M-1 Carbine use in WWII Question

[Russ]

I have a couple of M-1 Carbines. One is still in mint condtion with the original peep sights and the UAW stamp on the stock. I got it from my Uncle who was a Lt. Cmmdr. in the Navy in WWII and mostly in Alaska as far a I can tell. He's dead now so details are lacking.

I bought another in a gun store in the early 80's. It had been fitted with the adjustible sights which as I understand it did not happen until after WWII

I have read in a few places that no M-1 Carbines saw service in Europe during WWII, yet in the movies I see them all over.

Does anyone know if the carbine was used in Europe during the war or were they relegated to the war in the Pacific?

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Yes it was used in Europe.

 

[Malamute]

I recall seeing pictures of them being carried in Germany.


I also recall hearing that some people got rid of them and used M1 rifles when they could.

 

[dfariswheel]

The Carbine was heavily used in all theaters in WWII, especially in Europe.

It was a favorite of some pretty experienced combat vets, including Audie Murphy.
Murphy himself, and his biographers spoke about Murphy's "Lucky Carbine", and how deadly he was with it.

I'm currently reading "The Biggest Brother" the biography of Richard Winters of "Band of Brothers fame.
He discusses the carbine being used at Normandy.

Period photos of both combat troops and support troops show a plentiful number of carbines in use in Europe.

The carbine was the "official" issue weapon of combat officers, machine gunners, support troops, and others and saw wide issue in Europe.

 

[Gordon]

My Dad, a Signal officer thrown into the action with everyone else in the Phillappines carried one. He was issued a model 1917 .45 in 1942, not an 1911! He used the carbine on more than one occasion to good effect. He said the BAR was better in the jungle though, but he sure didn't want to carry one! He liked carbines and when I gre up on the farm we always had one behind the kitchen door.I still have an Inland that he picked up in mid 50's.

 

[Rebar]

The M1 Carbine was used extensively in WWII. The M2 Carbine (select fire version) came too late for WWII, but saw plenty of action in Korea and Vietnam.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

M1 in Europe

The book Nuts! about the Battle of the Bulge has a photo captured from
German signal corps sources showing a *German* soldier carrying
an M1 Carbine, and two pictures showing a German soldier
on a tank carrying a British Sten Mark II. M1 and M1A1 carbines
were used in Europe in World War II. The "L" flipper rear sight was
original issue but almost all M1 carbines got retrofited with
adjustable sights, M2 magazine catches, etc. That's why an all
original M1 is worth $300 MORE to a collector than an equal quality
shooter M1.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Carbines were issued almost as much as M-1 rifles... folding stock models certainly saw use on D-Day and other parachute drops.

The 1917 revolvers saw a lot of use in WW2, mostly among armor crews but I've seen a WW2 pic of a paratrooper carrying one, issued or not.

 

[chrisTx]

during the war, there were over 6 million carbines made. i was watching an interview on tv of a guy who was a marine in the pacific. he shot a japanese soldier 5 times with one and he still stumbled around before he fell. he immediately took his carbine back to the quartermaster and got a .45 pistol and carried it instead. my grandfather was in the korean war and he doesn't like them at all. he said it's just a crappy pistol cartridge and he wouldn't trust his life with one. surprising that they have such a bad rap, yet made so many of them. it's on my list to acquire soon though.