Stoner 63 Light Machine-Gun: LMG of the SEALs

     U.S. Navy SEAL (Sea Air and Land) Philip “Moki” Martin checks out a Stoner 63 Light Machine-Gun (LMG) while deployed in-country during the Vietnam War. While more commonly called the Stoner 63, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) officially designated the weapon as the XM207. Designed by Eugene Stoner, the Stoner 63 started development in 1963 as a modular weapon that could serve as a rifle, carbine, light machine-gun (LMG), squad automatic weapon (SAW), as well as a vehicle mounted weapon. An evolution of the earlier 7.62X51mm chambered Stoner 62, the Stoner 63 used the 5.56X45mm NATO ammunition. Testing was undertaken by both the U.S. Army and the USMC with the former finding numerous flaws which needed correction while the USMC appreciated the light weight and high ammunition capacity. Stoner modified the weapon based on the Army's recommendations as the USMC retained an interest in the design even though the Army declined to accept it. Despite the rejection, Stoner took the improved design, the Stoner 63A, to the Army in 1970 and after successful testing, the Army put in a small order for the XM207 and issued them to a small number of Special Forces units. However, by 1971, the higher maintenance needs for the XM207 saw no further orders. The USMC first mass deployed the Stoner 63 in the rifle and carbine variant (designated the XM22 and XM23) with Lima Company, 3rd. Battalion, 1st. Marine Regiment, 1st. Marine Division in addition to the company using some of the weapons in the LMG and SAW versions. But the USMC wasn't the first to use the weapon in the Vietnam War as that went to the SEALs. The SEALs were also the last users of the Stoner 63, adopting the “Commando” variant as the Mark 23 Mod 0 machine-gun, and finally retiring the Stoner 63 in the late 1980s when the USMC accepted the M249 SAW into service. The LMG model weighed 11.7 pounds, was 40.3 inches long, had a gas-operated, rotating bolt action, and used simple iron sights. The weapon could accommodate a disintegrating M27 ammunition belt or a 75, 100, or 150 round drum magazine of which the larger drum is shown in the photograph. Maximum rate of fire was 1,000 rounds per minute out to an effective maximum range of 1,000 meters.

     As for Martin, he was born in September 1942 in Paia, Hawaii and in 1960, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After graduating from basic training in San Diego, he was posted to the USS Orleck (DD-886) which was a Gearing-class destroyer where he served as a steam engine operator. Within two years, he earned his promotion to Petty Officer, 2nd. Class. Martin had wished to go to the Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) training but enrollment was limited and he wasn't able to get in. It should be noted that UDT teams existed as far back as World War Two and they were the forerunner to what would become the SEALs when the latter was formalized in 1962. Returning to Martin, the advent of the Vietnam War saw the expansion of UDT training opportunities and late in 1964, Martin was selected to attend as part of Class 35. The training commenced in September 1965 and of the 130 men who started the training, only 36 passed and Martin was one of them. Martin was deployed to Vietnam where he was able to see the new SEAL teams in action. Intrigued, Martin was able to enroll in the intense, 8 week SEAL training program and successfully graduated. He was then deployed to the Mekong Delta where he was involved in reconnaissance operations, raid missions, and prisoner interrogations. In 1972, he was promoted to Warrant Officer but as the SEALs did not have positions for him at that rank, he returned to the U.S. Navy Fleet but by 1975, he was a Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) instructor. In all, he served seven tours in Vietnam, four of them as a SEAL. Among other decorations, he received two Bronze Stars and three Navy Commendation Medals. After the Vietnam War, he returned to San Diego, still with the Navy but in 1982, Martin was involved in an accident that resulted in him becoming a quadriplegic. As a result of the injury, Martin was removed from active duty but as of 1983, he remains on Active Retired status and has the rank of Lieutenant. Today, he lectures at the Naval Special Warfare Center, is an lecturer to students on disability, and he is an accomplished artist.

Major: Bundesgrenzschutz

     Established on March 16, 1951, the West German Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS; Federal Border Guard) was tasked with protecting the newly created West German borders. When first formed, it was a paramilitary force of 10,000 men responsible for protecting the borders within a 19 mile deep zone from said borders. The BGS was, more or less, light infantry and was organized as battalions made up of companies and platoons within the companies. A notable aspect of the BGS from its inception through to 1976 was the usage of World War Two surplus German equipment and field gear, uniforms patterned on their World War Two progenitors, production of field gear derived from their World War Two equivalents, and the continued (to this day) use of the stahlhelm. One reason for this was due to the BGS falling under the Bundesministerium des Innern (Federal Ministry of the Interior) rather than the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (Federal Ministry of Defense). The German Bundeswehr (Federal Defense), which was founded on November 12, 1955, was under the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung and there was initial resistance (especially by France) of rearming West Germany. The looming Cold War changed this, resulting in the creation of the Bundeswehr, but there may have been an unstated desire to not have the new German army resemble its World War Two predecessor and because of this, the new German army looked much like U.S. soldiers in terms of uniform styling, field gear, weapons, helmets, and more. Only after a few years did some of the WW2-era uniform items and insignia creep back into the Bundeswehr. When the BGS was founded, it wasn't surprising that the majority of the non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and officers were veterans of World War 2, having served in the Wehrmacht. It should be noted that the wartime Wehrmacht included only the Heer (Army), Kriegsmarine (Navy), and the Luftwaffe (Air Force) and did not include the Allgemeine-SS (General SS) or the Waffen-SS. The influx of veterans is evidenced by the BGS officer in the photograph here.

