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Military History/Questions Answered by Expert Keith H. Patton

SubjectDate Asked
Bengal Light Infantry Item2/10/2012
  Q: I recently acquired this item and I am not really sure what it is. It reminds me of a belt buckle ...
  A: Yes, the thing you cite, about the bridle makes sense, that is what I had in mind. Who knows, maybe ...
WWII Jet Aircraft2/9/2012
  Q: I wonder if you might be able to help me. I am a researcher at the BBC in London tasked with ...
  A: Stuart: The facts you have stated, are pretty much what I am familiar with. The unreliability of ...
Bengal Light Infantry Item2/7/2012
  Q: I recently acquired this item and I am not really sure what it is. It reminds me of a belt buckle ...
  A: Sue: This appears to be a buckle made for clips, rather than a conventional belt. The loops being ...
Battle of Berlin2/3/2012
  Q: What was it like when the Russians attack the last Reichstag?
  A: Here is a passage from wikipedia: By the next day, 30 April, the Soviets had solved their bridging ...
cannon ball shot1/31/2012
  Q: I recently purchased what I thought was a cannon ball from an estate sale in Perrysburg, Ohio near ...
  A: Suzan: I just got a similar question about another "estate sale" item. If you aren't aware, a lot ...
US Army Indian Trade Axe/Tomahawk1/25/2012
  Q: I recently bought what appears to be a trade axe at an estate sale. This gentleman had lots of ...
  A: First, the stripes are part of the wood grain, probably tiger maple or burly maple. That alone ...
military foot locker1/18/2012
  Q: Mr. Patton, i recently recieved a foot locker from someone. they were moving out and did not want it ...
  A: If it is Olive Drab, it is most likely army issue. Remember that the army is a bureacracy and paper ...
Captain Phillip Reiter1/16/2012
  Q: Please e-mail me any information about Phillip Reiter. He was a Captain in the Prussian Cavalry. I ...
  A: Marvin: Finding German Military records All personnel rosters and card indices (Stammrollen und ...
Hill 1051/7/2012
  Q: My dad was killed on Hill 105 and visited there in 2010. I may had info for you but I 'm not a good ...
  A: Keith, Good evening and thanks for not forgetting me. You are more than welcome to pass my info ...
1905 C.G. Haenel Bayonet12/23/2011
  Q: I've been reading a lot of inquiries about bayonets similar to mine, but I have one specific ...
  A: The 127th Regiment was in the 27th (2nd Royal Wurttemberg) Division. It gets confusing as the ...
info on a cannon ball12/20/2011
  Q: I am trying to find out any information on a cannon ball my father in law found when he was a boy in ...
  A: Marie: First you need to weigh and measure the diameter of the ball. Guns were categorized by ...
Help finding out my grandfathers Gun12/19/2011
  Q: My Grandfather was in the navy Stationed on the USS ALCOR AD-34. Well they captured some japanese ...
  A: Zach: I hate to be discouraging, but there is probably little if any hope of finding the gun. ...
Helicopter12/13/2011
  Q: Hi, I am fish. Why are helicopters so important in air assaults? To me, they are slow and vulnerable ...
  A: Fish: The RPG was never really designed as an anti-tank weapon it was a rocket propelled grenade. ...
Helicopter12/12/2011
  Q: Hi, I am fish. Why are helicopters so important in air assaults? To me, they are slow and vulnerable ...
  A: Fish: A couple of things. First, roping down from a helicopter is done only by small teams of ...
Battle of Thermopylae12/12/2011
  Q: I'm doing a Historical Investigation for my IB History class and my Research Question that I came up ...
  A: Andrew: The Battle of the Hot Gates was a tactical defeat for the Greeks, but a strategic victory. ...
recruitment & Training in Detroit12/5/2011
  Q: I am researching for a novel and need details of where someone would report to be recruited into ...
  A: Andrew: During the buildup for WWII, first a young man would get his induction notice from his ...
