The 4th Div was, post 1939. The role of the 2d Div as a test formation goes back deep into the 1930s. I noticed in Gen Krueger biography when he took command of the 2d Div in 1938 it had converted from the "square" to the proposed triangular formation & conducted regiment/division scale manuvers under his command as part of the tests.Dunnigan wrote:Interesting, I thought it was the 4th Infantry Division that was experimental, or maybe I'm thinking this because it was trialed as a motorized division.Carl Schwamberger wrote: A bit of irony there. The US 2d Div had from the mid 1930s been the experimental formation, field testing new weapons and the new infantry doctrines.
No, but the opposition was a individual thing, salt crusted lifers & other Marksmanship devotees. There were many of the same in the US Army. The senior commanders saw the value in the Garand, so the Marines carried mostly Garands from 1942. Given the plethoria of fully automatic weapons in comparison to the US Army infantry company it hardly mattered if the Marine riflemen still carried Springfields or Garands. The rifle marksmanship training for either weapon was nearly identical. The Marine platoon & rifle company tactics revolved around the numerous BAR & Browning MMG/HMG.Felix C wrote: I did read the USMC did not want to give up their Springfields either in 1942. Urban legend?
In his auto biography Ridgeway describes packing a Springfield whenever he was in the battlezone. He also mentions drawing AP ammo to load it with.