M7 'Priest' in US Infantry Divisions
- 00crusader
- Member
- Posts: 29
- Joined: 27 Jul 2009, 20:08
Re: M7 'Priest' in US Infantry Divisions
As can be seen in this account from the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division at Normandy, the cannon company was equipped with the M3 105mm howitzer: http://warchronicle.com/16th_infantry/o ... day_s3.htm, here's the excerpt, "Cannon Company lost all six of its 105 Howitzers (M-3), which were loaded in DUKWS, through sinking and fought as infantrymen with the 1st BLT." Also from wiki on the M3 and cannon companies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M3_howitzer
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Re: M7 'Priest' in US Infantry Divisions
This one says six each 105mm SP per cannon company.
http://carl.army.mil/nafziger/944UQID.PDF
Detailed Organization
American Infantry Division
Self Propelled Cannon Company
26 February 1944
Table of Organization 7-14S
Company Headquarters:
1 Captain (comany commander)(1 M1 carbine)
1 1st Lieutenant (reconnaissance) (1 M1 carbine)
1 1st Sergeant (1 M1 carbine)
1 Staff Sergeant (mess)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Staff Sergeant (reconnaissance)(1 M1 carbine)
1 Staff Sergeant (transportation)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Staff Sergeant (supply)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Sergeant (communication)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Corporal (company clerk)(1 M1 rifle)
22 Privates
1 Armorer-artificier (1 M1 rifle)
1 Bugler (1 M1 carbine & 1 ¼-ton truck)
2 Cooks (2 M1 rifles)
2 Cook's Helpers (2 M1 rifles)
1 Light Truck Driver (1 M1 rifle, 1 1½-ton
cargo truck, 1 .50 cal HB flexible HMG
& 1 2.36" rocket launcher)
1 Tank Mechanic (1 M1 carbine)
1 Artillery Mechanic (1 M1 rifle)
1 Automobile Mechanic (1 M1 rifle & 3/4-ton
weapons carrier)
2 Messengers (2 M1 carbines & 2 ½-ton trucks)
2 Instrument Operators (2 M1 rifles)
8 Basics (10 M1 rifles)
3 Cannon Platoons: each with:
Platoon Headquarters
1 1st/2nd Lieutenant (platoon commander)(1 M1 carbine)
1 Tecnical Sergeant (platoon leader)(1 M1 carbine)
1 Corporal (agent)(1 M1 rifle)
4 Privates
1 Light Truck Driver (1 M1 rifle, 1 2½-ton
truck, 1 .50 cal HB flexible HMG, 1 1-ton
trailer)
1 Messenger (1 M1 carbine & 1 ¼-ton truck)
1 Instrument Operator (1 M1 rifle)
1 Radio-Telephone Operator (1 M1 rifle)
2 Howitzer Sections: each with:
1 Sergeant (section chief) (1 M1 rifle)
1 Corporal (gunner) (1 M1 carbine)
5 Privates
4 Cannoneers (7 M1 carbines)
1 Tank Driver (1 M1 carbine, 1 105mm
self propelled howitzer)
2
Change #1 of 19 May 1944
Cannon Platoon Headquarters
added:
1 Corporal (instrument)(1 M1 carbine & 1 ¼-ton truck)
reduced to:
3 Privates from 4
Source: US TO&E Documentation obtained at US Army Historical Centers, Carlisle Barracks, PA
Copyright GFN 1999
http://carl.army.mil/nafziger/944UQID.PDF
Detailed Organization
American Infantry Division
Self Propelled Cannon Company
26 February 1944
Table of Organization 7-14S
Company Headquarters:
1 Captain (comany commander)(1 M1 carbine)
1 1st Lieutenant (reconnaissance) (1 M1 carbine)
1 1st Sergeant (1 M1 carbine)
1 Staff Sergeant (mess)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Staff Sergeant (reconnaissance)(1 M1 carbine)
1 Staff Sergeant (transportation)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Staff Sergeant (supply)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Sergeant (communication)(1 M1 rifle)
1 Corporal (company clerk)(1 M1 rifle)
