The LION’s ROAR APRIL 2008   Listen up Ladies!   The season is well underway.  We have three events under our belt and it looks like attendance for Remagen is slipping.      AAR Operation Nordwind   The squad assembled on Friday night.  SSgt Bertone, T4 Boswell, PFC Henning, PVT O'Toole, PVT Gralius, and PFC Thomas where assigned to 2nd PLT, C Company.  We entered the area of operations at approx 1000hrs and moved to our defensive position on the far left of the Battalion line.  The Platoon established a deliberate defense and dug in on the high ground overlooking a stream bed and road.  In the distance we could hear an intense firefight to the east.  Upon hearing the Germans had broken through the British lines the Company was alerted and moved north to establish a defensive line at a key intersection near the Battalion Command Post (CP).  Once in position, the Platoon was shifted east to attack an advancing German Column.  Once contact was initiated with the column, 2nd SQD flanked to the rear of the German column.                                    Once behind them, we began our attack.  It became evident that we had stumbled upon a German command group being guarded by a small security force.  The squad shifted North and began to suppress the target and slowly advance, driving them towards the high ground.  Their security force put up a stubborn defense.  During our advance a Ranger element broke through and captured the target.  The Company then re-assembled and moved east and established a 2nd defensive position.   Once again the PLT prepared a hasty defense overlooking a key road intersection.  As the German assault began it became evident that the enemy was assaulting and moving to take our right flank.  The squad was quickly shifted and formed a skirmish line on the high ground.  As the German forces advanced, though quickly checked to our front, the British line to our right gave way and the squad was quickly enveloped.  Giving no ground 2nd Squad was destroyed to the man.                                   Of the last four NORDWIND events I have attended this was clearly the best.  It was well organized, well run, registration was easy, and we where teamed with an element from the 28th who did a superb job.  Our newest replacements PVTs O'Toole and Gralius gave a good account of themselves-Welcome aboard guys!   BLITZKRIEG 1940 -  French Impression -  MAR 28th-30th, 2008   This event was simply outstanding.  The 92nd fielded approximately fifteen soldiers in French 1940 kit, a new record.  Additionally, the British, German, and one soldier from Belgium all looked outstanding.  Present from the 8th ID where: Bertone, Chapman, Rihl, Regan, Johnson, Clark, Kellor and Henning.  Great Job Brett!   The event began with the allied forces holding a key ridge line located on the east side of the engagement area.  The German forces attacked forcing the allies to retreat to a secondary prepared defense.  Numerous attacked and counterattacks where launched but eventually the allied where forced to cede ground and establish a final defense.  The event ended with allied forces in full retreat from their final defensive positions.   As an editorial note, this is a really unique event that covers a portion of the war that is not particularly well researched or understood throughout our hobby.  Many self proclaimed experts, who seem to know everything about the invasion of Normandy routinely demonstrate they know virtually nothing about the campaigns of 1940 and routinely mischaracterize the campaign and repeat the myths and misconceptions that have persisted since the German victory.  This event provides a unique opportunity to learn about the war in its infancy and participate in an event that draws only the most dedicated of reenactors.  I strongly encourage anyone who is looking at diversifying their WW II impression to consider putting together a 1940 campaign kit, (French, German, British or Belgian.)  You will find the satisfaction of belonging to this exclusive group well worth the cost.           Next Event:                                                                        Remagen Bridge April 11-13th 2008   The deadline for registration has passed.  If you have not registered registration will be $35 at the gate.  Attendees for this event will be: SSgt Bertone- SL PFC Henning – Rifleman PFC Thompson – Rifleman PVT O’Toole – BAR PVT Grabulis – Rifleman PVT Mellon – Rifleman (28th ID)                   For this event we will again be teaming up with our buddies from Der Zug who will be falling out as GIs.  To date I do not have good numbers on their attendance.  M-1 Helmet (with or without helmet net) M-1937 wool shirt and trousers M1943 field pants and jacket (M1941 field jackets, tanker jackets, are not preferred but acceptable) Double Buckle Boots (Leggings and service shoes are acceptable) M-1923 Cartridge Belt M1923/M1910 First Aid Kit M1910 Canteen, Cup, and Cover M1923 Haversack w/ Meatcan Pouch M1943 E-tool and Cover (M-1910 Pick-Maddox is acceptable, no T-Handle Shovels) M-1 Garand w/ 10” Bayonet (no 16” Bayonets) * Haversack will contain a minimum of 1 pair extra wool socks, 1 Issue Blanket, Rations ** BAR Gunner will carry M1937 BAR Belt ILO M1923 Cartridge belt                                                                               Future Events   NORMANDY – Postponed (potential for re-schedule to Fall 08)   SAIPAN - JULY 2008   IKE'S FARM - OCT 2008   SIEGFRIED LINE – DEC 5-7 2008       The LION’s ROAR MAR 2008   Listen up Ladies!   The season is well underway.  We have two events under our belt and it looks like attendance for Operation NORDWIND will be very good. In this issue, our own Rich Holliday, has written a piece on his uncle Lynn Holliday who served with the 28th Infantry Regiment and was killed in Germany 1945.     AAR Korean War Event:  Small Unit Action, Korea 1951 Feb 15-17, 2008                           The Korean War event turned out to be a first class event.  The event drew some 25 participants.  To a man, the participants followed the stringent authenticity guidelines, and all had outstanding impressions.  Much to my surprise every participant maintained the “First Person” impression for the entire event.  There was no quoting of war movie lines, no discussing the “Simpsons”, etc.  This will certainly be a standard for future 8th ID events.  Below is an AAR written by our very own PFC Pat Hubble who attended the event as one of the “Reds”    The event started close to midnight after all the G.I.'s .  The two squads moved out cautiously along a Korean road to secure and bed down in a small Korean village. Along the way a unit of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers welcomed the American troops with a rocket and flare attack to slow the advance. After advancing to the village U.S. troops dug in and prepared for enemy probes and possible attack. An eerie highlight was the broadcast of Communist propaganda in an attempt to demoralize the U.S. troops. At approximately 3 a.m.  a small firefight broke out between the opposing sides as survivors from a different American company filtered into the U.S. lines with warnings of massive Chinese forces moving into the area. Saturday morning began early with hot chow and fresh replacements to bolster the U.S. troop strength. By late morning the company was ordered to start operations to clear the Korean territory in their sector and advance towards the Yalu River. It wasn't long before contact was made with the Communist forces. Point men in the company spotted a lone Chinese forward observer but were unable to kill or capture the scout before he alerted other Chinese troops. The Americans then formed a skirmish line to clear the area and swept into a small wooded area where a sharp fire-fight ensued. Eventually, U.S. troops flanked the enemy unit and forced a retreat by the Chinese forces, killing several of them.  The Americans established a second outpost followed by several probing attacks by Chinese Communist force.     Next Event:                                                               Operation NORDWIND MAR 15-17, 2008:     The deadline for registration has passed.  Attendees for this event will be: SSgt Bertone- SL T4 Boswell – BAR PFC Henning – Rifleman PFC Thompson – Rifleman PVT O’Toole – Rifleman PVT Grabulis – Rifleman PVT Campbell, T – Rifleman               For this event we will be teaming up with our buddies from 508th PIR.  LT Learman and MSG Kay will be attached to HQ, so the remainder of the unit and an MG team will fall under us as the Company reserve.  Uniform for this event is as follows: M-1 Helmet (with or without helmet net) M-1937 wool shirt and trousers M1943 field pants and jacket (M1941 field jackets, tanker jackets, overcoats, mackinaws are also acceptable) Double Buckle Boots (Leggings and service shoes are acceptable) M-1923 Cartridge Belt M1923/M1910 First Aid Kit M1910 Canteen, Cup, and Cover M1923 Haversack w/ Meatcan Pouch M1943 E-tool and Cover (M-1910 Pick-Maddox is acceptable, no T-Handle Shovels) M-1 Garand w/ 10” Bayonet (no 16” Bayonets) * Haversack will contain a minimum of 1 pair extra wool socks, 1 Issue Blanket, Rations ** BAR Gunner will carry M1937 BAR Belt ILO M1923 Cartridge belt     BLITZKRIEG 1940 -  French Impression -  MAR 28th-30th, 2008   Though most of you are not attending, this is the WARNING ORDER that was distributed by Brett Johnson in preparation for the event.    1.  The event will take place on Saturday, March 29th between 0830 - 1600 approximately.  Gates will open at NOON Friday, March 28th, 2008.  If you arrive early and want to improve your positions or do some patrolling, that's great.  No shots will be fired prior to Saturday morning.  Remember this is a camping event, you are responsible for your own shelter and food, firewood will be provided. 2.  Blank ammunition will be available for certain calibers in limited quantities (7.5 French, 8mm Lebel, 303 British, 7.65 Belgian) on a first come, first served basis.  