A Question About WWII U.S. Armored Infantry Battalions

[dalem]

Hey guys. I have a question.

I am a bit of a WWII grog, and my focus has generally been U.S. forces. I am interested in learning more about tactics and SOPs of armored infantry battalions. I know the paper TO&Es and I have some of the FMs, but none of the general or specialty books I have acquired over the years really give me a feel of how they fought; when they dismounted, what they dismounted with, how close they stuck to their HTs, etc.

The only thing in that direction that I "know" (i.e. read it more than one book :) ) is that, in NWE, the arm inf coys tended to dump their 57mm ATGs by the side of the road and turn the gunners into riflemen.

So anyway, does anyone have any recommendations for books or papers I could get to further my knowledge? Any good anecdotes? Knowledge? Experience?

Thanks!

-dale

[zraver]

IIRC after the battles of Aachen and Metz it became standard practice for US infantry to use bazzoka rockets to blast holes in walls so they would only have to cross side streets at the end of each city block.

[dalem]

IIRC after the battles of Aachen and Metz it became standard practice for US infantry to use bazzoka rockets to blast holes in walls so they would only have to cross side streets at the end of each city block.

Yep - bazookas and satchel charges were used for the "mouseholing" you describe. And U.S. HTs each had a zook as standard loadout.

-dale

[zraver]

Also I read that American GI's figure out how to turn the tables on the M1 Garands distintive empty ping by duplicating it when their rifle was still loaded thus luring Germans into the open.

IIRC correclty American snipers also almsot never went high and stayed near ground level.

[dalem]

Also I read that American GI's figure out how to turn the tables on the M1 Garands distintive empty ping by duplicating it when their rifle was still loaded thus luring Germans into the open.

IIRC correclty American snipers also almsot never went high and stayed near ground level.

Possibly true but I'm trying to find out more about armored infantry specifically and how they operated. Did they dismount all of their HT's .30cals when engaging? That would give each platoon 5 .30cals counting the MG track from the HW platoon. Or did they leave them on the HTs and only have their M1s? Did the HTs ever drive up and provide support from the pintle mount? Sometimes? All the time? Never? Were the M3A1s and their .50cals in the fight too? Ever? Never? Etc.

I simply don't know.

-dale