US Rifle, Cal. .30-06, M1, Garand
The M1, designed by John C. Garand, was the standard issue military rifle used by the U.S. Army from 1936 to 1957, when it was replaced by the lighter M14 rifle. The M1 was one of the first semi-automatic rifles to see action in combat. It offered a great improvement in fire power over the bolt-action M1903 series rifle it replaced. It was rugged, reliable, and tolerant to the abuses of use in the field.
The Ordnance Corps began developing a semiautomatic rifle in 1901, but was interrupted by World War I. Work began again in 1919 when John C. Garand was recruited by Springfield Armory, MA to develop such a rifle. Civil Service employee John C. Garand was in a class all by himself, much like the weapons he created. Garand was Chief Civilian Engineer at the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts. Garand invented a semiautomatic .30 caliber rifle, known as the M1 or "the Garand."
Three rifles underwent testing as replacement for the World War I infantry rifle. After extensive efforts the Army adopted the M1 Garand as the standard infantry weapon in 1936. The M1 replaced the bolt action model 1903 Springfield rifle that had been in service since 1903. The US Rifle, M1 (Garand) had shown itself to be superior to the M1903 (Springfield), with which many marines had been armed.
It was gas-operated and weighed under 10 pounds. The M1 was one of the first semi-automatic rifles to see action in combat. It offered a great improvement in fire power over the bolt-action M1903 series rifle it replaced. It was rugged, reliable, and tolerant to the abuses of use in the field. The rifle used .30-06 cal. cartridges in eight-round clips. It fired more than twice as fast as the Army's previous standard-issue rifle and was praised by Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., as "a magnificent weapon" and "the most deadly rifle in the world."
For the M-1, knicknamed the Greatest Battle Implement, and numerous other technical innovations related to weaponry, Garand received no monetory award other than his modest Civil Service salary. A bill introduced in Congress to grant him $100,000 did not pass. He was, however, awarded a Medal for Meritorious Service in 1941 and a US Government Medal for Merit in 1944.
During World War II the basic composition of the triangular division was three infantry regiments and a variety of combat and combat support troops. The standard infantry regiment, the next major command below division level, consisted of three infantry battalions, along with various combat and combat support troops. The next lower organization was the infantry battalion. Three rifle companies, a heavy weapons company, and a headquarters company comprised an 871-man battalion. The rifle company consisted of 3 rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, and a small headquarters section. Three infantry squads comprised a rifle platoon. Each rifle squad consisted of twelve men armed with ten M1 Garand rifles, one Browning automatic rifle, and one M1903 bolt-action Springfield rifle. Despite the awesome, aggregate firepower of the weapons within a triangular division, the lifeblood of the infantry division was the 5,211 officers and combat infantrymen who manned its 27 rifle companies.
After Guadalcanal, the 1st Marine Division gave up its venerable Springfield '03s and rearmed with M1 Garands for Cape Gloucester and later campaigns. By the end of 1943 the M-1 had completely replaced the 03 Springfield. All units of the 2d Marine Division were armed with the M1.
By VJ Day, August 14, 1945, over four million M1 rifles had been produced and were in the hands of U.S. service men fighting around the world. By the time production of the rifles had ceased in 1957, more than six million M1 Garand’s had been produced. Although no longer used in the active Army, the M1 Garand still holds a special place in the hearts of many World War II veterans.
The ceremonial rifle program is conducted by the US Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command's Static Display and Ceremonial Rifle Team located in Warren, Michigan. This program is conducted in accordance with Title 10, United States Code § 4683 as implemented by Army Regulation 700-131. The Secretary of the Army may conditionally lend or donate not more than 15 excess M1 Garand rifles to an eligible organization. Individuals are not authorized to participate in this program.
In addition to being utilized as Ceremonial rifles, the M1 Garand is a key training aid for both the SROTC and JROTC, and can be purchased by private citizens through the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Garand clinics, once completed, allow shooters to buy M1 Garand rifles from the director of the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
The M1C and M1D were sniper versions of the M1 Garand. The two models differed only in the telescope mounts. The M1C mounted a model M81 2.5X telescope; the M1D an M82 2.5X telescope. Both models were used as sniper rifles during World War II, Korea, and during the early years of the Vietnam war. Although considered obsolete, the M1D remained the official U.S. Army sniper rifle until the mid-1960s. Both versions used the standard Army .30-06 cartridge loaded manually, or in eight-round clips.
M1 Carbine
The M1 Carbine was developed to provide better protection to service troops than standard issue pistols, when caught under surprise attack during envelopment movements by enemy forces. The Carbine filled a need for a weapon heavier than a pistol, but lighter than a rifle for issue to company-grade officers and NCOs.
A lightweight shoulder weapon, the M1 carbine, replaced the .45 caliber M1911 pistol carried by weapons crews and company grade officers. By the end of the war a fully automatic version was issued as the M2 carbine. Despite its convenience, Marines never liked the carbine.
The Carbine proved to be such an effective light weight weapon that it was also carried for protection by heavy and light weapons teams. All models used a .30 cal. Carbine cartridge in 15-round and 30-round magazines.
The M1 could be fired only as a semi-automatic. M1A1 was also a semi-automatic, but featured a folding metal buttstock, an excellent light weight weapon for use by paratroops. The M2 was selectible for either semi- or fully-automatic fire. The M3 had a specially modified grooved receiver for mounting an infrared 4X "Snooper Scope" sniperscope.
