Discerning eyes might see the only one with a sabre me.
We had them in military school and someone gave me a carbine in Vietnam.
The
M1 rifle was used in all theaters of combat during World War II. 1LT
Waverly Wray, the airborne officer referenced at the beginning of this
article, could be counted among the greatest warriors these United
States could produce.
1LT
Waverly Wray was born in 1919 and raised in the wooded hills around
Batesville, Mississippi, perhaps a forty-five minute drive from where I
sit typing these words. An expert woodsman steeped in fieldcraft from
his youth, Wray was described by his commander, LTC Ben Vandervoort,
thusly, “As experienced and skilled as an Infantry soldier can get and
still be alive.” At 250 pounds Wray was an intimidating specimen, yet he
was also a committed Christian man of character. He fastidiously
eschewed profanity and sent half of his Army paycheck home each month to
help build a church in his hometown.
Lt. Wray was killed by a sniper who shot him in the head. The sniper used the large white ID mark painted on the side of his helmet as his target. You can see the painted helmets for hundreds of yards. Y'all already know how I feel about my M-1.---Ray
ReplyDeleteThanks and why was that on the helmet? I believe you sleep with your M-1.....!:)
DeleteAlmost every GI in WW2 was required to paint a large white ID mark on there steel. One on each side to denote regiment. One in back to denote rank, and often one in front that was a full color division patch. The German snipers loved them. The "RANGER" painted helmet in saving Privet Ryan was one of the more discreet used in the war. It was done to make it easier for flag officers to tell who they were looking at-----Ray
Delete:( I can't believe anyone thought this a good idea. Thanks.
Delete