The United States Armored Infantry Battalion, 1942 to 1943
The US Army had been experimenting with mechanised infantry throughout 1941, early versions bearing a close resemblance to the standard Infantry Battalion. In March 1942 the Armored Infantry underwent a significant reorganisation, which gave the unit a very distinctive structure.
The Armored Infantry Battalion, circa 1942 to 1943
Headquarters Company (9 Officers, 157 men), comprised of;
Battalion Headquarters (3 Officers, 12 men)
Company Headquarters (1 Officer, 10 men)
Maintenance Section (1 Officer, 6 men)
Administrative, Mess & Supply Section (18 men)
Reconnaissance Platoon (1 Officer, 21 men)
Assault Gun Platoon (1 Officer, 32 men)
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 27 men)
Machine Gun Platoon (1 Officer, 31 men)
Three Armored Rifle Companies (5 Officers, 173 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (1 Officer, 11 men)
Maintenance Section (1 Officer, 5 men)
Administrative, Mess & Supply Section (13 men)
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 11 men)
Mortar Squad (7 men)
Machine Gun Squad (8 men)
Two Rifle Squads, each comprised of 11 men
Total Strength of 700 all ranks (24 Officers, 676 men)
Points of note
Originally, the Armored Infantry Battalion was part of a Regimental organisation, which included Headquarters and Service Companies. The Battalion was completely mechanised, carrying its personnel in a mixture of wheeled vehicles and lightly armoured halftracks. It also enjoyed a high concentration of automatic firepower, with both the M2 and M3 halftracks carrying a collection of machine guns.
The elements of the Battalion
Battalion Headquarters – as for the Infantry Battalion, but included the Communications troops.
Reconnaissance Platoon - the Platoon had a HQ with an M2 halftrack and two motorcycles commanding four Jeeps with twelve scouts and four drivers.
Assault Gun Platoon - the Platoon served three 75-mm guns, which initially were mounted on M2 halftracks until purpose built equipment became available. Platoon HQ added a further M2 and three M3 vehicles carried the ammunition.
Mortar Platoon - the Mortar Platoon served three 81-mm weapons, each in mounted in an M4 halftrack with an M2 halftrack at HQ.
Machine Gun Platoon - carried four M1917 heavy machine guns, two per M2 halftrack, with a third M2 at Platoon HQ.
The Armored Rifle Company – the Armored Rifle Company consisted of a large HQ element commanding three Rifle Platoons.
Each Rifle Platoon consisted of a HQ Squad, a Mortar Squad, a Light Machine Gun Squad and two Rifle Squads. The HQ Squad consisted of a Lieutenant, a Platoon Sergeant, a Squad Sergeant, a driver for the M3 halftrack, and eight riflemen. The driver carried a submachine gun, the Lieutenant, Platoon Sergeant and two riflemen, each carried carbines, the rest of the Squad rifles. Two riflemen carried carbines because the HQ halftrack also towed its own 37-mm antitank gun, for which they acted as gunner and loader. The only other issue of an antitank gun down to Rifle Platoon level I am aware of is in the German Panzer Grenadiers, where the 3.7-cm was actually mounted on the halftrack.
Each Rifle Squad was carried in an M3 halftrack, and consisted of a Sergeant, Corporal, driver and eight riflemen. All carried rifles, except the driver who had a submachine gun. The Mortar Squad had a single 60-mm mortar, while the Light Machine Squad had two M1919 Brownings for use in the ground role.
Company HQ added a further 37-mm antitank gun towed by the Commander's halftrack. There was a further antitank weapon intended for issue to the Armored Infantry Battalion. The M6 mounted the 37-mm gun on the rear of the ¾-ton truck, and one was to be issued to the AM&S Section of each Rifle Company and HQ Company. Substitute equipment was to be a towed 37-mm and Jeep.
Summary
It was in this format that the US Armored Infantry first saw active service against the Wehrmacht in the North African campaign. While it proved sound it would undergo a number of important modifications in late 1943 to prepare it for combat in Europe.
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