How much ammo did soldiers carry in WWII??

[rifleman777]

Just wondering how much ammo the gov thought was enough to put up a fight.

[canes7]

I would think the soldiers did not care what anyone told them they should carry. They probably carried as much as they could and still be mobile.

In may WWII pics I notice guys wearing their belt then 1 or 2 bando's.

Dan

[Keymaker]

Various books I have read mention on more than one battle occasion that extra ammo, grenades, etc. took priority over some personal items and were stuffed into any pocket or pouch where they would fit. I recall one story where a guy left behind his second canteen and filled that canteen pouch with loaded magazines.

Having extra ammo is always a good problem to have!

[SGM (ret.)]

The M1917, 1918 and 1923 cartridge belts for dismounted troops had 10 pockets, each pocket held two 5-round .30-06 stripper clips or one 8-round M1 Garand clip.

The M1917 and 1918 cartridge belts for mounted troops had 9 pockets for .30-06 and space for a 2-cell M1911 mag pouch. The dismounted belts were largely phased out during WWII or converted to mounted belts by sewing on an extra pocket.


So, the official "basic load" was 105 rounds for the M1903AX or M1917 or 88 rounds for the M1 Garand (loaded belt plus a loaded rifle). The M1923 cartridge belt was used through the Korean war and by the NG and other services using the Garand until that rifle was phased out and replaced by either the M14 or M16 (depending on circumstances and dates).

Having said all of the above, almost every written account of combat in WWI, WWII, and Korea where there is any description of the troops loading up with ammo before or during battle makes it clear that when extra ammo was available, most troops carried extra bandoleers of .30-06. So, while the official load was 105 or 88, most troops carried more, sometimes much more. How much more depended on the situation, I suppose.

Keep in mind that ,although the US "basic load" seems small by today's standards, in Europe, the German soldier only carried 65 rounds of 7.92mm in 5-round stripper clips. His ammo belt had two, 3-cell leather pouches. Each cell held two 5-round stripper clips. So, even with only the "basic load," the US soldier with the M1 Garand was carrying about 50% more ammo than his German enemy, not to mention that he had the better rifle. All things are relative.

Mike

[Uncle Mike]

Try this Book.

I got this book from Scott Duff (www.scottduff.com). "U S Infantry Weapons In Combat". These are personal experiences of G.I.'s that carried weapons in combat during WW II and Korea. Most carried 2 extra bandoliers of M2.Different men had different experiences and reasons for what they did.If your interested in that kind of thing well worth the money. Regards,Mike

[Stockyards brat]

But you see pictures from both theaters where the GI has nothing but his rifle, and wearing just a shirt and pants-no harness-and these are combat films and stills. Where's the ammo then?

[sigman2]

But you see pictures from both theaters where the GI has nothing but his rifle, and wearing just a shirt and pants-no harness-and these are combat films and stills. Where's the ammo then?

Those are behind the lines photos.

In my father's outfit the standard combat loading was 80 rds. in belt, 8 rds. in rifle and 2 extra bandoleers for a total of 184 rds.

[EasyCompany]

Depends on unit, mission, etc. My Grand Dad's (LRP in the PTO) - told us that he carried a belt + three bandoleers + a ton of enblocs in a GP bag so maybe close to 400 rds-

[Peter100]

Below is the units of fire from WW2 pacific ocean area of the US Army. A unit of fire is the average amount of ammo expended in a day.
<TABLE width="80&#37;" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD width="75%">Weapon: <TD width="25%">Total Rounds: <TR><TD> <TD align=right> <TR><TD>.30-caliber carbine <TD align=right>45 <TR><TD>.30-caliber rifle <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>.30-caliber BAR <TD align=right>500 <TR><TD>.30-caliber machine gun <TD align=right>1,500 <TR><TD>.12-gauge shotgun <TD align=right>25 <TR><TD>.45-caliber automatic revolver <TD align=right>14 <TR><TD>.45-caliber submachine gun <TD align=right>200 <TR><TD>.50-caliber machine gun <TD align=right>600 <TR><TD>20-mm. antiaircraft machine gun <TD align=right>540 <TR><TD>27-mm. antitank or tank gun <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>37-mm. antiaircraft gun <TD align=right>270 <TR><TD>40-mm. antiaircraft gun <TD align=right>270 <TR><TD>57-mm. antitank gun <TD align=right>90 <TR><TD>60-mm. mortar <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>81-mm. mortar <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>4.2-inch chemical mortar <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>75-mm. howitzer field or pack <TD align=right>300 <TR><TD>75-mm. self-propelled tank gun or LVT howitzer <TD align=right>150 <TR><TD>75-mm. gun <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>3-inch self-propelled or antitank gun <TD align=right>50 <TR><TD>90-mm. self-propelled or antitank gun <TD align=right>125 <TR><TD>105-mm. M3 (short barrel) howitzer <TD align=right>150 <TR><TD>105-mm. field howitzer <TD align=right>200 <TR><TD>105-mm. self-propelled or tank gun howitzer <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>4.7-inch antiaircraft gun <TD align=right>75 <TR><TD>155-mm. M1 howitzer <TD align=right>150 <TR><TD>155-mm. M1 gun <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>8-inch howitzer <TD align=right>100 <TR><TD>240-mm. howitzer <TD align=right>60 <TR><TD>75-mm. gun <TD align=right>300 <TR><TD>3-inch antiaircraft mobile <TD align=right>150 <TR><TD>Hand grenade <TD align=right>1 per EM <TR><TD>Rifle antitank grenade launcher <TD align=right>2M9AT grenade <TR><TD>2.36-inch antitank rocket launcher (bazooka) <TD align=right>6 rockets </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[sigman2]

.45-caliber automatic revolver???

I'd better bite my tongue!

[joe wilson]

"Automatic Revolver" caught my eye too. I think it means "Automatic or Revolver".

[rifleman777]

man i wish i had an automatic revolver lol. it would go great with my semi auto bolt action.Thanks for the great info guys.

[Tim the student]

Having extra ammo is always a good problem to have!

Amen to that.

[pepsi71ocean]

one uncle who serves in the pacific would ditch all of his gear during an invasion and run ashore and then pick up what he needed, typically he said he would carry 350 round of ammo, he took his Carterage belt, and added two cantines on the back side and filled them with full enblock clips, and then added 3 bandoleers, and he said he ditched most of his personal gear when going into the jungle side, he was on okinowa, Iwo jima, and saipan.

My neighbor said he would load out with 2 bandoleers and his belt, unless he knew he would need ammo then he would find what he could.

[Deputy]

[snip]

Keep in mind that ,although the US "basic load" seems small by today's standards, in Europe, the German soldier only carried 65 rounds of 7.92mm in 5-round stripper clips. His ammo belt had two, 3-cell leather pouches. Each cell held two 5-round stripper clips. So, even with only the "basic load," the US soldier with the M1 Garand was carrying about 50% more ammo than his German enemy, not to mention that he had the better rifle. All things are relative.

Mike

I was searching around for info on what the German soldiers carried in their ammo pouches and found this post. You are correct, each ammo pouch held 10 rounds and they had six pouches. Plus the 98k held 5 rounds. But don't kid yourself. Both the Allied and Axis forces carried much more than the "basic load". Much of it was carried in locations you can't see, like pockets or gas mask carriers or even bread carriers in the case of Germans. The German paratroops had special bandoliers that held a whole bunch of ammo. Most times I have seen pics of them carrying two of these for a total of 200 rounds of 98k ammo: