Gunnery sergeant ( GySgt ) is the seventh enlisted rank in the United States Marine Corps , above staff sergeant and below master sergeant and first sergeant , and is a senior non-commissioned officer (SNCO). It has a pay grade of E-7.
98-462: The gunnery sergeant insignia consists of two M1 Garands centered vertically between three chevrons and two rockers. Gunnery sergeants in infantry units typically serve in the billet of "company gunnery sergeant" or as the platoon sergeant of 23–69 Marines in a reconnaissance platoon or a crew-served weapons platoon (i.e., machine guns , mortars, assault weapons/rockets, and anti-tank missiles). In artillery batteries, gunnery sergeants serve as
196-590: A Command Sergeant Major [USA] or Sergeant Major [USMC] as the SEA.) While the specifics of the title may differ between the United States Army , Marine Corps , and Air Force , all first sergeants can be identified by the presence of a lozenge -shaped (colloquially "diamond") figure on their rank insignia. The rank of "first sergeant" has existed in the American Army since 1781, when a fifth sergeant
294-499: A battalion command or higher level unit assignments of higher rank. CSMs have expanded administrative duties, and less direct leadership duty requirements with enlisted and junior NCO soldiers than do 1SGs. First sergeants are generally the senior non-commissioned officers of company ( battery , troop ) sized units, and are unofficially but commonly referred to as "first sausage", "top", "top sergeant", "top soldier", "top kick", "first shirt", due to their seniority and their position at
392-560: A combat weapon". Nonetheless, in July 1945, 15,000 short M1 rifles were requested for use by airborne troops. The rifles were supposed to be produced within the next five months, but the procurement was canceled due to the Surrender of Japan in August 1945. First sergeant First sergeant is typically a senior non-commissioned officer rank, used in many countries. First sergeant
490-528: A cut-down front handguard (secured by an M1903 rifle barrel band), while the T26 rifle was not fitted with a front handguard. It had been determined that the full-length stock was superior to the M1E5's folding stock, so the T26 used a standard M1 rifle stock. The PWB rifle, serial No. 2437139, and Springfield Armory's T26 were sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) on 26 July 1945, for testing. The APG report related that
588-621: A detachment, district, region, area, barracks, or post consisting of anywhere from ten to fifty or more troopers or officers. Most law enforcement first sergeants are mid-level management leaders, with ten to thirty or more years of service. The NC Highway Patrol first sergeants for example, must complete the 6-weeks advanced police management training institute at the Southern Police Institute (SPI) in Louisville, KY. Other states also use SPI, or Northwestern University IL or
686-541: A first sergeant. Civil law enforcement first sergeants are senior to sergeants and junior to lieutenants. The insignia of such a first sergeant is usually similar to a military first sergeant but may only may have a chevron of three stripes with no bottom curved stripes "rockers", or just one or two rockers, but generally always have the lozenge under the chevrons. The rank insignia may be displayed by sewn-on sleeve shoulder stripes, slip-on epaulet stripes or pin-on metal stripes of black, silver or gold tone that may be pinned on
784-406: A guard on ship to which no marine officer is attached; also a knowledge of the duties involved in the subsistence of Marines ordered on detached duty, as well as the duties of an officer in command of a part of a landing party on shore. Gunnery sergeants are selected from the sergeants of the corps on account of superior intelligence, reliability, and mechanical knowledge. The grade was provided with
882-616: A master sergeant, may be selected for promotion to, or appointment as, a first sergeant, but will continue to wear the initial rank until successful completion of first sergeant leadership school, when the 1SG insignia of rank is authorized ("getting one's diamond"). Upon reassignment to a non–first sergeant billet, the soldier reverts to rank of master sergeant, unless promoted to the E-9 rank of SGM or CSM. First sergeants can retire at that rank, if they so choose, as long as they have completed first sergeant school and served satisfactorily in rank. CSM
980-410: A member of the unit's command group, he/she serves as a tactical adviser to the commanding officer/battery commander regarding employment of the unit and assists in operating the command post or tactical operations center. In garrison, he/she is responsible to the company/battery commander for supervising and coordinating individual training for the enlisted members of the company or battery and may assist
1078-482: A periodical published by the U.S. Department of Defense , gives the pronunciation as / ɡ ə ˈ r æ n d / gə- RAND , saying "popular usage has placed the accent on the second syllable, so that the rifle has become the 'guh-RAND ' ". American Rifleman magazine, while acknowledging / ɡ ə ˈ r æ n d / gə- RAND as the pronunciation favored by U.S. servicemen, deemed either pronunciation valid. French Canadian -born Garand went to work at
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#17327808505221176-494: A rate of ten rifles per day, and reached an output of 100 per day within two years. Despite going into production status, design issues were not at an end. The barrel, gas cylinder, and front sight assembly were redesigned and entered production in early 1940. Existing "gas-trap" rifles were recalled and retrofitted, mirroring problems with the earlier M1903 Springfield rifle that also had to be recalled and reworked approximately three years into production and foreshadowing rework of
