[TankerHC]

I was just looking at my Grandfathers military records (WWII Vet) and under Qualifications it says MKM '03 Rifle. My question is whats a MKM '03 Rifle?

 

[TankerHC]

Now I am thinking. MKM=Marksman. So what 03 rifle was he using?

 

[bubbat]

Probably the Springfield 1903A3 that started production in 1942, there were alot of '03 used in WWII. The Army adopted the Garand in 1936 but still used hundreds of thousands of 03s in WWII, and the Marines didn't adopted the Garand till 1941, when they fought on Guadalcanal most still had Springfields. They didn't start changing over from Springfields to Garands till early 1943.

 

[TankerHC]

Looking further I see he was also qualified Marksman on the M 1917 Rifle and the M1 Rifle.

 

[HoferUtzer]

M1917 rifle is very interesting because I`ve heard they used this rifle for training and then the Garand. It seems this information must be expanded. I own a demilled M1917 in my collection and a few pictures from US soldiers on training armed with this rifle in the mid 30th. But all stories I know didn`t talk about the Springfield 1903, M1917 and M1 Garand used together. Most start with the Springfield or M1917, quick changed to the Garand.

 

[TankerHC]

M 1903, M1917 and M1 Garand Record

Here is his record showing he qualified with all three weapons. About 1/4 way down on the right you see next to Combat Infantry Badge he qualed Marksman with the '03 Rifle, then near the bottom you can see where he qualed with the M1917 and the M1 Garand.

 

[HoferUtzer]

Thank you very much for the interesting document. As I can see your grandfather was in the 66th Division. This division fight at St.Nazaire and Lorient, the towns of the great submarine-bunkers in France. The division came to Germany for occupation duty in the Koblenz area. As I said before it`s very interesting for myself to see the P1917 rifle was used in training in 1943, the pictures I have seen from soldiers with P1917 during training are much earlier than 1943.

 

[TankerHC]

Yes, he only fought with the 66th for three months, from Feb. 45 to the end of the war and was released from service in December. From June 44 to January 45 he was with a different unit and fought through the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes and Rhineland Campaigns where he was wounded and sent back to france. (His Purple Heart isnt on there, I recently had to send a records correction to MPRC) and his Bronze Star came on a different set of papers. ANyway after he was wounded he was sent to a field hospital in France and after recuperating was reassigned to the 66th. My guess on the rifles would be that since he qualified with all three he probably ended up landing in france with the Garand since every documentary, movie and picture I have seen of troops landing in France in 44, they are all carrying the Garand. Havent seen any of the other rifles. As for their Occupation duty, that lasted only a few weeks. They were then sent to Southern France and set up as an admin division and prepared returning units for the invasion of Japan doing physicals, training, and recreation. They had set up swimming beaches, movie theaters, hospitals, training areas, ranges, and everything else that it took to prepare 500,000 men for more combat.

 

[HoferUtzer]

History is a matter of learning. With each part in my collection the number of questions about rise and rise. First I knew the P1917 was used in great numbers in World War I, some talk about more P1917 in Dougboys hand than the Springfield, then I found pictures with this rifle between the wars, and the last unanswered question came to me when I read an article about the french rifle grenade they use with the P1917, they found a lot of them in the Pacific. Unknown it was used by Marines or the Philipine forces there.

I know only one division who fight in Europe and the Pacific, this is the 97. Division which fight at the German-Tschech Republic Border in late April 1945 up to May 8.. Found this information while on search for more information about the units in my area of Bavaria during April/May 1945.

 

[TankerHC]

The troops who fought in Europe didnt fight in the Pacific. However they were being prepared and moved out for the invasion of Japan. Most of the troops who were in Europe at the close of the war in Europe were slated to be part of the Invasion force in Japan. Most were going to be filler, however the 1st Army (15 Divisions) and the Eighth Air Force were coming from Europe as a whole.

 

[HoferUtzer]

You`re right, they came too late for fighting. The division left for Le Havre, 16 June 1945, for redeployment to the Pacific, arriving at Cebu, Philippine Islands, 16 September, and then sailed to Japan for occupation duty, arriving at Yokohama on 23 September 1945.

Uwe

 

[TankerHC]

Which division?

 

[HoferUtzer]

97. Division who fight only 80 kilometres from my home in 1945, the history I wrote is for the 97. Division who was send to Japan after the surrender of Germany.