The United States Marine Battalion, mid 1944 to mid 1945
A feature of the Pacific campaign was that each Imperial Japanese Army island stronghold seemed to be more resistant than the last encountered. In early 1944 the Marine Regiment underwent its third reorganisation of the war, with a greater emphasis on automatic firepower than previous models.
The 'F' Series Marine Battalion, circa 1944 to mid 1945
Headquarters Company (16 Officers, 197 men)
Battalion Headquarters (9 Officers, 28 men)
US Navy Medical Detachment (2 Officers, 40 men)
Intelligence Section (12 men)
Supply Section (1 Officer, 6 men)
Communications Platoon (1 Officer, 39 men)
Mortar Platoon (2 Officers, 56 men)
Company Headquarters (1 Officer, 16 men)
Three Rifle Companies (7 Officers, 228 later 240 men) each comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 31 men)
Mortar Section (1 Officer, 19 men)
Light Machine Gun Platoon comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Three Machine Gun Sections, each comprised of 13, later 17 men
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 6)
Three Rifle Squads, each comprised of 13 men
Total Strength of 918, later 954 all ranks (37 Officers and 881, later 917 men)
Points of note
The obvious change is the dissolution of the Weapons Company. The 81-mm Mortar Platoon was absorbed into HQ Company, while the Machine Gun Platoons were merged into the Rifle Companies. The firepower of the Battalion now approached tremendous proportions.
The elements of the Battalion
Mortar Platoon - the only amendment to the Mortar Platoon, aside from it being administered by HQ Company, was the inclusion of four 60-mm mortars as an alternative weapon if conditions meant the usual 81-mm tubes and ammunition could not be deployed.
The Rifle Company - the amendments to the Rifle Company were significant and centred on the Rifle Platoon.
The twelve man Squad seemed to provide only an interim solution to the search for the best tactical unit. Following extensive trials, a revised Squad appeared in 1944 based upon a new concept, namely the Fire Team. The Fire Team consisted of a Corporal, an automatic rifleman with BAR and two riflemen, one acting as an assistant to the BAR man. The original tables armed the assistant with a Carbine, but this was quickly changed to an M1 Rifle as carried by the Corporal and rifleman, both of who had grenade launchers for their M1. Three Fire Teams were led by a Squad Sergeant with a Carbine. The firepower of the squad was now extremely heavy, but it did not stop there. Each Squad was given access to a man pack flamethrower and a demolition kit while each Platoon could call upon a Bazooka from Company HQ.
Platoon HQ was also amended. It still fielded a Lieutenant and Platoon Sergeant, both with carbines, and a Sergeant guide and three messengers, but now included a demolitions Corporal, all with rifles. This latter NCO oversaw the use of demolition packs by the riflemen.
The three Machine Gun Platoons of the defunct Weapons Company had allowed the routine assignment of one per Rifle Company. The 'F' Series organisation formalised this arrangement by integrating a Machine Gun Platoon directly into each Rifle company. The Machine Gun Platoon now served six M1919A4 Browning light machine guns in three Sections. The heavy M1917 Browning machine guns were not abandoned though, each Platoon holding six in reserve, which could replace or supplement the lighter weapons as required. It was a staggering collection of automatic firepower. It was also a staggering amount to carry and the six man Machine Gun Squad was quickly increased to eight by July 1944.
Instead of a Weapons Platoon there was now just a Mortar Section, with three 60-mm tubes, commanded by a Lieutenant and Sergeant. Company HQ remained as before apart from a slight increase in strength, including a demolitions Sergeant.
The 'G' Series Battalion
Just before the abrupt end of the Pacific war, the USMC was preparing for the final phase, the anticipated assault on the Japanese Home Islands. For the Marine Infantry Regiment this meant yet another reorganisation, the final 'G' Series, not officially adopted until May 1945. Despite this date there are numerous references to the adoption of the 'G' Series organisation in time for the landings on Okinawa in April 1945.
