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Contents

Introduction

Part one-The Weapons……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Page 1

Pistols- Page 1

Grenades- Page 3

Carbines- Page 4

Rifles- Page 5

Submachine Guns- Page 7

Machine Guns- Page 9

Cartridge Comparisons- Page 12

Bazookas- Page 13

Mortars- Page 15

Flame Throwers- Page 17

German 20mm Cannon- Page 19

Panzerbusche 41-28mm Pak- Page 22

37mm Anti-Aircraft Artillery- Page 23

Towed Anti-tank Guns Page 24

German 88mm Dual Purpose Gun- Page 26

Artillery- Page 28

Footnotes and Chart References for Part One- Page 30

Part Two-The Vehicles……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………Page 34

Motorcycles- Page 37

Light 4 Wheel Passenger Vehicles- Page 38

Medium Passenger Vehicles- Page 41

Wheeled Ambulances- Page 43

1 1/2 Ton Trucks- Page 45

Medium Trucks 2 ½ Ton to 3 Ton- Page 47

Heavy Trucks- Page 50

Buses- Page 54

US M26A1 Tank recovery Tractor- Page 56

Trailers- Page 57

American Armored Division Trailers- Page 62

Unarmored Halftracks & Trailers- Page 66

Armored Cars- Page 71

Armored Halftracks- Page 75

The Tanks- Page 87

Tank Destroyers- Page 99

Self-Propelled Armored Artillery- Page 103

Self-Propelled Armored Assault Artillery- Page 108

Artillery Observation Tanks- Page 112

Armored Recovery vehicles- Page 115

Liaison Aircraft- Page 119

Radio & Signal and Communications in Vehicles- Page 121

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Vehicle Painting & Camouflage- Page 126

Footnotes and Chart References for Part Two- Page 130

Part Three-The Men……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………..Page 134

The German Soldier- Page 134

German Rations- Page 139

The American Soldier- Page 140

American Rations- Page 147

Footnotes and Chart References for Part Three- Page 147

Part Four-The Battalions and Similar Sized Units………………………………………………..…………………………….Page 148

Kriegsstärkenachweisungen and Tables of Organization & Equipment- Page 157

Panzer Grenadiers & US Armored Infantry- Page 157

US Armored Engineers & Panzer Pioneers- Page 188

US Armored Cavalry & Panzer Aufklarungs- Page 211

Panzer Artillery & US Armored Artillery- Page 234

Panzer Abteilungs and US Army Tank battalions- Page 278

Panzer Jägers & US Tank Destroyers- Page 319

Panzer Heers Flak & US Armored Anti-Aircraft- Page 339

Headquarters & HQ Support Units- Page 357

The Division Services- Page 411

Footnotes and Chart References for Part Four- Page 486

Part Five-The Divisions……………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………Page 488

Total Towed Trailers- Page 489

Total Unarmored Vehicles- Page 491

Total Armored Vehicles- Page 494

Total Weapons & Personnel- Page 496

Attached Units- Page 500

Division Schematics- Page 502

Non US Allied Formations- Page 506

Other Types of German Armored Formations- Page 511

Flags & Pennants of the Armored Divisions- Page 514

Footnotes and Chart References for Part Five- Page 519

Bibliography

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Introduction

For the American Army, the invasion of the Normandy beaches of France on June 6, 1944 would represent the

largest major American commitment of ground forces of the entire the Second World War. Prior to this date

the US Armed Forces had been engaged in conflicts with significant numbers of ground troops in the

Philippines (1941-1942), New Guinea, the Aleutian Islands, and the Gilbert, Marshalls and Caroline Islands in

the Pacific, Burma, North Africa, Sicily and Italy. The total commitment of US Army ground forces in 1944 to

Northwest Europe exceeded the combined total of all the other previous engagements. In no other campaign,

up until the Normandy invasion, could a complete tactical victory, within any one particular area, end the war

against one of the two major enemies, Germany or Japan. Total victory against Germany, starting with the

invasion of France in 1944, would mean that the resources allotted for that theater of war would be released

and concentrated on the remaining enemy, the Japanese.

Both Germany and the Allies built the organization of their land forces around the Division, and both

recognized that the most powerful and mobile formation that they could put into the field was an Armored

Division built around tanks. The German Army of the Second World War owed its very success to armored

warfare, and the British and Soviets had suffered tremendously in their learning curve to try and match the

tactical ability that German Panzer Divisions had achieved.

In Germany’s early military successes in France and Russia, and even in Africa, the opposing forces individual

armored vehicles were equal to or better than that which the German’s fielded. The early overwhelming

victories were gained by the superior tactics, training, and the way the German’s organized and deployed their

Armored Divisions, specifically the effective coordination of all the combat elements of the Division through

the use of wireless voice radios. As the war continued, and as the Allies learned the importance of using the

combined arms of Infantry, Artillery, Armor, and Airpower in a coordinated and supporting operation, from

the painful lessons of the battlefield, parity began to develop, and the tremendous advantages the Germans

once had were gone. The German Panzer Divisions, waiting in Northwest Europe for the inevitable and

expected Allied Invasion, were well designed formations, built upon vast combat experience, using the

increasingly limited equipment available to their best advantage and led by a cadre of the most experienced

armored combat veterans of the war.

The US Army had watched intently the developments of the German Army and studied their early victories

carefully, and modeled the US Army Armored Division along similar lines to the Panzer Division.

