Gift 2: BAR Gunner and Knee Mortarman

    
    The M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) provided the basis for squad firepower and in early 1944 squads were authorized 3 BARs per rifle squad.  M1936B BAR belt held two 20-round magazines in each of its six pockets.  The BAR’s bipod was sometimes removed to reduce weight.  This Marine is wearing the Herringbone Twill (HBT) two-piece uniform in sage green.  On his helmet he wears a reversible camouflage M-1 helmet cover in the “frog pattern”, green side out (four color).





     He carries a jungle first aid pouch on his belt next to his ammunition pouches.  The first aid pouch was issued after 1943 and contained a field dressing, insect repellent, iodine, petrolatum, a tourniquet, and Band-Aids.  On his back is the khaki M1941 pack system in the marching pack configuration (haversack, cartridge belt and entrenching tool – this was the normal assault configuration). The haversack contained rations, poncho, underwear, socks, mess kit, and a toilet kit.  The base of the miniature is sand from Iwo Jima’s Yellow 1 Beach, where 1st Battalion 23rd Marines came ashore.  Yellow 1 is located on the south-eastern side of Airfield 1, now over grown but still discernible in satellite imagery, and was collected in December 2005.

    

    This light mortar man is equipped with the Type 89 grenade launcher, commonly mistakenly called a “knee mortar”.  It fires 50mm grenades and were used for close-range support at the squad level.  On his head he wears the Type 92 (1932) helmet with camouflage netting that was widely worn throughout the Pacific Island Campaign.  He wears standard leg wrappings and leather split toe shoes.  

    
   
    On his back is slung the Arisaka Type 99 infantry rifle.  Attached to his leather webgear is an entrenching tool, first aid kit, bread bag, and Imperial Japanese Army style canteen.  The miniature is based on sand form Okinawa’s Yellow 2 Beach where 1st Battalion 5th Marines came ashore on 1 April 1945.  Yellow 2 is the public pay beach and Ganjyu Farm restaurant just north of Bishi River inlet south of Tori Station; the sand was collected in March 2016.