"US Flamethrower teams?" Topic

Been watching a lot of newsreel footage and noit (sp far) seen anything to indicate the kind of two-ma team we expect on the wargame table….any thoughts?

Could be a number of factors, to include poor training or an assistant who is out of the camera shot.

link

Here is a link to the US Army's report about the Chemical Warfare Service in WW2. PDF link

It includes some chapters about the use of flamethrowers. There is mention of an assistant operator and a fuel carrier.

The assistants may be out of frame at the request of the cameramen, maybe providing covering fire from a position offset from the operator, or getting more fuel. It may be that they just kept back from the operator in case it exploded.

Very much obliged to both of you!

On D-day, they had an asst that not only would turn on the main valve in back (which was hard to reach by the operator), but also carried a 5 gallon jerry can to refill the fuel tanks. Later on int he pacific you see larger 'teams' that are more like one operator and two riflemen to guard each flank, not as the thing was so explosive, but as the Japanese hated it so much it became a prime target for them to try and flank.

Somebody had to take the picture. You could even model it that way, one guy with the flamethrower, the other with the spare fuel and the camera. If challenged, claim historical accuracy as all flamethrower teams are that way in photos.

Inch High Guy…..that is wonderful.

Flamethrower operations from a Marine: link

In the Pacific, they found that an assault team of a flamethrower, demo engineer, and a few riflemen for protection worked the best. The fewer the number the harder to detect. Ideally, the flamethrower would force the defenders away from their firing ports allowing the demo engineer to place his charges. Sometimes the flamethrower was on his own.

Wolfhag

Cheers Wolfhag