Which US soldiers are/were issued pistols ?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Which US soldiers are/were issued pistols ?

Posted: 8/30/2004 11:50:39 PM EDT

During the following time periods:

WW1 ?

WW2 ?

Vietnam ?

Now ?

Posted: 8/30/2004 11:54:11 PM EDT

[#1]

WWI - I can only guess

WWII - officers, some NCOs, medics

Vietnam - officers, some NCOs, medics (unknown who else)

Now - include machine gunners

Posted: 8/31/2004 EDT

[#2]

Each unit has a TO&E (Table of Organization & Equipment) which dictates what weapons and gear each soldier will be issued. In my battalion, there is a CWO-3 in charge of this, who can essentially write it as he sees fit. We are an Air Defense battalion, and we were virtually all issued M-9 pistols. Even last year, as we were preparing for deployment to Iraq, there was to be no change to our weapons issue. I as well as many others hoped to pick up an AK as fast as possible, in that situation. We were deactivated before deploying, however, so I never had the chance.

Posted: 8/31/2004 12:04:40 AM EDT

[#3]

The only time I ever was Issued a M-16 in the Army was in Basic.....

I had a .45 and then a 9mm the whole time...

Heck I even had a M-9 bayonet to cut open tootsie rolls with.

Look at 82's post and add pilots, and tank drivers (after they got rid of the 45 cal subguns), and that pretty much sums it up for anything I have seen.

Posted: 8/31/2004 12:17:53 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
...Vietnam - officers, some NCOs, medics (unknown who else)...

In the army at least:
MP’s
Counter-intelligence types (often issued Colt Detective Specials)
Some air crew members

Posted: 8/31/2004 2:32:27 AM EDT

[#5]

Pretty much everyone on Crewmember Flight Status. Most of the Non-Crewmembers are the maintenance/Technical Inspector types.

Posted: 8/31/2004 2:56:16 AM EDT

[#6]

TO/E are done at the DOD level, getting them approved and changed is the equivalents of acts of god.

Posted: 8/31/2004 3:00:07 AM EDT

[#7]

I was issued a sidearm only when on watch on the boat.

I have friends (US Navy -aircraft maintenance) in Afghanistan, everyone is issued a sidearm.

Posted: 8/31/2004 3:29:02 AM EDT

[#8]

M1 Abrams crews are issued two M9s (and two M4s).

Kharn

Posted: 8/31/2004 3:33:52 AM EDT

[#9]

as a gunner in a mortar platoon in the guard in the late 80s, my issue weapon was a 1911A1. BTW, this was a light infantry unit. Co C 1/169 Inf, 43d bde, 26th (Yankee) Infantry Division.

Posted: 8/31/2004 3:55:02 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
M1 Abrams crews are issued two M9s (and two M4s).

It's been a few years, but I think my crews may have had three M9s, some had four, and we carried only one M4 - we were supposed to carry two M4s, but during training we only had one on board. The loader was the designated M4 guy.

Cavalry Bradley crews carry M9s (driver, gunner, BC), while the 2 dismounts (aka GIBs: guys in-back) carry an M240 and M203. Pretty good firepower for a 2-man fire team.

Dave

Posted: 8/31/2004 4:53:09 AM EDT

[#11]

1St Cav Frontline Engineers,Colt 1911A1,Company courier and mail clerk,and sometimes company clerk!

Hell being the only Engineer in the company that can run a typewriter(39 words per min) and a high school graduate!!! Shit son I was cutting my own passes and droping the First Sarge off just past Freedom bridge and heading for CC1!

Oh to be 18 again!!! And John got killed that year ,I remember I felt sorry for little john,and carolyne!!!

Bob

Posted: 8/31/2004 5:25:55 AM EDT

[#12]

In WWI and WWII soldiers could easily bring their own handguns from home (or even get them sent to them from their parents at home via the mail!).

I have heard of plenty of stories of enlisted men bringing home 1911s from WWI, so my guess is they were widely available for front-line troops. If you think about trench warfare, a handgun is mighty useful.

GunLvr

Posted: 8/31/2004 5:29:50 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
WWI - I can only guess

WWII - officers, some NCOs, medics

Vietnam - officers, some NCOs, medics (unknown who else)

Now - include machine gunners, officers: to the discression of officers in certain units. some choose to carry M16s, or M4s.

Posted: 8/31/2004 6:26:53 AM EDT

[#14]

The horse Cavalry all carried pistols. Pershing's Mexican Expedition was horse Cavalry, and armed with rifles and pistols. The US Army maintiained horse cavalry units until the end of WWII, just incase that mechanization idea didn't work out right (1st Cav Div fought as Infantry in the Pacific, but the 2nd Cav Div remained in CONUS and kept horses).

Military Police Corps is another big pistol using branch of the Army.

In Vietnam, the guy with the M79 grenade launcher had a pistol.

Vehicle crewmen and aircrewmen have pistols.

As noted, it's all distributed by the TO&E.

Ross

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Which US soldiers are/were issued pistols ?

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