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3 rd Brigade, 101 st Airborne Air Assault Division. Medium Machine Gun Basic Qualification and Advanced Situational Training Exercises MAJ BRUCE F. BEYERS 01 October 2004. “No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die
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3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Air Assault Division Medium Machine Gun Basic Qualification and Advanced Situational Training Exercises MAJ BRUCE F. BEYERS 01 October 2004 “No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country. - General George S. Patton, Jr.”
GATLIN • Invented: 1862 • Service Date: 1864 • Model Number: GG • Description: • air cooled, hand-cranked, rotary fed, machinegun • Caliber: .50cal • ROF: 1,000rpm • Scope: late Civil-War and end of 19th Century • Roles: • Inspired perpetual motion or modern machinegun development. • Shortfalls: • bulky considered useful only against hoards of uncivilized people
MACHINE AGE DAWN OF THE MACHINENGEWHER
MAXIM Sir Hiram Maxim Grandfather of the modern machinegun • Invented: 1884 • Service Date: 1908 • Model Number: MG08 • Description: • water cooled, belt fed, recoil operated machinegun, fired from the closed bolt position • Caliber: 7.9mm x 57mm • ROF: 400rpm • Scope:Germany produced 100,000 during WWI • Roles: • Destroyed the British at the Battle of the Somme • Ended the 2,400 year shock effect of horse cavalry
THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 1 July 1916
WWI CASUALTIES • British suffer the greatest loss of manpower in a single day: 60,000 casualties, 19,000 KIA. • 9 out of 10 are victim of the MG08 • The 2,400 year old shock effect of horse cavalry was once and for all laid to rest at the Somme. • German’s were credited with developing a brilliant defense in depth interlaced with machinegun fire • “The German Defensive Role was Magnificent.” GEN(R) Dupuy ROLLUP: KIA Britain: 908,371 France: 1,357,800 US: 50,585 Germany: 1,808,546 Italy: 462,391 Russia: 1,700,000 • BOTTOM LINE: The machinegun had utility on the Battlefield • German Concept. Machineguns fight as sections of at least two. • riflemen are arrayed to protect the machineguns; the highest casualty producing weapon.
FIREPOWER REPLACES MANPOWER • One Machinegun is the equivalent combat power of 60-80 riflemen or one whole rifle company. • German machineguns are organized into machinegun companies of 16ea machineguns per company as opposed to allies of 2-4 per • Germany continues to produce arms in secrecy, in violation of Versailles treaty • MG08/13 man portable, air-cooled is created • MG34 is produced out of Germany by sub-contract • German Officers are convinced that machineguns are the basis for any modern force • Troop strength for the first time in history becomes secondary to combined arms employment. BLITZKRIEG IS BORN
D-DAY Saving Private Ryan Clip D-Day on the beach
D-DAY CONTINUED • Allied Casualties were 4,460 on the initial assault, relatively light • Hitler had been outsmarted by GEN Dwight D. Eisenhower • He was convinced that the attack would occur at Pas de Calais • The massive invasion fleet, over 4,000 ships, only served to reinforce in Hitler’s mind that the attack at Normandy was a rouse • Hitler rebuffed by his own miscalculation aims to make the allies pay • His orders are: attrit, counterattack, defeat and then execute a fighting withdrawal to alternate positions to begin the sequence again. In short make the allies pay for every inch of French soil. • German planners developed a superb defense in depth that utilized the massive hedgerows arrayed in a checkerboard fashion across the French farmland to greatest effect. When allied combat power was exhausted he would action his SS Panzer divisions to deliver the Hammer Blow. • The Allies had no concept of what lay before them. The real battle for Europe, “The Bocage” began.
THE COST OF BAPTISM BY FIRE The Germans taught us valuable lessons about machinegun employment, defense in depth and combined arms operations in the Bocage. THE COST WAS The 29th IN DIV 9,980 Casualties the entire Division
WWII CASUALTY ROLLUP COUNTRYTOTALKIA • United States 571,822 292,100 • Britain 475,000 397,762 • France 400,000 210,671 • Germany 7,250,000 2,850,000 • Italy 120,000 77,500 • Japan 1,506,000 500,000 • Russia 14,012,000 7,500,000
MG34 “Einheitsmaschinengewehr” • Invented: 1932 • Service Date: 1934 • Model Number: MG34 • Description: • air cooled, belt fed, gas operated, fully automatic and single shot machinegun, fired from the open bolt position • Caliber: 7.9mm x 57mm • ROF: 900rpm • Weight: 28lbs • Scope:The most elaborate machinegun ever produced. The Universal machinegun. • Roles: • Light weight, man portable machine gun employed in either the light or heavy machinegun role. • Used by the North Vietnamese during Vietnam war • Shortfall: Too long to make and a temperamental gun.
