The Weapons: United States

Jan 25

M1 Garand

By 1945 the US had fully reequipped its armies with the semi-automatic M1 Garand rifle. A gas-operated design feeding from eight round en-bloc clips, the Garand provided a significant firepower advantage to the Americans over the bolt actions utilized by their adversaries, including the Japanese. In an urban environment, such as the streets of Manila, this would be even more pronounced in close quarters engagements where rapid firepower was often the deciding factor.

Type: Short Rifle
Action: Gas Operated Semi-Automatic
Overall Length: 43.5 inches
Weight: 9.5 pounds
Cartridge: .30-06
Magazine Capacity: 8 Cartridges
Feed System: En-Bloc Clip
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1936

M1903A3 Springfield

Despite being mostly replaced in frontline service, the M1903 rifle had received a facelift during the war. Intended both to modernize and simplify, these resulted in the M1903A3, which featured numerous stamped components as well as a simplified aperture rear sight. Appearing mainly in rear echelon roles, the “03A3” would nevertheless still find itself in action on various fields, including on Luzon in 1945.

Type: Short Rifle
Action: Cock on Open Rotating Bolt
Overall Length: 43.25 inches
Weight: 8.75 pounds
Cartridge: .30-06
Magazine Capacity: 5 Cartridges
Feed System: Charger Clip
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1942

M1 Carbine

A light, handy weapon developed to serve as an intermediate between a pistol and full size rifle, the M1 Carbine was well established by early 1945. Issued to various support troops and specialists, it was also often carried by officers and NCOs, who valued its light weight, power and reliability. Feeding from a detachable box magazine, this otherwise ideal urban warfare weapon was hampered only by lower penetration capability, a notable handicap amid the concrete buildings of metro Manila.

Type: Carbine
Action: Gas Operated Semi-Automatic
Overall Length: 35.6 inches
Weight: 5.2 pounds
Cartridge: .30 US Carbine
Magazine Capacity: 15 Cartridges
Feed System: Detachable Box Magazine
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1942

M1903A4 Springfield

The US Army armed its snipers with the M1903A4, another variation of the venerable M1903 Springfield. This time build from the ground up as a sniper’s platform, the basic M1903A3 chassis was fitted with a telescopic sight (a low power Weaver M73. The pictured model has a post-war M84 scope attached). In addition, no iron sights were provided, and the rifles were generally fitted with the pistol grip “C” stocks. Despite its shortcomings, the M1903A4 was a solid platform, an a good match to the Japanese Type 97.

Type: Sniper Rifle
Action: Cock on Open Rotating Bolt
Overall Length: 43.25 inches
Weight: 9.4 pounds
Cartridge: .30-06
Magnification: 2.5x
Magazine Capacity: 5 Cartridges
Feed System: Single Load
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1943

M1911A1

The main sidearm of the US forces, the M1911A1 remains a legendary weapon. A single action .45 automatic pistol, it had received a few upgrades in the interwar period, refining the original from the Great War and improving operator comfort. Powerful and reliable, the weapon was a sharp contrast to the finicky Nambu pistols of the Japanese, and promised to be a potent weapon in the close quarters combat to come.

Type: Service Pistol
Action: Single Action Automatic
Overall Length: 8.5 inches
Weight: 2.4 pounds
Cartridge: .45 ACP
Magazine Capacity: 7 Cartridges
Feed System: Detachable Box Magazine
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1911

M1917 Revolver

An older revolver that had been adopted as a stopgap in the Great War, the M1917 was a double action .45 revolver that came in two distinct flavors, as manufactured by Colt and Smith & Wesson. Capable of rapid reloading with its half-moon clips, the revolver was a potent package that, despite being mostly supplanted by 1945, remained in use with US vehicle crews. A common sight in the holsters of the 1st Cavalry Division’s tankers, it could be expected to roll into Manila with them.

Type: Service Pistol
Action: SA/DA Revolver
Overall Length: 10.8 inches
Weight: 2.25 pounds (S&W)
Cartridge: .45 ACP
Cylinder Capacity: 6 Cartridges
Feed System: Half Moon Clips
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1917

M1A1 Thompson

The famous “Tommy Gun” had received a military upgrade early in the war, resulting in the M1A1. This was a simplified version with a basic blowback action, and issued with 30 round stick magazines rather than than the drums made famous in the gangster era. A solid and dependable weapon, the main drawbacks to the Thompson were its weight and ungainly ergonomics. In addition, it was expensive to produce, and by 1945 was in the process of being phased out of service, although it remained a common sight in the hands of NCOs.