WWI German soldier11/28/2011
  Q: For the past four years I have been researching my family history with some wonderful success. I ...
  A: Michelle: A number of things can be gleaned from the picture. First, the laynard on his shoulder ...
World War II and Airplanes11/22/2011
  Q: I was wondering if you would answer some of my questions. I am doing a project on how airplanes made ...
  A: Elizabeth: As you know, the airplane first made its appearance in a military role in WWI. As with ...
Hamel Battle of WW111/11/2011
  Q: Por favor me! (sorry for using spanish) Please help me! Sabrina
  A: Sabrina: The Battle of Hamel was known for a number of firsts. It was the first action taht saw ...
U. S. Navy Sword11/8/2011
  Q: I have a sword with a 26 inch blade, a brass hand guard that is a solid piece that covers the entire ...
  A: Michael: From the general description it sounds like you have a Model 1860 Naval Cutlass. The ...
John Wood10/28/2011
  Q: Keith - have read several books re: George Patton and am intriqued about how the 3rd Army let alone ...
  A: Sam: I recall reading a somewhat detailed account of Wood's troubles, in a book, but cannot recall ...
Battle Casualty Report WWII10/28/2011
  Q: First of all, thank you for what you do. My dad was killed 2 Sep 1944 in WWII. He was assigned to ...
  A: Dave: I got this question and I think it was aimed at you. The guy might have additional info ...
possible ww1 military pin10/11/2011
  Q: A fellow metal detector enthusiast friend in France found this pin and I was hoping you could ...
  A: Brian: You don't state the size, so I can't be sure it isn't a hat or lapel pin. I doubt it is a ...
RFA Rifle10/2/2011
  Q: My dad has a rifle which we believe is from WW1, attached to it is a circular dis (the size of a ten ...
  A: I looked around. What you may have is a Martini Enfield Rifle. The disk is in the lower left ...
Battle Casualty Report WWII9/28/2011
  Q: First of all, thank you for what you do. My dad was killed 2 Sep 1944 in WWII. He was assigned to ...
  A: Dave: I assume you meant to type, 38th Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, you wrote 2nd Infantry ...
Bayonet9/24/2011
  Q: My father has a bayonet he says my grandfather brought back from WW1. We know he was overseas May 7 ...
  A: Debbie: I thought I included this info in an earlier post, but forgot to. The 58th Inf. Rgmt was ...
Seeking Info on Artillery9/24/2011
  Q: Can you please tell me anything about the artillery in the photos attached to this article: ...
  A: Susan: They are the figment of some creative welders imagination. They are not real artillery ...
8mm Mauser9/21/2011
  Q: I have a 8mm mauser and the only 3 I can find is D 934 and 9729 w/Y under it on the bolt. Any info ...
  A: Bob: Here is a page with K98 markings. The German made guns were usually well marked. Turkish ...
Bayonet9/21/2011
  Q: My father has a bayonet he says my grandfather brought back from WW1. We know he was overseas May 7 ...
  A: Debbie: The bayonet markings mean the following. The word under the crown is ERFURT. Your dad's ...
8mm Mauser9/20/2011
  Q: I have a 8mm mauser and the only 3 I can find is D 934 and 9729 w/Y under it on the bolt. Any info ...
  A: Any chance you could send a picture? There have been so many Mausers built under contract, that one ...
Best Military Deals in History9/19/2011
  Q: I work for a television production company in Minneapolis and we are working on a television pitch ...
  A: Meghan: Here are a few: The Pentagon. The Pentagon was a great military deal. Gen. Lesley ...
Bayonet9/18/2011
  Q: My father has a bayonet he says my grandfather brought back from WW1. We know he was overseas May 7 ...
  A: Debbie: It is probably a battlefield pick up or liberated from a prisoner. The Saw Back bayonet ...
WWII12th Infantry9/17/2011
  Q: Did the 12th infantry include some 82nd Airborne Artillery? I was told that my uncle was in the 82nd ...
