Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Basic Training, Fort Benning, continued: Marksmanship

The folder contained two or three more surprises.

Special Orders of November, 1943,
HQ 5th Training Regiment,
Army Specialized Training Program,
Basic Training Center, Fort Benning, Georgia

"The following names Pvts (Trainees) have qualified
with the U.S. Rifle Cal. 30 M1
(Course "B") as indicated: "

32 men qualified as "Expert"
that October 19th and 20th.





Good old Wikipedia has the goods on this.


Our EJZ qualified as "Sharpshooter"
on the 20th.


Some men qualified as "Marksmen"
on those same days.

Signed by a Major of Infantry
who was also an Adjutant,
from "adjuvare," "to help."


The Special Task Force of the Coot Hill Historical Preservation Society
is starting to get somewhere with identification of insignia.
The top two in the center look relevant today.




Sharpshooter, awarded 10/20/1943
as per the Special Orders of 11/23/1943.

Expert


Also in the folder: backup ribbons.
They must be from later,
because they are:
"WW2 Victory,"
"Bronze Star,"
and "Asiatic-Pacific Campaign."
Julie




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