1274-462: A similar rifle, and conceived the idea independently. Some of the shortened M1 rifles were field-tested in October 1944 on Noemfoor Island , New Guinea, by an ad hoc test committee, which included three platoon leaders of the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) combat team. While the members of the test committee liked the concept of the short M1 rifle, it was determined that the muzzle blast
1372-416: A standard M1 rifle, serial No. 1,032,921, was the "control" rifle to which the shorter rifle was compared during the testing. The results mirrored those of the M1E5's previous testing. The test report found that the modified rifle's muzzle flash, blast, and recoil were all significantly higher than that of the standard rifle. Additionally, it was less reliable, leading to it being declared "totally unsuitable as
1470-503: A sufficient number of first sergeants available, it is intended to reestablish the school and to give gunnery sergeants a thorough course of instruction prior to their permanent appointment to this grade, in order that they may be experts in all matters pertaining to the care and preservation of naval ordnance. At the time of this congressional testimony there were 82 gunnery sergeants in the USMC. Gunnery sergeants are commonly referred to by
1568-413: A tour of duty as a first sergeant, will retire as a first sergeant, even if they later serve as a master sergeant until honorable retirement. Historically, Army National Guard Soldiers, who often remained in uniform under Title 32, USC state status, until days or weeks shy of their 62nd birthday, often stayed in one unit for decades, especially with cases of senior enlisted promotions or appointments. After
1666-651: Is a specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First sergeants are the most senior of the junior specialists, ranking above second sergeants, and below Staff Sergeants . The rank insignia for a First Sergeant features the three chevrons pointing down shared by all specialists, and two chevrons pointing up. In combat units, First Sergeants are very often platoon sergeants or given the responsibility for independently operating detachments of support weapons. They are often given instructional billets as well in training schools. First sergeants normally answer to
1764-422: Is a leadership position that is a higher ranking equivalent of 1SG on a battalion level or higher command, while SGM is an MOS-specific technical equivalent to a MSG on a battalion level or higher command or in certain specialty billets. The position of first sergeant is the highest US Army NCO rank position that is still in a direct "hands-on" leadership setting, as are command sergeant major (CSM/E-9) positions in
1862-522: Is considered a temporary rank in E-8 paygrade, ranking above sergeant first class (SFC), and below sergeant major (SGM) or command sergeant major (CSM). While first sergeant is equal in paygrade to master sergeant (MSG), the two ranks have different responsibilities. Both ranks are identical as indicated by three chevrons (standard sergeant insignia) above three inverted arcs ("rockers"), an arrangement commonly referred to as "three up and three down", though
1960-683: Is denoted on the rank insignia by a lozenge (known colloquially as a "diamond"). Most units have a master sergeant in this position. Larger units use senior master sergeants and chief master sergeants as first sergeants. While both services don't have separate first sergeant ranks, those who hold these positional billets are senior to their non-diamond counterparts. All first sergeants can retire at that rank, within their respective paygrade, if they so choose, as long as they have served satisfactorily in rank. Some U.S. law enforcement agencies, especially state police and highway patrol organizations, have first sergeants, who are typically in charge or command of
2058-497: Is equal in grade to master sergeant (E8), although the two ranks have different responsibilities. A first sergeant has command leadership responsibilities and serves as the senior enlisted adviser to the commander at the company, battery or detachment level, while master sergeants have technical responsibilities within their respective occupational fields, and serve important leadership roles within various company or battery sections. Master sergeants may also perform staff functions at
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#17327808505222156-458: Is highly unlikely any U.S. servicemen were killed as a result of being given away by the clang noise; however some soldiers still took the issue very seriously. Some U.S. veterans recalling combat in Europe are convinced that German soldiers did respond to the ejection clang, and would throw an empty clip down to simulate the sound so the enemy would expose themselves. Garand's original design for
2254-424: Is set by turning the range knob to the appropriate range setting. The bullet drop compensation/range knob can be fine adjusted by setting the rear sight elevation pinion. The elevation pinion can be fine adjusted in approximately one MOA increments. The aperture sight is also able to correct for wind drift operated by turning a windage knob that moves the sight in approximately one MOA increments. The windage lines on
2352-589: Is the mounting system for the telescopic sight . In June 1944, the M1C was adopted as a standard sniper rifle by the U.S. Army to supplement the venerable M1903A4 , but few saw combat; wartime production was 7,971 M1Cs. The procedure required to install the M1C-type mounts through drilling/tapping the hardened receiver reduced accuracy by warping the receiver. Improved methods to avoid reduction of accuracy were inefficient in terms of tooling and time. This resulted in
