These are some of the variety of armored vehicles Soviet Russia has used against the Nazis. Feature of Russian medium and heavy tanks are the use of multiple turrets. In addition the turrets are placed well forward and railing attached so the vehicles . . . → Read More: Russian Armored Vehicles]]> “Russian Armored Vehicles” recognition poster from Newsmap, August 1942:

These are some of the variety of armored vehicles Soviet Russia has used against the Nazis. Feature of Russian medium and heavy tanks are the use of multiple turrets. In addition the turrets are placed well forward and railing attached so the vehicles may serve as infantry carriers.

The German press has reported Russian tanks weighing up to 100 tons but the use of these must be decidedly limited by the difficulty to maneuver these across country and over bridges. The following specifications are from various published sources and are approximations.

1 — B.T. CRUISER TANK: Length 18′ 7″; Width 6′ 10″; Height 7′ 8″; Weight 10¼-11¾ tons; Speed 30 m.p.h. on tracks, 44 on wheels. Armament 37, 45 or 76.2 mm. gun and one or two M.G.’s according to Model. Crew of three men. This is the original American Christie Cruiser and exists in large numbers. Can travel on wheels as well as tracks.

2 — T. 34: Length 19′ 6″; Width 7′ 6″; Height 7′ 8″; Weight 25.9 tons; Speed 34 m.p.h. Armament one 76.2 mm. gun and two M.G.’s. Crew three to four men. This model has been reported widely used. The photos show its clean modern lines and its use as an infantry carrier.

3 — T. 26: Length 16′ 4″; Width 7′; Height 7′ 2″; Weight 8½-9½ tons. Speed 22 m.p.h. Armament one 37 mm. gun and two M.G.’s; one 45 mm. gun and one M.G. or 45 mm. gun and two M.G.’s. Crew of three. This is not a modern tank.

4 — HEAVY T. 35: Length 31′ 1″. Width 10′ 5″; Height 9′ 10″; Weight 44½ tons; Speed 19 m.p.h. Armament one 76.2 mm. gun and one or two M.G.’s in main turret, two 45 mm. guns in auxiliary turrets, two M.G.’s in auxiliary M.G. turrets. Crew of nine or ten nten. Several models of this tank are reported in use, some of which mount only two subsidiary turrets. This one shows one large turret and four auxiliary turrets. Note skirting over suspension.

5 — MEDIUM T. 28: Length 24′ 4″; Width 9′ 2″; Height 9′ 4″; Weight 28½ tons; Speed 22 m.p.h. Armament one 76.2 mm. gun, 4 M.G.’s. Crew six men. Skirting partially protents the small bogie wheels.

6 — T. 37 LIGHT AMPHIBIAN: Length 13′ 1″; Width 6′ 6″; Height 6′; Weight 3 tons; Speed 32 m.p.h. on the road, 6 in the water. Armament one or two M.G.’s. Crew of two men. Has only light armor.

7 — BONIFORD CAR: Length 12′ 6″; Width 5′ 6″; Height 6′ 5″; Weight 3¼ tons; Speed 45 m.p.h. Armament two M.G.’s. Crew of three men. This 4-wheeled armored car has thin protection and is considered obsolete.

6 — FORD ARMORED CAR: Length 16′ 8″; Width 6′ 4″; Height 8′ 2″; Weight 7 tons; Speed 42 m.p.h. Armament one 37 mm. gam. two M.G.’s. Crew four men. This 6-wheeled car is used for reconnaissance. Tracks can be fitted to rear wheels for rough country.
 

