Marine with a 1903A4 on Cape Gloucester

[cplnorton]

A friend sent me this picture, I think he snagged it off a Facebook group. It's of a 1903A4 with the 1st Marine Division on Cape Gloucester. I only know of about three other pictures with Marines and the A4, so I thought a few of you might really enjoy this.

[jgaynor]

Thanks Steve. Very interesting shots!

Jim

[Fred Pillot]

Interesting knife and sheath in the image.

[m1ashooter]

This is a great picture. They are no doubt at least two Marines and maybe a corpsman in the picture. The knife looks like a M3 which was issued to USAAF and USA troops. He may have swapped something for it. The shirt the man is wearing next to the man holding the rifle looks Army issue. The man holding the rifle is wearing a shirt I can't ID. Its not a Marine Para Smock but it does have a camo pattern.

[GWS]

Whats on/over the butt plate of the rifle??? A pad of some sort?

[cplnorton]

The man holding the rifle is wearing a shirt I can't ID. Its not a Marine Para Smock but it does have a camo pattern.

I think it's a set of those one piece HBT Camo Coveralls. On Cape Gloucester you see a lot of Army Clothes and gear on the Marines. I've heard several say there were supply issues with the 1st Marine Div there.

[louis]

You're correct. There were supply issues for the USMC. They had to use army issue with a mix of Usmc gear. This wasn't corrected until after Gloucester.

[BEAR]

This is a great picture. They are no doubt at least two Marines and maybe a corpsman in the picture. The knife looks like a M3 which was issued to USAAF and USA troops. He may have swapped something for it. The shirt the man is wearing next to the man holding the rifle looks Army issue. The man holding the rifle is wearing a shirt I can't ID. Its not a Marine Para Smock but it does have a camo pattern.

Here's another picture of that same style shirt. This is a marine on New Georgia.
post-274-1244660902.jpg

[louis]

The 2nd Div during the invasion of Tarawa had the Usmc camo gear for some reason the 1st didn't get caught up

[emmagee1917]

Whats on/over the butt plate of the rifle??? A pad of some sort?

Nothing on the stock . Under high magnification there are a lot of small , rounded , dished out divits or dings of different sizes that still look to have finish in them and three large gouges in a row deep enough to go through the finish cut in some sort of pattern design .
Art work ? Kill count ? No idea.
Chris

[Sgt. Tom]

When I first saw the marks on the buttstock, I thought it looked like rats had been chewing on it...
Sgt. Tom

[Rick the Librarian]

From what I've read about conditions on Pavuvu (rats and sand crabs) I wouldn't doubt it!

[TDP0311]

Louis,

According to the Hussa/Blanchard report, a report on logistics and supply particularly in the regards of weaponry, the 1st Marine Division was wholly resupplied by the army following Guadalcanal. They were unique in such regard, and as the 2nd Marine Division had elements on the Canal longer, as well as in that same vicinity, they were resupplied by the new, firmly established Marine resupply system. This accounts for the difference in the 2nd on Tarawa compared to the 1st on Gloucester.

This picture is excellent in showing the knives, uniforms, and weapons the Marines received from the army during their time refitting, and it also makes sense as to why Gloucester is the only campaign we see Marines with A4s. These would have been some very early A4s as well.

[m1ashooter]

Thanks.

[louis]

0311. Thank you for that info. Logistics was a big problem early on in the pacific. I also wonder how much pull McArthur had in refitting the 1st because Gloucester was the Army's area of responsibility. That is great photos of the gear they had. It's hard to find photos with Marines and A4's.