Question on Garands

[John Sukey]

How many of you folks were ISSUED ONE? lol
1955-1958

[johnny l.]

I was. 2nd Infantry Training Regiment (ITR) at Camp Pendleton, Ca. in June of 1967. Also, the first week or so during boot camp at MCRD San Diego in March of 1967 - These were quickly replaced with M14s. Regards, Johnny Lawson

[cplnorton]

I have a HRA 0-66 Garand with a USMC hang tag on it saying it came from 2nd Infantry Training Regimeint around that time Johnny L.

[Ted Brown]

I was issued a couple while assigned as a member of the Biggs AFB rifle team from 63 to 65.

[nf1e]

I was issued an M1 at ITR Spring of 1966 at Camp Lejune.

[Richardrose]

I was issued one in 1965 boot camp, they made me ordinance P.O. I had to keep track of 50 m1's. Also carried one in the Navy drill team. It was light back then but is a little heavier now. I have 3 now. Rich

[Litt'le Lee]

Sept 1958-holllywood Marine-Expert

[Dan Shapiro]

My Dad was still doing annual requalification with the M1 at Camp Pendleton in 1966. That same year he fired the M14 for "familiarization".

[psteinmayer]

Being Navy, I was never issued a rifle. While aboard the USS Ranger CV-61, I was part of the Security Augmentation Forces (SAF) and qualified on the M14, M870, M60, and M2... and I was designated an M2 gunner. I did a lot of shooting with M14s and M60s though, shooting trash bags off the fantail!

Now my dad served in the Army in the mid 1950s and he was issued an IHA Garand. I would love to find that one (he knows the serial number).

[Shooter5]

Not "issued" per se, however, but still in the arms room locker. At a current US Military training unit, a locker section for 'OPFOR' contains two M1 Garands along with an assortment of various small arms globally sourced (Opposition Forces - role players who simulate a wide variety of enemy units that conduct mock battles, etc against US Mil units). Since 3006 blanks are difficult to acquire from current inventory, they are most often used by 'guards' and the like since they cant shoot back. I have the pics/serial numbers.

[rayg]

1956-59, Ray

[mhb]

Sort of... High School ROTC, 1963. SN 1194602. Went through Basic with the M14, 1968.

mhb - Mike

[Oyaji]

Fired the M1 rifle for familiarization during Navy boot camp in 1968 at Camp Elliott in San Diego. The rifles we were issued, carried daily, and drilled with were Springfield 1903s.

[powderkeg]

Greetings,
Issued 3.2 Springfield, USMC Camp Pendleton, ITR September 1966. Rifle was equipped with T105E1 sights.

Regards,
JeffL
66-70

[Deano41]

Went through basic training and qualified on the M1 Rifle, Feb-April 1962, Fort Ord, Ca.
Was issued an M1 Carbine when with the 63d Inf. DivArty counter -mortar radar platoon, 1962 to 1965. Was issued an M1 Rifle in the 522d Maint. Bn, 1966-1969.

[Ron in Pa]

In the Navy, I shot one from the fantail of the USS C.H. Roan DD853. Ron

[Vern Humphrey]

I was issued an M1 for both Basic and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Polk, LA in 1962. I applied for OCS and was "held over" doing details until time for my OCS class to start. One of the details was to clean every M1 in the company, and take them all to Ordnance. We brought back the M14s -- and then had a panic when someone found you can take an M14 out of an M1 rack without unlocking it. We had to move them all into the arms room until the racks were modified.

At OCS I was issued an M1 and carried it many a mile, and qualified on it, too.

When I graduated and joined a unit, our issue weapons were M14s.

When I got to Viet Nam in mid-'66 I was an adviser to Viet Namese infantry. My issue weapon was an M2 carbine, which got wrapped around a tree and I bummed an M1 off the ARVN and carried that the rest of my tour. I may be one of the last American soldiers to use the M1 in combat.