Tunisia has taught that your life depends on digging in—soon enough and deep enough—with whatever tools you may have at hand. Foxholes protect you effectively from gunfire and mechanized attack and give you a chance to throw some lead yourself.To prevent detection, the foxhole should be . . . → Read More: Foxholes: Dig or Die!]]> FOXHOLES. DIG! OR DIE! (Newsmap, April 1943)

• Tunisia has taught that your life depends on digging in—soon enough and deep enough—with whatever tools you may have at hand. Foxholes protect you effectively from gunfire and mechanized attack and give you a chance to throw some lead yourself.
• To prevent detection, the foxhole should be blended with the nearby terrain by weaving a lid of sticks and covering it with leaves, grass, or dirt. Where there is no brush, use your shelter half as a cover to break up the dark shadow the hole makes.
• A BULLET WILL PENETRATE 30 INCHES OF LOOSE SOIL. Loose soil from the foxhole will not protect you from enemy gunfire. Soil should be removed, if possible, but may be packed into a low, solid parapet.
• A PRONE SHELTER IS NO PROTECTION AGAINST THE CRUSHING ACTION OF TANKS. It is protection from small-arms fire, bomb and artillery fragments. You can dig it easily and sleep in it, but should deepen it into a foxhole as soon as possible.

For the United States, the requirements of this war are extremely varied. Our airplanes are in daily operation against the enemy on many fronts with variations in climate and battle stations that are the severest possible test of military aircraft.

In the . . . → Read More: There is No All-Purpose Plane]]> “There is No All-Purpose Plane” poster from Newsmap, November 1942.

For the United States, the requirements of this war are extremely varied. Our airplanes are in daily operation against the enemy on many fronts with variations in climate and battle stations that are the severest possible test of military aircraft.

In the Aleutians they are operating over water and mountains in cold and forbidding weather, against Japanese establishments and aircraft. In the Solomons, operations are in stifling heat and drenching rains. In the desert a complicating factor is swirling sand. In Australia and New Guinea our aircraft in a single day may fly from subtropical temperatures to the chill of early spring. Operations continue in these areas and in Europe, India, China, the central Pacific, the Caribbean and the Atlantic.

It is proof of the soundness of United States design and the versatility of American crews that they carry on under conditions more varied and difficult than men and machines ever have met before. Some planes now in action have recognized deficiencies even within the purposes for which they were designed. Other American aircraft have proved excellent in every theatre in which they have been employed. No military aircraft is perfect, even for its designed specialty. The measure of excellence is the score of the showing against the enemy.

The goal toward which the United States and all the other warring powers are aiming is a balanced air force. To compare this with a balanced ground army is appropriate. No campaign in this specialized war has been won by tanks alone or by any other arm alone. Victory goes to the side with the best balance for a given situation.

No war in the air will be won with an air force concentrating on the fighter, the bomber or any other craft. It requires fighters of various types capable of operating with maximum effectiveness through all the levels of air operation, such as short-range fast-climbing interceptors for defense against enemy bombers or long-range heavily armed slugger types for the protection of one’s own bombers.

The complete air force needs bombers to carry out each of the specialties of that class. It needs dive bombers for attack on enemy surface craft and for cooperation with ground forces. It requires torpedo planes for attacks on enemy shipping and warcraft. It calls for long-range reconnaissance craft, for light and medium bombers capable of a variety of work, especially low-altitude strafing. It needs transports for its service operations, aircraft for taking and developing pictures of enemy targets and planes for coastal patrol and offshore operation against enemy shipping.

No nation ever has attained a perfectly balanced air power. In their combined air squadrons the United Nations are close to the goal.

These photos show some of the leading American planes that have or are about to see major action.

To Build a Battleship:2,500,000 man hours for design—30,000,000 man hours for constructionUp to 6,250 shipbuilders for 3½ years348,000 lbs. blueprint paper 30″ strips 5,808,000 ft. long1,135,000 rivets—4,300,000 ft. of weldingElectrical plant for all needs of a city of 20,0001,220,000 ft. electrical cable422,000 ft. . . . → Read More: Your Battleship and Her Requirements]]> Your Battleship and Her Requirements: (Newsmap, May 1944)

To Build a Battleship:

• 2,500,000 man hours for design—30,000,000 man hours for construction
• Up to 6,250 shipbuilders for 3½ years
• 348,000 lbs. blueprint paper 30″ strips 5,808,000 ft. long
• 1,135,000 rivets—4,300,000 ft. of welding
• Electrical plant for all needs of a city of 20,000
• 1,220,000 ft. electrical cable
• 422,000 ft. of piping
• 9½ acres or 404,000 sq. ft. of decks and platforms
• More than 900 electric motors
• 5,300 electric lighting fixtures
• 1,091 telephones for internal communication
• 84,480 ft. of air ducts for ventilation

