Maschinengewehrschütze (369. (Kroatische) Infanterie-Division)

Source: Author's Collection

    A machine-gunner belonging to the 369. (Kroatische) Infanterie-Division (369th. (Croatian) Infantry Division). This is identified by the pin he is wearing on his feldbluse’s pocket. The pin, called the Croatian Legion 1941 Linden Leaf, was awarded to those who served in the original unit, the Verstärktes Kroatisches Infanterie-Regiment 369 (369th. Reinforced Croatian Infantry Regiment), and had survived the Battle of Stalingrad. This battle effectively marked the end of the original regiment with only a little over 1,000 soldiers having been evacuated out. These men formed the core of the new 369. (Kroatische) Infanterie-Division. 

    The unit was used almost exclusively for anti-partisan warfare in the territory of the Unabhängiger Staat Kroatien (Independent State of Croatia; NDH)). The unit was nicknamed the “Teufels Division” (Devil’s Division) and took it from a Croatian WW1 unit, the 42. Domobranska Pješačka Divizija (42. Home Guard Infantry Division) which was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Army. During 1943 to 1945, the unit was involved in numerous operations against the various partisan forces within the NDH, chiefly Chetnik partisan units. However, the combat record of the 369. (Kroatische) Infanterie-Division was mediocre at best, desertion was a constant problem and the unit was more known for its brutality rather than its prowess in battle. By April 1945, the 369. (Kroatische) Infanterie-Division was a shell of itself and when the unit was captured in Slovenia, the Germans remaining were allowed to retreat into Austria but the Croatians became prisoners of the partisans which was a near certain death sentence. 

    This enlisted man, evident by his lack of tresse (braid) along his collar edges and schulterklappen (shoulder boards), is armed with the 7.92mm Maschinengewehr 34 select fire machinegun and tucked into his belt is a Model 1924 Stielhandgranate (M24 stick grenade). There is a lanyard looped around his shoulder and tucked into the feldbluse pocket but what is on the end of it isn’t identifiable.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The MP-120 120mm Mortar

Source: USA Today

     Crew of a MP-120 120mm mortar in action somewhere in Ukraine, August 2025. The MP-120 is designed and built by Ukrainian Armor, LLC, a company headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine. The MP-120, being constructed within Ukraine, allows supply of a heavy mortar to the Ukrainian Army without dependence on external military aid to replace combat losses or bolster units with additional mortars. Another benefit of the MP-120 is the replacement of older Soviet-era 120mm mortars which remain in use such as the 2B11, the 2S12 “Sani” (“Sleigh”), and any remaining 120-PM-38 that have lingered on in service. The MP-120 is also replacing another Ukrainian produced mortar, the M120-15 “Molot” (“Hammer”). The latter, produced by Ukroboronprom Mayak Plant PJSC, entered service in 2016 but has proven unreliable with tube failures having killed and injured over five dozen soldiers by 2021. The MP-120 was accepted for service on January 25, 2022, a little under a month before the Russian invasion.

     The MP-120 has a combat weight of 36 pounds and it takes a trained crew between 2 to 3 minutes to ready the mortar for action. In the background of the photograph, the two-wheeled transport carriage can be seen. This is used to tow the mortar behind a vehicle as well as permit the crew to push the mortar along the ground to the firing position. Once the baseplate is firmly emplaced in the ground, the mortar's barrel bottom is connected to the plate via a ball-and-socket style joint. This permits a full 360 degrees of traverse without having to reposition the entire mortar. The bipod permits elevation and a limited amount of left or right traverse for more fine barrel positioning. The MP-120's barrel utilizes steel construction which prioritizes robustness. This was well illustrated during the MP-120's trials prior to acceptance in which 5,500 rounds were fired through one example. This amount usually resulted in the need for a complete barrel replacement with existing service mortars but the MP-120 showed only .2mm of barrel wear. As a consequence, the MP-120 can effectively fire over 10,000 rounds before the barrel needs replacement.