22 Privates
1 Armorer-artificier (1 M1 rifle)
1 Bugler (1 M1 carbine & 1 ¼-ton truck)
2 Cooks (2 M1 rifles)
2 Cook's Helpers (2 M1 rifles)
1 Light Truck Driver (1 M1 rifle, 1 1½-ton
cargo truck, 1 .50 cal HB flexible HMG
& 1 2.36" rocket launcher)
1 Tank Mechanic (1 M1 carbine)
1 Artillery Mechanic (1 M1 rifle)
1 Automobile Mechanic (1 M1 rifle & 3/4-ton
weapons carrier)
2 Messengers (2 M1 carbines & 2 ½-ton trucks)
2 Instrument Operators (2 M1 rifles)
8 Basics (10 M1 rifles)
3 Cannon Platoons: each with:
Platoon Headquarters
1 1st/2nd Lieutenant (platoon commander)(1 M1 carbine)
1 Tecnical Sergeant (platoon leader)(1 M1 carbine)
1 Corporal (agent)(1 M1 rifle)
4 Privates
1 Light Truck Driver (1 M1 rifle, 1 2½-ton
truck, 1 .50 cal HB flexible HMG, 1 1-ton
trailer)
1 Messenger (1 M1 carbine & 1 ¼-ton truck)
1 Instrument Operator (1 M1 rifle)
1 Radio-Telephone Operator (1 M1 rifle)
2 Howitzer Sections: each with:
1 Sergeant (section chief) (1 M1 rifle)
1 Corporal (gunner) (1 M1 carbine)
5 Privates
4 Cannoneers (7 M1 carbines)
1 Tank Driver (1 M1 carbine, 1 105mm
self propelled howitzer)
2
Change #1 of 19 May 1944
Cannon Platoon Headquarters
added:
1 Corporal (instrument)(1 M1 carbine & 1 ¼-ton truck)
reduced to:
3 Privates from 4
Source: US TO&E Documentation obtained at US Army Historical Centers, Carlisle Barracks, PA
Copyright GFN 1999
Re: M7 'Priest' in US Infantry Divisions
to Mil-tech Bard
You say you have photo's of M7 Priest on Biak Island ? My father was in charge of 3 M7 Priest in the 24 Division from Australia thru the Philippines. He was on Biak Island. I would love to see the photo's and see if they are the ones he had.
He started out with all 3, lost 1 on Luzon and the other 2 were lost on on the Rock. One to a torpedo used as a land mine on the beach flipped it upside down the track and boogies off one side. Amazingly none of the crew were injured. The last M7 was lost when he and his driver took medical supplies and water to the 503 Airborne on top of the Rock. They made 2 trips up and back under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire bring down 2 badly wounded soldiers both times. On the last trip down after they reached the beach the engine locked up, a oil line broke. He and his crew became infantryman the rest of the Philippine campaign.
You say you have photo's of M7 Priest on Biak Island ? My father was in charge of 3 M7 Priest in the 24 Division from Australia thru the Philippines. He was on Biak Island. I would love to see the photo's and see if they are the ones he had.
He started out with all 3, lost 1 on Luzon and the other 2 were lost on on the Rock. One to a torpedo used as a land mine on the beach flipped it upside down the track and boogies off one side. Amazingly none of the crew were injured. The last M7 was lost when he and his driver took medical supplies and water to the 503 Airborne on top of the Rock. They made 2 trips up and back under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire bring down 2 badly wounded soldiers both times. On the last trip down after they reached the beach the engine locked up, a oil line broke. He and his crew became infantryman the rest of the Philippine campaign.
Re: M7 'Priest' in US Infantry Divisions
Well , for what I've read , the 36th infantry division had 105mm sp in the cannon company of at least one of its regiment . This is in the AAR for the month of August of the 141st IR I believe . The 117th Cav Squadron had replaced its M8 Howitzer by 7 M7 Priest .