     The officer holds the rank of Major and this is denoted by the collar Litzenspiegel (collar patches) and the schulterstücke (shoulder boards) on his tunic. The BGS used the same rank insignia as the Ordnungspolizei from World War 2, keeping the same green truppenfarbe (troop color) as the wartime Schutzpolizei (State Protection Police). The dienstrock (literally service shirt) bears a resemblance to the wartime Model 1936 officer's dienstanzug (service uniform) except for the usage of a more traditional lapel. The material coloration is a light green though the collar, in keeping with the tradition of the Model 1936, is a blue-green color. On the left sleeve is the BGS Bundesadler (Federal Eagle). The medal on his left pocket is the Deutsches Sportabzeichen (German Sports Badge). It is the 1957 regulation version of the wartime era DRL (Deutscher Reichsbund für Leibesübungen; German Reich Association for Physical Exercises) version of the badge but with the swastika on the bottom of the medal removed. Had it been earned post-WW2, the scripted letters would have been DSB (Deutscher Sportbund; German Sports Association). In 2007, the letters changed again, this time to DOSB (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund; German Olympic Sports Federation). Above the left pocket is a ribbon bar consisting of his World War Two decorations. The first two appear to be the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse and Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. and 2nd. Class). The third may be a Verwundetenabzeichen 2. Klasse (Wound Badge in Silver) but the fourth cannot be determined with any certainty though it is most likely the Ostmedaille (Eastern Medal) for having served on the Eastern Front during the war. The collared shirt was white with a blue-green tie.

     In regards to the helmet, the BGS was issued with wartime produced M35 stahlhelm that had been taken from warehoused stocks. In 1951, production commenced on a small batch of new helmets to replace unserviceable ones with the designation M35/50. These were identical to the wartime helmets in every way with only the serial numbers giving away the newly built helmets. Curiously, most of these new helmets ended up in the hands of local German police forces rather than the BGS for whom they were made for. The second, and final, BGS helmet was the M35/53 and these can be easily told apart from the other M35 styles by the lack of ventilation holes and different liner arrangements. Since this officer's helmet has the ventilation holes, it is either a wartime issue M35 or the M35/50.

     Barely visible beneath his left arm is a pistol holster attached to his leather belt (koppel) which itself was much the same as the wartime two-prong officer's belt. The pistol was likely either a wartime produced 9mm Walther P-38 or the post-war version, the P1. This was the most common pistol in the BGS until 1975 when it was replaced by the P4 which itself was a further development of the P-38.

Fallschirmjäger: 1. Luftlandedivision

     The post-World War Two German military, the Bundeswehr, was founded on November 12, 1955. Initially, nearly every trace of German wartime uniform aesthetics was banished and it was the United States which provided the major influence in uniform design. The U.S. also provided much of the armaments for the Bundeswehr such as rifles, tanks, support weapons, heavy weapons, and other equipment, such as steel helmets and field gear. Despite this, some aspects of German uniform items survived, typified by the usage of the Einheitsfeldmütze (field cap) and gamaschen (gaiters), the latter worn with U.S. style leather boots. By 1957, as German industry was more and more able to supply the Bundeswehr, uniform items and equipment that hearkened back to World War Two returned. This included Marschtiefel (marching boots), a revised service dress uniform, and the wide-spread usage of camouflage uniforms in a post-war variant of the wartime Splittermuster (Splinter Pattern).

     The photograph depicts a fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) belonging to one of the units that made up the 1. Luftlandedivision (1st. Airborne Division) which was established on January 1, 1956. He is sporting the Kampfanzug (battle suit) in the Bundeswehr-Splittermuster camouflage pattern but on a uniform unique to the fallschirmjäger forces. It is believed only about 1,000 uniforms were made. It differed from the standard Kampfanzug in having upper pockets with zipper closures (rather than snaps), pockets added to the sleeves, and two pockets on the rear of the blouse. The matching trousers also differed from the regular issue Kampfanzug by having zippers on the pockets. The Bundeswehr camouflage is distinct from the wartime Splittermuster in that during the printing, the screen was purposely allowed to slip which resulted in white borders on some of the edges of the splinter patterns and this can clearly be seen on his uniform. There were also two variants of this camouflage in which the strich (raindrops) differed. The most common had thin, light gray strich printed close together while the other, more rare variant, had sparse black strich. The fallschirmjäger here most likely has the more common strich coloration though it is difficult to make it out. His stalhelm (steel helmet) was a post-war copy of the helmet used by fallschirmjäger during World War Two. For a weapon, he has a G1, which was the German designation for the Belgian FN FAL (Fusil Automatique Léger; Light Automatic Rifle). Germany ordered several thousand for the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS; Federal Border Guard) as the Bundeswehr was already equipped with U.S. supplied weapons. However, in November 1956, Germany ordered 10,000 rifles for the Bundeswehr and these were put into service as the G1 and remained in use for a short period of time before being replaced in 1959 by the Spanish CETME Modelo 58. The reason for this is that the Belgian company FN, refused to grant Germany the production rights to the FAL.

