In addition to the assigned personal weapons, the company commander could allocate 1 demolition pack and 1 flame thrower per squad as well as 1 bazooka per platoon, depending on mission requirements. Organized with a squad leader (Thompson SMG), and 3 x 4-man fire teams (3 rifles + 1 BAR each). USMC Rifle Squad - 13 men (1944): The marine squad evolved throughout the war, adding additional firepower with each increment until settling on the 13-man configuration in mid 1944. In practice the organization was flexible to the mission with one or more rifles often replaced by submachine guns and one man in the squad carrying a bazooka (generally one per platoon). Same organization as the regular infantry squad. US Airborne Infantry Squad - 12 men: same as infantry squad except that the BAR is replaced by a M1919A1 light machine gun (LMG). There were 3 rifle squads per platoon in a rifle company. One rifleman per platoon would generally carry a bazooka in addition to his personal weapon. Organized as: Able Team (2 scouts) Baker Team (5 rifleman), Charlie Team (3 rifleman + BAR). US Army Infantry Squad - 12 men: Squad leader (Thompson submachine gun 'SMG', M1 carbine, or M1 Garand rifle), 10 rifleman (M1 Garand rifle), 1 automatic rifleman (BAR). While the Army's typical infantry squad was about 11-12 soldiers, The Marines usually put 2 fire teams together as a squad - 2 riflemen, 1 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), and 1 Thompson submachine gunner.Ī few corrections concerning WWII Squads (TO&E strength):
I think it depends on the branch of service. Reference: FM 21-100 Basic Field Manual: Soldier's Handbook "It usually consists of 3 or 4 platoons and is commanded by a captain." "A Platoon includes several squads, or two sections, and has a strength of 40 or 50 soldiers."Ĭompany(Infantry), Troop(Cavalry) or Battery(Artillery): Also, these organizations will be different for armies of other countries in WW2 and for the modern US Army. will vary in size for an infantry division than for an Parachute Infantry Division or Armored Division. Remember that a squad, platoon, company, etc. For combat, however, the members of the section are usually close enough to the gun they serve so that their leader, the sergeant, can control them." In these arms, squads are sometimes used for purposes of drill or administration. "In the Field Artillery and Coast Artillery Corps, the section is the smallest fighting unit. "The squad is small enough so that the leader can directly control all of its members." For example, in a "rifle-squad" the members are armed with the rifle." It takes its name from the principal weapon within the squad. In size it will vary from 4 to 16 members, depending upon the kind of squad it is. "In the Infantry and Cavalry the Squad is the largest unit that can be effectively controlled by the voice and signals of its leader-the corporal or sergeant.
For example, you can have an infantry squad or a mortar squad or a machine gun squad.įor the real answer, I quote from the WW2 Soldier's Handbook. The size will vary with the type of Squad. I always heard that a Sqad was 8 to 10 men. I'm familiar with the larger units in the World War 2 infantry but I forgot the organization at the smallest levels.
Men of War: Assault Squad features a completely new cooperative skirmish game mode with access to five different nations (Russia, Germany, USA, Commonwealth and, for the first time ever in the Men of War series, Japan) as well as increased realism and accessibility.