"M2 60mm mortar ammunition types." Topic

I understand this light mortar had HE, WP and IR. But only HE was available at first.

When did the other ammo types come into use?

Thanks in advance.

The only thing I can find is that WP arrived "late" in the war.

I've only seen HE and illuminating amn for the 60-mm in manuals for 1943 and 1944. FM101-10 of August 1945 adds WP to the UoF. I'm not sure what IR refers to above?

Gary

I presumed it means "Illumination Round."

Thanks, much more likely than infrared, which was stuck in my mind!

Would think smoke rounds, not positive

Yeah – sorry.

I found HE, White Phosphorus [WP] and Illumination rounds [IR].

I gather WP became available in 1945.

They didn't produce any regular smoke rounds for this weapon as far as I can tell.

What is UoF? Unit of Fire? Meaning a standard ammunition load?

Thanks guys.

I couldn't find anything about smoke either.

Yes, sorry, Unit of Fire. For the 60-mm mortar is was 100 rounds, shown as 97 HE and 3 Illuminating in two manuals on the Inf Regt (Nov 1943 and Nov 1945 respectively). Another manual, FM101-10 of Aug 1945, changed that to 80 HE, 5 Illum and 15 smoke(WP). The Prescribed Load, which is what a unit was physically able to carry, was 96 rounds per 60-mm in the Inf Regt, 48 with each weapon and 48 each in the Trains.

Gary

Going through some of my library references, smoke rounds basically = WP round. They were available for 81mm mortars and for the 107mm (4.2in) mortars which equipped US Army Chemical Mortar Battalions in WW2. I too found no reference to smoke (WP) rounds for the 60mm mortar in WW2 – only HE and Illumination.

FWIW.

B

Thanks all.

Much appreciated.

There was also an adapted 60mm round that could be fired from a rifle grenade launcher. Not sure if that was only HE (probably) or if other types were available, too.