     As a note, the Bundesgrenzschutz (BGS) was formed on March 16, 1951 and because it operated under the Bundesministerium des Innern (Federal Ministry of the Interior) rather than the Bundesministerium der Verteidigung (Federal Ministry of Defence), the BGS was a heavy user of uniforms and equipment which either were wartime surplus or patterned almost exactly like the World War Two types and styles. This included the stalhelm which was virtually unchanged from World War Two (the Bundeswehr wore U.S. style helmets) and their own use of Splittermuster. It is thought that the Splittermuster used by the BGS was made off the same printing equipment as the pattern is almost an exact replica to the wartime pattern. However, it is distinguished from the World War Two pattern by having a very pale grey background and that the reverse side of the camouflage is solid white.

French SOMUA S35 Cavalry Tank: Abandoned at the Beaches

     The Battle of Dunkirk that ran from May 26 to June 4, 1940 encompassed a series of engagements in which British and French forces battled the Germans with the goal to delay the Germans for as long as possible in order to allow as many troops to evacuate from the beaches of Dunkirk as possible. In fact, it was the French who battled to the end, permitting British forces to depart knowing they would be left behind. The hardest of the fighters was what remained of the 12e Division d'Infanterie Motorisée (DIM) whose lineage was traced back to the Napoleonic Wars of 1803-1815. Included in the combat was the 18e Régiment de Dragons (RD; Dragoon Armored Regiment) of the 1ère Division Légère Mécanique (DLM). The 1st. DLM was equipped with three main types of tanks, the Automitrailleuse de Reconnaissance Renault Modèle 35 (AMR 35) light cavalry tank, the Char Léger Modèle 1935 H (better known as the Hotchkiss H35) cavalry tank, and the SOMUA S35 cavalry tank. The S35 was more of a medium tank in comparison to the AMR 35 and H35 and thus the SOMUA (which stood for Société d'Outillage Mécanique et d'Usinage d'Artillerie) was assigned to the 18e RD, the photograph showing two of them abandoned in Dunkirk.

     The S35 stood up well to contemporary tanks of the day. It featured well sloped frontal armor with a maximum thickness of 47mm and had some 40mm thick armor around the sides and turret. It was armed with the potent 47mm SA 35 anti-tank gun that could penetrate 60mm of armor at 1,800ft. This was more than adequate to pierce the majority of German tanks in 1940, to include early makes of the Panzerkampfwagen IV. The S35 had a top off-road speed of 20mph which was good for a 19 ton tank (the lighter H35 at 11 tons could only muster 17mph off-road). A distinguishing feature of the S35 was the use of a methyl bromide automatic fire extinguishing system. The S35, though, was not devoid of problems. It was a difficult tank to maintain in the field due to a complex track and suspension system. The V-8 engine used was also mechanically unreliable and access to the engine was not conductive to ease of maintenance. Another issue was the fact that the cast upper hull was bolted down to the lower hull (chassis), leaving a clear seam between the two components. If an enemy round struck the seam, the result was that the S35 could literally be split in half due to the impact. Another flaw was the single-man turret in which the commander had to not only lead the tank but also act as loader and gunner for the SA 35 gun. Finally, the S35 carried a high price tag and the cast hull couldn't be produced rapidly and thus fewer S35 tanks were obtained. The S35 began to enter service in 1936. Despite the flaws, some consider the S35 to have been one of the best tanks in the world in the 1930s.

     Following the French defeat, the German army captured a little under 300 S35 tanks and would issue them to various units under the designation Panzerkampfwagen 35-S 739(f). Others were shipped off to German allies such as Bulgaria, Hungary, and Italy. Some of these tanks did see front line combat but most were used for anti-partisan duties where the risk of facing enemy armor was low. Some of the tanks had the upper hull removed and used as tank driver trainers at German armor schools. Still other tanks served in security forces.

     The gun seen in the foreground is a British Ordnance QF (Quick Firing) 25-pounder Mark I that entered service in 1940. Interestingly, this gun, in later makes, is still used today with the largest user being Pakistan with some 1,000 guns in service.

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf C: 1. Panzer-Division in France

     On October 14, 1935, the 1. Panzer-Division (1.Pz.Div.) came into being, the first of three debut tank divisions raised by the Germans in that year. The formation of the 1.Pz.Div. came from the Reichswehr era 3. Kavallerie-Division that had existed since June 1, 1920. The unit was first commanded by General der Kavallerie Maximilian von Weichs (who was the last commander of 3. Kavallerie-Division) until September 30, 1937 when Generalleutnant Rudolf Schmidt assumed command. Schmidt led the division through the Anschluß Österreichs (Annexation of Austria) and later the occupation of the Sudetenland in 1938 before, in 1939, commanding the unit in the taking of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland (operation “Fall Weiss”; “Case White”). However, when operation Fall Gelb (“Case Yellow”), the planned invasion of France and the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands), was fully underway, the 1.Pz.Div. had a new commander, Generalleutnant Friedrich Kirchner, who assumed his position beginning on November 2, 1939.

