Your Role
Whilst around the camp you can guarantee that the public will engage with you. Normally you'll have the same conversation a hundred times over the course of a weekend. However, every now and then they will throw you a curveball and ask something bizarre. Of course you'll never know the answer to everything. What is expected is that everyone know what you are and what your individual role and responsibilities are. A rifleman having by far the easiest 'get out jail free card' here; your responsibilities are to your fellow troopers and not letting them down and simply to do whatever you're told. You'd have no idea of the bigger picture and for most of the time you'd have no idea where you are (and it would make not a blind bit of difference even if you did)! So those newcomers to the unit will, for the most part, not have to explain much, unless you have a specific other role such as being a part of an LMG team or mortar team.
With more rank, comes more responsibility and this is no different in Miss Drop 44. When we first set up the group rank was completely meaningless, but as we've grown we've had to compeltely rethink that. Of course it doesn't mean you're any more important, but there is a structure of things that need to happen at shows for everything to get done and to ensure all members get the most out of their time. More on that further down the page.
Firstly lets look at what ranks and roles comprise the various elements in a Parachute Infantry Regiment.
An 'infantry rifle company, parachute' consists of:
= Company HQ
- Captain (Carbine*)
- 1st Lt (Carbine*)
- Sgt, intelligence (M1 Garand)
- Sgt, communication (M1 Garand)
- T/4, radio operator (M1 Garand)
- 2x T/5, radio operator (M1 Garand)
- 4x PFC (M1 Garand)
- 4x Pvt (M1 Garand)
(PFCs & Pvts - 3 messengers and 5 riflemen, usually used to keep squads at full strength)
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As well as the individual weapons listed above, the Company HQ also was issued 6 M3 Submachine Guns and 1 Bazooka.
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Each company had 3 rifle platoons.
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Each rifle platoon consisted of:
= Platoon HQ
- 1st Rifle Squad
- 2nd Rifle Squad
- 60mm Mortar Squad
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= Platoon Headquarters
- 1st Lt (Carbine*)
- 2nd Lt (Carbine*)
- S/Sgt (M1 Garand)
- Cpl (Signal, radio & code) (M1 Garand)
- Tech 5 (Operator, radio) (M1 Garand)
- PFC (Messenger) (M1 Garand)
- Pvt (Messenger) (M1 Garand)
* All 'Pistol, automatic, cal .45' were withdrawn from TO&E in the Feb 1943 amendment. That was the last TO&E update until August 1944.
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As well as the individual weapons listed above, each Platoon HQ also was issued 1 Bazooka.
= 1st Rifle Squad
- Sgt (Sqd Ldr) (M1 Garand)
- Cpl (Asst Sqd Ldr) (M1 Garand)
- 5x Pvt
- 5x PFC
The 10 enlisted men above were assigned as follows:
- Ammunition Bearer (M1 Garand)
- Gunner, Lt Machine Gun (Carbine)
- Gunner, Asst, LMG (M1 Garand)
- 7x Riflemen (M1 Garand)
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= 2nd Rifle Squad
- Sgt (Sqd Ldr) (M1 Garand)
- Cpl (Ass/Sqd Ldr) (M1 Garand)
- 5x Pvt
- 5x PFC
The 10 enlisted men above were assigned as follows:
- Ammunition Bearer (M1 Garand)
- Gunner, Lt Machine Gun (Carbine)
- Gunner, Asst, LMG (M1 Garand)
- 7x Riflemen (M1 Garand)
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= 60mm Mortar Squad
- Sgt (M1 Garand)
- 5 enlisted men, PVTs & PFCs, assigned as follows:
- Gunner, Mortar (M1 Garand)
- Gunner, Asst, Mortar (M1 Garand)
- 3x Ammunition Bearer (M1 Garand)
The tabs below will look at the individula ranks and roles and how what those ranks mean in Miss Drop 44.
Platoon Headquarters
In charge of two Rifle Squads and the Mortar Squad was the Platoon Headquarters, that consists of 5 men. 2 officers, a platoon Sgt, 2 messengers and a radio operator.
The video above does mention ranks in brief, but also goes on about military courtesy in general, some of which will be useful.
As well as the many combat roles, the American army of WW2 was similar to the modern-ad army in which a soldier can take up almost any profession. Some of these roles may be in addition to the combat role, others might keep you far behind the front lines. Below are a few examples and ideas of what other roles might be portrayed; all of which would be below the rank of Corporal.
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- Chauffeur
- Clerk, general
- Clerk, Typist
- Cook
- Cook's helper
- Mechanic
- Orderly
- Stenographer
- Technician, Medical
- Technician, Surgical
- Photographer
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Although the title of the video above make this video sound like it's in the wrong section of this website, it covers different roles and items of equipment (like the SCR 536 radio and who did actually use them), in such depth that it is far better suited here under the 'roles' section. It gives some real insight into a soldier's individual role. When watching this though, please remember that we are an airborne unit, so we'll have some differences. In particular the BAR is replaced with the .30 Browning LMG.
Carrying on from the Rifle Platoon video, the same series of videos looks closely at the rifle squad and how it functions.