2450-548: The .276 Pedersen T1 rifle, calling it "highly promising" (despite its use of waxed ammunition, shared by the Thompson). On 13 August 1928, a semiautomatic rifle board (SRB) carried out joint Army, Navy , and Marine Corps trials among the .30 Thompson, both cavalry and infantry versions of the T1 Pedersen, "M1924" Garand, and .256 Bang , and on 21 September, the board reported no clear winner. The .30 Garand, however,
2548-684: The British Army looked at the M1 as a possible replacement for its bolt-action Lee–Enfield No.1 Mk. III , but decided against it as by January 1940 the Birmingham Small Arms Company was already preparing production of the Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk 1. However, surplus M1 rifles were provided as foreign aid to American allies, including South Korea, West Germany, Italy, Japan, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Iran , South Vietnam,
2646-545: The Carcano M1891 for Italy, and the Type 38 or Type 99 Arisaka rifle for Japan). The effect of faster-firing infantry small arms in general soon stimulated both Allied and Axis forces to greatly increase their issue of semi- and fully automatic firearms then in production, as well as to develop new types of infantry firearms. Many M1s were repaired or rebuilt after World War II. While U.S. forces were still engaged in
2744-477: The Lee–Enfield dozens of years previously), would render the weapon too susceptible to clogging from dirt and debris and that a protruding magazine would complicate existing manual-of-arms drills. As a result, inventor John Garand developed an en bloc clip system that allowed ammunition to be inserted from above, clip included, into the fixed magazine. While this design provided the requisite flush-mount magazine,
2842-555: The M16 rifle at a similar point in its development. Production of the Garand increased in 1940 despite these difficulties, reaching 600 a day by 10 January 1941, and the Army was fully equipped by the end of 1941. Following the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Winchester was awarded an "educational" production contract for 65,000 rifles, with deliveries beginning in 1943. The M1 Garand
2940-506: The Vietnam War . The U.S. Navy has also used the Garand, rechambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO round. A detachable M2 conical flash hider, adopted 25 January 1945 slipped over the muzzle and was secured in place by the bayonet lug. A T37 flash hider was developed later. Flash hiders were of limited utility during low-light conditions around dawn and dusk, but were often removed as potentially detrimental to accuracy. The Tanker name
3038-491: The bolt-action M1903 Springfield as the U.S. service rifle in 1936, and was itself replaced by the selective-fire M14 rifle on 26 March 1958. Sources differ on the pronunciation of the M1 Garand. Some, such as General Julian Hatcher's The Book of the Garand (1948), give / ˈ ɡ ær ən d / GARR -ənd , identical to the pronunciation of John Garand's surname. However, a 1952 issue of Armed Forces Talk ,
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3136-545: The company commander may entrust them with important responsibilities, even over one of the company's lieutenants , especially junior lieutenants. First sergeants handle the leadership and professional development of their soldiers, especially the non-commissioned officer development and grooming of enlisted soldiers for promotions. They also manage company logistical issues, supervise administrative issues, recommend and prepare enlisted soldiers for specialty and leadership schools, re-enlistment, career development and they manage
3234-510: The company sergeant major , assisting the latter in the mentorship, guidance and command of the more junior specialists (Third and Second Sergeants) who are section commanders. In the United States, a first sergeant generally serves as the senior enlisted advisor (SEA) of a unit, such as a company, battery, or troop, or a USAF squadron or higher level unit. (USA and USMC squadrons and battalions, as well as all higher-level units, have
3332-535: The "battery gunnery sergeant" in the headquarters section of the firing battery's 94-member firing platoon. In tank and assault amphibian units gunnery sergeants may serve as a platoon sergeant of a 16-member platoon of four tanks or a 39-member platoon of 12 amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs), respectively. Tank and assault amphibian gunnery sergeants are also assigned as section leaders, in charge of either two tanks and 8 Marines or three AAVs and 9 Marines. Gunnery sergeants serving as platoon sergeants perform essentially
3430-524: The "first shirt", or "shirt", the first sergeant is responsible for the morale, welfare, and conduct of all the enlisted members in a squadron and is the chief adviser to the squadron commander concerning the enlisted force. They are held by a senior enlisted member of a military unit who reports directly to the unit commander or deputy commander of operations. This positional billet is held by individuals of pay grades E-7 through E-9 ( master sergeant , senior master sergeant and chief master sergeant ), and
3528-443: The 1781 Battle of Green Spring , Ebenezer Denny called the company first sergeant "the most important officer." In 1833, first sergeant and orderly sergeant became separate pay grades, ranking below sergeants major and quartermaster sergeants, but above sergeants. In 1851, first sergeant was combined with the separate rank of orderly sergeant. In the United States Army , since 1958, the rank of first sergeant (abbreviated 1SG )
3626-600: The FBI National Academy (FBINA) Quantico, VA. Some such state agencies may have a first sergeant in charge of special state police or highway patrol units such as SWAT, K-9, aviation, personnel, major traffic accident reconstruction, research, public information, logistics, training, recruitment, internal affairs, accreditation, inspections, mounted, motorcycle, communications, detectives, administration, and other specialized sections or services other than general patrol. Some municipal and county agencies also have