     When “Fall Gelb” commenced on May 10, 1940, 1.Pz.Div. was under XIX Korps which was commanded by General of Cavalry Heinz Guderian. XIX Korps itself was under Panzer Gruppe Kleist which in turn was underneath Heeresgruppe A (Army Group A) that was led by Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt. 1.Pz.Div. was mainly equipped with the Panzerkampfwagen I and II (PzKpfw I and II) which were light tanks with equally light armament and armor. However, by 1937, the unit began to receive the more powerful PzKpfw III medium tank as well as the PzKpfw IV medium tank. The former, with its 3.7cm and later 5cm gun, was designed to tackle enemy tanks while the latter, with a stubby 7.5cm gun, was tasked as a infantry support tank. These medium tanks, however, never completely replaced the PzKpfw II within the two tank regiments in the unit (Panzer-Abteilung I and Panzer-Abteilung II). 1.Pz.Div. took part in the Battle of Sedan (from May 12 to May 15, 1940), the Battle of Dunkirk (which raged from May 26, 1940 to June 4, 1940), before taking part in operation “Fall Rot” (“Case Red”) which was the second phase of the conquest of France. This phase would see the end of France, the country's leadership signing the armistice with Germany on June 22, 1940.

     Overall, the 1.Pz.Div. suffered only light casualties. All told, the unit lost 500 men killed in action from the start of “Fall Gelb” to the German victory at the close of operations of “Fall Rot.” This photograph, however, illustrates quite well the grim side of that victory. The tank is a PzKpfw IV Ausf C and its entire front has been completely demolished. The front glacis plate, which was 30mm thick, is completely missing and has exposed the ZF 6-speed SSG 76 gearbox and where the steering gear had been on the front of the gearbox. To the left and right of the gearbox are the round disc brakes which were connected to the drive sprockets for each track which, in this case, at least the left drive sprocket is completely gone. The driver would have been sitting to the left of the gearbox and on the right would have been the radio operator. Given the level of destruction, it is highly doubtful either man survived whatever hit the tank. The tank caught fire and this is evidenced by the scorching on the hull side and the lack of rubber on the road wheels. That the tank is an Ausf C model is evidenced by the armored sleeve for the co-axial MG 34 machine-gun (just visible to the right of the 7.5cm KwK37 L/24 gun) and the lack of a hull mounted machine-gun. The tank can be identified as belonging to the 1.Pz.Div. by the stylized oak symbol which can be seen in white on the turret front, underneath the gunner's vision flap (to the left of the gun). The tank had been stripped of useful parts as another, earlier, photograph of the same tank showed far more parts on the tank. Identifiable parts removed include the steering gear, the brake cover for the left brake assembly, return rollers, and the tracks. In fact, one of the tank's road wheels can be seen propping up the gearbox.

The Soviet 37mm ChK-M1 Anti-Tank Gun: Sidecar Armament Extreme

     Prior to World War One, the motorcycle was starting to be seen as a viable replacement for bicycles. The Germans were the first to introduce the motorcycle into military service in 1904 and by 1914, both the British and the United States also had motorcycles as part of their military forces. Not surprisingly, the usage of motorcycles continued through the post-WW1 years and when World War Two began, all of the major warring powers utilized motorcycles of various makes. Motorcycles were used by couriers, messengers, and as transports for men and matériel but the largest use of motorcycles was by scouts conducting reconnaissance operations. Not too surprisingly, sidecars were often attached to motorcycles. This permitted the motorcycle to carry a passenger, cargo, and in some cases, used to carry wounded away from the front line. As a vehicle used by the military, sidecar equipped motorcycles were soon fitted with weapons, even as far back as World War One. German Zündapp KS 600 and BMW R12 motorcycles with their sidecars fitted with Maschinengewehr 34 machine-guns are a common image in many books on World War Two. There were attempts to equip sidecars with heavier weapons and perhaps the Russians can take the grand prize for the largest gun ever fitted to a motorcycle/sidecar combination.

     Prior to the 1930s, the Soviet Union did not have much in the way of indigenous motorcycles and relied heavily on imports. In fact, during World War One and into the Russian Civil War, the major brands of motorcycles in use by the Russian military were Indian and Harley-Davidson. By the mid-1930s, the Soviets were well on the path to producing their own motorcycles such as the TIZ-AM-600 (a copy of the British BSA Sloper 600), the PMZ-A-750, and the Dnepr M-72 (copy of the BMW R71). Still, Harley-Davidson motorcycles continued to see use and during World War Two, the Soviets received over 30,000 Harley-Davidson WLA motorcycles via Lend-Lease. So, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle was selected for the testing of a sidecar mounted ChK-M1 37mm anti-tank gun as a means of moving the gun around the battlefield. As a side note, the gun was also fitted to Lend-Lease Willys MB Jeeps and the GAZ-67 (the Soviet equivalent to the Jeep) among other transports.

     The ChK-M1 was the final result of development of the ChKSh-1 which appeared in prototype form in the summer of 1941. The intent was to produce a anti-tank gun that could be airdropped and provide airborne troops with some capability to tackle enemy armor. Testing showed that the gun was flawed. It was deemed overly complex, had a slow rate of fire (between 8 to 10 rounds per minute), was inaccurate, and the armor penetration of the 37mm round was found wanting. In 1942, the Soviets set up a special design bureau, OKBL-46, to continue development of the ChKSh-1 and two designs emerged, the ChK-M1 and the ZIV-2. Between April 18, 1943 and May 28, 1943, both guns were put to the test but it was the ZIV-2 that came out the loser and the ChK-M1 was ordered into production on June 14, 1944. The first examples started to enter service in July 1944 and production continued through June 1945 with some 472 guns being produced.

