flamethrower allocation to US units

The Allies 1939-1945, and those fighting against Germany.

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MadDog
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flamethrower allocation to US units

Post by MadDog »

Looking through Stanton's book on the US army, I cant find any entries for flamethrowers for US engineer units. Were US combat engineer (div. and independent) units allocated any flamethrowers by mid-late 1944 ?

thanks,

Mad Dog
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Simon H
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Re: flamethrower allocation to US units

Post by Simon H »

From Mid June 1944 each Infantry Battlalion and each Cavalry Squadron (dismounted) had to be able to form an assault party containing the following:

1 Assault Party leader, armed with carbine or Garand and hand grenades.
1 assistant leader, armed with M1 and grenades.
2 flame thrower operators, armed with flamethrowers, 2 pistols.
2 assistant flame thrower operators, armed with 2 M1 rifles, White Phosphorus and hand grenades.
4 rocket launcher men, armed with 2 Bazookas, 2 pistols.
2 demolition men, armed with 2 M1 rifles, demolition charges, wire cutters and White Phosporus and hand grenades.
1 BAR operator, armed with Browning Automatic rifle.
1 assistant BAR operator, armed with 1 M1 rifle.
4 riflemen, armed with M1 rifles, grenade dischargers, and rifle grenades, White Phosphorus and hand grenades.

Info dates fro, US Army manual dated June 22 1944.

Hope this helps!
Kind Regards,
Simon.
Simon Harrold

WW2 Battlefield Relics: German Erkennungsmarken decoded.
MadDog
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Re: flamethrower allocation to US units

Post by MadDog »

So flamethrowers were special issue only ?

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Rich
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Re: flamethrower allocation to US units

Post by Rich »

MadDog wrote:So flamethrowers were special issue only ?

Mad Dog
Flamethrowers in the US Army were considered a chemical weapon, not an item of engineer equipment, so were held by the Chemical Service. They would be issued from Chemical Depot Companies as needed.

Cheers!

Rich
MadDog
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Re: flamethrower allocation to US units

Post by MadDog »

Thats an interesting factoid I never suspected. So were flamethrower tanks also subject to the chemical service ?

thanks,

Mad Dog
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