Krags still in use in 1908 - Montana National Guard

[jon_norstog]

I have read somewhere that US WWI units, a few early on, anyway, arrived in England with Krags. That may have helped convince us and the British to re-equip our arriving troops with British weapons, which was done for a time, as the Brits and French wanted to use our guys as "fill ins" for their units. General Pershing put a stop to that idea! Someone will have an accurate citation shortly, I'm sure. CC

A good example was the 369th Infantry, formerly the 15th NY. AKA the Harlem Hellfighters. They were attached to the French Army and easily outran their French flanking units in the Meuse-Argonne fight. They were issued French helmets and probably a bunch of other kit as well. I don't know if they carried US or French arms.

The 369th was fmous for its regimental band, led by James Reece Europe, one of the pioneers of jazz.

jn

[Rick the Librarian]

They carried French rifles. They said the one thing they DID like (it certainly wasn't the French rifles!) was the tot of wine they got every day!

[jon_norstog]

Rick, & krag shooters,

I think I'm gonna post a little bit about James Reese Europeand the 369th over in the Gun Talk forum. Maybe tomorrow. I'm scuffling toget ready for this year's elk hunt.

jn