The inevitable departures from the German model came about due to two influences; the first was a

difference in the philosophy of the two countries’ Officer Corps. The Germans believed tactically that they

had lost the First World War because the Allies had developed Tanks, which regained the mobility lost in the

stagnant warfare of the trenches. Army Generals historically have a habit of fighting their current war by

correcting the mistakes of their last one. The American Officer Corp was divided into two camps, the Cavalry

and the Infantry. Memories of the Civil War Generals JEB Stuart and George Custer’s swashbuckling Cavalry

days still abounded, while the Infantry group regarded itself as “The Queen of Battle”. When it came to

armored formations, the US Cavalry wanted to go riding off in the enemy’s rear with sabers flashing, while the

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infantry just wanted armored mobile direct fire artillery support. The German invasion of Poland showed

both American camps that they were wrong, but they never truly let go of those old beliefs.

The second and probably most important factor in the design of the US Army Armored division was that the

vehicles and weapons of the American Armored division would have to be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean,

an ocean that was a hostile enemy environment, thousands of sea miles to Europe, and then they would have

to ship the supplies hundreds of miles more across hostile land to keep them fighting. This second factor was

the one that most important, yet often overlooked, but ultimately decided how an American Armored Division

would be formed.

The concept of this book has come from the fact that in 40 years of research there still has not been one

definitive place to go which showed every gun, vehicle, and man in a German Panzer Division, or American

Armored Division from the Second World War and comparing the two formations in detail. Since the Armored

Divisions went through so many changes in equipment, manpower, and formations, a specific date has to be

set for this comparison. For both the Americans and the Germans the most significant period is the summer

of 1944 of the Normandy Invasion. Both Countries had revamped their Division structures in preparation of

the expected invasion of France. So not only does the reader get a Unit by Unit comparison of the two

divisions, but also a detailed Table of Organization and Equipment which includes everything significant down

to the platoon level. The idea of using vehicle silhouettes as a tool is not original; it comes from the US War

Department during the Second World War. They used silhouettes of vehicles in their Field Manuals to denote

formations and types of vehicles and weapons.

It should be noted that there are differences even within the same country’s Armored Divisions.

In the summer of 1944, there were several different types of Armored Divisions in the German Army.

There were the regular Army Panzer Divisions, and in Northwest Europe most were in the process of being

either refitted or completely rebuilt after having been heavily damaged on the Eastern front

and they were in various stages of organization and training when the invasion came. There were also the SS

Panzer Divisions, larger than the regular Panzer Divisions, and though they often got first pick of the

equipment, they too were being upgraded and in training when D-Day came. Not to be outdone by the SS,

the German Regular Army created the Panzer Lehr Division which was staffed with veteran combat

training school instructors and had the finest equipment available and was equivalent in size to the larger SS

Panzer Divisions.

Since it is next to impossible for any large formation to go into battle fully staffed or with its entire

compliment of equipment, it is most representative to use a full strength Army Panzer Division as the average

German example…since at the time there truly was no such thing as an average German formation.

For example, the 21st Panzer Division had an armored battalion which included obsolete French Tanks in lieu

of German tanks, and was in the front line at Normandy right from the start of the invasion. There were also

two types of American Armored Divisions, the Pre-September 1943 “Heavy” Armored Divisions, and the post

September 1943 “Light” Armored Divisions. Since there were only two Heavy Divisions in the Northwest

Europe Campaign and the rest were Light, it is more typical to show the light configuration for the Americans,

because the basic battalion structure of the two different Divisions was the same for both.

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The American Armored Division was much smaller than the German Panzer Division, but had attached units to

better diversify its ability to face the challenges of combat, and the attached units would bring the manpower

level of the light Armored Division much closer to the Panzer Division. The types of Units attached were very

consistent, but the actual Units would only be attached for a month or two before being replaced by another.

Due to this rapid rotation of units, they did not become a defacto part of the Division in the same sense that

the 506th Parachute Regiment (Band of Brothers) did not officially become a part of the 101st Airborne Division

until 1945 even though they fought with the Division for all of World War II. For purposes of comparison and

accuracy the following attached Units have also been reviewed in this book since they were normally attached

to an American Armored Division. An Independent Tank Destroyer battalion with M10 Tank destroyers, an

Armored Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, a Towed 155mm Howitzer Battalion, and two

Quartermaster Truck Companies.

There is one attachment to the German Panzer Division that may or may not have been assigned, depending

on the mission assigned, and that is a” K” Bridge Unit attached to the Panzer Pioneer battalion. This is

included in the listed Table of Organization and Equipment. Not listed as part of the Panzer Division, but

included as an attached unit is a Tiger Tank Company. Although there were not that many Tiger Tanks in

Normandy, as compared to the Panzer Mk IV’s, Panthers, and self-propelled anti-tank guns, their 88mm gun

was so effective against Allied armored vehicles that a “Tiger Phobia” developed among American Troops,

which had an adverse effect on their combat ability.

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PART ONE-The Weapons

There were of course hundreds of different types of weapons used during World War Two by all sides.