Type: Submachine Gun
Action: Fully Automatic (600rpm)
Overall Length: 31.9 inches
Weight: 10 pounds
Cartridge: .45 ACP
Magazine Capacity: 30 Cartridges
Feed System: Detachable Magazine
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1942

M3A1 Grease Gun

In order to replace the Thompson, a simple stamped steel weapon had been developed by General Motors, taking a que from the similar British Sten and German MP40 designs. Compared to the Thompson, it was vastly cheaper and easier to manufacture, as well as more controllable in operation. Chambering the same hard hitting .45 cartridge. The M3 also benefited from a collapsible stock, making it compact enough that it was commonly issued to tank crews as well as infantry. The “Grease Gun” (so named due to its visual similarity to the tool) would be another valuable addition to the US arsenal during the street fighting to come.

Type: Submachine Gun
Action: Fully Automatic (450rpm)
Overall Length: 29.1 inches
Weight: 8 pounds
Cartridge: .45 ACP
Magazine Capacity: 30 Cartridges
Feed System: Detachable Magazine
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1944

M1918A2 BAR

The M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle was, like the Thompson, a leftover of the development programs at the end of the Great War. Developed as a mobile supressive weapon for trench assaults, it had been upgraded with a bipod and pressed into service as a light machine gun in the Second World War, seeing exensive service on all fronts. A mobile weapon that could be fired from the shoulder as a heavy rifle as well as a light machine gun, it was fairly versatile, if ungainly. Providing a mobile package for rapid firing the potent .30-06 cartridge, its penetration as well as suppression abilities would be a notable asset in the Battle for Manila.

Type: Light Machine Gun
Action: Fully Automatic (350/550RPM, selectable)
Overall Length: 47.8 inches
Weight: 19 pounds
Cartridge: .30-06
Magazine Capacity: 20 Cartridges
Feed System: Detachable Magazine
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1938

M1919 Browning

A .30-06 belt fed machine gun, the M1919 was the standard issue light machine gun of the US Armed Forces. A heavy, belt fed weapon that was essentially an air cooled modification of the earlier M1917 heavy machine gun, the basic M1919A4 variant was deployed along with its tripod, requiring a crew of at least two to transport and load the system, thus leaving the more mobile roles to the M1918A2 BAR. An updated model with a stock, carry handle and bipod, the M1919A6, had entered service as well, but the earlier combo of 1919A4 and BAR remained the most common even as the war drew toward its conclusion in 1945.

Type: Light Machine Gun
Action: Fully Automatic (500RPM)
Overall Length: 37.9 inches
Weight: 31 pounds
Cartridge: .30-06
Magazine Capacity: 250 Cartridges
Feed System: Canvas Belt
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1919

M2 Browning

One of the most iconic weapons in the US arsenal to this day, the M2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun was a powerful weapon that appeared as a heavy infantry machine gun mounted on a tripod as well as being standard on most US ground vehicles and aircraft. The penetration power of the large .50 BMG cartridges was sufficient to engage even some light armored vehicles, and promised to be a significant advantage amidst the concrete buildings of Manila.

Type: Heavy Machine Gun
Action: Fully Automatic (650rpm)
Overall Length: 65 inches
Weight: 84 pounds
Cartridge: .50 BMG
Magazine Capacity: Belt Fed
Feed System: Disintegrating Belt
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1919

M9A1 Bazooka

The M9 Bazooka was an updated version of the iconic 60mm rocket launcher that had begun to be issued in 1943. With a longer tube that could be broken down easily for transport, as well as an improved optical sight and an internal magneto for firing the rocket (replacing the unreliable batteries of the earlier models). The bazooka was effective against Japanese tanks when they were encountered, and was also very usefull against fortified positions such as pillboxes and concrete buildings.