If in doubt, take steps to secure enough for your unit/ personal needs now.   3.  Pre Registration/ Waiver forms MUST be mailed to me by March 20th !!!  There is NO event fee but I MUST have a waiver form from EVERY participant before he sets foot on the property, plus this gives me a rough idea of the headcount.  Unit commanders, as a courtesy, please email me several days prior to the event with your best guess of how many you are expecting.   4.  Information/ Allied Uniform & Equipment Regs/ Waiver form is attached to this email as a Word file.  Our standard goals are accuracy and uniformity of kit for every impression.  German U&E regs are available on the 92 RI website (http://8bcp.tripod.com/92ri).   5.  The format of this event has changed in the following fashion:  We will run a continuous timeline event now, no breaking off to regroup and reset as before.  I think our overall battle plans will accommodate this effectively.  There will be a general stand down midway through the day to eat, regroup, etc.   6.  In addition, we have gone to an 'Invitation Only Format'.  As receivers of this email you can all safely assume that you/ your group is invited.  We are concerned about quality of impression but mostly I like to have people coming onto my property that I know I can reasonably work with and have trust in.  This is a potentially dangerous environment so I want good, sensible people, not jackasses or problem children.   7.  First Timers and Old Timers - Some of you will be attending for the first time.  Pay close attention to orders and be mindful of basic safety procedures.  Old timers need to keep an eye on the new guys so they don't get lost.  I will do everything in my power to make the event worth your time and trouble.  I realize that without you, I would be standing all by myself in the woods pointing my MAS 36 at enemy trees and bushes.    8.  Logistical Stuff - When you drive onto the property, be careful if you have low clearance.  If it has been raining in the days prior to the event the fields can get soft.  Only drive where you are directed to, please don't take off across the fields.  You must take all trash out with you; we have no trash service here in the country.  No glass bottles please especially in the fire pits.  Unit commanders are responsible for making sure all their members get safely off the property at the end of the event.   9.  Any questions contact Brett Johnson at Brettvj@hotmaiol.com                                                                           Future Events   REMAGAN - APR 11th-13th, C&O Canal, Maryland  - At this point the event is questionable.  I have e-mailed the host three times and have received no response.   NORMANDY - MAY 9-11th 2008 (Tentative)   SAIPAN - JULY 2008   IKE'S FARM - OCT 2008   SIEGFRIED LINE – DEC 5-7 2008   Lynn “Bud” Holliday – Veteran of the Black Lions               In the fall of 1940, Lynn Holliday, the 6th of 12 children, grew tired of life on his parent’s farm in northern New York and decided that in the midst of the depression; the Army might not be such a bad place to be.  It was also a way to shed himself of a couple of girlfriends, who were becoming more and more demanding of his attentions, and of his free time.  A happy-go-lucky type, Lynn (nicknamed “Bud”) was not quite ready to settle down yet, much less choose between several local women who claimed “exclusive” rights to him.  So it was with a sense of relief that he found himself reporting for duty with the 28th Infantry Regiment, then stationed at Ft. Niagara in western New York.   Always a bright kid, Lynn advanced quite rapidly, considering that he was serving in the peacetime Army.  Accompanying the regiment to Ft. Jackson, SC where they were assigned to the 8th Infantry Division, and then through the Carolina and Tennessee maneuvers, Atlantic Seaboard patrol following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and desert training in Arizona, he was able to see places he had only read about.  It was with a sense of excitement, that he, and the rest of the Division sailed from New York Harbor on the 5th of December 1943 arriving in Belfast, Ireland on December 15th.  It was there that the regiment began a rigorous training regimen focusing on small unit tactics, intense physical conditioning, scouting and night patrols.  Now a squad leader in Company L of the 3rd Battalion, Bud was impressed with the transition from motorized infantry to standard infantry, and made note of it in a letter sent to his mother, also relating stories of a Regimental review by General Eisenhower and a Divisional review by General Patton.  In an excerpt from the unit history,   Every two weeks during the period of training in Northern Ireland, the Regiment sent three officers and fifteen enlisted men to a British training camp and received an equal number of United Kingdom troops.  