World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
24 Apr 2011 07:47:01 PM

This German Soldier is not going to give up his fighting position, he's ready got his
stick and egg grenades ready.

2.  Bill says:
6 Jun 2011 03:41:16 PM

Soldiers the world over will defend their position.
During the Vietnam War, after days filling sandbags and building bunkers we to would
defend our position, and like that German soldier in the above photo, we had our hand grenades, claymore mines, M-60 machine gun, fifty caliber machine gun and our M-16s and lots of ammo.

3.  Bill says:
19 Jan 2015 06:23:49 AM

THE LITTLE GRENADE THAT COULD:

Eierhandgranate M39 (Egg Grenade) was introduced in 1939, and manufactured throughout WWII, its been estimated that over 80,000,000 were produced That's 80 million! The M39 could even be fired from a grenade pistol called the Sprenggranate Leuchtpistole (explosive-round signal pistol)

The M39 also had a fragmentation sleeve that could be put over the grenade carrying case held 25 or 30 M39 grenades. The egg grenade was also manufactured as a smoke grenade about 1,800,000 Nb39 Nebeleihandgranate (smoke hand grenade) were made.

During WWI the Germans introduced the model M1917
egg grenade, that was similar in design and shape as the WWII M39. later the British had their own version called the No.34 grenade

GERMAN POTATO MASHER:

The Germans used both the M24 and the M43 stick grenades However, the M43 later replaced the M24
Like the M39 egg grenade, the stick grenades also had a fragmentation sleeve that could be put over the grenade warhead. The Germans even developed a special explosive for use on the Eastern Front during cold weather and was marked "K"(klat)cold
Smoke and training grenades were also manufactured

MORE BANG FOR THE REICHMARK: BUNDELED

Both the M43 and M24 warheads could be bundled together around a center stick grenade and used
for demolition, anti-tank, pill box or other enemy positions.

IMPROVISED WEAPONS:

Grenade warheads could also be used together as an improvised bangalore torpedo. The warheads tied to a long stick or board placed one behind the other the last grenade with its handle used as the detonator attached with a long wire or cord this was used to blow a path through barbed wire.

4.  Bill says:
20 Jan 2015 06:19:00 AM

GRENADE! THE POTATO MASHER:

This was a British phrase for the German Stick Grenade and one of the most recognized weapons next to the German MP40 9mm Submachine gun of World War II. The German name was called the Stielhandgranate or (Stalk Hand Grenade) gotta love these German compound words the weapon had a range between 30 to 40 yards. Both grenades were
produced in fragmentation, smoke and training rounds.

Like the egg grenade its been estimated that over 75,000,000 that's 75 million were produced during WW II. During and after World War II various countries continued to manufacture their versions of the stick grenade. In the 1990s the Swiss had their version called the HG-43 that was similar to the WWII stick grenade.

5.  Bill says:
22 Jan 2015 12:45:52 PM

A GI REMEMBERS:

HOLLYWOOD ACTION SOLDIERS

Everyone remembers seeing those Hollywood heroes
pull the safety pin by their teeth, before they throw the grenade. Its another Hollywood myth just like the unlimited amount of ammo fired from one magazine. No such thing. I never saw a GI do the Hollywood grenade routine, and taught never, ever to do such a stupid thing. Its very hard to do and could be a safety hazard, my experience I never did such a thing the safety pins were always pulled back before use.

TRAINING: BY THE NUMBERS

Before even seeing a live grenade classes were taught along with safety training films inert grenades painted blue were held to get the feel of the weapon. Left and right handed men were trained how to hold and throw the weapon.

These inert grenades were used for practice only before even going to the range. At he range the instructor would stand with you, while the range safety instructors would check to make sure each man and instructor were in position behind a sand bagged wall. Later trainees would take turns
throwing the live weapon.

LEFT HANDED TO THE LEFT, RIGHT HANDED TO THE RIGHT:

Being left handed, I was trained to hold and throw the hand grenade up side down w/ the handle
away from you pulling the pin with your right hand, before throwing the grenade.

Right handed men held the grenade right side up w/
the handle away from them, pull the pin with the left hand to throw the grenade. In 1966 the Army still had stocks of WWII pineapple grenades used for training later you were able to throw the new M26 Frag that I would come to know very well in Vietnam.