Type: Rocket Launcher
Action: Electrical Ignition
Overall Length: 54 inches
Weight: 14.3 pounds
Cartridge: 60mm HEAT Rocket
Magazine Capacity: Single Shot
Feed System: Rear Loading Rocket
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1943

M3 Fighting Knife

Intended primarily to arm soldiers not equipped with a bayonet, the M3 was a short, handy fighting knife designed for rapid mass production. At first issued to specialists like the Airborne, the weapon was, by 1945, well established among the ranks of the US Army. With its thin, light blade it made for a potent stabbing weapon in close quarters, although its relatively short upper cutting edge was a hinderance in backhand slashes. Well balanced, some skilled users even reported using it as a throwing knife when needed.

Type: Fighting Knife
Overall Length: 11.75 inches
Weight: 0.6 pounds*
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1943

*Without Sheath

M7 Grenade Launcher

The M7 was a simple rifle grenade launcher that was fitted over the muzzle of the M1 Garand rifle, locking onto its bayonet lug. Thus, a rifle grenade, consisting of various models including a conventional Mk2 fitted to an adapter as well as dedicated HE and AT models could be fitted over the spigot. A blank would then be loaded to fire the grenade, allowing the operator to neutralize targets at far greater range than with a hand-thrown grenade.

Type: Rifle Grenade Launcher
Style: Spigot
Projection Cartridge: .30-06 Blank
Parent Rifle: M1 Garand
Grenade Type: Various
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1943

M2 Flamethrower

The M2 flamethrower was perhaps the best weapon of its type in use during the Second World War. It used a backpack mounted fuel tank holding three and a quarter gallons of jellied petroleum fuel (napalm), which it could blast out at a rate of three quarters of a gallon per second, firing a burst of sticky, flaming tar onto a target at a distance of up to 40 yards. The new weapon entered service in 1944, and was well received by US troops issued them, primarily in the Pacific Theater. Used by combat engineers or chemical corps personnel mainly to clear out Japanese fortifications and jungle foliage, with the coming Battle for Manila the flamethrower would be put to use clearing the confined buildings of Japanese holdouts as well as assaulting the numerous fortifications around the city. The Japanese, for their part, would recall after the war that the flamethrower above all else instilled fear in them, and they tended to target the operators of such weapons before other American troops.

Type: Flamethrower
Action: Nitrogen Propellant
Weight: 68 pounds (fueled)
Fuel: Napalm
Tank Capacity: 3.25 Gallons
Feed System: Backpack Fuel Tank
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1940

Mk2 Grenade

The American Mark 2, the famous “pineapple”, consisted of a cast iron body with distinctive grooves to enhance both grip and fragmentation potential. It was filled with a simple TNT charge, and equipped with a 4-5 second fuse. It was primed by pulling a pin with the attached ring, while the large safety lever (known as the spoon) was retained with the hand grasping the grenade to prevent the fuse from setting. Upon being thrown, the spoon would be ejected via a spring, which also drove a striker to start the fuse.

Type: Fragmentation Grenade
Charge: TNT
Weight: 1.3 pounds
Fuse Duration: 4.5 seconds
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1918

M2 60mm Mortar

*Korean War photograph, US National Archives*

The primary infantry mortar of the United States, the M2 was based on a French design. A relatively light and portable weapon, it was a common support weapon utilized by infantry at the company level, seeing service in all theaters of the war. Consisting of a simple smoothbore tube with a fixed firing pin, the weapon could fire as fast as the crew could drop shells into it.

Type: Mortar
Caliber: 60mm
Rate of Fire: 18 rpm (Maximum)
Crew: 5
Range: 1,800 meters
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1940

M2 105mm Howitzer

The standard field howitzer in US service, the M2 was designed in the aftermath of the Great War following analysis of captured German designs. Heavy for its type, the M2 was also quite accurate with its 105mm shells, and it proved resiliant even in the challenging environments of the South Pacific. the weapon was available in large numbers by early 1945, ensuring that the US forces had artillery superiority in almost all engagements.

Type: Howitzer
Rate of Fire: 10 rpm (Maximum)
Crew: 8
Range: 11,270 meters
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1941

M1 “Long Tom” 155mm Field Gun

A heavy field gun developed after World War I to replace French heavy artillery in the US arsenal, the M1 was a refinement of the French GPF then in service. First deployed in the North African Campaign in late 1942, eventually becoming the primary heavy artillery piece in American service during the war. With its heavy 100 pound shell, it could devastate even fortified positions, something that would prove quite necessary in the streets of Manila in February of 1945.