Volumes have been written not just about groups of weapons systems, but individual weapons down to

pistols, rifles, and even bayonets. Fortunately the number of weapons used by both the Panzer Divisions and

the US Army Armored Divisions during the summer of 1944 is a relatively small number. Each weapon type

that was authorized will be listed by its major characteristics and compared to that of the opposing force. In

some cases the weapon will not have a counterpart to compare it to. For example, both the Germans and

Americans had Flamethrowers, but they were not part of the organization charts of an American Armored

Division, so there is no comparison with the Germans, who did have them in their Armored Divisions. There

are also classes of weapons that are sometimes close, but not quite equal. The German 20mm Anti-Tank Gun

is bigger than the American 50 caliber machine gun and has greater armor piercing capability, but cannot

equal the volume of lead that the 50 caliber could put out in the same time frame. At the same time, the

20mm gun the Germans mounted on many vehicles such as the Sdkfz 234/1 Armored Car, were as effective as

the American 37mm Tank gun mounted on the M-8 Armored Car and the Stuart M5A1 Tank. Many of the

guns in the Armored Divisions were not stand alone, but built into a tank or vehicle, and in these cases where

applicable the weapons will be compared in the Vehicle section.

Pistols

The soldiers of the German Panzer Division, like almost all other German units were only issued one type of

pistol, but they were issued in much greater numbers than in the American Armored Division. Any German

officer or senior Non Commissioned officer worth their salt had acquired a Luger, known to the GI’s as a prime

looting status symbol. Only the Americans called it a Luger, the Germans called it the P08 Parabellum. To

Americans there was no greater war trophy than to acquire one. But the Luger was not issued to the Panzer

troops, as its manufacture ended in 1942, another pistol, the Walther P-38 was and it was an excellent

weapon in its own rights.*(1)

The Germans issued 3,375 Pistols to the Panzer Division Troops and these would be issued as the sole personal

weapon of the soldier it was issued to, not in addition to a Rifle or Sub-Machine Gun.

The American Armored Division in contrast had only 100 Pistols issued, also as the sole personal arm of the

soldier that carried it and that soldier would be an Officer. The American Pistol issued was the M1911A1 45

caliber Pistol. This is the 45 caliber pistol of World War I, World War II, Korea and Viet Nam.*(2) The reason

for the disparity of numbers compared to the Panzer Division will become evident due to the American issue

of the M1 Carbine as a replacement of the pistol.

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Chart 1

Pistol Comparison Chart German Walthers P-38 United States M1911A1

Primary Manufacturer Carl Walther Waffenfabrik Colt

Weight 1 Pound 2 Ounces 2 Pounds 7 Ounces

Length 8.5 Inches 8.25 Inches

Caliber 9mm 45 Caliber

Action Short Recoil, Locked Breach Short Recoil Operation

Muzzle Velocity 1200 feet per second 830 Feet Per second

Maximum Range 164 Feet 150 Feet

Effective Range 82 Feet 82 feet

Rounds in Magazine 8 Round Clip 7 Round Clip

Rate of Fire 70 Rounds Per Minute 25 Rounds Per Minute

Ease of Operation Good Good

Number Manufactured 1,190,080 plus 19,000,000 Plus

Issued to Division 3375 100

US ARMY POC: Headquarters Marine Corps, Division of Public Affairs

Page 2

German Walthers P-38

US M1911A1 Colt 45

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Grenades

The issue of grenades to both the Panzer Division and the Armored Division was not quantified in a Table of

Organization and Equipment, but issued as needed and as available. Priority went to those units more likely to

engage in combat, and normally went to the infantry first. Occupants of enclosed armored vehicles on both

sides who had combat experience…or just good common sense did not like to have things inside of a tank that

could easily accidently blow up because a pin or handle got snagged on a sharp corner! There are many

different types of grenades; smoke, concussion, thermite, anti-tank, sticky, Rifle fired, and Molotov cocktail!

The offensive grenade that would have been used by the Panzer troops or the G.I.’s in the Armored Division

was the basic Fragmentation grenade issued by both sides. Other types would have been issued as needed

and available, but the basic offensive fragmentation grenade was the primary one. Through painful combat

experience, the Americans learned not to throw grenades uphill, since they had a very bad habit of rolling

downhill before they exploded. The German “potato masher” was much less likely to do this because of the

long wooden handle attached, which was its main advantage and main reason for its unique design. *(3)

Chart 2

Grenade Comparison Chart

Model 24 Stielhandgranate Mark 2 Fragmentation

Primary Manufacturer Various Various

Slang Name Potato Masher Pineapple

Explosives 6 Ounces TNT 2 Ounces TNT

Weight 1 Pound 5 Ounces 1 Pound 5 Ounces

Length 14 Inches 4 Inches

Fuse Chemical Black Powder/Chemical

Fuse Delay 4-5 Seconds 4 Seconds

Lethal Blast Radius 42 Feet 45 feet

Variants Fragmentation/Smoke Fragmentation

Ease of Operation Excellent Good

Number Manufactured 2,000,000 Plus 87,320,000

US ARMY US ARMY

“When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is no longer our friend!”-Murphy’s Laws of Combat

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German Model 24 Stielhandgranate

US Mark 2 Fragmentation Sample

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The American M1 Carbine

During the Second World War there were several variants and types of rifles used by both the Germans and

Americans. The main basic combat Rifle issued to the Panzer Troops, the Karabiner 98k.

There were two Rifle types issued to the US Armored Division, the M1A1 Garand and in a category all on its

own, the M1 Carbine. The M1 Carbine was issued to the troops of the American Armored Division instead of,

and in the place of the 45 caliber pistol.*(4) The M1 Carbine was an excellent upgrade to the 45 caliber pistol,

giving the non-rifleman a much superior weapon with more accuracy, a greater range than a pistol, and an

excellent rate of fire, without significantly increasing the weight of the ammunition. The third factor is

important when considering the energy it takes to carry extra ammunition. The M1 Carbine did not have the

range or hitting power of either the M1A1 Garand or the Karabiner 98k, but it was not off by much and it was

vastly superior to the Walthers P-38 or the US 45 caliber pistol.