[danco101]

I was issued one at ITR Camp Geiger in NC (USMC) in 1966, I was very familiar with the rifle as I owned one before entering the Marines, I got a real laugh once when one of my fellow Marines thought the OP rod was bent on his rifle, and decided to straighten it out, jamming the rifle once reassembled! The troop handler chewed his ass while the rest of us chuckled! We also used them At Parris Island SC during our "Drown proofing" in the swimming pool! (55 minutes staying afloat with your rifle!) pool clorine does wonders to an M1!
Semper Fi!

[Sarge]

Shot my first Garand in the Navy in 1954. Qualified with it. The Navy only had 2 grades not 3 like the army. I got the bottom one. Later, 61, changed over to the Army and qualified Expert with both the Garand and Carbine. Kept up the good work as I qualified Expert with the M14 & M16 too.
Guess it stuck with me as all but one of my deer & antelope kills have been one (1) shot kills.
Sarge

[Johan412th]

My grandad was in '57....1st Mardiv, 1st regiment, Camp Pendleton. Weapons company 2nd battalion under Lt. TJ Pentecost. I know he trained with one. Anybody else there by chance?

[Doug]

Issued SA 4292731 new in cosmoline at MCRD San Diego in June 1958. Carried it with me until the end of my 1st enlistment, turned in March 1962 at 7thCommBn, CamPen

Doug

[cplnorton]

Did any of you Gentlemen ever see a M1D or M1C Garand snipers while in Service?

[Sarge]

Issued SA 4292731 new in cosmoline at MCRD San Diego in June 1958. Carried it with me until the end of my 1st enlistment, turned in March 1962 at 7thCommBn, CamPen
Doug

Somewhere around here I still have my weapons card for 2 or 3 of the rifles I was issued - which would give me the ser nrs for them. I remember that the Carbine ended in 13 - my lucky nr. - because I selected it out of the rack of available ones.
Sarge

[Sarge]

Did any of you Gentlemen ever see a M1D or M1C Garand snipers while in Service?

Nope.
Sarge

[jsaviano]

1194967 M14 Winchester? Fort Dix, NJ; October 1964. Wish I had it now

[nf1e]

Did any of you Gentlemen ever see a M1D or M1C Garand snipers while in Service?

No Sir. Didn't even know such an animal existed until I started collecting available M1s from CMP. Now I have one of each in service grade.

[Liam]

The CMP "issued" me my CMP Special about 7 years ago. No war stories...yet!

37864

[Vern Humphrey]

Did any of you Gentlemen ever see a M1D or M1C Garand snipers while in Service?
Never. On my second tour, I bullied my battalion commander into getting me two M14 sniper rifles (pre-M21) and carried one of them myself, but I never saw an M1D or C.

[Litt'le Lee]

HELLO DOUG !! I was in 7th comm,camp horno till sept 62-- what was your plt in basic?? I was plt 188 in sept 58
I was a wireman in radio relay and construction company

[Doug]

Hello Lee, I worked at BnHq with classified material. Spent lots of time in a jeep running back and forth to main side and living in a cage at the Hq. Bldg. Lived in the squad bay across the road from the motor pool. Deployed to Taiwan for Operation Blue Star. Was in Platoon 349 which was the first in 3 years to qualify 100% at the range. Shot intermurals with the Bn rifle team for a couple of years.

[Litt'le Lee]

did you make the Hawaii exercise in early 61-I came from K-bay to 7th comm and went back again on that trip back where we did landings on one of the islands-A full blown landing--our barracks was on the opposite end of the mess hall at camp horno--way across the grinder there--our guy on the code machine was a cpl. Swartz

[Sarge]

Still haven't found the card for the Garand, but here is the ser nrs for my M1 Carbine & M14:
Carbine was an Inland #570013 and the M14 was a Winchester #197285. I qualified expert with both of these.
Sarge

[Litt'le Lee]

Cpl Norton--4th Marines in K-bay-we had a Carbine with that early star-light scope--about as big as a thompson round mag and it had a huge battery pack connected by a big long cable

[2111]

U.S. Rifle Cal. .30M1, serial number 4380578, issued to me at PISC Apr. 1956

[Doug]

Didn't make a Hawaii trip in early 1961, did make Exercise Greenlight (Phase III-Alpha) which took place starting early May and ending early June (Phase III-Bravo) was the end with 8 days of live fire at 29 Palms. You may have been on one of the early Phases. We had units supporting all operations in the Pacific during the early 60's. It was an interesting time with "Sub Units", Detachments, and Details going everywhere. Greenlight involved 42,000 personnel (Navy & Marine), 71 ships, 296 aircraft along with 4 minesweepers from the Royal Canadian Navy. Don't remember Cpl. Swartz but many names from that era are gone from my memory.