  A: The answer could be in that the 12th Infantry landed at Utah, and was charged with linking up with ...
187th rct9/13/2011
  Q: My dad was in the 187th "E' co.Made both jumps behind enemy lines, his records were destroyed in the ...
  A: First you don't state when he was in the 187th, WWII, Korea or Viet Nam. If you could provide that ...
medieval swords/rapiers9/11/2011
  Q: I am trying to find out the origin of the etchings on 2 swords/rapiers I have from what looks to be ...
  A: Jackie: The type of sword is a bit out of my area of expertise and without photos, there isn't much ...
Small Cannonballs?9/10/2011
  Q: I have a couple of items that I believe may be cannonballs but I am hoping you will be able to tell ...
  A: A lot of metal spheres are being passed off as cannon balls to the unsuspecting public. A lot of ...
WW casing8/10/2011
  Q: I have 3 Big casings. Two you can take the top off. There is brass and copper on all 3. On the ...
  A: Valerie: What you have are one piece fixed artillery cartidge. They are called fixed due to the ...
Coastal Artillary site in NJ8/9/2011
  Q: I visited a county park today in Middletown, NJ. There were the remains of Bunkers and Batteries for ...
  A: Ron: It was probably Ft. Hancock or Ft. Miles. Hancock is in Middleton. ...
army box7/26/2011
  Q: //en.allexperts.com/q/Military-History-669/2011/5/wooden-ammo-box.htm theres a photo there, i just ...
  A: I did a quick search for Dan Farrel and found this link to a discussion about a Edware 9Dan) ...
army box7/22/2011
  Q: //en.allexperts.com/q/Military-History-669/2011/5/wooden-ammo-box.htm theres a photo there, i just ...
  A: My answer was it was most likely a box for storing and transporting an instrument such as an optical ...
Ancient Cannons7/17/2011
  Q: Is it possible that any type of cannon (time period from development to about the 18th century)to ...
  A: Ben: The idea would be impractical. Early Cannon were expensive, big and heavy and to some extent ...
WW2 Browning7/12/2011
  Q: Good afternoon. All I know about this is that it's a Browning that was brought back by my ...
  A: Kyle: This is a Belgian Browning Model 1900. On the slide you can see the word "Belgique" ...
American Military History7/7/2011
  Q: Why were the colonials successful in King Philip's War? What were some of the major personalities ...
  A: Mavis: King Phillip's War was a pivotal conflict in the colonization of Northern New England. The ...
Shell Identification7/2/2011
  Q: I have just been given these 2 shell casings and I was wondering what date they are from and if they ...
  A: What country do you live in? Describe the dimensions. Not having much information, what you have ...
Simson SUHL Bayonet6/28/2011
  Q: I have a Sawback Bayonet with a Crowned "W 16" with a Crown under that. I think that was the King ...
  A: The tables on this page might help you. ...
fake cannonball?6/26/2011
  Q: I have a 2.5 lbs metal ball that i belive to be a cannon ball and a very old cannon ball at that. It ...
  A: Kaden: I am not aware of cannon balls in the weight you describe. Cannon balls were usually of ...
Helmet Identification6/9/2011
  Q: Sir, I have just been given a steel liner which i believe to be post world war II American style. It ...
  A: Try this site: ...
bayonet6/6/2011
  Q: I have a bayonet that looks like the blade is upside down,about a foot long.It has a wooden handle ...
  A: Could you send me a picture? A few questions first too. You say the blade looks upside down, is ...
bayonet id6/6/2011
  Q: i have a young boy who is collecting various military items. A friendly neighbor gave him a boynet ...
  A: Gina: Any chance you could send a picture? If not you might start by having him look through this ...
wooden ammo box5/30/2011
  Q: I have a wooden ammo box german I believe. It is a natural wood color and has the reinforced corners ...
  A: Kathy: Could you by chance provide a few pictures of the labels? The military tended to pack ...
brass cannon ball5/27/2011
  Q: lie the women 4lb brass ball, yesterday i had bought one that 20-25lbs! two plugs in this, one ...