MG42 “Hitler’s Buzz Saw” • Invented: 1937 • Service Date: 1942 • Model Number: MG42 • Description: • air cooled, belt fed, gas operated machinegun, fired from the open bolt position • Caliber: 7.9mm x 57mm • ROF: 1200-1800rpm • Weight: 24lbs • Scope:342,050 MG42s produced 1942-1944, over 400,000 by wars end. • 17,500 per month • Roles: • Light weight, man portable medium machine gun. • Pro Rata: • most effective weapon ever produced • Gruner’s roller-lock breach • versatile; from Africa to Russia • widely used today
M60 “The Pig” • Invented: 1956 • Service Date: 1957 • Model Number: M60 • Description: • gas operated, air cooled, belt-fed, automatic machinegun fired from the open bolt position • Caliber: 7.62mm x 51mm • ROF: 550rpm • Weight: 23lbs • Scope: spanned the gap between BAR and Browning .30cal • Roles: • Light weight, man portable medium machine gun. • Shortfalls: • regression from roller lock • bolt executes 90’ right hand turn to completely lock into chamber • reduced rate of fire • temperamental needed CLP
M240C Fabrique National Herstal (FNH) Coaxial • Invented: 1984 • Service Date: 1987 • Model Number: M240C • Description: • belt fed, air-cooled, gas operated, fully automatic machinegun that fires from the open bolt position • Caliber: 7.62mm x 51mm • ROF: 750-950rpm • Weight: 22.2lbs • Scope:Coaxial machinegun for both the M2 BFV ands M3 CFV. • Roles: • coaxial to larger caliber systems. • Pro Rata: • right hand belt feed • reliable and versatile • Inspired ground mounted versions to replace antiquated M60 MMG.
M240G Ground • Invented: 1989 • Service Date: 1990 • Model Number: M240G • Description: • belt fed, air-cooled, gas operated, fully automatic machinegun that fires from the open bolt position • Caliber: 7.62mm x 51mm • ROF: 750-950rpm • Weight: 25.6lbs • Scope:Standard Ranger Regiment MMG. 3ea PLT, 11ea Company, 39ea BN. • Roles: • ground employed point and area suppression. • RSOV mounted immediate suppression weapon • MOUT precision burst weapon • Pro Rata: • reliable and versatile • Inspired adoption by the Big Army.
M240B Bipod • Invented: 1994 • Service Date: 1996 • Model Number: M240B • Description: • belt fed, air-cooled, gas operated, fully automatic machinegun that fires from the open bolt position • Caliber: 7.62mm x 51mm • ROF: 650-950rpm • Weight: 27.6lbs • Scope:US Army standard MMG. • Roles: • ground employed point and area suppression. • vehicle mounted immediate suppression weapon • Pro Rata: • reliable and versatile • hydraulic butt stock facilitates BOT throughout the firing cycle
M240D Door • Invented: 1984 • Service Date: 1987 • Model Number: M240D • Description: • belt fed, air-cooled, gas operated, fully automatic machinegun that fires from the open bolt position • Caliber: 7.62mm x 51mm • ROF: 750-950rpm • Weight: 25.7lbs • Scope:standard door gunner system. • Roles: • RW/AC mounted system. • Pro Rata: • interchangeable feed right or left • reliable and versatile • dual handled dove tailed trigger depress
AMMO 7.62mm x 51mm NATO M80 Ball M61 AP M62 Tracer M82 BLK M118 LR M276 Dim Bullet Weight: 147 143 145 NA 173 145 Muzzle Velocity: 2,750fts 2,723fts 2,680fts NA 2,580fts 2,750fts Role: personnel armor observation training precision Infra-Red
WORLDS BEST MMG GUNNERS • Daily sustainment Training: • Range Card, Crew Drill, etc • Quarterly Collective LFX • Annual Gunner’s Competition • Three-man crew • Evolutionary capabilities: $$$ • M936, indirect fire kits, etc • BRITISH: Excellent Crew Drill training and employment training • Extremely limited in CLS V unable to Live Fire validate training • GERMANY: Good weapon MG3 but, the military is not the priority • FRANCE: Indifferent to machinegun training or military in general