     The ChK-M1 had several features designed to both lighten the weight (in keeping with the need to be airdropped) and limit both size and recoil. The gun barrel was surrounded by a cylindrical shroud and within the shroud was a inert mass and a recoil spring. When the gun was fired, the barrel recoiled a maximum of 3.9 inches and the inert mass disengaged from the barrel, moving backwards 3.5 feet, compressing the recoil spring which then moved the gun back into battery. The entire gun, excluding the muzzle brake, was 7.6 feet long. The muzzle brake also added to the reduction of the rearward recoil. A good crew was able to put 15 to 25 rounds through the gun. The ChK-M1 fired the BR-167 armor-piercing round which weighed 1.7 pounds (7 ounces being the charge weight) and the penetration was approximately 20mm at a 60 degree slope and 25mm at a 90 degree angle from 500 meters. The other round the ChK-M1 fired was a high-explosive round, the OR-167. The 1.6 pound round had a 7 ounce explosive warhead fitted with a MG-8 fuze.

     Some question if the ChK-M1 was actually able to be fired from the sidecar. The answer to that is that yes, it could, if the crew had no option to dismount the gun. The photograph makes it appear as if the gunner is resting the breech on his shoulder but he is not. When the gun recoiled, the breech would move to the right of the gunner's shoulder. The man seated behind the driver was the loader and both he and the driver carried ammunition in backpacks so in action, he would pull rounds from the driver's pack to hand to the gunner or load the gun himself. The ChK-M1 was fired via a trigger, which can be seen in the gunner's right hand. His left hand was used to effect traverse and what little elevation and depression the gun had via a vertical grip offset to the left of the breech. The far more normal operation of the ChK-M1 was for the crew to dismount it from the motorcycle, assemble the carriage, and deploy it in the ground role. A skilled crew could do this in 80 seconds. To that end, behind the loader were the simple, all-metal spoked wheels and carriage legs while the gun shield can be seen secured to the side of the sidecar. The gun shield was not large and had a meager 4.5mm of armor thickness which was, at best, proof against some small arms and fragments. The gunner was provided with a periscopic sight which allowed him to keep his head low and behind the gun shield. The entire gun carriage was very low and provided only 5 degrees of elevation and at most, 5 degrees of depression. The carriage also provided 45 total degrees of traverse. The low profile of the weapon usually forced the crew to operate the gun from the sitting or prone position. A typical ChK-M1 team consisted of six men and two motorcycles. The motorcycle shown here included the driver, gunner, and loader while the second motorcycle was manned by the driver, the gun team commander, and a ammunition bearer.

     The ChK-M1 had a total weight of 478 pounds and it could be carried easily within the two major Russian airborne troop gliders; the Antonov A-7 and Gribovsky G-11. It could also be carried by the Lisunov Li-2 (the Soviet copy of the Douglas DC-3). The gun was usually airdropped via parachute from the Ilyushin Il-4 but the Li-2 was also used for airdrops as well. The sole user of the ChK-M1 was the 98th. Guards Infantry Division, its personnel from the 13th. Guards Airborne Division that had been formed on December 20, 1943. On January 19, 1944, the unit was included within the 37th. Guards Airborne Corps until reorganized again December 18, 1944 to the 103rd. Guards Rifle Division. The unit never saw combat during World War Two. On June 7, 1946, the unit became the 103rd. Guards Airborne Division and reformed on October 15, 1948 after absorbing several other units. Finally, on April 25, 1955, the unit was disbanded. It was likely just as well that the division did not see action as the ChK-M1 was not well liked in service. It was found that the barrel rapidly wore out while the accuracy of the BR-167 round dropped off quickly. In addition, the penetration value of the round was, by 1944 and into the early post-war period woefully inadequate in comparison to the later war Soviet 45mm anti-tank guns (such as the 45mm M-42). Finally, crews complained that the simple sight of the ChK-M1 suffered in low-light conditions, something that also plagued the 45mm guns but rather than improve the ChK-M1, the 45mm guns were recommended to be improved upon rather than a light gun that had little value.

schwere 24cm Kanone(t): In Action at the Siege of Leningrad

     The back breaking job of loaders of heavy siege guns is amply illustrated in this photograph. The gun is the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) and the crew belonged to the 2. Bataillon, Artillerie Regiment 84, Heeresgruppe Nord. As for the date and location, the photograph was taken sometime in September 1941 in Russia during the opening weeks of the Siege of Leningrad which ran from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. The battalion consisted of three batteries, each battery being equipped with two of these massive guns.

     The gun itself, however, was not of German manufacture. The gun was designed by Škoda, which was then located within the Austrian Empire, based on a request in 1916 by the Austro-Hungarian Army. The request was for a gun capable of demolishing targets far behind enemy lines as the current heavy siege guns in service lacked the desired range. Škoda, in order to save both development time and material resources, constructed the new 24cm Kanone M. 16 in parallel with the larger 38cm Belagerungshaubitze M 16 and so the new gun utilized the same horizontal sliding-block breech, gun carriage, and firing platform as the bigger weapon. Construction began in 1916 but only two examples were completed before the end of World War One. Another six were constructed between 1918 and 1921 and were used by the Czechoslovakian Army. When Germany, in 1938, annexed Czechoslovakia, the German Heer (Army) purchased the six guns from the Czechoslovak government and put them into service as the schwere 24cm Kanone(t).