The M1 Carbine used the US Army M4 bayonet and could be fitted to fire the M8 Rifle Grenade. There were

5065 M1 carbines issued to the US Army Armored Division with attached units in 1944.

Chart 3 Carbine/Pistol Comparison Chart German Walthers P-38 M1 Carbine

Primary Manufacturer Carl Walther Waffenfabrik Various

Weight 1 Pound 2 Ounces 5 Pounds 3 Ounces

Length 8.5 Inches 35.6 Inches

Caliber 9mm 30 Caliber

Action Short Recoil, Locked Breach

Gas Operated, Rotating Bolt

Muzzle Velocity 1200 feet per second 1,970 feet per second

Effective Range 82 Feet 900 feet

Maximum Range 164 Feet 300 feet

Rounds in Magazine 8 Round Clip 15 Round or 30 Round Clip

Rate of Fire 70 Rounds Per Minute 85 Rounds Per Minute

Ease of Operation Good Excellent

Number Manufactured 1,190,080 plus 6,250,000 Plus

Issued To Division 3375 5065

US ARMY US Army Photo

Page 4

M1 Carbine

German Walthers P38

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Rifles

In this area the Germans were at a distinct disadvantage. The Karabiner 98k was a World War 1 model

weapon that the Germans had upgraded for use in the 1930’s. Although the weapon had been the mainstay

of German Infantry in the Great War, the theory for the German soldiers of the 1940’s was the Infantry

Machine Gun (The MG34 or MG42) was the primary weapon of the Infantry, and the rifle supplemented and

protected the Machine Gun crews. They simply did not see a need for anything other than a bolt action rifle at

this point in time. The disadvantage of the bolt action is that by chambering each round, the soldier would

lose sight of the target; therefore he would have to reacquire the target, take aim, and then fire again. The

seconds lost in this act could be precious in a fire fight.

The Germans tried to rectify this (initially against Hitler’s wishes) by developing the first true assault rifle,

the Sturmgewehr 44. By the time the developers got Hitler to see it (he was so excited he personally named

it), and manufacturing got started, it was not until the Ardennes Offensive of December 1944 before it was

issued in any quantity.*(5) So for the summer of 1944 and at the beaches of Normandy, the Panzer Troop’s

basic rifle was the Karabiner 98k. The small “k” stood for “short” as the rifle was shortened in length from the

original World War One model without effecting it’s accuracy by any significant amount.

Although snipers were prolific throughout Normandy and Northwest Europe, the offensive role of the Panzer

Division in the summer of 1944 was not one in which sniper rifles were issued in their table of organization

and equipment.

The US Army standard issue rifle was the M1A1 Garand, and is viewed as the best combat rifle of the Second

World War. It was a gas operated and a very accurate rifle that could fire 8 rounds without taking the zeroed

site off of the target, plus it was quick to reload. Add to this the American belief that every man was

descended from Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, and Alvin York, and in basic training marksmanship was very

important!*(6)

In addition to the M1 Garand, there were nine sniper rifles issued to each of the three infantry battalions of

the American Armored Division for a total of 27, and the standard US sniper rifle was the 1903 Springfield, the

US Army’s First World War rifle. It was a bolt action weapon firing a 30.06 Caliber cartridge (the same as a M1

Garand) and was very similar to the Karabiner 98k. It is not listed in the charts for comparison since it was

issued in such small numbers.

The Karabiner 98k used a S84/98 III bayonet and could be modified to fire Schiessbecher Rifle Grenades, and

the M1 Garand used the US Army M1 Bayonet and could also be fitted to fire a M7 Rifle Grenade.

The Germans issued 9299 Rifles to a 1944 Panzer Division as compared to 2013 M1 Garand’s and 27 of

the 1903 Springfield’s for a total of 2040 rifles issued to the US Armored Division. Add the

number of 5065 M1 Carbines issued to the Armored Division, and the total for the Americans comes up to

7105 Rifles, versus the Panzer Division’s 9299 Rifles.

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Chart 4

Rifle Comparison Chart

German Karabiner 98K United States M1 Garand

Primary Manufacturer Mauser Primary Winchester Primary

Weight 9 Lbs. 9.5 Lbs

Length 44 Inches 43.5 Inches

Caliber 7.92mm 30 .06 Caliber (7.62mm)

Action Bolt Action Gas Operated Semi-Automatic

Muzzle Velocity 2490 feet per second 2800 Feet Per second

Maximum Range 870 Yards 2000 Yards

Effective Range 545 Yards 500 Yards

Rounds in Magazine 5 Rounds Internal magazine 8 Rounds internal magazine

Rate of Fire 15 Rounds Per Minute 24 Rounds Per Minute

Ease of Operation Good Excellent

Number Manufactured 14,500,000 plus 5,000,000 Plus

Issued to Division 9299 2013

US ARMY US ARMY

Page 6

German Karabiner 98k

US M1A1 Garand US M1A1 Garand

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Submachine Guns

Fully automatic one man weapons that fired pistol ammunition were called Submachine Guns by the

Americans and Maschinenpistole (Machine Pistol) by the Germans. The Submachine gun had been invented in

the First World War to sweep the enemy away once a soldier had advanced into the enemy’s trench system.

