Division which fought in the Pacific.
No frills here, just lots of whoopass.
Thanks MH at KreigesGewehr
Interest riggers pouches on the pistol belt. I’ve seen the single pocket type before but not these.
there are some great photos in N. Africa pre-Italy campaign of the 509th guys (reflagged from the 503rd) using these pouches as well as versions for the M1 Carbine and Thompson magazines.
There are modern repros out there that are spot on.
Is that an extended 1911 mag? I didn’t think those came wound until the late ’80’s.
Mag looks like it’s been ejected and pulled out an inch or so probably for layout inspection purposes.
Gotta love the garand. My first gun was an d m1. Refurbished of course, from spare parts n such. Still shoots though. Love that gun.
I’m impressed with how blade intensive his kit is. I spot a very large bayonet, a machete, a brass knuckle trench knife, and a pocket knife.
mark,
Paratroopers do love blades. But I’m not sure that the bayonet belongs in the display in this case. I don’t see any scabbard on the web gear so I don’t see how this trooper would have jumped it.
TLB
That whole kit is so heavy that it’s hard to look at. I think we spoil ourselves with all this high speed low drag kit.
That radio probably weighs ten pounds and does even less than a 3oz Baofeng!
From Wikipedia: SCR-536
“…The SCR-536 weighed 5 pounds with batteries and 3.85 lb without batteries (2.3 and 1.75 kg). The unit operated in AM voice mode between 3.5 and 6.0 MHz frequency range. The SCR-536 had an RF output power of 360 milliwatts. The range of the unit varied with terrain; from a few hundred feet, to approximately one mile over land, and 3 miles over water.,,”
Well I was off the mark with the weight, but without a doubt it’s capabilities were limited.
It’s still better than shouting, sending runners, and using flag signals.
SSD,
The 503rd fought as a separate Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR)in the Pacific and was never part of the 11th Airborne Division.
Unlike the Airborne Divisions that went to Europe, the 11th Abn had only one PIR assigned (the 511th PIR) and two Glider Regiments, the 187th and 188th.
However, the Division almost continuously ran its own jump school in theater and by the end of the war had jump qualified the majority of the glider troops in the line units at least.
So that if the Division had jumped into Japan as part of the planned invasion, all 3 organic Regiments would have been capable of being inserted by parachute.
TLB
Thanks!
Thanks for that. My dad was with the 11th as a rigger. Never did talk about his service much.
The policy of training all glider troops for jumping began all the way back at Camp Mackall and was by order of General Swing, the division commander. My grandfather went through it there with the 187th.
503rd did wind up associated with the 11th but it was at the end as part of the occupation in November 1945.
Lots of ass kicking history by the Airborne units in the Pacific that far too often gets overlooked to better known operations like Normandy and Market Garden.
First Rock
Anyone know what the three cylinders are between the spoon and pocket knife? Anti-malaria meds?
STD meds.
J/k. You’re most probably correct. They do look like pill bottles.
Chris,
I think you are right. This same display picture is in a couple of the Airborne Unit history books that I have but were not accompanied by a detailed enough item list to confirm or deny.
TLB
… and a spoon!
Not just any spoon. A racing spoon.
Only one canteen in this inspection layout. I wonder how much more stuff was added on an operation.
quite a bit this is standard load out band of brother comes to mind when i see this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9XdxpDqgyY