The 'G' Series Marine Battalion, mid 1945
Headquarters Company (17 Officers, 253 men)
Battalion Headquarters (9 Officers, 17 men)
US Navy Medical Detachment (2 Officers, 40 men)
Intelligence Section (12 men)
Supply Section (1 Officer, 6 men)
Communications Platoon (1 Officer, 43 men)
Mortar Platoon (2 Officers, 56 men)
Assault Platoon (1 Officer, 54 men)
Company Headquarters (1 Officer, 25 men)
Three Rifle Companies (7 Officers, 235 men) each comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 29 men)
Mortar Section (1 Officer, 19 men)
Light Machine Gun Platoon comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Three Machine Gun Sections, each comprised of 17 men
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 5)
Three Rifle Squads, each comprised of 13 men
Total Strength of 996 all ranks (38 Officers and 958 men)
Points of note
The strength of the Battalion is now at its peak, just short of one thousand all ranks. Headquarters Company underwent minor administrative changes, but gained a new subunit, the Assault Platoon. The Mortar Platoon was unchanged.
The elements of the Battalion
Assault Platoon - this is one of those intriguing units on which there is little information available. The 'F' Series tables provided a host of unallocated flamethrowers, bazookas and demolition packs to the Rifle Platoons. Unallocated is another way of saying you carry the Bazooka and your rifle and have to operate both. The situation was of sufficient concern to encourage some Battalions to form Assault Platoons during late 1944, which for the first time provided dedicated crews for these weapons.
The 'G' Series Battalion included a 55 man Assault Platoon, however the organisation of those that saw action earlier was perhaps somewhat different. The Platoon consisted of a Headquarters and three Sections, each of two Squads. The Assault Squad had two Bazooka operators, two flamethrower operators and two demolition personnel. Each Squad was lead by a Corporal and each Section by a Sergeant. Platoon HQ was made up of a Lieutenant, Staff Sergeant and eight small arms mechanics.
A notable omission from the 'G' Series Tables of Organization is any reference to support weapons, only pistols, carbines and rifles being mentioned. The overall totals are recorded but not their exact distribution -
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/V/USMC-V-K.html
It requires a bit of reverse engineering to work out the allocation of Bazookas and flamethrowers, but given the authorised Regimental totals it would seem each Battalion had only its previous nine Bazookas (each Antitank Platoon in the Regimental Weapons Company had four) and just twelve flamethrowers under the 'G' scales. The amount of weapons available to units in the field operating slightly ahead of the authorised 'G' Series tables may well have been closer to that of the 'F' Series Battalion.
Rifle Company - within the Rifle Platoons, Platoon Headquarters was reduced to six men with the removal of the demolition Corporal. The demolition Sergeant was also removed from Company Headquarters, and no doubt these dozen NCOs provided the basis for the leaders of the Assault Platoon.
There is often mention of an increase of two light machine guns per Rifle Company under the 'G' Series organisation, however I have my doubts on that point. The Regiment as a whole was authorised only 66 of these weapons, six short of the 72 required. There was also no increase in the strength of the Machine Gun Platoon, and two separate documents I have refer to six M1919A4s within the Company even on the 'G' Series scales. My suggestion is that two additional light machine guns were given to Battalion HQ Company, not each Rifle Company, which at least allows the maths to work given that the Regimental Weapons Company normally had six unallocated M1919A4s available.
Summary
The continuing evolution of the Marine Battalion was a quest for superior firepower. Every amendment was made based on experience gained and tailored to overcoming the 'human wave' attacks which the Japanese Army were reduced to. It is a tribute that, while the Infantrymen in the Pacific and Europe were poorly supported by machine guns, the Marines added to their arsenal without hesitation. Flamethrowers and explosives were also placed in the hands of the frontline troops in unprecedented numbers. Such levels of support were vital to put the Corps within striking distance of Japan itself after crossing the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean.
Return to...
The United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Infantry Battalion