This was in accordance with an exchange plan worked out by military authorities of the two nations.  It proved beneficial from a training standpoint, and it helped promote a better understanding among Allied soldiers. [i]   Bud was delighted to be selected for this “swap”, and later, proudly wore his Canadian Battledress jacket adorned with his ribbons and an 8th ID patch whenever he went out on the town.    On July 4th, 1944, Lynn and the rest of the 8th Division landed at Utah and Omaha beaches and underwent their first experiences of combat, fighting their way through the Normandy hedgerows.  On July 12th, the 3rd Battalion replaced the 1st Battalion on the line and according to the unit history,   [they] had advanced to a point south of Vesley, when their leading elements ran into extremely heavy fire from 88’s.  In the Company L zone, Lt Becker was shot and killed by a prisoner and Lieutenants Enswiller and Shull were seriously wounded by shell fire.  The company became disorganized.  The First Sergeant, (1st Sgt Frank Ostrander) while trying to reorganize the company was killed by machine gun fire.  The company was finally reorganized by Lt Kaufman, Company M, leader of an attached mortar section, and advanced the company 700 yards.  Later that afternoon, the enemy started a counterattack from both flanks using both tanks and Infantry.  A tank Company which was attached to the Battalion accounted for two of the enemy tanks, and Lt Paluzzi got one with a bazooka.  The battalion was forced back to its original position, suffering heavy casualties which included the Battalion Commander, and disorganizing the companies due to the loss of officers and NCOs.  [ii]   It was in this engagement that the Company Commander, Captain Fisher Patty, was killed and SSG Lynn Holliday was severely wounded, having been machine gunned through both of his legs.   Bud spent the next six months recovering in an English hospital, and became engaged to one of his nurses.  They made the most of those six months, touring the local establishments and partaking in vast quantities of the local brews and liquors, overindulging on almost every 72 hour pass.  When sober, he would write long letters home to his mother, and to four of his brothers, all of them then serving in the Pacific.  According to one of his brothers, while Lynn was engaged to the English nurse, he was still carrying on several romantic relationships with girls from back home via the US Postal Service.  One could say that he was a connoisseur of fine, good looking women and would make the most of any “convenient” situation, given the opportunity.  There was a long standing competition for “numbers” between Bud and his older brother, then a Marine in the PTO, where carnal knowledge of the female form was the name of the game.   In January of 1945, Lynn was notified that he would be sent to Officer Candidate School to receive a commission, and ultimately be assigned to another unit as a platoon leader.  Like many soldiers during that war, the last thing he wanted was to be separated from the guys he knew, and like many of them, he found a way to get back to his company.  On January 18th, he reported in and was assigned as an extra body to Headquarters Platoon.  In the early part of February, the 3rd Battalion was holding the regimental front along the Roer River, while the other two battalions were training for street fighting and crossing the river.  On February 12th, Bud found himself on a patrol, going through the town of Gey (another source cites Lendersdorf), Germany.  According to eyewitness and friend, Bob Ridey, he and Lynn were just walking past a glass store front when out of nowhere; a couple of mortar rounds were dropped on the platoon.  One of these rounds hit the storefront, showering Bob with broken glass.  When the smoke cleared, he saw Lynn laying dead on the ground, killed by large fragments of glass embedded in his chest and upper abdomen.  He was the only casualty reported that day; he was 26 years old.  Lynn’s body was left where it was and wasn’t recovered until the end of February, his body being identified only by a set of dog tags.  He was interred in the Soldier’s Cemetery at Henri Chapelle, Belgium until 1947, when the family requested that his body be returned home for burial in the family plot.  An interesting side-note should be included here, that attests to the way Lynn lived his life.  During the largest wake and funeral the City of Oswego had ever seen, one of Lynn’s many girlfriends stole the picture of him that was displayed next to his casket in the family home.  Apparently, one of them decided that it was she, who would privately play the part of the grieving widow.  I have always wondered whether the culprit was one of the “contestants” in the Holliday “Carnal Knowledge” game.  I may never know.   [i] MacGregor, Harold E. , 1st Lt.  28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division  (United States Army, 1945) Also available at:  http://www.militaria.com/8th/WW2/28history1.html. [ii] Ibid, http://www.militaria.com/8th/28history5.html.     