NATO Survey, 1943 Pt 2

The_Chieftain: In last week's article we saw the overview reports on tank destroyers and armor, together with a summary cover sheet. This week we're going to drill down a little bit, to see the priorities of inidividual unit commanders, and also another Q&A. We start off with the opinion of the senior field commander, General George S Patton: 1. Basic discipline is lacking. Failure to salute is lack of alertness. Close order drill is required to instill confidence in an officer in himself and in the enlisted men in the officers. Precision, unquestioned obedience and responsibility must be stressed. 2. Training in night fighting is necessary. A minimum of two nights per week should be utilized in marching, teaching the approach march, the attack, and the organization and occupation of a position. 3. Physical fitness is an essential. Officers should be able to run a mile in ten minutes with all equipment. They must be enthusiastic fighters. They should carry absolute minimum equipment - a pistol, no carbine or Tommy Gun. 4. Men carry too much clothing. We want killers, not laundry men. Let them carry clothes on their back without barracks bags, trunk lockers, etc. Extra clothing should be carried in Quartermaster trucks for replacement when clothing is soiled. Clothing turned in can be washed, repaired, and reissued. Give them candy but not in the ration. 5. They need real sugar and dextrose for energy. A little rum would not hurt them. 6. Our soldiers are the filthiest, sloppiest, in the country due to the texture and shade of the field jacket material. Men looking like tramps have no pride in themselves nor can they fight. 7. Overseas service should be considered a promotion. 8. Roughnecks and football players, not stenographers and clerks, should be sent to fight. 9. Officers must wear the insignia of their ranks on their helmets. Enlisted men should wear nothing. Hence, any mark on a helmet indicates an officer. 10. Officers in the grade of lieutenant should be sent as replacement to overseas units. 11. Self-propelled tank destroyer weapons are not needed in the Armored Division. Two towed 3” or 57mm anti-tank guns per tank company should suffice. 12. Put tops on the turrets of the M10s and more front armor and issue them as tanks. 13. Never place a cannon where it can see or be seen beyond its lethal range. 14. Sights of at least 4 power with night lighted reticules are necessary. 15. The combination of a 37 mm with twin .50 cal. machine guns is the best anti-aircraft weapon yet issued. The substitution of a 40mm cannon for the 37mm may be an improvement. 16. We need a powerful vehicular mine detector and a more powerful land mine of plastic material containing no metal whatsoever. 17. All troops should be given intensive training in mine laying, detection and removal.  18. A boot about 12 inches in height with raw hide laces should replace the field shoe and canvas legging. 19. Buttons should replace zippers. 20. Sweat bands in helmet liners should be removable for washing. 21. The bottoms of trousers should be reduced to about 17 inches. 22. The Infantry Division needs a reconnaissance battalion. 23. There is no necessity for changing the Armored Division at this time. 24. The 1st Division was in combat 22 days - the 9th Division, 12 days. More personnel is needed by all units for replacement and relief during these long periods of continuous fighting. For a different point of view, the opinions of  MG S. LeRoy Irwin, commanding 9th Division Artillery. 1. We need more range in the division artillery. 4.5” guns will avoid wasting the 155 Gun on minor missions that now only they can reach. 2. We must have some anti-tank protection in divisional artillery. Without such protection, tactical use of the weapons is interfered with. This is particularly true of the medium battalion. One attached battalion of 75mm guns on half-tracks will probably suffice 3. The necessity of observation towers depends upon the theater. The cub airplane should do the job.  (4-12b are on a missing page) 12  c. About 12 binoculars M3 per battery.       d. 1 or 2 high power observation instruments for each battalion.       e. Some additional shielding on the 105 Howitzer - keep the high fire feature on that weapon.       f. An additional officer and three men for battery observation posts since two must be operated 24 hours a day 13. No observation towers are needed in this theater. 14. Keep the 608 radio set in the firing battery and at least 3 in the battalion. 15. Division Artillery needs two and the battalions one RL-26. 16.  The carbine does not work when dirty. One battery was overrun when the carbines failed to function.   For the position of 1st Infantry Division, we move to MG T. Dela M Allen, Commanding General. 1. Division Artillery needs 6 more officers, 2 in Battalion Headquarters and 1 in each Headquarters and Service Battery. 2. We should have a larger division reconnaissance unit. Several reconnaissance companies of armored jeeps with scout car command vehicles in each platoon, and a light tank company should be satisfactory. 3. A platoon of self-propelled 75 mm Guns, equipped for indirect fire and having a low silhouette, should be part of each battalion heavy weaponscompany. 4. We don’t need a separate anti-tank unit. 5. The Field Artillery requires more anti-aircraft protection unless normal anti- aircraft units are to be continually available for attachment. 6. The division needs a Quartermaster Battalion, at least one more truck company. 7. Division engineers must consider themselves combat troops and notprincipally construction troops. 8. Never attach infantry to armored units, make the attachment in the opposite direction. 9. Sound and flash units should be available to divisions when operating away from corps. Another missing page eliminates the remainder of his opinions, while the tail end of another survey is simply “Wire is still the most useful means of communication. We need plenty of it”.