3724-612: The Garand rifle. Several different styles of bayonets fit the rifle: the M1905 , with a 16-inch (406 mm) blade; the M1 with a 10-inch (254 mm) blade (either made standard or shortened from existing M1905 bayonets); and the M5 bayonet with a 6.75-inch (171 mm) blade. Also available was the M7 grenade launcher that could easily be attached to the end of the barrel. It could be sighted using
3822-635: The Korean War, the Department of Defense decided more were needed. Springfield Armory ramped up production, but two new contracts were awarded. During 1953–56, M1s were produced by International Harvester and Harrington & Richardson in which International Harvester alone produced a total of 337,623 M1 Garands. A final, very small, lot of M1s was produced by Springfield Armory in early 1957, using finished components already on hand. Beretta also produced Garands using Winchester tooling. In 1939,
3920-830: The M1 Garand was fully completed in the active-duty component of the Army (with the exception of the sniper variants, which were introduced in World War II and saw action in Korea and Vietnam). The Garand remained in service with the Army Reserve , Army National Guard , and the Navy into the early 1970s. The South Korean Army was using M1 Garands in the Vietnam War as late as 1966. Due to widespread United States military assistance as well as their durability, M1 Garands have also been found in use in recent conflicts such as with
4018-425: The M1 used a complicated gas system involving a special muzzle extension gas trap, later dropped in mid-1940 in favor of a simpler drilled gas port. Because most of the older rifles were retrofitted, pre-1940 gas-trap M1s are very rare today and are prized collector's items. In both systems, expanding gases from a fired cartridge are diverted into the gas cylinder. Here, the gases meet a long-stroke piston attached to
Gunnery sergeant - Misplaced Pages Continue
4116-470: The M15 sight, which was attached with screws to the left side of the stock, just forward of the trigger. A cleaning tool, oiler and grease containers could be stored in two cylindrical compartments in the buttstock for use in the field. The M1907 two-piece leather rifle sling was the most common type of sling used with the weapon through World War II. In 1942, a cheaper and more adjustable olive drab canvas sling
4214-616: The Pacific Warfare Board (PWB) decided to move forward with the development of a shortened M1 rifle. Colonel William Alexander, chief of the PWB, directed an Army ordnance unit of the 6th Army in the Philippines to fabricate 150 rifles in this configuration for testing. Since the previous M1E5 project was not widely disseminated, it is entirely possible that the PWB may not have been aware of Springfield Armory's development of
4312-400: The Philippines under the auspices of the PWB had been well-used prior to modification, and the conversion exhibited rather crude craftsmanship, including hand-cut splines on the barrel. Upon receipt of the PWB rifle, Springfield Armory's model shop fabricated a very similar shortened M1 that was designated as the "T26". One of the more noticeable differences was that the shortened PWB rifle had
4410-449: The Philippines, etc. Most Garands shipped to allied nations were predominantly manufactured by International Harvester Corporation during the period of 1953–1956, and second from Springfield Armory from all periods. Some Garands were still being used by the United States into the Vietnam War in 1963; despite the M14 's official adoption in 1958, it was not until 1965 that the changeover from
4508-541: The Secretary of War, ordered work on the rifles and ammunition in .276 caliber cease immediately and completely, and all resources be directed toward identification and correction of deficiencies in the Garand .30 caliber. On 3 August 1933, the T1E2 became the "semi-automatic rifle, caliber 30, M1". In May 1934, 75 M1s went to field trials; 50 went to infantry, 25 to cavalry units. Numerous problems were reported, forcing
4606-537: The Thompson, ultimately producing an inconclusive report. As a result, the Ordnance Board ordered a .30-06 Garand variant. In March 1927, the cavalry board reported trials among the Thompson, Garand, and '03 Springfield had not led to a clear winner. This led to a gas-operated .276 (7 mm) model (patented by Garand on 12 April 1930). In early 1928, both the infantry and cavalry boards ran trials with
4704-514: The United States Army's Springfield Armory and began working on a .30 caliber primer actuated blowback Model 1919 prototype. In 1924, twenty-four rifles, identified as "M1922s", were built at Springfield. At Fort Benning during 1925, they were tested against models by Berthier , Hatcher-Bang, Thompson , and Pedersen , the latter two being delayed blowback types. This led to a further trial of an improved "M1924" Garand against
4802-525: The United States Marine Corps should be sufficiently proficient in the drill regulations to thoroughly drill recruits and to drill the squad and company. They should be thoroughly conversant with the nomenclature of the rapid-fire and machine guns used in the naval service and be sufficiently acquainted with their drill to be able to act as gun captains and to instruct the enlisted in their duties at such guns. They should have knowledge of
4900-591: The aircraft maintenance department of a Marine aircraft squadron. Non Fleet Marine Force (or other operating forces) assignments may include supervisory or staff positions in recruiting, drill instructor, Marine Security Guard, Naval ROTC instructor or service school instructor, and major/joint/combined headquarters commands. The rank of gunnery sergeant in the Marine Corps was established by the Navy personnel act of March 3, 1899 (30 Stat. 1009 ) reflecting
