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American platoons had four squads - three rifle squads, and a weapons squad. The weapons squad had 60mm mortars and two .30 caliber air-cooled machine guns. (A German platoon was larger and had eight machine guns, and they were better machine guns). Rifle squads had twelve men at full strength, led by a sergeant with a corporal as assistant squad leader.

So the platoon commander had available three maneuver units and a support unit. This fit in with the "triangularization" the army implemented on the eve of the war. This was a change from the old WWI "square division" army organization. General Marshall, the Army's commander, simplified many things. He knew that in the coming war the army was going to need thousands of platoon leaders, and higher officers, far and away more than could be supplied by West Point and ROTC. There would be no time to give these new officers thorough professional training. So, in the newly created Officer Candidate Schools Marshall set up, the officer candidates were taught exactly one tactic - the holding attack. This involved using one or two maneuver units to pin the enemy in place while the remaining one or two maneuver units tried to flank the enemy position, and come at them from a new, unexpected direction. Since Marshall's newly implemented organization was "triangular" this tactic worked at every level, up to and including divisions. A platoon commander had three rifle squads for maneuver units, plus a support unit in the weapons squad to provide a base of fire. A company commander had three rifle platoons for maneuver units, plus a weapons platoon (with 81mm mortars and .30 caliber water cooled machine guns) for a base of fire. A battalion commander had three rifle companies for maneuver units, plus a weapons company for fire support. The commander of an infantry regiment had three battalions for maneuver, plus an artillery battalion. A division commander had three infantry regiments for maneuver, plus more artillery.

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How many medics were there in a platoon in World war 2?

In the British Army, there was one, or sometimes two medical orderlies to a platoon, depending in the kind of unit the platoon belonged to.


How many men in a platoon during the civil war?

about 500 men per platoon fought in the war


How many soldiers were in a troop for World War 2?

A "troop" would normally indicate a single unit of a body of troops. However, the military use is as a subunit equivalent to a "platoon" consisting of two or more squads. A modern infantry platoon would typically be between 15 and 30 soldiers, and a squad between 8 and 12 soldiers.In World War 2, however, the basic rifle squad consisted of 12 men, and there were usually 3 squads per platoon, which with command personnel made a platoon (troop) 45 to 50 men, commanded by a commissioned officer.(With a squad leader and assistant squad leader, and two or more heavy weapons, such as the BAR and submachine gun, a squad would often split up and engage tactically in 6-man teams.)


How many tanks in us tank platoon World War 2?

WWII thru Vietnam was 5 tanks per platoon. 3 tanks led by the LT was the heavy section, 2 tanks led by the platoon sergeant was the light section. After Vietnam, everything changed.


The military out come of World War I was decided by what reasons?

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Related Questions

How many medics were there in a platoon in World war 2?

In the British Army, there was one, or sometimes two medical orderlies to a platoon, depending in the kind of unit the platoon belonged to.


How many men in a platoon during the civil war?

about 500 men per platoon fought in the war


How many soldiers were in a troop for World War 2?

A "troop" would normally indicate a single unit of a body of troops. However, the military use is as a subunit equivalent to a "platoon" consisting of two or more squads. A modern infantry platoon would typically be between 15 and 30 soldiers, and a squad between 8 and 12 soldiers.In World War 2, however, the basic rifle squad consisted of 12 men, and there were usually 3 squads per platoon, which with command personnel made a platoon (troop) 45 to 50 men, commanded by a commissioned officer.(With a squad leader and assistant squad leader, and two or more heavy weapons, such as the BAR and submachine gun, a squad would often split up and engage tactically in 6-man teams.)


How many person in one platoon?

During the Viet War; US Army: approximately 40 men per platoon. A Patrol was normally 6 men; Squad 12 men. Two or more Squads made a Platoon. Two or more Platoons made a Company; two or more Company's made a Battalion; two or more Battalions made a Brigade (or regiment in the Cavalry). Two or more Brigades made a Division. Two or more Divisions made a Corps, two or more Corp's made an Army; two or more Armies makes up the US Army. During Viet War: Company=Troop (Cavalry)=Battery (Artillery) Battalion=Squadron (Cavalry) Brigade=Regiment (Cavalry)


What is the title of an old World War 2 movie about a Transport platoon?

