Why so many non-matching mags?

[Norme]

Hi Jerry, It was widely known by US troops that there were at least two incidents of surrendering GIs being machine gunned by the Germans, towards the end of the war during the Ardennes offensive (Battle of the Bulge). I doubt that, when it came time for the Germans to surrender, the victorious GIs would have been as trusting as you make them out to be. All the best, Norm

[Sieger]

Originally Posted by Norme

Hi Jerry, It was widely known by US troops that there were at least two incidents of surrendering GIs being machine gunned by the Germans, towards the end of the war during the Ardennes offensive (Battle of the Bulge). I doubt that, when it came time for the Germans to surrender, the victorious GIs would have been as trusting as you make them out to be. All the best, Norm

Hi:

My father was one of the 35 survivors of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, attached to the "All American" 82nd Airborne, at the Battle of the Bulge. They were trucked in early in the battle and their unit was "committed to the engagement" meaning: stop the German advance or let no man return alive!

Dad was granted Knighthood (Second Order) by the King of Belgium and decorated by the United States, France and Lux. for his efforts during that battle. Like most combat GIs, Dad never discussed his war experience. I only found out about his Knighthood after his death in 1995.

No Norm, the US Army handled it in a different way. After it was reported and verified that GIs had been murdered while surrendering or murdered after having already surrendered, the order was given "not to take any enemy prisoners".

The overriding "rule of engagement", during that war, was to give the enemy back the same medicine that they were giving us.

Sieger

[sheepherder]

In both my service tours, rifles/pistols were stored separately from their magazines. When issued, the first mag to come to hand was used. If a FTF or malfunction was noted, the mag was turned in for inspection and survey. No special emphasis was put on matching mags with individual weapons.

I imagine any US GI's who acquired foreign pistols would adopt the same philosophy...

Interchangeability of parts...part of our heritage...

[Edward Tinker]

Originally Posted by Sieger

...
No Norm, the US Army handled it in a different way. After it was reported and verified that GIs had been murdered while surrendering or murdered after having already surrendered, the order was given "not to take any enemy prisoners".

The overriding "rule of engagement", during that war, was to give the enemy back the same medicine that they were giving us.

Sieger

Big difference in the during the war and after war was over. Huge difference.

And although there were stories as you said and I have been told of them too, but I have never seen this in writing... That said, SS troops were treated differently than other german soldiers I have always been told.

But during war and after the cessation of hostilities are two big differences in how things were carried out on either side.

Ed