4998-475: The battalion/squadron level or above. Unlike first sergeants and master sergeants in the U.S. Army, no lateral movement is possible between the two ranks in the Marine Corps; they are permanent appointments and require a change in occupational specialty. Rather, gunnery sergeants elect a preference on their fitness reports, which are considered before promotion. Ultimately, those selected for either rank are appointed based on suitability, previous duty assignments, and
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#17327808505225096-483: The civilian market, as well as a single-loading device which stays in the rifle when the bolt locks back. In battle, the manual of arms called for the rifle to be fired until empty, and then recharged quickly. Due to the well-developed logistical system of the U.S. military at the time, this consumption of ammunition was generally not critical, though this could change in the case of units that came under intense fire or were flanked or surrounded by enemy forces. When using
5194-412: The clip system increased the rifle's weight and complexity, and made only single loading ammunition possible without a clip. Ejection of an empty clip created a distinctive metallic "clanging" sound. In World War II, it was rumored that German and Japanese infantry were making use of this noise in combat to alert them to an empty M1 rifle in order to catch their American enemies with an unloaded rifle. It
5292-401: The clip, chambering a round and leaving it ready to fire. Contrary to widespread misconception, partially expended or full clips can be easily ejected from the rifle by means of the clip latch button. It is also possible to load single cartridges into a partially loaded clip while the clip is still in the magazine, but this requires both hands and a bit of practice. In reality, this procedure
5390-1968: The company/battery first sergeant in the administration and non-tactical leadership of the unit and by supervising the property (logistics) NCO, advising the officers, mentoring subordinate ranking Marines, and performing other duties as assigned. The company/battery gunnery sergeant has been described as a "hands on disciplinarian". An approximate former equivalent in the United States Army would have been "field first sergeant". Gunnery sergeants also serve as senior staff non-commissioned officers in military staff sections and headquarters and service companies and headquarters batteries at battalion/squadron, regiment/group, and division/wing headquarters levels. Typical gunnery sergeant billets in combat support companies and battalion, regiment, and division headquarters are: Personnel Administration Chief, Staff Secretary Personnel/Administration Clerk, Administration Assistance Chief, Division Reproduction NCO, Equal Opportunity Advisor, Human Affairs NCO, Career Planner, Intelligence Chief, Operations Chief, Operations Assistant, Watch Team NCOIC, Schools Coordinator, MAGTF Plans Chief, Cinematography Specialist, Logistics Chief, Embarkation Chief, Infantry Weapons Chief, Analyst and Review Fiscal Chief, Information Systems Maintenance Chief, Public Affairs Chief, Communications-Electronics Maintenance Section Chief, Radio Chief, Wire Chief, Motor Transport Chief, Battery Motor Transport Chief, Roadmaster, Assistant Roadmaster, Maintenance Chief, Assistant Maintenance Chief, Management Team Inspector, Engineer Equipment Chief, and Mess Manager. In Command Element, Combat Logistics Element, and Aviation Combat Element organizations, gunnery sergeants serve in basically similar positions of responsibility, authority, and accountability as their Ground Combat Element counterparts, with perhaps slightly different titles, such as Division/Branch Chief/NCOIC or Department SNCOIC (Staff Non-Commissioned Officer-In-Charge) in
5488-534: The development of the M1D, which utilized a simpler, single-ring Springfield Armory mount attached to the barrel rather than the receiver. The M1C was first widely used during the Korean War . Korean War production was 4,796 M1Cs and 21,380 M1Ds; although few M1Ds were completed in time to see combat. The U.S. Marine Corps adopted the M1C as their official sniper rifle in 1951. This USMC 1952 sniper's rifle, or MC52,
5586-517: The disadvantages. Further development of the M1E5 was suspended as other projects at Springfield, such as the selective-fire T20 series, were deemed to have a higher priority. Only one example of the M1E5 was fabricated for testing, and the gun resides today in the Springfield Armory National Historic Site Museum. Despite the concept being shelved at Springfield Armory, the idea of a shortened M1 rifle
5684-455: The drill team of His Majesty the King's Guard of Norway. The M1 rifle is a .30 caliber , gas-operated , eight-shot clip-fed, semi-automatic rifle . It is 43.6 inches (1,107 mm) long and it weighs about 9.5 pounds (4.31 kg). The M1's safety catch is located at the front of the trigger guard , easily operated by the trigger finger. It is engaged when it is pressed rearward into
5782-413: The duties of Marines in ship's detachments. The original insignia was three chevrons point up with three straight "ties" with an insignia of a bursting bomb over a crossed rifle and naval gun. From 1904 to 1929 the insignia went to three stripes only over a bursting bomb on top of crossed rifles. In 1929, like the rank of first sergeant , two "rockers" were added beneath the stripes with the same insignia in
5880-527: The first sergeant has the pierced lozenge "diamond" in the middle. A first sergeant is generally senior to a master sergeant in leadership matters, though a master sergeant may have more general military authority such as when in charge of a military police (MP) section. Master sergeants are laterally appointed to first sergeant upon selection by senior Department of the Army leadership; qualified sergeants first class are promoted, depending on available billets and opportunities. A promotable sergeant first class, or
