Hi, guys, I know that the 75mm pack gun was used by two bns of each of the USMC artillery regiments in the Pacific, but I would appreciate the breakdown of Bn numbers and the regiment to which they were assigned. (We didn't have 75mm pack guns in 'Nam, but boy did those dinks hate our flame tanks.) Thanks in advance, DrB
This is what I found for 10th Marines, artillery regiment of 2nd Marine Division: At the beginning of war, 10th Marines had four battalions (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th), all of them equipped with 75mm pack howitzer. 5th Battalion was formed on 10th February 1942, also with 75mm pack howitzer. During 1943, 4th and 5th Battalions were re-equipped with 105mm howitzer. In 1944, 10th Marines contained two 75mm pack howitzer battalions, 1st and 2nd, two 105mm howitzer battalions, 3rd and 4th, while 5th Battalion was redesignated 2nd 155mm Artillery Battalion (with M1 155mm "Long Tom"). I guess that other regiments, 11th Marines (1st Marine Division), 12th Marines (3rd Marine Division), 13th Marines (5th Marine Division), 14th Marines (4th Marine Division) and 15th Marines (6th Marine Division), probably had similar organisation during the war.
75 MM PACK HOWITZER, M8 Pack artillery is designed to be easily disassembled and carried by pack animals such as horses or mules. Pack artillery has been used by the U.S. Army since the 1830’s. In 1927, the U. S. Army adopted the 75mm Pack Howitzer, M1. This small lightweight howitzer was used throughout W.W.II and could be disassembled into six major loads to be carried by the pack animals. The howitzer was first used in combat in 1942 in the Philippines and proved very successful. During the 1930’s, the wood wheels were replaced with pneumatic tires and the vehicle modified to be carried by airborne units in gliders. Consequently, it was redesignated 75mm Pack Howitzer M8, (airborne) as shown above. The small howitzer proved efficient and reliable and was used by several non-airborne units using a jeep as the prime mover. The several types of ammunition used by the pack Howitzer included an anti-tank round
11th Marines had only two 75mm pack howitzer battalions, 1st and 2nd. 3rd, 4th and letter 5th battalion were equipped with 105mm howitzer from the beginning. In 1944 only 1st Battalion was still equipped with 75mm pack howitzer. The 11th Marines 12th Marines during battle for Guam had two 75mm pack howitzer battalions, 1st and 2nd, and three 105mm howitzer battalions, 3rd, 4th and 5th. 3rd Battalion was redesignated as Pack Howitzer Battalion 4th Marines while 5th Battalion was redesignated as new 3rd Battalion. During the Battle of Marshall Islands 1944, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalion of 14th Marines were equipped with 75mm pack howitzer while 4th had 105mm howitzer. After that 3rd Battalion was re-equipped with 105mm howitzer.