The LION’s ROAR FEB 2008   Listen up Ladies!   Being that my new assignment is not as demanding on my time,  I have decided to re-publish the LION’s ROAR.  This unit publication will be e-mailed out to both unit members and associate members to let them know what is going on with the 8th ID.  Any individuals who wish to contribute please submit inputs to me around the first of the month.              Korean War Event:  Small Unit Action, Korea 1951 Feb 15-17, 2008                           This will be the first event of it’s kind in recent memory.  John Abshire, the event coordinator, contacted me back in the fall and asked for the support of 8th ID.  John’s goal was to hold an invitation only, “Hard-Core” Korean War immersion event much like the Der Zug events we attend and our own “Siegfried Line”  events.  Our comrades from the 505th PIR will also be supporting the event.    Unit Participants:  Carter Bertone, Aaron Steketee, Mark Ragan, Bob Campbell, and Darrell Henning Equipment Standards: Headgear: - M1 helmet. WW2 production only. - M1943 or M1951 field cap.  - M1943 or MQ-1 pile cap (m1951 pile cap is appropriate substitute for MQ1) Uniform: - WW2 longjohns - M1937 wool uniform - M43 field jacket liner. - 5 button sweater - Wool gloves, leather palm - Trigger mittens and gauntlets, M1949. - M1943 field trousers and jacket, or M1950 variant. - M1943, M1948 parkas, or parka-type overcoat Footwear: - M1943 combat boots - Russet combat boots - Shoepacs Field gear: - Cartridge belt, canteen, first aid pouch, M1943 e-tool. WW2 or late 1940s production. Light or dark OD    is appropriate. - WW2 poncho. The 1951 and later ponchos without the hoods are not appropriate. - Messkit and utensils - Two or more wool blankets, wool sleeping bag, or M1949 arctic sleeping bag. - Shelter half is optional. - M1945 Packs are optional as are suspenders. Roll your bedding in a hobo roll and travel light.   Registration: Registration fee is $25 to be collected at the gate.  Bring cash!  Every participant is required to bring 2-3 gallons of water  (mandatory)     Directions: Take rte 29 North (from Danville going toward Lynchburg) Take 2nd Gretna Exit (Rocky Mount / Rte 40 West) Left on 40 West There will be a Dairy Queen on the Right go about a Mile past the Dairy Queen Take a left onto Piney road  (Road 790) Go about 5 Miles on Piney Road Take a right onto Toshes Road (unmarked as Toshes, but also known as Road 605) Go about 3/4 of a Mile and you will see a White House on left (Mailbox 2494 is on the right side of the road opposite the house) There will be a red Dirt road next to white house take a left onto that Dirt road Follow the road left (Keep to the left)                                  Future Events:                                                     Operation NORDWIND MAR 14-16, 2008:     Background:  Operation NORDWIND (North Wind)  was the last major German offensive of the Second World War on the Western Front. It began on 1 January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine in north- eastern France, and it ended on 25 January.        The German objective was simple. Break through the lines of the U.S. 7th Army and French  1st Army in the Upper Vosges mountains and the Alsatian Plain, and destroy them. This would leave the way open for Operation ZAHNARZT, a planned major thrust into the rear of the U.S. 3rd Army which would lead to the destruction of that army.      On 1 January 1945, German Army Group G and Army Group Upper Rhine launched a major offensive against the thinly stretched, 110 km line of the Seventh U.S. Army. Operation North Wind soon had the under strength U.S. 7th Army in dire straits. The 7th Army, at the orders of U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, had sent troops, equipment, and supplies north to reinforce the American armies in the Ardennes involved in the "Battle of the Bulge."  The initial attack was conducted by three Corps of the First German Army, and by 9 January, the XXXIX Panzer Corps was heavily engaged as well. By 15 January, at least seventeen German divisions (including units in the Colmar Pocket) were engaged from Army Group G and Army Group Upper Rhine, including the 10th SS Panzer, 7th Parachute, 21st Panzer, and 25th Panzer Grenadier divisions.       U.S. VI Corps, which bore the brunt of the German attacks, was fighting on three sides by 13 January. With casualties mounting, and running severely short on replacements, tanks, ammunition, and supplies, Eisenhower, fearing the outright destruction of the U.S. 7th Army, rushed already battered divisions hurriedly relieved from the Ardennes, southeast over 100 km, to reinforce the 7th Army. Their arrival was delayed, and the Americans were forced to withdraw to defensive positions on the south bank of the Moder River on 21 January.      