"Bazooka Rockets as Land Mines" Topic

I was looking through US Army field manual FM23-30 (dated February, 1944) which deals with hand grenades, rifle grenades, and bazookas. I was surprised to find a section on how to use a bazooka rocket as a remote control anti-tank mine. Basically you use the cardboard tube the rockets come in as an improvised launcher. Poke a hole in the base, run some field telephone wires inside to connect to the actuator and then bury the whole thing (after pulling out the safety pin) in a shallow hole with the nose pointed in the direction the enemy is expected to come from. Run the wires out to a safe distance and connect to a battery when you want to fire. When an enemy vehicle drives over the mine, set it off.

Seems like it would work, but I've never read any account of this being done. Probably not more dangerous than trying to hit a tank with a bazooka, and it gives you a shot at the thin belly armor.

How would that work on a Martian War Machine?

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

Interesting find. It's in the manual, but as you say, I doubt many thought about it.

I have some vague memory of be taught to do something similar with the M72 LAW in the late 70's early 80's.

M72 LAW-Improvised Munitions, they're called 'Off-Route' mines. Mostly anti-vehicle. Read the manual a looooong time ago.

While the training during WW2 was limited in such field expedient methods. However special troops like Rangers and Raiders would practice such methods intensely.
By the 1970s, special field expedient manuals were common. I studied manuals of compiled experiences from Korea, Vietnam and WW2.

It seems in practice the bazooka rocket wasn't great as an anti personnel weapon.
At least not in the open.
It was unlikely to go off unless it hit something pretty much square on.

There's a field experiment some US unit did which complains about this.
They did practical experiments comparing the bazooka to german weapons.
Both the faust and shreck rounds were much more likely to go off when used in this way.

This application was intended for use against vehicles.

Yes, I remember seeing something like in manuals as Rudy mentioned. And there were a number of manuals that outlined improvised devices, sometime referred to a booby traps, now IEDs, etc.

As usual may have to "think out of the box" so to speak. Which in many cases in not only expected by may be required. To complete the mission. Manuals as those give you a lot of ideas/food for thought.

As we see thru out history, man can be pretty good at coming up with things to kill each other …

I can only be disarmed with a Spam key.

The one we used the most in the Armored Cavalry was the method of creating various radio antenna. We knew that the Soviet artillery prep would sheer off the antenna.

Yes, I remember being trained in making improvised antennas too … Just for the reason you posted, etc.

I recall reading that the Germans employed Panzerfausts as booby traps. The Panzerfaust would be armed and tied to a tree or some such, pointing parallel with a thin wire fastened to its trigger and stretching across the road and tied off on the opposite side. A vehicle hitting the wire would trigger the Panzerfaust and the rocket would strike the vehicle broadside. No human operator necessary.

B