American Weapons in WWII

Bigger, Faster, Stronger! Weapons were now needed to be made at a higher frequency so mass production was a must! Bolt action rifles were now out of date. They needed weapons that could fire fast and deliver a punch. The war also called for heavy equipment such as planes, ships, tanks, trucks, and other various types of vehicles. This also supplied Americans with countless jobs for the war effort.

Handhelds The Colt 1903 was an officers weapon in WWII. The M1911 was the main pistol for American soldiers. Grenades commonly used were the Mk-II “Pineapple”, and Mk-III concussion. They were used for attacking trenches and attacking light vehicles.

Rifles and Explosives The two common rifles of WWII were the M1 Garand and M1 Carbine, these rifles also saw the most action. Submachine guns included the Thompson and the M3 “Grease Gun.” Explosives included the M1A1 Bazooka, and M1A1 Flame thrower. Mortars included the M1, M2, and M19

Airplanes Planes like the B-29 Duper Fortress and the B-17 were crucial in successfully completing bombing missions. The Northrop P-61 Black Widow played a major role in all theatres. It used radar to locate enemies and allowed pilots to strike at night. The P-38 “Lightning” was nicknamed the “Fork- Tailed Devil” by the Germans because it was fast, powerful, and deadly.

War at Sea Ships were mainly used in the Pacific theatre against Japan and also in the Europe theatre for the D-Day landing. The USS Iowa was the main battleship used to deter Japanese Imperials. The USS Enterprise “Big E” was the most famed Aircraft Carriers used in WWII. It was the first to sink a Japanese submarine and was involved in raids on Tokyo by having B-25’s take off and attack Japan’s capital.

Land and Artillery Jeeps saw the most action in WWII. 3 were built every 4 minutes. They could even run under water with special intake and exhaust attachments. LVT amphibious craft saw action mainly in Japan and proved very useful for carrying Jeeps. Super heavy tanks like the T-28 and light tanks like the M24 Chafee were used to take ground troops to combat.

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