See: Real War Videos


How many tanks in us tank platoon World War 2?

WWII thru Vietnam was 5 tanks per platoon. 3 tanks led by the LT was the heavy section, 2 tanks led by the platoon sergeant was the light section. After Vietnam, everything changed.


How many men in a British Army platoon in World War 1?

A platoon has about 25-35 troops (there isn't really a set number, that's how many you see the most). A platoon sgt. and a platoon CO. There can be 4-6 men in a squad and 2-3 squads in a section and then 3-4 sections in a platoon. Every squad has a squad leader. This is how it is in the Marines. Typically and ideally, there are 4 per fireteam, 3 fireteams per squad, 3 squads per platoon, add the platoon Sgt, Commander, and the Guide and 3 Squad Leaders and this comes to 42... and I am a Marine. Check your drill manual. - - - - - Never mind the Marines and their overstrength platoons. According to FM 7-8 (Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad), an infantry platoon in Infantry, Air Assault and Airborne divisions consists of: Platoon Headquarters: Platoon Leader (lieutenant) Platoon Sergeant (sergeant first class, usually, and this is aside from the sergeants who command a section, and each fire team of say 4 would be lead by a corporal. Platoon radioman (probably a specialist or a PFC) Three rifle squads consisting of nine men each--one squad leader (sergeant), two fire team leaders (corporals), two riflemen, two automatic riflemen and two grenadiers One weapons squad consisting of a squad leader (sergeant) plus two machinegunners, two assistant machinegunners, two antitank gunners and two assistant antitank gunners. Total number of troops: 39. A rifle platoon in a Ranger company contains 40 men--they drop the two antitank crews and replace them with three, three-man machinegun crews--gunner, assistant gunner and ammo bearer. Army infantry platoons used to be a lot larger--they had 11-man rifle squads with two riflemen, one automatic rifleman and one grenadier plus the fire team leader in each fire team. This changed when the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle came out--it won't hold an 11-man crew, so they had to change infantry doctrine to accommodate the equipment. Given that, there's not really such a thing as a "standard" platoon outside the combat arms. I've been in 50-soldier platoons. I've been in 15-soldier platoons. It all depends on what unit you're in and how it's structured.


Who is the sergeant responsible to?

There are several ranks of sergeants. Buck sergeants (three chevrons) and staff sergeants (three chevrons with one rocker) led squads, usually of about twelve men. A platoon had four squads. There was a platoon sergeant (three chevrons, two rockers), the top enlisted man in a platoon. The platoon commander was supposed to be an officer, a second lieutenant or a first lieutenant. Platoon leaders got killed a lot. Platoon leader was the single most lethal job of the war. When the lieutenant went down the platoon sergeant took over, until a new lieutenant was assigned. So, squad leaders reported to either the platoon sergeant or the platoon commander, and the platoon sergeant reported to the platoon commander, unless he had become the platoon commander. If the platoon sergeant was leading the platoon he met with the captain or the first lieutenant commanding the company, with the other platoon commanders, when officers were called to company HQ to discuss plans or receive orders.


How many men in a platoon in world war 2?

A US Infantry Rifle Company contained 250 men in WW2. These were organized into 3 Rifle Platoons and 1 Weapons Platoon. A Rifle Platoon consited ot 3 Rifle Squads, each consisting of 10 men equipped with rifles, 1 with a 1903 Rifle(sniper) and 1 with a BAR machine gun. The Weapons Platoon consisted of 3 Mortar Squads and 2 Machine Gun squads.


Homers dad Grandpa Simpson was in what war?

World War II. He was a platoon sergeant of a group called the Flying (or Fighting, both were used) Hellfish.


What is the bloodiest World War 2 movie?

Several of the movies for World War II were extremely bloody. A current one is Stalingrad while others include Platoon, We Were Soldiers, and Flags of Our Fathers.


Is there a film called Platoon?

Yes. There's a film called Platoon, focusing on the Vietnam war, and it was written and directed by Oliver Stone.