[remus]

I was issued an M1 in Sept. of 62 in basic training at Ft. Ord. Qualified exp. with it. Advanced inf. I was issued an M14. We didn't qualify in ait. When I got to the 101st abn in Mar. of 63 I was issued an M14. Requaled exp.

[oldbrk42]

I was issued an M1 for training at Ft. Knox for basic training in 1994. Other platoons were marching by with M14's. We thought the M14's were neater/lighter looking.

[edpm3]

Does getting an M1 issued to me in ROTC in 1968-69 count? They replaced it with an M14 in 1970.

[John D.Kopke]

John';
I was issued one while undergoing Marine Phase Training at the
USCG Training Facility at Cape May NJ.(13 weeks), JAN.1961.
jonn (Bay of Pigs Yacht Club Member).

[gunny]

Being Navy, I was never issued a rifle. While aboard the USS Ranger CV-61, I was part of the Security Augmentation Forces (SAF) and qualified on the M14, M870, M60, and M2... and I was designated an M2 gunner. I did a lot of shooting with M14s and M60s though, shooting trash bags off the fantail!

Now my dad served in the Army in the mid 1950s and he was issued an IHA Garand. I would love to find that one (he knows the serial number).

By M2 you are referring to "Ma Deuce"...yes? Anyone who likes belt feds would love to spend some range time behind her.

Gunny

[Vern Humphrey]

The Ma Deuce is a gun with a soul. I commanded two Mechanized Rifle Companies, on in the States and one in Viet Nam. A Mechanized Rifle Company had a pot full of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers -- 4 per platoon, plus the HQ and Mortar Platoon and a couple of others for the medic and mechanics. So we had 20 Ma Deuces.

I liked to get the M113s into action in a real fight and turn those Ma Deuces loose!

[Randy]

Was issued one in Marine Corps boot camp in 61, Has one in ITR at Lejeune. Was issued one for 18 months at Marine Barracks Gitmo, Plus a BAR. Carried that BAR and 12 loaded magazine for 62 days during the Cuban missile crises. Back then crew serves were kept in the armory, but our m_1s were in rifle racks in the squadbay

[PhillipM]

The Ma Deuce is a gun with a soul. I commanded two Mechanized Rifle Companies, on in the States and one in Viet Nam. A Mechanized Rifle Company had a pot full of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers -- 4 per platoon, plus the HQ and Mortar Platoon and a couple of others for the medic and mechanics. So we had 20 Ma Deuces.

I liked to get the M113s into action in a real fight and turn those Ma Deuces loose!

I've wondered why the army didn't use them in the sandbox and went with the up armored humvee

[psteinmayer]

By M2 you are referring to "Ma Deuce"...yes? Anyone who likes belt feds would love to spend some range time behind her.

Gunny

Absolutely! I LOVED shooting the Ma Deuce... and I even have a .50 Cal can filled with 100 rounds of linked brass that I actually shot (wish it could be 100 rounds of linked live ammo, LOL). The Deuce was a pleasure to shoot. I had many repel drills where I had to run to sponson 6, set up, and man the gun! During my last deployment (Operation Desert Storm) they disbanded the Security Augmentation Forces, and we were replaced by Marines and Weapons Department personnel, and I just stuck to my normal duties. I still have my weapons qualification / SAF member card (complete with a use of deadly force statement on the back).

[Vern Humphrey]

I've wondered why the army didn't use them in the sandbox and went with the up armored humvee

The HAMWAG (Half-Assed Medium Weight Ass Grinder) was meant to replace the Jeep and also the M37 Weapons carrier (the old Dodge Power Wagon) and was issued accordingly. As a general purpose vehicle, it wound up taking a lot of casualties -- and we didn't have enough M113s. But if we had, it would have been a great performer!