M3 105 mm Howitzer ~ 1943
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Originally planed as the air transportable 105 mm howitzer for airborne divisions,the M3 actually saw much more service in the companies of infantry regiments. Each company had a total of six howitzers organized into three platoons. The gun used a 105 mm howitzer shortened by twenty seven inches on the existing M3A1 carriage and recoil system built for the lighter 75mm howitzer. Production began in February 1943 with a total production of 2,580 howitzers by the time production ended in June 1945. 101st Airborne Division Artilleryman ~ 6 June 1944. This paratrooper is wearing a M42 "Jump Suit" designed specifically for US Airborne Forces in 1942. The uniform offered more storage plus easier and faster access to the pockets than any other uniform of the time. Since paratroopers might have to fight many days before resupply or reinforcements arrived, paratroopers were heavily loaded with the essentials, mainly ammunition. The helmet is the M1C airborne helmet with modified liner and leather chin cup. He is armed with both the M1911A1 .45 caliber pistol and the M1A1 .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun. This paratrooper is part of the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division on D-Day. They were the only "jumping" artillery regiment of the 101st during Operation Neptune; the airborne portion of the Normandy Invasion. Like all the paratrooper units they were badly scattered during the drop and were only able to get one gun in action by the end of the first day.
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