5978-536: The idea that they should be somewhat higher in standard than first sergeants; that their knowledge of ordnance and of gunnery should be such that they would be able to make minor repairs to guns—to supervise all work in connection with guns; to command detachments which were of such size as not to warrant a commissioned officer being assigned to them. They are at present in command of marine detachments at naval magazines; are performing duty as first sergeants of regularly organized companies at various posts; in connection with
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#17327808505226076-400: The informal abbreviation " Gunny " or " Guns ". These nicknames, which are usually regarded as titles of both esteem and camaraderie, are generally acceptable for use in all but formal and ceremonial situations. Use of the term by lower-ranking personnel, however, remains at the gunnery sergeant's discretion. M1 Garand The M1 Garand or M1 rifle is a semi-automatic rifle that
6174-567: The insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some military drill teams still use the M1 rifle, including the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Team , the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Guard, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary , almost all Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and some Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) teams of all branches of the U.S. military. It is also used by
6272-421: The kinds and quantities of ammunition used in those guns. They should have a thorough knowledge of the instructions pertaining to target practice. They should have sufficient knowledge of the system of accountability of the United States Marine Corps to take charge of and properly render the accounts of a guard aboard ship, and should be competent in all respects to perform the duties of a first sergeant in charge of
6370-745: The mass mobilization of Guard troops in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, many states began a statewide promotion system, resulting in Soldiers transferring units frequently. This generally brought an end to the long-serving first sergeants, fondly known by other Soldiers as "Top For Life," "TFL " Beginning in 1821, first sergeants were recognizable by wearing a red worsted waist sash (along with all other senior sergeant grades), while all junior sergeant grades had to discard this item. In 1872, sashes were eliminated for all ranks (except for general officers who retained their buff sashes until 1917). Though
6468-465: The middle. In 1937 the middle insignia was dropped. The rank was replaced by technical sergeant in 1946 until restored in 1959, when the crossed rifles insignia were added to Marine chevrons. The qualifications and selection of gunnery sergeants in the "Old Corps" was explained in congressional testimony in 1912: The following qualifications are required for appointment to the rank of gunnery sergeant: A candidate for appointment as gunnery sergeant in
6566-414: The needs of the Marine Corps. Later in their careers, first sergeants are eligible to be considered for promotion to sergeant major, while master sergeants can be promoted to master gunnery sergeant. The grade of first sergeant initially appeared in the Marine Corps in 1833, when Congress created the ranks of "first sergeant of the guard at sea" and " orderly sergeant of the post" (of which 30 billets for
6664-441: The operating rod, which is pushed rearward by the force of this high-pressure gas. Then, the operating rod engages a rotating bolt inside the receiver . The bolt is locked into the receiver via two locking lugs, which rotate, unlock, and initiate the ejection of the spent cartridge and the reloading cycle when the rifle is discharged. The operating rod (and subsequently the bolt) then returns to its original position. The M1 Garand
6762-490: The project. The task was assigned to Springfield Armory, and John Garand began work in January 1944. The resultant experimental arm, designated as the "U.S. Carbine, Cal. 30, M1E5", was fitted with a specially made 18-inch barrel (not a shortened standard M1 rifle barrel) marked "1 SA 2-44" and a pantograph metal stock that folded underneath the rifle. The receiver was marked "U.S. Carbine/Cal. .30 M1E5/Springfield/Armory/1". It
6860-502: The promotable soldiers within the company. First sergeants are the first step in disciplinary actions such as an Article 15 ( non-judicial punishment ) proceeding. A first sergeant may place a soldier under arrest and on restriction to quarters in certain cases, as well as manage all of the daily responsibilities of running the company/unit. A first sergeant who has completed the US Army's first sergeant course and who satisfactorily served
6958-584: The rank were established). In 1872, the Corps replaced the title of orderly sergeant with the rank of first sergeant. The rank of first sergeant was another casualty of the rank realignment of 1947. It was reestablished in 1955. In the United States Air Force , first sergeants are special duty temporary ranks and positional billets. First sergeants are not guaranteed to be promoted to the next level paygrade of first sergeant. Often referred to as
7056-480: The receiver to indicate the windage setting are four MOA apart. The front sighting element consists of a wing-guard-protected front post. During World War II the M1 rifle's semiautomatic operation gave United States infantrymen a significant advantage in firepower and shot-to-shot recovery time over enemy infantrymen armed primarily with bolt-action rifles. The semi-automatic operation and reduced recoil allowed soldiers to fire eight rounds as quickly as they could pull