To Operate a Battleship (Per Year):

• 1,500,000 lbs. of vegetables
• 600,000 lbs. of fruit
• 9,000,000 gals. of fuel oil
• 10,000 lbs. of wheat, 4,500 lbs. of cotton produces powder for one 16″ broadside
• 800,000 lbs of meat
• 60,000 lbs. of butter and 900,000 eggs
• 300,000 bars of candy
• 60,000 qts. of ice cream
• 100,000 bars of soap
• 75,000 lbs. of coffee

Skilled WAC hands work side by side with Army doctors. They are part of the team that, day by day, is doing the vital job of reconditioning wounded men.

Constant vigilance is a requirement of . . . → Read More: WAC 3rd Anniversary]]> Newsmap poster from April 1945 celebrating the 3rd Anniversary of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC):

Skilled WAC hands work side by side with Army doctors. They are part of the team that, day by day, is doing the vital job of reconditioning wounded men.

Constant vigilance is a requirement of teletype operators, particularly in a theater of operations where these WACs release soldiers for combat duty.

To speed up the training of pilots, WACs are assigned to Link Trainer work and other duties in the Army Air Forces at home and overseas.

Directional bearings, dispatched by WACs, save the lives of American airmen. Bringing aircraft back to its home base by the shortest route is another WAC assignment.

Here is the first contingent of Fifth Army WACs debarking from an LST at the Anzio Sector in Italy last July.

A WAC detachment, arriving at an airstrip in the Philippines, is greeted by a young Filipino girl.

Some of the first WACs on duty in the Middle East handled communications for the historic Cairo Conference. Others were assigned to secretarial and clerical duties.

CONTROSPALLÍNE (Shoulder Marks):

For Admirals, Vice-Admirals and Inspector Generals, the Crown is on purple; for all other officers, on blue velvet.

NOTE: Only line officers use Navy titles; the other corps use Army titles.

Top to bottom: Guárdiamarína E Sóttotenénte, Ensign (or 2nd Lt.); Sóttotenénte Di . . . → Read More: Italian Navy Uniforms and Insignia]]> Italian Navy Uniforms and Insignia:

CONTROSPALLÍNE (Shoulder Marks):

GALLÓNI PER MÁNICHE (Sleeve Stripes):

Source: NEWSMAP, January 25, 1943, Army Information Branch.
 

Failure to recognize . . . → Read More: Failure to Recognize]]> The August 1943 issue of NEWSMAP stressed the importance of accurate tank recognition. Learn to recognize one vehicle from another as instantly as you know “Bill” from “Ed” or a Chevrolet from a Ford. Practice on every vehicle you see and on every picture of one in magazines, newspapers, or newsreels.

Failure to recognize destroyed our own tank… and also cost us a vehicle and crew!

Know That Vehicle:

Source: NEWSMAP, August 2, 1943, Army Information Branch.

Two examples of the detail drawings: PRIVATE, INFANTRY RIFLEMAN: M1938 BLOUSE, FRONTNitoheiSampachi (Meiji 38) rifle, rubberized fabric or leather cartridge pouches; gas mask carrier under left arm. The chevron worn on right arm is a diligence stripe.   CAMOUFLAGE JUNGLE JACKETThe fibre material . . . → Read More: Japanese Army Uniforms]]> The February 7, 1944 issue of NEWSMAP illustrated Japanese uniforms, equipment, and insignia:

Two examples of the detail drawings:

PRIVATE, INFANTRY RIFLEMAN: M1938 BLOUSE, FRONT Nitohei Sampachi (Meiji 38) rifle, rubberized fabric or leather cartridge pouches; gas mask carrier under left arm. The chevron worn on right arm is a diligence stripe.       CAMOUFLAGE JUNGLE JACKET The fibre material of which the jacket is made may vary with the color of the foliage in the area in which jacket is worn.

(For another view of the Japanese camouflage uniform, see Japanese Camouflage Garment, Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 14, Dec. 17, 1942.)

Source: NEWSMAP, Volume II, No. 42F, February 7, 1944 by Army Information Branch.