WW2 Airborne Company TO&E

Hello all!
I have a quick question about an airborne company's HQ section TO&E. I've found some great information about squad/platoon organization, but have had no luck with the company's TO&E. I know that most included a CO, company Sgt., medic, and around 2 MG teams, but I've never found any concrete sources of what they really had. And I know hat the MTO&E might be different once they deployed.

Cheers!

PS: If I missed a thread that actually talks about all this, the link to that would be awesome!

 

Medics were not part of regimental, battalion, or company T/O & E in World War II, but rather were an attachment from the divisional medical battalion. The Parachute Infantry Battalion medical attachment was 2 officers (doctors) and 24 enlisted (medics) to man the battalion aid station and provide medics to the rifle companies and platoons. Typically, one EM served each platoon and company headquarters as a medic, while the remaining 12 EM and 2 officer doctors manned the aid station (the EM acting as litter bearers and medics).

T/O & E 7-31 of 24 February 1944 was:

HQ – 2 O & 20 EM, 1 bazooka, 15 rifles, 7 carbines, 6 SMG
3 Rifle Platoons (each) – 1 O & 35 EM
HQ – 1 O & 5 EM, 1 bazooka, 4 rifles, 1 M1903A4 or M1C rifle, 2 carbines
2 Rifle Squads (each) – 12 EM, 9 rifles, 3 carbines, 2 .30 Cal M1919A6 LMG
Mortar Squad – 6 EM, 6 carbines, 1 60mm mortar

Notes:
The SMG in the rifle company headquarters were to be assigned as the company commander “saw fit” to add additional firepower at the rifle squad.
The second M1919A6 in the rifle squad was a “spare” held for use “as directed.” (It appears likely that the intention was that since these were dropped in equipment canisters it was possible one would be lost, so the ‘spare’ would be used. I know of no instance where the squad manned and equipped both at the same time, although conceivably it could have been done.)

T/O & E 7-31T, 16 December 1944 (the 'T' was for 'Test', this was a provisional organization based on combat experience and was a reflection of the theater-authorized modifications in the ETO to date):

Company HQ – 2 O & 27 EM, 1 bazooka, 27 rifles, 2 carbines, 6 SMG
3 Rifle Platoons (each) – 2 O & 47 EM
HQ – 1 O & 5 EM, 1 bazooka, 1 M1C sniper rifle, 2 carbines, 4 rifles
3 Rifle Squads (each) – 12 EM, 1 .30 Cal M1919A6 LMG, 1 BAR, 10 rifles, 2 carbines
1 Mortar Squad – 6 EM, 2 carbines, 4 rifles, 1 60mm mortar


Note: The new rifle squad organization replaced the second ‘spare’ M1919A6 LMG with a BAR, which became the new ‘spare’ automatic weapon for the squad. It is difficult to say now which was used more often, but it appears that by late war the BAR was strongly favored when available.

 

Haha. Don't really know how that whole reply thing works yet.
Anyways...

Thanks for all that info!!
I have heard some other instances of company HQ section containing several 1919 MGs to serve as extra fire support for platoon operations. I believe I read this from the book Band of Brothers. Would this be considered their MTO&E or was that standard in some 101st airborne units? Is this TO&E accurate for a 101st airborne company that droped into Normandy?

 

Those were likely the platoon "spares" held by Company HQ. The problem was there were never enough spare personnel to go along with them or one was lost. The same problem occurred with the BAR in the Infantry Rifle Company. Losses were heavy and replacements were few, so the notion that "extra" BAR's were added to the company simply don't hold water.

 

Gotcha.
And also just to confirm about your earlier post, you said that an HQ section contained 2 officers and 27 enlisted men. And the armaments listed contain more small arms than personnel. I'm just a little confused because you said that SMGs would be substituted as needed, but would that not exceed the number listed in their TO&E above? For instance, you said:

"HQ – 2 O & 20 EM, 1 bazooka, 15 rifles, 7 carbines, 6 SMG"

Would the SMGs replace the rifles/ carbines? Or would they simply carry around spare small arms?
And are these figures indicative of an Airborne unit or just a standard rifle company?

Thanks!

 

Yes, T/O & E &-31 is for Infantry Rifle Company, Parachute

The "spare" weapons would have been held by the Corporal Armorer-Artificer in the Company Arms Locker for use as directed by the Company Commander. T/O & E was the carbines in Company HQ were carried by the Company Commander, XO, Company First Sergeant, Supply Sergeant, Commo Sergeant, Company Clerk, and the Armorer-Artificer. The rest carried rifles.

 

Ok, solid. Thanks a bunch man! Great info!

 

Haha no I'm not "that" Joey Quesada, unfortunately. this is actually the first time someone has asked if I really was him!

 

Yeah I thought that avatar was pretty cool. Found it on Pinterest. Here's the link!
Pinterest
This guy does paintings of a bunch of cool military scenes, all with skeletons instead of actual people.