7154-511: The repair of guns at various Marine Corps stations; in connection with the training of recruits; and, in general, performing duties that require the utmost reliability. For a number of years candidates for promotion to this grade were required to take a special course of instruction before receiving their warrants, but recently, because of the lack of first sergeants and the numerous small detachments organized, it has been necessary to detail many of them for duty as first sergeants. As soon as there are
7252-404: The rifle is accurate at much greater ranges." The M1 rifle is fed by a reversible en bloc clip which holds eight rounds of .30-06 Springfield ammunition. When the last cartridge is fired, the rifle ejects the clip and locks the bolt open. The M1 is then ready to reload. Once the clip is inserted, the bolt snaps forward on its own as soon as thumb pressure is released from the top round of
7350-416: The rifle to be modified, yet again, before it could be recommended for service and cleared for procurement on 7 November 1935, then standardized 9 January 1936. The first production model was successfully proof-fired, function-fired, and fired for accuracy on 21 July 1937. Production difficulties delayed deliveries to the Army until September 1937. Machine production began at Springfield Armory that month at
7448-490: The rifle to launch grenades, it requires the removal of a partially loaded clip of ball ammunition and replacement with a clip of M3 blank cartridges. Officials in Army Ordnance circles demanded a fixed, non-protruding magazine for the new service rifle. At the time, it was believed that a detachable magazine on a general-issue service rifle would be easily lost by U.S. soldiers (a criticism made of British soldiers and
7546-410: The same duties as staff sergeant platoon sergeants , with the additional responsibility of supervising other staff non-commissioned officers (i.e., the gunnery/staff sergeants leading the organic sections of the platoon). The company / battery gunnery sergeant serves as the unit's operations chief and works with the executive officer to plan and coordinate unit training and operations. In combat, as
7644-525: The sergeant major and quartermaster sergeant already had distinctive staff NCO rank insignia, it was not until 1847 that the first sergeant received the characteristic lozenge, or diamond, with the three chevrons of a sergeant as its insignia of rank. In the United States Marine Corps , first sergeant (abbreviated 1stSgt ) is a permanent rank and ranks above gunnery sergeant and below sergeant major and master gunnery sergeant . It
7742-496: The standard buttstock. The PWB rifle uses an 18-inch (457 mm) barrel, retains the standard buttstock, and has a foregrip secured by M1903 barrel band. A weapon with those features was potentially valuable for paratroopers, as it was more powerful than the carbines and submachine guns currently in use. Preliminary testing revealed it had excessive recoil and muzzle blast, but it was recommended that it be developed further. The Infantry Board directed Col. Rene Studler to proceed with
7840-564: The top of the company's enlisted ranks. In the Bundeswehr, the German Army, the first sergeant (German: Kompaniefeldwebel) is colloquially called "mother of the company" (even for male soldiers), a concept also in place in the US Army. Only 1% of US Soldiers are promoted to or appointed as 1SG, so selection is extremely competitive and only the highest rated Soldiers "wear the diamond." They are sometimes referred to as "second hat" because
7938-498: The trigger guard or not allow for proper movement of the finger. Most variants of the Garand, save the sniper variants, never saw active duty. The sniper versions were modified to accept scope mounts, and two versions (the M1C , formerly M1E7, and the M1D , formerly M1E8) were produced, although not in significant quantities during World War II. The only difference between the two versions
8036-509: The trigger guard, and disengaged when it is pushed forward and is protruding outside of the trigger guard. The M1 Garand was designed for simple assembly and disassembly to facilitate field maintenance. It can be field stripped (broken down) without tools in just a few seconds. The rifle has an iron sight line consisting of rear receiver aperture sight protected by sturdy "ears" calibrated for 100–1,200 yd (91–1,097 m) in 100 yd (91 m) increments. The bullet drop compensation
8134-437: The trigger, without having to move their hands on the rifle and therefore disrupt their firing position and point of aim. The Garand's fire rate, in the hands of a trained soldier, averaged 40–50 accurate shots per minute at a range of 300 yards (270 m). "At ranges over 500 yards (460 m), a battlefield target is hard for the average rifleman to hit. Therefore, 500 yards (460 m) is considered the maximum effective range, even though
8232-489: Was added to the table of organization for Continental Army infantry regiments. Previously, under the tables of organization approved by the Continental Congress in 1776 and 1779, there were four and three sergeants, respectively, authorized in each company. The sergeants were numbered in order of seniority, and the "first sergeant" was simply the senior sergeant in the company, but not a separate rank. After
8330-488: Was an M1C with the commercial Stith Bear Cub scope manufactured by the Kollmorgen Optical Company under the military designation: telescopic sight - Model 4XD-USMC. The Kollmorgen scope with a slightly modified Griffin & Howe mount was designated MC-1. The MC52 was also too late to see extensive combat in Korea, but it remained in Marine Corps inventories until replaced by bolt-action rifles during