  A: There were a lot of pivotal battles fought in New Jersey and Delaware during the American ...
Swiss army type knife5/26/2011
  Q: Keith, I have a very old knife that has all the kinds of attachments that a swiss army knife would ...
  A: Barbara: Okay a bit of back story. The "Swiss Army Knife" was first made in Switzerland for the ...
brass cannon ball5/23/2011
  Q: lie the women 4lb brass ball, yesterday i had bought one that 20-25lbs! two plugs in this, one ...
  A: John: It sounds like the one you have is a shell. The two holes, are for filling the ball with ...
1915 Erfurt Rax 98 Rifle5/20/2011
  Q: I recently acquired this rifle at an auction, it is all original with it's original parts, I have ...
  A: I was looking around and found your pics of the gun on Auction Arms.com. From the pictures, it is ...
1915 Erfurt Rax 98 Rifle5/20/2011
  Q: I recently acquired this rifle at an auction, it is all original with it's original parts, I have ...
  A: Benedict: Here is a link to a similar gun put up for auction. If yours has matching serial numbers ...
GERMAN HELMET5/13/2011
  Q: I RECENTLY RECEIVED A GERMAN HELMET MY GRANDFATHER BROUGHT HONE FROM WORLD WAR II AFTER SERVING IN ...
  A: This should help. http://www.german-helmets.com/HEER%20MAIN.htm ...
WW2 tin helmets5/5/2011
  Q: I understand the reason for the FWW British tin helmet, the men being in trenches with shrapnel ...
  A: The Brodie helmet designed and patented by John Bodie in 1915 was adopted as protective head gear by ...
57th Field Artillery and 7th Signal Company in Korea WWII5/4/2011
  Q: My neighbor Lt John J Hennessey was in the 57th FA and 7th Sig Co during WWII in Korea. We are ...
  A: APO 969 was Hawaii. Probably where the replacement Depo was based and he was sent on to Okinawa as ...
57th Field Artillery and 7th Signal Company in Korea WWII5/3/2011
  Q: My neighbor Lt John J Hennessey was in the 57th FA and 7th Sig Co during WWII in Korea. We are ...
  A: Jim: First, you say he served in both WWII and Korea with the two units you list. I am assuming he ...
m2 carbine4/29/2011
  Q: I inherited an m2 carbine from my uncle who served in Korea and supposedly shipped it to himself ...
  A: Sandra: The M2 Carbine you have may not even be legal for you to own without a special permit since ...
British Napoleonic field artillery-1814-war of 18124/17/2011
  Q: How many officers,sgts.,cpls,chosen men(l/cpls),mattrosses etc.per 3or 4 gun unit?What did a ...
  A: British artillery of the era was organized into brigades of six pieces, this was changed to ...
Pearl Harbor Question4/16/2011
  Q: Q: Why did the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor? Were there any warning signs they received/ how were ...
  A: Jordan: The US put a scrap steel and oil embargo on Japan due to their agression in China. Japan ...
1950 Schmidt Rubin k37 - 7.5 Swiss Rifle4/13/2011
  Q: serial #956564- matches-on 6 shot clip ,barrel and paper hidden in stock ,no cracks in stock, wear ...
  A: The gun is a k-31. In Europe, their 1's look like 7's, with the tail on the left being ...
shell NGF4/12/2011
  Q: Keith, Can you identify this NGF shell end that was made into an ash tray. The base diameter is 4 ...
  A: Sounds like it is probably a cut down 105 mm shell casing. The base of the 105 was 4 3/16 inches in ...
Fort Robinson/Ft. Patrick Henry4/10/2011
  Q: I am a native of Kingsport, TN the supposed location of both Fort Robinson and Ft. Patrick Henry. ...
  A: Steve: You seem to have more information than I could provide. I can however tell something that ...
Cannonball4/10/2011
  Q: 12 Lbs. approx. 13" around has a # 1 on it, it has a small shield with GLL or CLL inside of the ...