The German offensive finally drew to a close on 25 January, the same day that the reinforcements began to arrive from the Ardennes. In the bitter, desperate fighting of Operation NORTH WIND, VI Corps suffered a total of 14,716 casualties. The total casualties for the U.S. 7th Army as a whole is unclear, but it included approximately 3,000 killed, 9,000 wounded, and 17,000 sick and injured. The German Air Force committed almost one-thousand aircraft to Operation BASEPLATE in support of the Operation NORTH WIND, this "led to the final destruction of the Luftwaffe as an effective force. It gave the Allies total air supremacy   Event Details:  I have been in contact with Roger Roop, the allied commander.  Details have yet to be worked out.  I need to know who plans on attending.  Please e-mail me at (Chargebayonets@cox.net) ASAP if you plan on attend.  Our numbers will determine who we fall in with and our role in the event.  As many of you recall we fell in last year as a MG squad.  I have attached the REGISTRATION FORM and WAIVER.  The fee this year is $45.  THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS FEB 18.  SEND IN YOUR REGISTRATION FORM ASAP.                         BLITZKRIEG 1940 -  French Impression -  MAR 28th-30th, 2008    This event is an 8th ID endorsed event and participation is strongly encouraged.  Our, own T-4 Brett Johnson is the host of this event and commander of the 92nd French Infantry.   Several of us are members of the 92nd RI and support this event.  This event is always very enjoyable and pits us up against our favorite adversaries, the 11th Panzer and IR 226.  The scenario focuses on the British, French and Belgian forces who fought against the Germans in the forests of the Ardennes in June 1940.  To date, PFC Henning, SGT Rihl, PFC Ragan, PVT Clark, PVT O’Toole, and I have signed up to participate in this event.  Brett has offered to loan uniforms and equipment to those members of the unit who wish to participate, and try out the impression before they invest the money.  If you are interested please contact Brett Johnson (Brettvj@hotmail.com) if you are interested in attending the event.                                                                                Future Events    REMAGAN - APR 11th-13th, C&O Canal, Maryland   NORMANDY - MAY 2-4th 2008 (Tentitive)   SAIPAN - JULY 2008   IKE'S FARM - OCT 2008   SIEGFRIED LINE – DEC 2008                Notes on the Uniforms and Equipment of the 8th ID during the Normandy Campaign               Last night I received my long awaited DVD entitled “The 8th ID during the Normandy Campaign by Combat  Reels.  It contains footage of the 8th ID training in Ireland in the Spring of 1944, and footage from combat operations at the beginning of the campaign, which for the 8th ID would be July 1944.  Of particular interest the footage shows an awards ceremony in which two soldiers are presented Soldier’s Medals by the Division Commander.  Elements of the division, including the 121st Infantry Regiment pass in review.  The soldiers are uniformly wearing M1942 Four Pocket Service Tunics and many appear to be wearing their awards and decorations.  These appear to be American Defense Ribbons, Good Conduct Ribbons, etc.  This is before the unit entered combat so no Combat Infantry Badges are being worn.               Other footage shows soldiers of the 28th Infantry Regiment advancing through hedgerows in full combat gear.  The soldiers pictured are wearing the M1941 Field Jacket with 8th ID patches sewn on (some have rank insignia some do not), the M1937 wool uniform, and leggings and service shoes.  The majority of soldiers are wearing helmets with no camouflage netting.  Of the few soldiers that are wearing netting it is the “very wide” variety with scrim interwoven into it.  The soldiers are not wearing packs and tend to have raincoats and other gear stuffed under their cartridge belts.  Plainly visible on one soldier is the T-Handle shovel stuffed behind his cartridge belt rather than affixed to the grommets.               Of interesting note.  Weapons rack numbers are clearly painted on the right side of the rifle stocks. Every BAR, M-1, and Carbine seems to have these markings visible.  This is something we should emulate; I own an M-1 and well as a German K98 with this done to it.  Now I know these markings are original.   It is easy to do with a white paint pen and could be easily removed.  Additionally, throughout the footage several soldiers are carrying Thompson M1A1’s.  I could not determine whether these are marked or not.               Finally, as stated earlier, the infantry soldiers shown are wearing M1941’s and wool shirts and trousers, however, there is a scene of the 28th Field Artillery, that was assigned to the 8th ID and several of the artillerymen are wearing HBTs.  Some are sporting just the trousers but some are wearing the jackets as well.        Replacements               Finally, I would like to welcome the following new soldiers to the ranks. PVT David O’Toole PVT Richard Holiday PVT George La Vigne PVT Anthony Albaneze