     Deploying the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) was a long, laborious task. For transport, the gun was broken down into four loads (barrel, carriage, and two halves of the base box), each carried on an eight-wheeled, electrically powered trailer. Each trailer was pulled by a Austro-Daimler Artillerie-Generator Zugwagen M. 16. These specialized trucks were fitted with two electric generators which were powered by the truck's 6-cylinder gasoline engine. The generators provided power to the truck's rear wheels and drove the electric motors in each of the trailer's eight wheels. A fifth truck towed an ammunition trailer that carried 28 complete rounds plus a loading crane. Top speed of the gun train was just under 9mph. For longer distances, the entire gun train was moved by rail via locomotive. Once a firing site was chosen, ground depending, it took 8 to 20 hours to prepare the firing pit to accept the assembled base box. Using a series of jacks and guide rails, the two halves of the base box were connected then lowered into the pit. The entire base box measured 21ft. long, 17ft. wide, and 4.6ft. high. Once the box was in place, it took another 6 to 8 hours to assemble the gun. The carriage was moved into position, jacked up to allow the trailer to be removed, then it was lowered to the base box and bolted down. Block and tackle was used to lift the barrel from the trailer then fit the barrel onto the carriage with the final steps being the connection of the recoil brake pistons, filling the recoil system with hydraulic fluid, then testing the entire recuperator mechanism. The combat weight of the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) totaled 95 tons.

     The schwere 24cm Kanone(t) rested on a turntable fitted to the base box that allowed the gun to be traversed a full 360 degrees. Elevation was a maximum of 41 degrees and a minimum of 10 degrees. Each shell weighed 437lbs. and consisted of the shell itself and a separate, 43lb. cased powder charge. The photograph depicts the gun just after firing with one loader removing the spent cased charge, smoke still issuing from it. The size of the case is quite evident in comparison to the loader. The gun has already been lowered to 6 degrees to permit reloading and behind the loader, three men are prepared to move the projectile into the breech with the aid of a roller race. The shell was put onto the race via a crane, not seen in this photograph. Once the loader was clear, the race was pushed forward and the three men shoved the projectile into the gun. This was followed by the powder charge. Once the breech was closed, the gun was elevated back up to its original firing position and upon the order to fire, the gunner pulled the lanyard, sending the projectile down range. The schwere 24cm Kanone(t) was capable of a maximum range of 16 miles thanks to its 2,600 feet per second muzzle velocity. A skilled crew could fire one round every minute.

     Prior to deploying to the Eastern Front, the battalion had been positioned on Cap-Gris-Nez, Pas de Calais in France to interdict British shipping within the English Channel as well as provide protective fire for Kreigsmarine ships operating in the channel. By June 1942, the barrels of the battalion's guns had worn out and were shipped back to Škoda for refurbishment of the barrels and repairs of the gun components and equipment. Usage of substandard metals caused one of the barrels to rupture during testing which caused considerable delay in the refitting. It would not be until July 18, 1943 did the battalion receive two refurbished guns, enough to equip a single battery. The unit was deployed back to the Eastern Front, again under Heeresgruppe Nord. Another two guns arrived in January 11, 1945 to equip a second battery but four would be the total the battalion would get. The battalion continued to see action but would eventually be caught up in the Courland Pocket, surrendering on May 10, 1945 to the Soviet Army.

Soviet T-35 Heavy Tank: Abandoned in Sudova Vyshnia

     A group of Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD; Reich Labor Service) soldiers take some time to explore an abandoned Soviet T-35 heavy tank in the village of Sudova Vyshnia sometime in 1942. The tank, hull number 715-61, was constructed in 1936 and was the first to be fitted with the P-40 anti-aircraft machine-gun mount on the main turret and was the thirty-first overall T-35 tank to be built. It was issued to the 68th. Tank Regiment whose repair center was located within the village and on June 24, 1941, the tank was listed as needing repair to its gearbox and fan drive. However, the rapid advance of German forces would see to it that the repairs were not completed (or perhaps not even started) and so on June 29, 1941, the breeches of the main turret's 76.2mm KT-28 gun and the two 45mm 20K guns in the secondary turrets were removed along with all the machine-guns, ammunition and optics. This was all buried in the ground away from the tank to keep it from falling into the hands of the Germans. When the Germans occupied Sudova Vyshnia, the T-35 was a favored curiosity to visit and be photographed with. Over time, bits and pieces of the tank were removed and photographs of the derelict T-35 by January 1942 showed the radio antenna around the main turret missing, leaving only the support struts which dates this photograph to the late spring or summer of 1942. The two white stripes on the main turret identify the tank as belonging to the 68th. Tank Regiment.