  A: Dennis: I forgot the picture it is now attached. As a rule, lead was not commonly used to make ...
Artillery Shell Casing4/6/2011
  Q: I recently found a 75mm x 351mm? Field Gun shell casing in a house built in the 1920s that we ...
  A: Lan: The shell casing is from a 75mm Field Gun. This would have been the French 75mm gun, since ...
What do the marking codes on a U. S. Navy cartridge shell stand for?4/5/2011
  Q: I am looking for some information that would indicate what the codes refer to on the bottom of a 5" ...
  A: Since the old 5" 38 Caliber was the mainstay secondary armament on all capital ships and main ...
old knive info .please help id3/31/2011
  Q: I have a old millitary knife with name and id # stamped on the handle , i would like to know "how ...
  A: Toby: To be honest, I can't tell you much. I could find no trace of a Bimmick company, which ...
Exploding Cannonball3/27/2011
  Q: Keith, I picked this Iron ball up the other day in the attic of an estate sale. The ball ...
  A: It looks like what they called a shell. Remember the phrase "shot and shell"? Shot were solid ...
Weapons Question3/25/2011
  Q: What kind of weapon is leading this guy? ...
  A: I had considered that too. The only kind of device I have ever seen for lighting back fires is more ...
Weapons Question3/25/2011
  Q: What kind of weapon is leading this guy?
  A: What you might see is a pepper ball gun. It uses balls similar to those used in paintball, but ...
Revolvers3/21/2011
  Q: when did the Schofield model 3 first become available for purchase by US law enforcement, how much ...
  A: This is a bit out of my area of expertise, but I was able to glean a bit out of the history of the ...
WWII 38th Infantry Regiment‏3/19/2011
  Q: I was hoping you may be able to help me...I am looking for reports for the 38th from Dec 18-22 1944. ...
  A: Lynn: I added a map... It helps if you know a bit about the organization of the US Army in WWII. ...
medieval weapons3/12/2011
  Q: Patton, My name is Victor Yang and I am working on a project for the gifted and talented program. ...
  A: 1. Which was more powerful, a torsion or non torsion-catapult? Torsion was superior to tension as a ...
WW1 bayonet3/11/2011
  Q: I have a bayonet, I am assuming is wwi era. It is 25.5 in. in overall length, 20.5 in. being the ...
  A: Adam: Without a picture, I can't tell much. Check the following site and see if you can match the ...
Battle of Passaro3/4/2011
  Q: Noting your interest (2008) in this naval battle, I wonder whether you can explain (a)whether Byng's ...
  A: As you probably know, the action stemmed from an agreement between England, France and Holy Roman ...
carriages on totating platforms3/3/2011
  Q: in your very exhaustive answers to Mike about "Cannon 24pounder" you have linked to an image of an ...
  A: Gianfranco: To be honest, I don't know. It might be that for display purposes, they simply sat a ...
Cannonball or not2/27/2011
  Q: I recently acquired this ball and was told it is a civil war cannonball. something bothers me about ...
  A: Bill: the weight is too light for its size to be a solid shot. If there is not a threaded fuze ...
military tactics2/26/2011
  Q: How did war tactics change from WWII and now?
  A: Adam: I think you are confusing tactics and doctrine. First a few definitions. Strategy is how ...
1903 Rock Island Arsenal Rifle2/25/2011
  Q: Your help is most greatly appreciated! My question is related to my 1903 RI Arsenal .30-.06 caliber ...
  A: Ronald: I think you are referring to the problems they had with single heat treating of the ...
3 inches cannon ball2/21/2011
  Q: i have a 3.16 dia cannon ball,found by a diver friend in the st-laurence river in canada.it have ...
  A: Mario: Standard cannon ball diameters and weight for British shot are: 4lb - 3.05 inches 6lb - ...
Help with a Patch2/21/2011
  Q: Please help me to indentify a patch. I believe it to be rare and a WW II patch. It was my ...
