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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:53:45 GMT 8
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Post by victor on Jul 19, 2016 21:54:59 GMT 8
oralhistory.rutgers.edu/military-history/30-interviewees/interview-html-text/668-calderone-thomas-g
---excerpt--- SR: How long were you in the defense line before you started getting attacked?
TC: Oh, man, we was there about ten days, and then we went to (Abu cay Hacienda?), we had an engagement with them, and the only thing that saved us was the M-1 rifle. We had good firepower.
EC: Can you describe your first combat experience?
TC: Frightening, man, frightening.
EC: Did you see them? Did you actually get to see the enemy?
TC: No, I heard them when they made their Banzai charge. They scream like banshees, that will scare the hell out of you, but, you stiffen up because, "I got to do it." You know, nobody leaves the line, you got to do it, you stay there and fire away as you can, and the firepower is what prevented them to come in. You know, you take five guys with an M1 rifle, they got good fire. They could hold down a Japanese
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Post by chadhill on Jul 19, 2016 23:15:05 GMT 8
Great research in these posts, victor! I have often wondered how extensively the Garand was employed in the Bataan campaign, and you have enlightened me very much.
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Post by fortman on Jul 19, 2016 23:38:28 GMT 8
Hi Okla,
Looks like your question has been answered....
fortman
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Post by victor on Jul 20, 2016 3:23:44 GMT 8
Thanks. I've been researching this for a while... I made note of all these references I'd encounter over the years.
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Post by Karl Welteke on Jul 20, 2016 14:45:08 GMT 8
Vic. You are amazing! You are a walking dictionary! I cannot see how you find the time to find all this material, remember it as to where it is, and then find the time to present it!!! You got family, are so active with the Philippine Scout organizations and activities, got your own web pages and you travel to the Philippines every so often; I am awed!!! They ought to give you a medal!!! Thank you very much!!!! See you soon.
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Post by cbuehler on Jul 20, 2016 23:02:27 GMT 8
Fantastic research! It would appear that the Scouts (at least the infantry) did indeed receive the M1 rifles, albeit used in conjunction with M1903 rifles. This would clear up the confusion regarding the use of this rifle in Bataan, which appears to have been extensive. Are there any reports of the M1 in use on Corregidor at this time? I dont recall any mention of it, but would have to assume that some must have been on the island at the time. By the way, the Japanese developed their own version of the M1, and it was primarily a copy of these early gas trap models, undoubtedly captured from Bataan. It seems to have never gotten past the experimental stage however, with very few produced.
CB
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Post by victor on Jul 21, 2016 10:45:50 GMT 8
Thanks Karl, this was an incremental effort. Since I already posted the bits and pieces of research in the pinoyhistory forum, I just copied and pasted them here. Cbuehler, I haven't come across any references of the garand being issued to the coast artillerymen. I've only confirmed the following units to have been issued garands: 31st Infantry US, 57th Infantry PS, 45th Infantry PS, 26th Cavalry PS, and 14th Engineers PS. I don't even think the field artillery units had garands. I remember Col. Rosen (then Lt.) of the 86th Field Artillery PS mentioning that they had 1903's. Then again they were field artillery.
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Post by rickthelibrarian on Nov 6, 2016 22:39:01 GMT 8
Whoa ...guess I missed out on this discussion! I contacted Glen Willeford, author of "Racing the Sunrise", about the reinforcement of the Philippines and other Pacific outposts. There were about 7300 M1s sent to the Philippines - he has two documents which show the inventory, one off which in December, 1941.
In the case of the 43rd Infantry, if they were PNA, they were probably M1917s. Of course, as was mentioned, there was considerable "trading" going on between individuals.
Regarding "jamming" of M1s - there was some problem with this during heavy rainfall on earlier M1s that wasn't solved until later.
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Post by rickthelibrarian on Nov 21, 2016 20:51:15 GMT 8
For those of you who are members of the National Rifle Association or at least have access to the magazine, the November, 2016 issue has an article on the use of the M1 in the Philippines. While I take issue with a couple of points and a couple of the captions had mistakes, it is interesting to read.
Glen Willeford told me that he had records showing about 7300 M1s were present in the Philippines by December, 1941. As Victor said, all "Regular" units of the Philippine Division who carried an infantry rifle, got M1s.
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