Such a weapon needed to have a high rate of fire, use lightweight ammunition (pistol rather than rifle) since

extra ammunition would have to be carried by the soldier, and due to the confined space inside the trench,

did not need to be accurate past 100 yards.

Once the War was over research fell to the wayside. During the interim war years in the United States the

Thompson Submachine Gun, designed just too late for use in the First World War, found a limited commercial

market and notoriety in the hands of some Gangsters.

The Thompson was a good weapon but expensive and complicated to make. It was, thanks to its notoriety, a

very popular weapon, so during World War Two it was greatly desired by American soldiers authorized to

carry a submachine gun as a status symbol. *(7) In an effort to cut costs and increase production the

Americans also produced and issued in the late summer of 1944 the M3 Submachine Gun, nicknamed, “The

Grease Gun” because it looked like an automobile grease gun attachment. Both fired 45 Caliber pistol

ammunition, and the M3 was a good weapon, but it lacked the notoriety of the Thompson.

The Germans started the Second World War with the MP 38 submachine gun, but soon realized a need for

minor improvements, ending up with the MP 40. This was the famous “Schmeisser”, that appears in almost

every World War II movie made. Using 9mm Pistol ammunition, it was a very effective weapon, but on the

Eastern front, many German soldiers preferred using captured PPSh 41 – 7.62mm Soviet Submachine Guns to

the MP 40. Enough were captured to warrant the Germans converting them to use 9mm pistol ammunition

and have instruction manuals printed in German!*(8)

“Never cut off the enemy’s only escape route unless you want to see how hard he can really fight.”-Murphy’s Laws of Combat

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Chart 5

SMG Comparison Chart German MP 40 SMG Thompson M1A1 SMG M3 SMG Notes

Primary Manufacturer Erma Werke Auto Ordinance Company General Motors All had Multiple Manufacturers

Weight 8 Pounds 13 Ounces 10 Pounds 10 Ounces 8 Pounds

Length 33 Inches 32 Inches 30 Inches M3 & MP 40 had folding stocks

Caliber 9mm 45 Caliber Pistol 45 Caliber Pistol All used Pistol Ammunition

Action Straight Blowback Open Bolt Blowback Blowback, Open Bolt

Muzzle Velocity 1247 feet per second 920 feet per second 920 feet per second

Maximum Range 700 Feet 500 Feet 900 Feet Not effective past 300 feet

Effective Range 300 Feet 220 Feet 300 Feet

Rounds in Magazine 32 Round External Clip 20 or 30 Round External clip

30 Round External Clip

Rate of Fire 500 Rounds Per Minute 600 Rounds Per minutes 450 Rounds Per Minute

Ease of Operation Good Good Good All were hard to aim

Number Manufactured 1,000,000 Plus 1,700,000 Plus 700,00 Plus

Issued to Division 1513 2807 In place of the M1A1 2807 US SMG’s issued to Division

US ARMY US Army Photo US Army Photo

Page 8

US Thompson M1A1 Submachine Gun

US M3 45 Caliber Submachine Gun

German MP 40 Maschinenpistole

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Machine Guns

In doing a comparison of the weapons of an American Armored division and a German Panzer Division starting

in June of 1944 the first real conflict of comparison comes with the machine guns.

In the US Army there were three classifications of machine guns, light, medium, and heavy.

An example of the light machine gun was the Browning automatic rifle firing a 30.06 caliber Round, which

was not issued to the Armored Divisions, but was issued to the Infantry and Airborne Divisions.

The two machine guns that were issued in the 30 caliber range were the Browning 30 caliber M1919 Machine

Gun, firing the standard 30.06 Rifle Cartridge, or the Browning M1917, a much heavier water-cooled version,

which was bulkier than the air cooled version.

The US heavy machine gun was the Browning M2 50 caliber Machine Gun which fired a variety of 50 caliber

ammunition. Sometimes the Browning 30 caliber is listed as a Light Machine Gun and sometimes it is listed as

a Medium Machine Gun, and sometimes it is listed as a Heavy MG when it is the 103 pound M1917!

The Germans did not have a medium category for Machine Guns, they basically had two models that fired the

same ammunition, and considered them the same, neither being considered heavy or light, but just a Machine

Gun. The Germans primarily used two basic models of Machine Guns, the MG 34 and the MG 42. They used

the MG 34 as part of their Tank Internal Machine Guns (those Machine Guns built into the Vehicle), since they

could not adapt the MG 42 for the role, due to its style of construction, but the MG 42 had a much higher rate

of fire than the MG 34 and was issued to Infantry interchangeably with the MG 34.

Both fired the 7.92 X 57mm Mauser Rifle Cartridge, and both were configured in both a Light Machine Gun

and Heavy Machine Gun role. For the MG 34 or MG 42 to be configured as a Heavy Machine Gun, the

Germans had a Rigid Tripod System that the Machine Gun would be attached to, to give it greater stability for

accurate fire, and more importantly, make it very easy to change the barrel when it started to overheat from

firing too many rounds (about 300 rounds). What the US Army would have called a Heavy Machine Gun was

the German 20mm Anti-Tank and Anti-Aircraft Gun, but the Germans only classified the MG 34 and MG 42 as

Machine Guns due to the 20mm’s slower rate of fire. They designated the 20mm as cannons.

