Band of Brothers trivia

[Okla-homey]

Okay, here's the dealio. I collect WWII infantry weapons. Not sure why, I just think the stuff is cool, that and the fact my paternal grandfather was in it from D-Day until VE day. Anyhoo, last night I was drooling over the thought of getting my hands on a M2 60mm mortar (de-militarized of course;) ) to add to my collection.

I was reading this book which is quite comprehensive: U.S. Infantry Weapons of World War II by Bruce N. Canfield, Mowbray Publishing,1998. (Canfield is pretty much the "dean" of WWII weapons collectors.)

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2549/60mmmortardisplay8jf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
M2 mortar from the collection of the 45 ID Museum in OKC. It's tube length is just over two feet. The whole set-up you see here weighed in at around 42 pounds. One guy usually schlepped the tube and mount -- 28 pounds worth, and another guy toted the base plate (13 pounds) and carried a few rounds which were about three pounds each -- his burden was therefore also about 30 pounds. FWIW, WWII airborne mortarmen bore this load in addition to their M1 rifle (over 9 pounds) ammunition, assorted other equipment, canteen, rations and personal gear all together easily exceeding 70 pounds...which helps explain why paratroopers had to be in great physical condition. After they landed, their primary means of surface transportation was by "leather personnel carrier."

The 60mm High Explosive rounds (M49A2) fired in the M2 mortar had a max range of about 2000 yards, although best accuracy was inside 1000 yards. Smoke and Illumination rounds were also available.

In the chapter on mortars, I noticed this account about a couple of the guys from "Band of Brothers" displaying absolutely incredible marksmanship with an M2 mortar tube, minus the mount and baseplate! Held upright by one hand, dropping the rounds with the other without benefit of the optical sight.


"Malarkey found his mortar tube, but not the base or tripod(sic). Setting the tube on the ground, he fired a dozen rounds toward the Manor [French house where some Nazi's were holed-up]. Guarnere joined him, working another mortar tube. They discovered later that every round hit its target.:eek: 'That kind of expertise you don't teach.' Winters commented. 'It's a God-given touch.'

When Malarkey ran out of rounds, his tube was almost completely buried. An old French farmer got a shovel to help him dig it out."

How cool is that?

[1stTimeCaller]

that's awesome.

Have you been to the 45th Museum in OKC lately?

[Okla-homey]

that's awesome.

Have you been to the 45th Museum in OKC lately?

Not in a few years. I gotta get down there again soon.

[1stTimeCaller]

last time I was there the volunteer guy said that the 45th spent more days on-line in combat than any other Division in both WWII and the Korean war.

I could spend days going through that little building and the grounds.

[picasso]

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4da32b3127cce9c511adac46100000016109AauHLhk2a4
I've posted this before but this is a pic I cleaned up and framed for my gf's grandfather. He was in the 45th artillery out of Norman and this is a pic of all of the leaders of his outfit in Anzio. He said it was rare for them to be grouped together like that.
He's in the middle, second row.

on the BOB stuff, you recall the part in the series when Shifty Powers shot the German sniper in Foy? Well in the book a couple of the fellas went up and looked at said sniper, he had a bullet between his eyes.

[GottaHavePride]

I know my granddad was 101st airborne during WWII, but he never talked about it, and the few times I've tried digging around on the innerweb I can never find any reference to him. At some point I'll have to track some official-type people down and see if I can get his service record, or something. find out just why it was that he tended to wake up shouting in the middle of the night even 40 years later.

[picasso]

one of my golfing friend's old man fought in Bastogne in the infantry. he said he never talked about it.
same with my old man and his experiences in Korea. just bits and pieces at times. I did recently find out he had a mortar round hit near his foxhole that was a dud.

[SicEmBaylor]

WWII is my personal hobby. My family are all War Between the States buffs, but I've always been much more into WWII.

There is this antique store in Muskogee that I happened to go into my soph. year of HS and there was a booth set up by a woman whose father had been commanded an armored recon platoon in the war. She was putting ALL of his war time stuff up for sale including his personal photos, souvineers he brought back, etc. It was really pretty sad to see someone selling away their family and father's history like that, but I bought up as much of it as I could.

The photos were really interesting though becuase he recorded the exact location of each picture on the back of the photograph, so I was able to take a map and trace his campaign across France all the way into Germany. And then later when I traveled to France myself I was able to take that map and retrace several of the places where he took pics.

I even got one pic of a German '88 in an intersection and then a modern picture of rougly that same intersection (though a couple of the buildings were different and cut into the view somewhat).

I've also got all of my grandfathers stuff. He was in the pre-war 1st Cavalry, and I have his spurs and all that. He fought with the 1st Cav throughout the Pacific campaign, but becuase of his pre-war service was able to avoid occupation duty in Japan and come right home after the war. But, I have his medals and even the almost cliche diary that saved his life from a Japanese sniper. No joke, you hear about that happening but I have his honest to God journal with a bullet hole right through the middle.

[GottaHavePride]

I'm guessing a lot of guys carried their journals there hoping it might do a little good if it came to that.

[GDC]

My paternal grandfather was there on the beach watching Macarthur make good on his promise to return.

[jk the sooner fan]

gdc, did you ever finish Winters book?

i thought it was pretty damn good, a tad self serving, but i think he's definitely earned the right

it went into greater detail on alot of what the BOB series only touched on

[GDC]

Yes, good book. My fiance's dad is a vet and he has met Dick Winters, said he is very unassuming in person and still projects the qualities that made him the great officer he was.

[mikeelikee]

My Dad was in the 160th Field Artillary, 45th Division. I'm ashamed to say, we haven't been to the 45th Museum yet, but we'll make it this year, for sure. God bless 'em all--the Greatest Generation!

[SicEmBaylor]

Anyone been to the Patton museum at Ft. Knox?

[jk the sooner fan]

i was stationed at Knox for 2 years, so yes.......

[SoonerWood]

My grandfather piloted the B-17 Flying Fortress in the Bloody 100th over Europe. He led the initial run over Berlin until one of his engines cut out and he had to turn back. I have his complete mission log and quite a bit of his memorabilia. He didn't talk about it much until recently, just before he passed away last year. He was my hero.

[GDC]

Several excellent museums around Bastogne and Normandy also.