     Of interest is the fact that the RAD troops are equipped with old Gewehr 98 rifles which are of World War One vintage. This is evidenced by the straight bolt handle, the location of the front rifle strap fitting, and the overall length of the rifle. Some of them appear to have been modified in some degree to post-WW1 Karabiner 98b standards. These changes included using a tangent-leaf rear sight instead of the Lange tangent sight, turning down the bolt handle, and the removal of the front and rear rifle strap swivel mounts and replacing them with simple loop on the front barrel band and a lateral slot cut into the stock. The RAD soldier nearest the camera appears to only have the newer tangent-leaf sight as it retains the straight bolt handle and given the way the rifle is slung, appears to have the original swivel strap mounts. Notice also the variance in the wood coloration of the rifle stocks among the soldiers. RAD units were not considered, at this time, as front line combat troops and so had to make do with elderly weapons. Given the lack of equipment, these men may have been taking an excursion to visit the T-35 wreck. The distinctive RAD service cap can be seen tucked into the front of the belts of some of the soldiers. What informs the viewer they are RAD men is due to the arm shields (Dienststellenabzeichen) seen above the armband but the photograph is too blurry to make out the numbers on the shields which would identify their unit. As a note, by 1942, there were some 427 RAD units deployed on the Eastern Front and as the war ground on and the Soviet war machine ground up regular Wehrmacht forces, these units saw more and more combat rather than the rear echelon tasks they had originally been deployed to do.

Lieutenant Richard E. Smith: 39th. Fighter Squadron

     Lieutenant Richard E. Smith stands next to his Lockheed P-38H “Japanese Sandman II” (serial number 42-66905). Smith’s previous aircraft, a P-38F, had been written off and so he carried over the name to his new mount. Smith was with the 39th. Fighter Squadron, 35th. Fighter Group, 5th. Air Force and the unit flew missions in the Southwest Pacific Theater beginning in June 1942. By the close of 1943, the 39th. transitioned to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The P-38s were transferred to the 431st. Fighter Squadron, 475th. Fighter Group that operated from North Borio Airfield, Borio. 

     On December 4, 1943, Lieutenant Dolphus Ransome Dawson II took the former Smith’s P-38H up for a training exercise but during the flight, the aircraft developed mechanical problems and Dawson had no choice but to force land the plane. Unable to make any of the nearby airfields, Dawson brought the plane down into a swamp near Embi Airfield No. 2 located in Papua, New Guinea. The P-38H was a complete write-off but Dawson walked away without injury. Rescue personnel from the airfield retrieved Dawson but the aircraft was abandoned where it lay. 

     Smith would survive the war, achieving seven kills against Japanese aircraft (two A6M Zeros fighters, two Ki-43 “Oscar” fighters, two Ki-61 “Tony” fighters, and one G4M “Betty” bomber) which made him an ace. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Captain and passed away in 2006. Dawson would also retire from the Air Force, earning the rank of Major, before passing on in 1995. 

     Sometime in the 1980s, the wreckage of the P-38H was discovered and in 1986, Smith would visit the crash site of his former aircraft. In 2003, both tail booms and other various parts and components from the P-38H were salvaged and as of 2006, remain with Precision Aerospace out of Wangaratta, Australia. As for the 39th. Fighter Squadron, it is still in active service as the 39th. Flying Training Squadron, operating out of Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. The 431st. Fighter Squadron, however, was inactivated on June 30, 1992, the General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark” being the last aircraft the unit flew.

Obergefreiter: Panzer-Abteilung 300

     A studio photograph of an Obergefreiter (Senior Corporal) of a panzer unit. Comparing the uniform to the previous panzer crewman photograph before this image, one will note that the pink piping is no longer present on the collars as a means to simplify production of the uniform. His rank is denoted by the insignia on his sleeve consisting of two strips of tress forming a downward pointing “V” on a triangular wool backing. For decorations, he wears the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) through the buttonhole of his tunic. Next is the Panzerkampfabzeichen (Panzer Assault Badge) which was awarded to recognize those who showed exceptional élan and achievement while involved in armored combat. The medal beside it is the Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klasse (Wound Badge 3rd. Class). It was awarded to those wounded 1-2 times in combat. The semi-matte black paint of the medal has been worn off, no doubt from rubbing against equipment and metal within the confines of a tank.

     The main interest in this photograph is the Krimschild (Crimea Shield) which is sewn to the sleeve of his tunic above his rank. Instituted on July 25, 1942, the Krimschild was awarded to military personnel under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein who fought against Soviet forces in the successful taking of the Crimea region from September 21, 1941 to July 4, 1942. This meant that the Obergefreiter was with a unit under the 11th. Army which von Manstein commanded during the Crimea Campaign. Thus, it is possible that he belonged to the only panzer unit attached to the 11th. Army, Panzer-Abteilung 300. This unit specialized in using radio-controlled demolition tanks, being equipped with the Schwerer Ladungsträger Borgward B IV (Sd.Kfz. 301; Heavy Explosive Carrier Borgward B IV), the Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath (Sd.Kfz. 302; Light Explosive Carrier Goliath), and Panzerkampfwagen III (Sd.Kfz. 141) medium tanks.

Offiziersanwärter: Decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

     A driver of a Panzerkampfwagen V Panther smiles for the camera after having just been decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class). This decoration for bravery in the face of the enemy was relatively common, being awarded nearly five million times to individuals during World War Two. The award was typically presented to the recipient in a blue paper packet with “Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939” printed on it. Inside the packet was the medal and the ribbon. The recipient also received an award document and his soldbuch (the standard military identification document) was noted with the award and the date it was received. For the purposes of the photograph, the ribbon was fitted through the ring on the medal and looped around the lapel of his panzerjacke (more commonly referred to as a panzer wrap). The medal was not worn on the uniform and so soldiers usually either put it with their belongings or sent it back home. The ribbon would be fitted through the upper buttonhole on the left lapel of the jacket and sewn down.