  A: Lisa: Well, the sources dealing with foreign patches of this type are somewhat limited. The palm ...
Battles fought Italian 6th Army & 3rd "Lombardia" cavalry Division2/21/2011
  Q: Could someone please give me some information or tell me where I can find it concerning my ...
  A: Serafino: The Italian Sixth Army fought on Sicily in opposition to Operation Husky. Here is an ...
3" Confederate cannon ball2/15/2011
  Q: I received a dug 3" cannon ball from a old Civil war collector. It measures 3 1/8" approximately and ...
  A: Kevin: Yes and yes. I have seen questions and been asked questions about brass cannon balls. By ...
Small Cannon Ball?2/12/2011
  Q: We recently found a small metal ball in my grandfather's garage. Its about 2 in in diameter and ...
  A: Joe: Not knowing the exact provenance, it may be hard to determine it is is a cannon shot or not. ...
Help with a Patch2/11/2011
  Q: Please help me to indentify a patch. I believe it to be rare and a WW II patch. It was my ...
  A: Lisa: You don't say what nationality your father was. The patch is not a US Army Divisional Patch. ...
bayonet2/10/2011
  Q: i have a bayonet, supposedly from WW1. the blade is 11 3/4 inches long and 14mm wide. the cross ...
  A: Dylan: It looks to me like a German bayonet for a Mauser 98. Probably WWI vintage, or South ...
co. 862 aviation battalion2/9/2011
  Q: I have a picture of my grandfather basic graduation pic. It states co.b 862e engineer aviation ...
  A: Anthony: The Engineer Aviation Battalion was the US Army equivilent to the Navy Seabees. They main ...
Battle of Waterloo2/8/2011
  Q: Are the names of the English/Irish casualties recorded and if so, where? I have an Irish relative ...
  A: Here are some links to rolls listing medals and officer casualties for waterloo: ...
bayonet2/7/2011
  Q: i have a bayonet, supposedly from WW1. the blade is 11 3/4 inches long and 14mm wide. the cross ...
  A: Dylan: I'll need a picture to really help you with identifying it. I doubt that the guard doubled ...
APO locator WW22/7/2011
  Q: How do I learn where a WW2 APO address took the mail? For example I've ltrs that went to APO 713 ...
  A: Check this list. http://www.7tharmddiv.org/docrep/main-apos.htm This site has a link at the top to ...
514th FA- Batry A- Battle of the Bulge2/5/2011
  Q: My Father was a SGT in the Army and survived the The Battle of the Bulge. Through many months of ...
  A: Linda: Here is the response I gave to another fellow looking for info on the 514th. With regard to ...
cannons2/1/2011
  Q: I have found what i believe to be a cannon. It was found by my metal detector ,its made of steel and ...
  A: Noel: What you describe would mean it WAS from a sunken ship. It probably ended up in the dunes ...
cannons2/1/2011
  Q: I have found what i believe to be a cannon. It was found by my metal detector ,its made of steel and ...
  A: Noel: From the looks of it, if it was buried, it isn't steel, it is most likely bronze which is an ...
William Rosewarne Miller Captain USMC 097371/28/2011
  Q: My Dad officially entered the war 1 Feb 1942 after his training at Quantico,Va (Artillery Class). ...
  A: Cathleen: Thank you for your father's service. I found that on Okinawa he had risen to commanding ...
Western Europe WWII Air Tactics1/25/2011
  Q: Mr. Patton, In Cooper's book "Death Traps" the author - who was a WWII veteran with the 3AD in ...
  A: Dallas: I meant to say I read the book Death traps too. Not Steel Coffins, that was another. KP ...
8mm sniper mauser1/20/2011
  Q: i was wondering if you could help me find more information on the mauser that i have, the bolt is ...
  A: Unless it is a a highly sought after item, which in its modified state, is probably not the case, it ...
8mm sniper mauser1/19/2011
  Q: i was wondering if you could help me find more information on the mauser that i have, the bolt is ...
