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Small arms used on Omaha Beach

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  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: The Green "Mountains", Vermont
Small arms used on Omaha Beach
Posted by IanIsBored2000 on Monday, October 23, 2006 9:36 PM

Ok well, I dont really think this belongs here, but none of the other forums really fit it either except reference, and not too many people read reference, so I thought I would just ask here.  What kinds of small arms were used on Omaha beach by the Americans?  I know there was carbines, garands, thompsons, BAR's, bangalore torpedoes and a few flamethrowers, but what else?  Were there any "bazookas"  ( sorry, dont know the official term)  Or were there any MG teams, and if so what kind of MG's did they have?

Any thoughts would be helpful.

"Scanlon: work your knobby hands on the table in front of you, constructing a make-beleive bomb to blow up a make-beleive world."
  • Member since
    June 2006
Posted by Tankluver on Monday, October 23, 2006 10:01 PM
Yes there were bazookas, the U.S. forces also used 30 cal. MGs and also some M1903 sniper rifles and there were also mortors used by the Americans.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 1:03 AM

Sign - Ditto [#ditto], and because you mentioned it a 'Bazooka' is a 2.36 inch rocket launcher. I'm not certain but I think the Americans only used 60mm mortars.

Will

  • Member since
    August 2006
  • From: The Green "Mountains", Vermont
Posted by IanIsBored2000 on Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:22 PM
thanks a ton, just the kind of confirmation I was looking for.
"Scanlon: work your knobby hands on the table in front of you, constructing a make-beleive bomb to blow up a make-beleive world."
  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: NE Georgia
Posted by Keyworth on Saturday, October 28, 2006 10:43 PM
Previous posts in this thread have already mentioned the more common weapons.  The most often seen MG with the troops landing at Omaha and Utah would have been the 1919A4 Browinng .30 cal MG with the tripod mount.  Don't forget the venerable .45 ACP Colt pistol and it's copies.  The other small arms used would have been various pistols issued to different US troops in different capacities: the Colt and Smith&Wesson .45ACP revolvers, some .38 cal. revolvers, some .32 and .380 semiauto pistols (issued to general officers primarily as a souvenier or decorative item; some chose to carry them in combat).  Also, the Thompson submachine gun in all of it's variations appeared on the beaches at Normandy.  There were a few Springfield and Enfield rifles issued to support units that may have shown up at Normandy.
"There's no problem that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives"
  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Somewhere over the rainbow
Posted by m1garand on Sunday, October 29, 2006 12:56 PM
 Will7813 wrote:

Sign - Ditto [#ditto], and because you mentioned it a 'Bazooka' is a 2.36 inch rocket launcher. I'm not certain but I think the Americans only used 60mm mortars.

Will

Standard mortars were 60mm (each rifle company had 2) and 81mm for battalion level.

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