8428-462: Was designated as a carbine and not a rifle. Other than the folding stock, the basic M1 rifle was essentially unchanged with the exception of the short barrel, a correspondingly shortened operating rod (and spring) and the lack of a front handguard. The overall length was 37½ inches and it weighed approximately 8 lbs., 6 ozs. The M1E5 " Garand carbine " was tested at Aberdeen Proving Ground in May 1944. It
8526-403: Was determined that while accuracy at 300 yards was on par with the standard M1 rifle, recoil, muzzle blast and flash were excessive. It was recommended that a pistol grip be installed, which was done for subsequent testing. While the M1E5 was more compact than the standard Garand rifle, the short barrel made it an unpleasant gun to fire—and the advantages were not judged to be sufficient to offset
8624-502: Was dropped in favor of the .276. Further tests by the SRB in July 1929, which included rifle designs by Colt–Browning, Garand, Holek , Pedersen, Rheinmetall , Thompson, and an incomplete one by White, led to a recommendation that work on the (dropped) .30 gas-operated Garand be resumed, and a T1E1 was ordered 14 November 1929. Twenty gas-operated .276 T3E2 Garands were made and competed with T1 Pedersen rifles in early 1931. The .276 Garand
8722-576: Was excessive and was compared to a flash bulb going off in the darkened jungle. The conclusion of the test report stated that the shortened rifle was "totally unsuitable for a combat weapon". Even while the shortened M1 rifles were being evaluated by the 503rd PIR, two of them were sent to the Ordnance Dept. in Washington, D.C., by special courier for evaluation. One of these rifles was then forwarded to Springfield Armory. The M1s shortened in
8820-455: Was introduced and gradually replaced the M1907 after the war. Another accessory was the winter trigger , developed during the Korean War. It consisted of a small mechanism installed on the trigger guard, allowing the soldier to remotely pull the trigger by depressing a lever just behind the guard. This enabled the shooter to fire his weapon while using winter gloves, which could get "stuck" on
8918-491: Was invented after the war as a marketing gimmick for commercial Garands built on welded demilled receivers. There are three 18-inch M1 Garand variants, the M1E5 and T26, which never saw service, and the Pacific Warfare Board rifle, which saw very limited service in the Pacific. The M1E5 is equipped with a shorter 18-inch (457 mm) barrel and a folding buttstock . The T26 also uses an 18-inch (457 mm) barrel but retains
9016-477: Was made in large numbers during World War II; approximately 5.4 million were made. They were used by every branch of the United States military. The rifle generally performed well. General George S. Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised." The typical opponent of a US soldier during World War II was usually armed with a slower-firing bolt-action rifle (e.g. the Karabiner 98k for Germany,
9114-435: Was one of the first self-loading rifles to use stainless steel for its gas tube, in an effort to prevent corrosion. As the stainless metal could not be parkerized , the gas tubes were given a stove-blackening that frequently wore off in use. Unless the gas tube could be quickly repainted, the resultant gleaming muzzle could make the M1 Garand and its user more visible to the enemy in combat. Several accessories were used with
9212-438: Was rarely performed in combat, as the danger of getting debris inside the action along with the cartridges increased the chances of malfunction. Instead, it was much easier and quicker to simply manually eject the clip, and insert a fresh one, which is how the rifle was originally designed to be operated. Later, special clips holding two (8+2=10 for target shooting) or five rounds (to meet hunting regulations) became available on
9310-449: Was reported that the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground began experiments with clips made of various plastics in order to soften the sound, though no improved clips were ever adopted. Conversely, former German soldiers have said that the sound was inaudible during engagements and not particularly useful when heard, as other squad members might have been nearby ready to fire. Due to the often intense deafening noise of combat and gunfire it
9408-502: Was still viewed as potentially valuable for airborne and jungle combat use. Particularly in the Pacific Theater, there was widespread dissatisfaction with the M1 carbine's range, power and foliage-penetration ("brush-cutting") capability. The Ordnance Department was not responsive to these complaints coming in from the Pacific and maintained that the M1 rifle and M1 carbine each filled a specific niche. Nonetheless, by late 1944,
9506-442: Was the service rifle of the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War . The rifle is chambered for the .30-06 Springfield cartridge and is named after its Canadian-American designer, John Garand . It was the first standard-issue autoloading rifle for the United States. By most accounts, the M1 rifle performed well. General George S. Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised". The M1 replaced
9604-648: Was the clear winner of these trials. The .30 caliber Garand was also tested, in the form of a single T1E1, but was withdrawn with a cracked bolt on 9 October 1931. A 4 January 1932 meeting recommended adoption of the .276 caliber and production of approximately 125 T3E2s. Meanwhile, Garand redesigned his bolt and his improved T1E2 rifle was retested. The day after the successful conclusion of this test, Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur personally disapproved any caliber change, in part because there were extensive existing stocks of .30 M1 ball ammunition. On 25 February 1932, Adjutant General John B. Shuman, speaking for
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