  A: Stephen: Have you determined the year make of your rifle? Are you sure it is Gewehr 98? There is ...
longbow1/18/2011
  Q: English longbows were dangerous in large formations raining fire down on massed enemy formations at ...
  A: Dante: I found some interesting info related to your question in an article on crossbows. The ...
Change of Watch1/14/2011
  Q: Can you give me a brief history of what the "Change of Watch" refers to?
  A: Dawn: In nautical terms, on a ship, the crew is divided into watches. Based on a twenty four hour ...
M91/8/2011
  Q: i have been told there are 6 different nomenclatures that are M9. i only know of 2. the M9 beretta ...
  A: The others are M9A1( Model 9)A1 Gas Mask M9 Helmet M9 Silhouette Heavy Tagboard Target M9 ACE ...
Cannon 24pounder.1/6/2011
  Q: Many years ago,I had the opportunity to sketch and measure a large cannon. Possibly from a Martello ...
  A: Mike: Here is a link to a publication online at the Clare County Library that describes all the ...
Cannon 24pounder.1/1/2011
  Q: Many years ago,I had the opportunity to sketch and measure a large cannon. Possibly from a Martello ...
  A: Mike: The Crown built over 100 Martellos in Ireland alone. The majority were built in the early ...
History project for school12/31/2010
  Q: Would you be able to answer questions on the Korean War? ANSWER: Yes. Ask away. Keith ---------- ...
  A: Tyler: Religion didn't have anything to do with the war. North and South Korea were separated at ...
question for 03-a312/17/2010
  Q: Keith H. Patton, your profile are striking, my question is : What is the distance that 03-a3 can ...
  A: Kanaan: A well maintained 03-A3 is accurate out to 2300 meters (1.4 miles) which is the maximum ...
Hautboist12/12/2010
  Q: I suppose a hautboistplayer is a musician. Found at birthcertificate from his son, fathers ...
  A: Henriette: A hautbois is a double reeded instrument of the Oboe family...hautbois...oboe similar ...
Fw 190 armament12/10/2010
  Q: was there any clear guideline or production type of the fw190 excluding the Dora that dictated if ...
  A: Dante: First the FW-190 was originally armed with 4 4.9 machine guns which was considered to be ...
Sailing Ship Artilary12/6/2010
  Q: Was there a device use to hold the cannon ballsstacked by the cannon, and what was it called?
  A: Some people will tell you it was called a monkey, and that was where the saying "Cold enough to ...
I D tank11/12/2010
  Q: Attached is a picture of the tank my late father in law drove in the 3rd armor in Europe in 1944. He ...
  A: Jeff: The tank shown in your picture is the M3 Medium tank. A lot of them were given to the Brits ...
514th Field Artillery Battalion WWII11/8/2010
  Q: The 514th Field Artillery Battalion came out of Ft.Lewis Washington,moved to Ft.Bragg and shipped ...
  A: Robert: According to this page: http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/usarmy/artillery.aspx ...
1871 us navy bayonet11/1/2010
  Q: I have in my posession a large bayonet with scabbard. One side of the blade (unsharpened)reads "1871 ...
  A: Joseph: The bayonet is an US Navy Sword Bayonet, manufactured by the Ames company. It was mad to ...
where was this camp10/30/2010
  Q: My grandfather taught judo @ this camp for the commandos he was with the Canadian RMRangers & Hasty ...
  A: Brent: According to info I found, the RM Rangers were based at Kamloops with units on Vancouver ...
WW?? bayonet info / worth10/29/2010
  Q: Patton, please tell me anything you know about the pictured bayonet. I've had it for many years and ...
  A: Michael: C.G. Haenel Waffen and Farhrradfabrick (Weapon and bicycle makers) were based in Suhl, ...
Fox Connor as Army Chief of Staff?10/28/2010
  Q: Mr. Patton, In 1930, President Hoover asked General Fox Connor to be his hext Army Chief of Staff. ...