     Sighting is done using a MUM-706 UMS (Unified Mortar Sight) which has a 2.5x magnification, a 9 degree field of view, 2 inch parallax, 360 degree range of horizontal sighting, between 35 to 90 degree angle of elevation, and plus or minus 30 degrees of angle of inclination in the vertical plane. A benefit of using a UMS is that the sight can be used on other calibers of mortars which include 60mm, 81mm, and 82mm mortars.

     The MP-120 is able to use any 120mm mortar bomb which is designed to be fired through the 2B11 and 2S12. It is also compatible with bombs made for the venerable 120-PM-38 mortar and for the 120-PM-43. Range can vary depending on the bomb. One of the more potent munitions is the 3OF53 HE-FRAG (High-Explosive Fragmentation) bomb. Weighing 35 pounds of which 7.6 pounds is explosive, the 3OF53 can be fired out to a maximum range of 3.5 miles. When it bursts, it creates a lethal fragmentation radius against infantry of 2,690 yards. The MP-120 can fire bombs capable of using surcharges which are supplementary propellant bags (that are horseshoe shaped) which can be added to the bomb's tail. These can extend the range with the MP-120 able to fire such bombs to a maximum range of 4.4 miles. A trained crew can fire up to 15 rounds per minute. The MP-120 also has a safety feature to prevent double loading. This consists of a mechanical interlock that prevents another bomb from being put loaded until the bomb already in the barrel is fired. Also, the MP-120 has a BAD (Blast Attenuation Device) on the muzzle which reduces the blast effects that occur during firing.

The Kagnew Battalion: Ethiopia's Korean Conflict Warriors

An Ethiopian officer (armed with the M1 Carbine) and an enlisted man (armed with the M1 Garand). For the most part, they are fully equipped with U.S. weapons, uniforms, and equipment. The exception is the Ethiopian insignia pinned to the collars (visible on the officer). Photograph via the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

      In August 1950, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie heeded the United Nations call for an international force to combat the North Koreans and halt their advance into South Korea. In discussions with the U.S., it was decided to field a single infantry battalion of Ethiopian troops. Despite the country lacking resources, Selassie put out the call for volunteers from Ethiopia’s 1st Division Imperial Bodyguard and due to the overwhelming response, the troops to fill out the battalion were handpicked by Brig.Gen. Mulugetta Bulli. A good portion of the unit was made up of experienced soldiers, officers, and many WW2 veterans. The new unit was given the name Kagnew Battalion after the steed of General Mäkonnen Wäldä-Mika’él Gudessa, Selassie’s father. Although there was one battalion, in actuality, there were three. However, only one battalion was ever in-country at a time. Intensive training was given to acclimate the troops to the conditions, terrain, and environment they’d find in Korea. Under the initial command of Lieutenant Colonel Teshome Irgetu, the Kagnew Battalion boarded the USNS General J.H. McRae on April 12, 1951 and departed for Korea, arriving on May 6, 1951. The troops wore British Pattern 37 uniforms but as time went on, it was replaced with U.S. uniform items with the Pattern 37 uniforms only being worn for ceremonial duties. Due to the older, outdated weapons the Ethiopian military had (and also because of logistical concerns), the U.S. also outfitted the battalion with U.S. small arms, infantry weapons, and equipment and so, after a short period of training on the new weaponry, the Kagnew Battalion was incorporated into the U.S. 7th. Infantry Division as a replacement for one of its battalions. In fact, Kagnew Battalion soldiers would often put the combat service identification badge on their M1 helmets (others the Ethiopian roundel). 

     In rotation, the Ethiopian soldiers of each battalion would see combat from 1951 to 1954, engaging in some 238 total actions with a total of 121 KIA and 536 WIA. That there were no POWs or MIAs was because no Kagnew Battalion soldier allowed themselves to be captured and they never left any man behind. In all, one Silver Star and eighteen Bronze Stars were awarded to Kagnew Battalion soldiers while Lt.Col. Irgetu and 2nd. Lieutenant Haptewold Mamo were awarded the Ethiopian gallantry decoration the Order of Menelik II. Other decorations for the unit included the Korean Order of Military Merit, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Korean Service Medal. Finally, soldiers earned the Ethiopian Kagnew Combat Pin (very much styled after the U.S. Combat Infantry Badge). The unit was disbanded in 1965.