To do a fair comparison, it is best to compare the MG 34 and MG 42 with the Browning M1919 30 Caliber

Machine Gun, and then the Browning M2 50 Caliber against the German 20mm Guns. One reason for this is

that the US Army Armored Division had no 20mm’s issued to them, and another is that the Germans used the

20mm’s in a ground support role as often as they could.

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Two legacies of these weapons is that the MG 42 was such an impressive weapon, that the post war US Army

Machine Gun, the Browning M60 used during Viet Nam, and still used today, is a descendant of the MG

42,*(9) and the other is that the Browning M2 50 caliber Machine Gun is such a good weapon that it is still the

primary Heavy Machine Gun of US Armed Forces, continuously used, almost unaltered from its introduction in

1923 through today.*(10)

Chart 6

LMG Comparison Chart Maschinengewehr 34 Maschinengewehr 42 Browning M1919 30 Cal. Browning M1917 30 Cal.

Primary Manufacturer Mauser Werke Metall und Lackierwarenfabrik General Motors Corporation Colt

Weight 26 Pounds 11 Ounces 25 Pounds 8 Ounces 31 Pounds 103 Pounds

Length 48 Inches 44 Inches 38 Inches 38.5 Inches

Caliber 7.92mm 7.92mm 30.06 Caliber 30.06 Caliber

Action Recoil Operated Recoil-operated, roller-locked Recoil Operated (Short) Recoil Operated (Short)

Muzzle Velocity 2477 Feet Per Second 2477 Feet Per Second 2800 Feet Per Second 2800 Feet Per Second

Maximum Range 7000 Feet 12.250 Feet 12,000 Feet 10,500 Feet

Effective Range 2800 feet 3420 Feet 4500 Feet 7800 Feet

Ammunition Feed 50 or 200 Round Belt or Drum 50 or 250 Round Belt 250 Round Belt 250 Round Belt

Basic Ammunition Types Ball, Armor Piercing, Tracer Ball, Armor Piercing, Tracer Ball, Armor Piercing, Tracer Ball, Armor Piercing, Tracer

Rate of Fire 850 Rounds Per Minute 1200 Rounds Per Minute 600 Rounds Per Minute 600 Rounds Per Minute

Ease of Operation Excellent Excellent Good Fair

Number Manufactured 354,000 Plus 750,000 Plus 2 Million Plus 53,859

Issued To Division 1320 With, or In Place of MG 34 985 129

US ARMY US ARMY

“When the enemy is in range…so are you!”-Murphy’s Laws of Combat US ARMY US ARMY

Page 10

German MG 34 German Maschinengewehr 34

German MG 42 German MG 42

German Maschinengewehr 42

US Browning M1919 30 Cal MG

US Browning M1917 30 Cal MG

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Chart 7

HMG Comparison Chart Maschinengewehr 42 M2 Browning 50 Caliber HB

Primary Manufacturer Metall und Lackierwarenfabrik Winchester

Weight 25 Pounds 8 Ounces 84 Pounds

Length 44 Inches 65 Inches

Caliber 7.92mm 50 Caliber

Action Recoil-operated, roller-locked Recoil Operated (Short)

Muzzle Velocity 2477 Feet Per Second 2910 Feet Per Second

Maximum Range 12.250 Feet 24,024 Feet

Effective Range 3420 Feet 6336 Feet

Ammunition Feed 50 or 250 Round Belt 250 Round Belt

Basic Ammunition Types Ball, Armor Piercing, Tracer Ball, Armor Piercing, Tracer

Rate of Fire 1200 Rounds Per Minute 575 Rounds Per Minute

Ease of Operation Excellent Excellent

Number Manufactured 750,000 Plus 1,900,000 Plus

Issued to Division 42 765

US Army Photo US Army Photo

“If the enemy is low on ammunition, try to look like a small target”-

Murphy’s Laws of Combat

Page 11

German MG 42 In Heavy Configuration German Maschinengewehr 42 In Heavy Machine Gun Mode

US M2 Browning 50 Caliber HB

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Cartridge Comparisons The damage that a bullet can do is based on the speed it travels, the stability of the bullet in flight, (a tumbling

bullet will create more tissue and bone damage than a bullet spiraling on its long axis) and ultimately it’s

weight.*(11) There are many different types of rounds for the weapons listed, Armor-Piercing, Ball, Tracer,

and many more, and most were used in Machine Guns. MG ammunition was normally loaded in a belt and

their order and type could not be changed while firing. Combat Veterans would make up a special “mix” for

their machine gun belts when they had the time, consisting of anti-personnel, tracer, armor piercing, etc. The

mix would be based on the availability of the type of ammunition, and then could possibly be placed in the

ammunition belt as, for example, one out of every sixth round a tracer and one out of every three rounds,

armor piercing.*(12) In the Cartridge Comparison Chart, only the basic round for each weapon is listed. Each

weapon had numerous different types of rounds available for use. Not only for that time period would be

numerous choices, there would also be earlier models of ammunition that would be available from time to

time. For the purposes of comparison it is easiest to use an average size and weight of cartridge to show the

differences in both sides.

