During the summer of 1930, the Marine Corps began replacing its old French 75mm guns (Model 1897) with the 75mm Pack Howitzer Model 1923-E2. This weapon was designed for use in the Army primarily as mountain artillery. Since it could be broken down and manhandled ashore in six loads from ships' boats, the pack howitzer was an important supporting weapon of the Marine Corps' landing forces in prewar landing exercises.
The 75mm pack howitzer saw extensive service with the Marine Corps throughout World War II in almost every major landing in the Pacific. Crewed by five Marines, the howitzer could hurl a 16-pound shell nearly 10,000 yards. In the D Series table of organization with which the 1st Marine Division went to war, and through the following E and F series, there were three pack howitzer battalions for each artillery regiment.—Anthony Wayne Tommell and Kenneth L. Smith-Christmas
Blood Is Thicker Than Water will continue after I administer a little home health to Dad.
Later....
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