FM 21-75 Scouting, Patrolling and Sniping.

[ausreenactor]

Gents,

With a penchant for the long range shot and tight groups I commenced bidding on the WWII 'sniping' manual some time ago. While the competition was generally pretty intense I usually gave up when the bidding hit $50. I managed to bide my time and secured a good copy and it arrived last week. I had a flick through to get to the relatively small section on sniping. The basic Infantry tactics have not changed since they printed this manual (or well before that perhaps). I set the Manual in with Rifle Drill, Garand and M1903A4 manuals. I picked it up again last night for a bit of a read and found a stamp inside the front cover and again on the first page. 'H. P. DARBY O1111564'

I did a Google hunt and the FM once belonged to a 1LT from the 2nd Inf Div. LT Harry P. Darby was KIA during the Korean War. Found a few sites and articles pertaining to my new favourite US Veteran. I have an ATF Ike that is now set be adorned with Engineer insignia and rank befitting LT Darby's service. I have always contemplated on the paths travelled by original kit prior to arriving in my collection; however, this one has struck a chord. Just a heads up for those that really appreciate what these guys did for all of us..

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... y/2eng.htm

Couchy

 

[Skip]

Thanks for sharing that Couchy. I've yet to visit a battle site, and have never had the opportunity to talk in such open terms with those that have faced the horrors of war. But through various books and research of my own, I certainly have a heart felt respect for what they achieved and the circumstances in which they achieved it, especially when they not only had to face the enemy, but their own political masters as well (which no doubt still happens today).

my brother inlaw visited Borneo 10 years ago to climb Kinabulu before he got married, he's not into military stuff, was more an environmentalist, but after the climb decided to do a tour around Sandakan while over there and before he came home. He came back a changed man, and it wasn't the mountain that changed him, it was the life experience afterwards. Until he experienced the place and feel of it, and read some of the real history of those who went through it, his attitude to those who serve now, and those who gave there lives for country and countryman back then, was one of ultimate respect.