Chart 8

Cartridge Comparison Chart Weight Size Feet Per Second

German Walthers P-38 Pistol 9.7 Grams (0.342 Ounces) 9mmX17mm 1200 FPS

USA M1911A1 Pistol 10.7 Grams (0.377 Ounces) .45 Caliber X 1.26 Inches 830 FPS

USA M1 Carbine 7.1 Grams (0.250 Ounces) .30 Caliber X 1.65 Inches 1970 FPS

German Karabiner 98K 12.8 Grams (0.451 Ounces) 7.92mmX57mm 2490 FPS

USA M1 Garand 11.2 Grams (0.395 Ounces) .30 Caliber X 3.3 Inches 2800 FPS

German MP 40 9.7 Grams (0.342 Ounces) 9mmX17mm 1247 FPS

USA Thompson M1A1 or M3 Grease Gun 10.7 Grams (0.377 Ounces) .45 Caliber X 1.26 Inches 920 FPS

German Maschinengewehr 34 or 42 12.8 Grams (0.451 Ounces) 7.92mmX57mm 2477 FPS

USA Browning M1919 30 Cal. 11.2 Grams (0.395 Ounces) .30 Caliber X 3.3 Inches 2800 FPS

M2 Browning 50 Caliber HB 52 Grams (1.834 Ounces) .50 Caliber X 5.45 Inches 2910 FPS

“In battle, everyone thinks that God is on their side, even the Atheists!—Murphy’s Laws of Combat

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Bazookas

For once it was the Americans who showed some innovation over the Germans, with the development of the

Bazooka during the war. There are many theories as to where the slang term “Bazooka” came from, the most

likely was the homemade musical instrument called the “bazooka” made by the popular musical comedian,

Joe Burns.*(13)

Introduced in November of 1942 to American Infantryman who had not yet been trained on how to fire it, for

use in Operation Torch in the North African campaign, by 1944, the time of the Normandy Invasion, the

Americans were well trained in its use.*(14) Its diameter was 60mm, but it was classified as “2.36 Inches” to

keep the rounds from being confused with the 60mm mortar rounds. With 635 issued to each American

Armored Division, they were assigned to almost every type of formation within the Division. This gave every

American soldier access to a “hip pocket” anti-tank weapon, and with a huge amount of luck and courage they

could take out an enemy tank.

The American Government included the 2.36 Inch Bazooka in its lend Lease shipments to the Soviet Union,

and during the fighting on the Eastern front, the Germans captured them from the Soviets and were very

impressed. They recognized the need for such a weapon, designed their own version, and

called it the Raketenpanzerbüchse 54, made the diameter 88mm…and came up with a better weapon.*(15)

The Panzer Division issued a small number (9) with 3 going to the Division HQ Company and 6 to the Panzer

Pioneer Battalion. The Germans did not see a need to equip a Panzer Division with a defensive Infantry

weapon during the summer of 1944. This would change later on as the Germans could not recover their

losses and they became primarily a defensive army, and started issuing the Raketenpanzerbuchse, along with

the Panzerfaust to all of its troops.

“It’s easier to learn from another’s experiences than suffer through learning from your own.”-Murphy’s Law of Combat

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Chart 9

Bazooka Comparison Chart Panzerbuchsen 88mm R 54 M1A1 2.36 Inch Bazooka

Primary Manufacturer HASAG Production Line General Electric

Weight 20 Pounds 8 Ounces 12 Pounds 12 Ounces

Length 52.5 Inches 54 Inches

Caliber 88mm 2.36 Inches

Action Single Shot Electric Ignition Single Shot Electric Ignition

Muzzle Velocity 361 Feet Per Second 265 Feet Per Second

Maximum Range 630 Feet 1200 Feet

Effective Range 396 Feet 300 Feet

Ammunition Feed Single Shot Single Shot

Basic Ammunition Types 7 Pound 5 Ounce Shaped Charge Rocket

3 Pound 6 Ounce Shaped Charged Rocket

Rate of Fire 6 Rounds Per Minute 6 Rounds per Minute

Armor Penetration 60 degree Plate 6 Inches of Armor 90 degree Plate 4 Inches of Armor

Ease of Operation Fair Fair

Number Manufactured 25,000 Plus 441,000 Plus

Issued to Division 9 635

US Army Intelligence Bulletin US Army Photo

Page 14

German Panzerbuchsen 88mm R 54

M1A1 2.36 Inch Bazooka

US M1A1 2.36 Inch Bazooka 36 Inch Bazooka

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Mortars

The US Armored Division had 111 Mortars in its Table of Organization and Equipment as compared to the

Germans who had 62. Although the German Panzer Division had 49 less mortars, they had 16 of the heavy

120mm Mortars which made them closer to parity in the weight of the shells. The total weight of one

barrage of American Armored Division Mortars would be 525 pounds worth of projectiles verses 900 pounds

worth of German projectiles. The largest mortar projectile the American 81mm mortar fired weighed 7

pounds, while the Germans fired a 34 pound 6 ounce projectile from the 120mm mortar.

Both of the US Army’s mortars, the M2 60mm and the M1 81mm came from a French Pre-War design and

were modified for production in the United States. The German 81mm mortar had become standard for the

Panzer Divisions by 1941, when it was found that the standard issue light 50mm mortar was just too small to

be effective.

When the Germans invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, they came up against the formidable Soviet 120mm

Mortar while the largest they had was the 81mm Mortar. They were so impressed they began to immediately

use the captured Soviet 120mm Mortars and to begin manufacturing their own. In a rare but wise move, the

German 120mm Mortar was interchangeable with the Soviet 120mm Mortar and both could use the same

ammunition.*(16)

The Mortar was a poor man’s artillery, but it did give a small unit artillery support that they had quick access

to, with minimal formal fire control, and a fair amount of accuracy.