PRELIMINARY GUNNERY (5 days) WEEK 1 04-07 October 2004 • Characteristics and Capabilities • Weapon Ballistics • Perform Immediate Action (POPP) • Alternate Firing Techniques • Conduct Boresight zero of both M240B barrels (ironsights) using the LBS • Conduct Boresight zero of the M145 MGO using the LBS • Conduct Boresight Zero of the AN/PEQ-2A using the LBS • Crew Drill • T&E manipulation utilizing the worm board • Range Card • Gunner’s Examination
BASIC GUNNERY (3 days) WEEK 2 12-14 October 2004 • Zero Primary Barrel Primary Gunner • Zero Spare Barrel Primary Gunner • Zero M145 MGO Primary Gunner • Basic 10M Qualification (Iron) Primary Gunner Table I • Basic 10M Qualification (M145) Primary Gunner Table I • Basic 10M Qualification (Iron) Assistant Gunner Table I • Basic 10M Qualification (M145) Assistant Gunner Table I • Transition Qualification (Iron) Primary Gunner Table II • Transition Qualification (M145) Primary Gunner Table II • Transition Qualification (Iron) Assistant Gunner Table II • Transition Qualification (M145) Assistant Gunner Table II • Night Transition Qualification (PEQ-2A) ALL Table III
ADVANCED MMG STX TNG (4 days) WEEK 3 15-18 October 2004 • Fire and Adjust Exercise • Crew Drill LFX • Crew Stress Fire LFX • Section Support by Fire LFX • Section Assault Course LFX • Gunners Examination #2
COMPONENT OF END ITEMS AND BII ITEM QTY REMARKS M240B 1ea End Item Primary barrel 1ea Number 1 blade 1ea Number 2 blade 1ea additional authorized item unit purchase Spare barrel 1ea Number 1 blade 1ea additional authorized item unit purchase Number 2 blade 1ea Ammunition adapter 1ea Rod, cleaning sectional 5ea Rod, eyelet swabbing 1ea Reamer, large 1ea Reamer, small 1ea Combination tool 1ea Scraper tool 1ea Sight adjustment tool 1ea additional authorized item unit purchase Spare barrel bag 1ea M122 Tripod 1ea T&E 1ea Pintle w/brass deflector 1ea AN/PEQ-2A 1ea .050mm Allen head 1ea M145 MGO 1ea
MAINTENANCE TOOLS Combination Scraper Extractor Tool Reamer, Large and Small Ammunition Adapter Scraper Tool
UNIFORM • TYPE QTY ISSUE____________ • BDUs (T-shirt, belt, socks, boots) 2 set (top and bottom) • KPOT 1 each • LBV 1 complete • Black gloves w/inserts 1 pair • Rucksack w/seasonal packing list 1 each • NOD/NVG (AN/PVS-7A/B/D) or PVS 14 1 each • Motorola and or AN/PRC-128 1 per crew • Weapon (M240B, M4) 1 per crew • M122 w/pintle/T&E/AG gear 1 per crew • sight adjustment tool 1 per crew • reamer, large and small 1 per crew • spare barrel 1 per crew • scraper tool 1 per crew • combination tool 1 per crew • M24/M22 Binoculars 1 per crew • M49/M50 Spotter Scope 1 per crew • AN/GVS-5 LSR RNG Finder 1 per crew • M145 MGO 1 per crew • AN/PEQ-2A 1 per crew
Daily CTT: Range Card, Assembly/Disassembly, Immediate Action: POPP, functions check, gunner’s examinations, etc. Weekly Crew Drill Training and T&E manipulation drills Monthly BFX Quarterly Collective Training and LFXs Bi-Annual Qualification Annual battalion MMG competitions SUSTAINMENT TNG
FM 3.22-68 JAN 03 FM 3.22-9 OCT 03 FM 23-10 AUG 94 STP 21-1-SMCT Call Handbook No 03-22 SEP 03 “German Machineguns;” Daniel D. Musgrave and Smith H. Oliver, Creative Printing, 1971. “The First world War;” John Keegan, Random House, 1998. “The Encyclopedia of Military History From 5,000BC to Present;” Generals (R) Ernest and Trevor Dupuy, 1993 REFERENCES
Dr. Martin L. Flacker, M.D., F.A.C.S. Ballistics wound ballistics consultant, FSU Mr. Ron Ives, Alliant Techsystems Corp. Bullets Ron.Ives@ATK.com CREDITS