I've been reading: A History of the Korean War: Pusan to Chosin. Anyway, in the organizational chart for the US Army of that day they mention a Pioneer & Ammunition company, which is normally attached to the headquarters company of an infantry battalion of the US Army. What does a Pioneer & Ammunition company do? Does the US Army still have Pioneer & Ammunition companys today? Also, does the US Army still use Regimental Combat Teams anymore?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)
Bill, The Korean War, An Oral History, Pusan to Chosin by Donald Knox shows Pioneer & Ammunition Platoons (not companies, I guess i got that wrong) as being attached to every Headquarters Company of every US Army Battalion in Korea. It even has stuff written by guys who were in Pioneer & Ammunition platoons in the US Army back then. I figured if anyone knew it would be you. They also had Pioneer & Ammunition platoons in WWII. I know one WWII vet who was in the 90th infantry division (105 artillery) in WWII maybe I'll ask him.
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)
In the Australian Army the Pioneers were (still are?) the people who prepared the garrison areas (latrines, tentage, cooking areas) and cleaned up when the troops left (first in, last out). Pioneer Companies and platoons were important assets, but individuals in these units were basically derided (who wants to know someone who looks after the latrines?), and membership was not much sought after. The Pioneers were responsible for the preparation and distribution of ammunition in their spare time.
Maybe the US Army was similar?
I don't know much about regimental combat teams.
-- GW De Lacey
It looks like the Ammunition and Pioneer platoons were, during WWII at least, just what the name suggests: Ammunition bearers and light military engineers.
Keyword search for _pioneer platoon_ each of the following documents for descriptions of the platoon's function:
Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon of the 3rd Battalion Headquaters Company of the 114th Infantry Regiment. The duties of the Ammunition and Pioneer Platoons were normally small scale combat engineer work such as laying and removing mines and booby traps, road and bridge repair, or most any job requiring muscle or explosives.
Organization: Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon
Truck 1/4-ton and Trailer 1/4-ton Lt (Plat Ldr) (x) Pvt (Truck driver) (x)
3 Pvts (Am bearers)1 Carpenter Equip, squad, Engineer (less adze, carpenter's)
2 Demolition Equip set No. 5, individual 1 Intrenching Equip set No. 2, Infantry (incl. 64 gauntlets, barbed wire) 1 Net, camouflage, cotton, shrimp, 29' x 29' (for Tlr) 1 Pioneer Equip set No. 1, Engineer squad 1 Kit, first-aid, motor vehicle, 12-unit 1 Kit, first-aid, gas casualty 24 Bags, Am, M2 2 Launchers, rocket, AT, 2.36", M1 12 Rockets, AT, 2.36", M6 4 Bags, carrying, rocket, M6 24 Pads, shoulder, M2 1 Projector, pyrotechnic, hand, M9 10 Signals, aircraft 1 Apparatus, decontaminating, 3-gal, M1 1 Scabbard, rifle, M1938 2 Detector set SCR-625 1 Panel set AP-50-A 1 Gun, machine, cal. .50, Browning, M2, HB, flexible 1 Mount, tripod, cal. .50, M3 (complete w/elevator-cradle, AA, cal. .50, M1) 60 Rds, cal. .50 MG Am 2 Mittens, asbestos, M1942 J 1 Goggles, M1943, w/red lens1 Set T/E Trk Equip (x)
(Approx. weight of load 4,920 pounds)
(x) Weight not included in load.
Scott
I screwed up again Bill, he fired 105mm howitzers for the 90th infantry division.
From what I've been able to dig up on Regimental Combat Teams they were regiments that operated independently of any division. One of the RCT's in Korea started out attached to one division but was later attached to another division (I think it was the First Cav.). Are there any good newsgroups for US military history?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)
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