In the US Armored Division, the M2 60mm mortars were not fired from vehicles, as they were meant to be

carried by the infantry and used as their fire support. The M1 81mm mortars were fired directly from a

specially outfitted halftrack or from the M32 Armored Recovery Vehicle or they could be dismounted and fired

from the ground. Those attached to the M32 ARV were used more for laying down a smoke screen to shield

their recovery efforts on the battlefield, rather than for fire support against enemy positions.

The German 81mm mortar was set up to fire from their halftracks, or the back of trucks in a pinch, and was

also man portable and could be deployed on the ground for fire support. The 120mm mortar would be

mounted on the Sd. Ah. 51 trailer and drawn into combat by a vehicle, and then set up for fire support.

Both the US Mortars and the German 81mm mortar were used for HE fire, laying down smoke, and for

firing Illumination rounds (bright flares on small parachutes) giving a large amount of light for a burn time of

25 seconds on a dark battlefield.

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Chart 10

Mortar Comparison Chart M2 60mm Mortar 8 cm GrW 34 M1 81mm Mortar 12cm GrW 42

Primary Manufacturer Vimalert Rheinmetall Watervliet Arsenal Rheinmetall

Weight 42 Pounds 136 Pounds 10 Ounces 136 Pounds 617 Pounds 5 Ounces

Length 28.6 Inches 45 Inches 45.5 Inches 73 Inches

Caliber 60mm 81.4mm 81mm 120mm

Shell 3 Pound Shell 7 Pound 11 Ounce Shell 7 Pounds 34 Pounds 6 Ounce Shell

Muzzle Velocity 518 Feet 571 Feet Per Second 700 Feet Per Second 891 Feet per second

Maximum Range 5955 Feet 7872 Feet 9870 Feet 19848 Feet

Elevation Range 40 Degrees to 85 Degrees 45 Degrees to 90 Degrees 40 Degrees to 80 Degrees

45 Degrees to 80 Degrees

Traverse Range 7 Degrees 10 Degrees to 23 Degrees 30 Degrees 18 Degrees

Basic Ammunition Types HE, Phosphorous., Illuminating

HE, Smoke, Illumination

HE, Phosphorous., Illuminating, Smoke 4 Varieties of HE

Rate of Fire 18 Rounds Per Minute 17 Rounds per Minute 18 Rounds Per Minute 7 Rounds Per Minute

Ease of Operation Good Good Good Good

Number Manufactured 67500 68,107 30,200 8,461 (plus captured Soviet)

Issued to Division 63 46 48 16

US Army Photograph US ARMY

US Army US Army

Page 16

US M2 60mm Mortar

German 8cm GrW 34

US M1 81mm Mortar

German GrW 42 120mm Mortar

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Flamethrowers

Only the German Panzer Division had Flamethrowers assigned to them. The Panzer Division had a total of 36

Flamethrowers, but 12 of them were attached to Six Sdkfz 251/16 Armored halftracks, and they were

mounted in the vehicle, while the rest of the flamethrowers were carried by individuals. The flamethrowers

mounted on the Sdkfz 251 Halftrack had 14mm Nozzles which were twice as large as the standard

flamethrower nozzle. The ignition system was part of a gasoline pump electric igniter, and with the use of a

centrifugal pump, a gallon per second of the fuel could be directed towards an enemy position at a maximum

range of 120 feet.

The balance of 24 Flamethrowers issued were the individually carried Flammenwerfer mit Strahlpatrone 41.

The translation of which is “Flamethrower with Jet Cartridge”. The Germans had found that their earlier

ignition systems failed during the frigid Russian winters due to the subzero temperatures, so the

Flamethrower 41 had 10 blank gunpowder cartridges for 10 shots at a range of 100 feet. A successful

technique would be to not fire a cartridge with every shot, but to soak the target with several shots and let the

fuel seep in through openings and cracks…and then fire a shot an ignite the whole mess.

The German doctrine of using Flamethrowers was taken as very serious and they were viewed only as an

offensive weapon. If they could not destroy an emplaced enemy with them, they might be able to get the

enemy to move away from the defended position out into the open just based on the fear factor of being

burnt alive. The US Marines also used this tactic successfully in the Pacific. *(17)

The 2 Flamethrowers in each Sdkfz 251 Halftrack were fixed with 160 degree forward traverse and were

supplied by 154 gallon tank of fuel as compared to 3 Gallons of fuel carried in the tank on the back of a

soldier.

Flamethrowers were the weapons of the German Panzer Pioneers, who were considered the elite shock

assault troops of the division, as well as being the combat construction engineers. Both mobile and backpack

versions of the Flammenwerfer are shown in the comparison chart.

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Chart 11

Bundesarchiv, Koblenz German Federal Archives

“There are no desperate situations, there are only desperate people” -General Heinz Guderian

Page 18

Flamethrower Comparison Chart Mobile 14mm Flammenwerfer Backpack Flammenwerfer 41 S

Primary Manufacturer Wumag Different Manufacturers

Fuel Capacity 154 Gallons 3 Gallons

Range 120 Feet 100 Feet

Firing Duration 80-1.5 Second Bursts 10 seconds

Fuel Type Creosote Type Oils Creosote Type Oils

Unit Weight N/A fixed To vehicle 80 Pounds

Number of Nozzles 2 per Vehicle 1

Firing Mechanism Electro Gasoline 10 Jet Firing Cartridges

Propellant Hydrogen Hydrogen

Total Manufactured 347 Vehicles 64,284

Issued to Division 12 24

German Sdkfz 251/16

German Backpack Flammenwerfer 41 S

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