     For rank, the driver is a Gefreiter and this is denoted by the single chevron on his sleeve. This rank was the equivalent to a Private First Class in the U.S. Army. However, around his schulterstücke (shoulder boards) can be seen two loops of silver tress. This denotes him as being a Offiziersanwärter, or Officer Aspirant. Thus, he would attend one of the Kriegsschulen (war schools) and while in the school, he would hold the rank of Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier. As he neared completion of his studies, his rank would become Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel. Finally, upon graduation, he would serve in the role of acting Leutnant with the rank of Oberfähnrich. Once he earned his commission, his rank would then become Leutnant. The course of study was an intense, eight week program which taught leadership and command skills and techniques. Once this program was completed, the Offiziersanwärter moved on to a Truppenschule, or branch of service school. In this soldier's case, it would be to a Panzertruppenschule. Other branches, such as combat engineers (pionier) and medical personnel had their own schools.

      The piping along the schulterstücke and the collar of the panzerjacke was pink as was the piping around the collar tabs. This was the waffenfarb, or branch color, of panzer troops. Earlier in the war, a pink inverted chevron called a soutache was sewn over the Reichskokade on the front of the M1938 feldmütze (field cap) being worn here but as the war went on, this was done away with for simplicity sake and in any case, the later M1942 feldmütze had a two-button front which when undone, allowed the sides of the cap to fold down over the wearer's ears. This new style left no room for the soutache. This photograph also gives a detailed view of the kehlkopfmikrofon (throat microphone) and the accompanying kopfhörer (headphones) which were used for communication within the tank by the crew members. The metal bar near his arm is the rung fitted to the outside of the driver's hatch. Because of this feature, the model of the PzKpfw V is either an Ausf A or Ausf D series Panther as the hatch swiveled to the side. The Ausf G model used a hinged hatch.

Polikarpov I-16 "Red 64": Crash-Landed on Lake Ladoga

     The Finnish, despite being outmanned and outgunned, managed to severely bloody the nose of the invading Soviets during the Winter War which took place between November 30, 1939 and March 13, 1940. The peace, however, would be short lived and once more, the Finnish went to war against the Soviets in the Continuation War which commenced on June 25, 1941. Typically flying aircraft considered obsolete, the Finnish Air Force downed 360 Soviet aircraft of various types by the close of 1941 with the loss of 54 of their own. 

     Heavily reliant on imported combat aircraft due to having little indigenous aircraft production capability, the Finnish made much use of captured Soviet aircraft. One such aircraft was this Soviet Polikarpov I-16 fighter (“Red 64”) that made a crash landing on the frozen, snow covered Lake Ladoga and was captured by the Finnish on December 10, 1941. The I-16 was the primary Soviet fighter in 1941 and would soldier on into 1943 before being completely replaced by more modern designs. This particular I-16 was equipped with four underwing rails, two per wing, which carried the RS-82 air-to-surface rocket. The Finnish recovered “Red 64” and sent it to the State Aircraft Factory where it was given the Finnish code IR-104 but it was not able to be returned to a flyable state. In fact, only one captured I-16 (IR-101) was ever deployed starting with 3./Le.Lv.6 (3rd. Flight/Flying Squadron 6) and later 2./Le.Lv.30 and even then, it was not used in combat and instead served as a test plane and aerial aggressor for pilots to train against.

Char B1 (n° 463) “Davout”: Victim of the Luftwaffe

     The 28e BCC (Bataillon de Chars de Combat) was created from assets of the former 512e RCC (Régiment de Chars de Combat) on August 26, 1939 at Chalons-sur-Marne. The new unit’s motto was “Toujours Devant” which meant “Always in Front”. The Char B1 heavy tank “Davout” (n° 463) was assigned to 2e Compagnie (2nd. Company) and was commanded by Lieutenant Jean Lafforgue whose crew consisted of driver Caporal (Corporal) Lebris, gunner Caporal Meissonier, and radio operator Caporal Magaud. 

     On June 6, 1940, the 28e BCC along with the 25e BCC, were deploying towards the French town of Roye in order to shore up and clear the left flank of the 29e DI (Division d'Infanterie; other sources say it was the 24e DI) of any German combat forces. At approximately 10:30am, the unit came under fire from both anti-tank guns as well as artillery. “Davout” had its external radio apparatus destroyed and suffered damage to the left side running gear which was severe enough that Lebris could only drive the tank in 4th gear and even then, only in a snaking pattern. In the end, his efforts to drive the tank forwards ceased when the German Luftwaffe appeared in the skies. 

     A near miss from a bomb was enough to literally lift “Davout” off the ground and it came down into a deep ditch. None of the crew was injured (but certainly shook up) and quickly bailed out of the tank. A nearby Char B1, “Dassas”, was flagged down and the “Davout’s” crew hooked up tow chains to “Dassas” but as the attempt to pull “Davout” from the ditch commenced, the engine caught fire. The tow chains were hastily released and the fire spread, detonating some of the ammunition which buckled the left side hull. The fire burned itself out but now “Davout” was completely out of action and was abandoned, the crew being carried out of the battlefield by another Char B1 named “Kellerman” (n° 514).