Type: Heavy Field Gun
Rate of Fire: 0.6 rpm (Maximum)
Crew: 14
Range: 23,700 meters
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1940

M1 240mm Howitzer

A relatively new weapon in the US arsenal, the M1 240mm Howitzer was the largest artillry piece ever fielded by the United States. Originally designed to break heavy fortifications, it was intended for use against the likes of the German Siegfried Line, and was thus extremely potent against any kind of fortified position. Notorious for excessive barrel wear due to the massive amount of powder required to throw it’s 360 pound projectile at ranges of up to 14 miles, the gun regardless saw use throughout the European Theater. In the Pacific, however, there was seldom need for such a massive weapon in the jungles of the theater. As the battle for Manila loomed, it was hoped that the Japanese would abandon the city without a fight, but if need be, these massive guns could be brought to bear against the city and its defenders, and may well be needed to assault the reinforced concrete edifices of the government buildings in and around the Intramuros.

Type: Heavy Siege Howitzer
Rate of Fire: 1 rpm (Maximum)
Crew: 14
Range: 14,300 meters
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1943

M3 Stuart

The basic light tank of the US Army by 1945 was the Stuart. A small, fast tank that served in US armored and cavalry formations as a scouting and support vehicle. Despite ongoing replacement with the new M24 Chaffee, the Stuart remained competitive in the Pacific, and this priority had been given to European units for the new vehicle. Due to the poor capabilities of Japanese tanks as well as a general lack of infantry anti-tank weapons among the Japanese, the Stuart was in some ways as effective as its big brother, and in an urban environment its superior maneuverability could be counted on as well.

Type: Light Tank
Top Speed: 36mph
Weight: 16.75 tons
Crew: 4
Passengers: None
Weapons: 1x 37mm M6 Cannon, 3x M1919 MG
Maximum Armor: 2 inches
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1942

M4 Sherman

The primary tank in US service during the Second World War, the M4 Sherman was a medium design that was available in enormous numbers during the war. Boasting a very high crew survivability rate helped to offset its relatively poor armor and armament, although these were less of an issue in the Pacific than in Europe. Compared to German designs the Japanese tanks were very light, to such an extent that hight explosive ammunition was used more often than armor piercing simply because the AP would go through the entire tank, potentially not disabling it. The M4 was the primary vehicle of the 1st Cavalry Division on Luzon, and would be deployed in strength against the entrenched Japanese in Manila.

Type: Medium Tank
Top Speed: 30mph
Weight: 33 tons
Crew: 5
Passengers: None
Weapons: 1x 75mm M3 Cannon, 2x M1919 MG, 1x M2 MG
Maximum Armor: 7 inches
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1942

M18 Hellcat

The M18 Hellcat tank destroyer was teh most effective of its type in US service during the war. Although most had been deployed to Europe, a few had been assigned to the Pacific Theater, where they were primarily used as fast anti-fortification platforms. A good balance of armor, speed and firepower, they represented a formidable opponent to the MNDF forces dug into the buildings of Manila.

Type: Tank Destroyer
Top Speed: 55mph
Weight: 18.7 tons
Crew: 5
Passengers: None
Weapons: 1x 76mm M1A1 Cannon, 1x M2 MG
Maximum Armor: 1 inch
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1943

M7 Priest

Based on the chassis of the M4 Sherman, the M7 Priest was a self propelled 105mm howitzer. Combining the mobility of the Sherman with the firepower of the M2A1 howitzer, it made for a potent mixture, able to displace before enemy counterbattery fire could be brought to bear against it. In the street fighting in Manila, the M7 and its stablemates could also be of use as assault guns, firing their howitzers directly into buildings in order to rapidly reduce the Japanese strongpoints on the streets.

Type: Self-Propelled Howitzer
Top Speed: 24mph
Weight: 25.3 tons
Crew: 8
Passengers: None
Weapons: 1x 105mm M2A1 Howitzer, 1x M2 MG
Maximum Armor: 1 inch
Country of Origin: United States
Year: 1942

Walter Gurske