WW2 Tank Destroyer Truck driver

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Tankdriver
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WW2 Tank Destroyer Truck driver

Post by Tankdriver » Mon Sep 19, 2016 4:14 pm

OK, I have a question.

My WC63 is the prime mover for my 57mm anti-tank gun, and is marked up as the 701st TD.

Now my question.....

As the driver on a anti-tank WC63, my main weapon, according to the 57mm Field manual is a M1 Garand. Did the driver use a standard 10 pocket ammo belt, and did they just not wear the bayonet on the belt? I do not see anyway for it to be worn, and set in the seat with it on.

Any help as to what they did, and anybody have any photos showing it?

Thanks
1943 WC63...1942 M3 Autocar...1944 M3A1 Diamond T...1942 57mm Anti-Tank

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Steve Webb
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Re: WW2 Tank Destroyer Truck driver

Post by Steve Webb » Tue Sep 20, 2016 4:08 pm

My hunch would be they had the belt but probably had the bayonet attached to the pack which would have been stowed with vehicle.
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Re: WW2 Tank Destroyer Truck driver

Post by Tankdriver » Thu Sep 22, 2016 6:26 pm

Yea, that's about the only thing I can figure...

I thought there would be more discussion.....

Thanks for the reply....
1943 WC63...1942 M3 Autocar...1944 M3A1 Diamond T...1942 57mm Anti-Tank

Have owned...M5A1 Stuart

Have Restored...M20

MVPA Member...President West TN Military Vehicle Collectors... https://wtmvc.shutterfly.com/

johnseidts
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Re: WW2 Tank Destroyer Truck driver

Post by johnseidts » Fri Nov 25, 2016 7:12 am

Okay- interesting discussion to me. Your question is actually a complicated one, but I will try to answer it logically.

First a few questions- were 57mm's assigned to the high numbered, towed anti-tank units? My understanding is the 57's were part of the infantry units in WWII, in the anti-tank companies of the regiments, and that the 3-inch towed battalions were equipped with only those and not 57's in their Tables of Organization. Are you trying to accurately portray a tank destroyer battalion, or an infantry support unit? The questions are relevant for a few reasons.

Armored forces like the 701st were equipped with the 1936 Musette bag in WWII. This would not have left you with an option to carry your bayonet there, until the end of the war when these bags were manufactured with a spot on them (a tab with two eyelets) to attach a piece of field gear like a bayonet or e-tool. The high-numbered TD units were considered Armor/Mechanized units, so would have had these bags and no place to put your bayonet. So the only place it could go was on your cartridge belt. If you were in an infantry unit, you would have had the haversack, which had a place to put a bayonet (on the side of the haversack) as well as your entrenching tool.

As a driver of the vehicle towing a 57, your primary job was as crew for the gun. You just happened to also be a driver. So you were expected to be ready to go as a member of the gun crew ASAP. If you were towing on the way to a position, your responsibility would have been to position the gun, then get the truck to some spot of cover/concealment, then get on the gun to do your job (which was probably ammo bearer). You would have had your personal weapon there and wanted your gear. If somebody took out the AT gun, you became infantry immediately.

When I had to drive tactically when I was in the service (when I was an infantry scout in a straight leg infantry battalion), I usually had my gear on and ready to go as I drove. My rucksack was secured on the vehicle. But there were times when I was cranky and tired and I removed my web gear. This stowed nicely between the seats in the jeep, if my section sergeant wasn't on board and leaving his gear there. My primary job when not driving was as assistant gunner on our M-60 machine gun. So when we deployed from the vehicle, I needed my gear, personal weapon (to protect the M-60), the spare M-60 ammo, the tripod and pintle, spare barrel, T&E for the M-60, and was also tasked with having ready the stuff to write a range card for the M-60 (cardboard, grease pencil, map, limit stakes). Some of this was in the rucksack, and some of this was near the rucksack.

My point is that I laid out my gear the way I needed to use it. How a driver in a 57 AT unit arranged his gear also would have been determined by unit SOP (some were strict, some were not so strict) telling him where his stuff went. Here is a resource for you, if you don't have it. This is the Infantry Replacement Training Center handbook. In the front of the book, there is a page where the soldier wrote in his job description, then would hand-write the pages in the book where his tasks were located. This book includes the information on being part of a 57mm AT gun. I just found one transcribed-

http://www.fortwolters.com/doughboy.html

Another place I would look is the Anti-Tank Company, Infantry Regiment field manual FM 7-35. I couldn't find a viable copy of one to read on-line.

Hope this helps.
John K. Seidts RN:
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Wanted- WWII US Medical and Engineer Items


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