  A: Charles: I'm not sure the Connor was a visionary in the area of Airpower. Coalition warfare maybe, ...
canon ball10/27/2010
  Q: While digging in my back yard this summer I found a crusted round metal ball. It`s exactly 2 inchs ...
  A: Rich: First, it sounds like you found a 2lb shot, which would date before the Civil War as these ...
old ammo box10/27/2010
  Q: My husband has had this old, what we think, is and ammo box. it is 20 1/2 inches long, 8 inches wide ...
  A: Judging from the inside of the box, I would have to go with some sort of instrumentation rather than ...
old ammo box10/25/2010
  Q: My husband has had this old, what we think, is and ammo box. it is 20 1/2 inches long, 8 inches wide ...
  A: Pat: I doubt that the box was used for ammunition for a couple of reasons. First, ammunition ...
Adna R. Chaffee, Jr. & Jonathan Wainwright10/21/2010
  Q: Mr. Patton, First, thank you so much for answering my previous question. Secondly, in regards to ...
  A: Charles: With regard to Chaffee, I think he might have had to do through the same hard lessons that ...
faliase gap10/20/2010
  Q: Keith I'm in grade 8 and doing an assignment on the Falaise Gap and I need information 1)What ...
  A: Alex: That's my daughter's name, by the way, or Alexandra. The Mace was Hill 262 which held a ...
USS Billy Mitchell10/18/2010
  Q: My father was on this ship and remembers that he was sitting below a cannon when it was fired. When ...
  A: Terri: Yes, the AP-114 USS Mitchell did have guns. It was one of the General John Pope class AP ...
European Cmdr., WW210/15/2010
  Q: Mr. Patton, General Marshall sent Eisenhower to England to 'pave the way' for the eventual arrival ...
  A: Charles: Fredendall was on the list simply due to his interwar performance at the Command and ...
Telescope10/13/2010
  Q: I purchased a very old piece that previous owner described as a surveillance tool. It is marked ...
  A: Carola: K&E is an American company who specalized in surveying equipment. See below for more ...
Bayonet10/12/2010
  Q: How to idenify Wurttemberg bayonet? I have a Deutsche Maschinenfabrik A.G. Duisburg The sawback has ...
  A: During WWI the Allies made a big propaganda thing over the sawblade bayonets. It played into the ...
Kidderminster Town Hall Canon.England10/9/2010
  Q: I have a couple of old postcard of the above building and want to identify the canon in the photos. ...
  A: Roger: I looked around and the only photos of the town hall are devoid of any cannon. Do you know ...
AAA AW BN9/29/2010
  Q: can you tell me where the 460th AAA Aw Bn ,was in the ETO, during WW11? i have a copy of the unit ...
  A: David: A lot of histories do not elaborate on support units. Since they were an AAA unit, they ...
Red coat9/24/2010
  Q: I have this painting on board signed Sherburne. Trying to figure out if this man was an officer, the ...
  A: Chris: The officer is wearing his bicorn in the athwart style which was prevalent during the ...
Detail History of Bloody Gulch - Carentan 13th June 19449/23/2010
  Q: I now live in Auvers, France and have become intrigued with the battle of 'Bloody Gulch' on 13th ...
  A: John: First, Hill 30 refers to a hill that was 30 meters in elevation. So your best bet is to get ...
Vietnam War? Cuban MIssile Crisis9/22/2010
  Q: What are some major presidential decisions made either in the Vietnam war or during the cuban ...
  A: The French withdrew in 1954 after their defeat at Dien Bin Phu in May of that year. A conference ...
Korean Marine campaign ribbon9/21/2010
  Q: Would you be able to identify the attached ribbon? Also, how does one attempt to secure any ...
  A: Cynthia: I cannot find this ribbon in any of those authorized by the US Armed forces, nor is is ...
Vietnam War? Cuban MIssile Crisis9/19/2010
  Q: What are some major presidential decisions made either in the Vietnam war or during the cuban ...
  A: Ali: Kennedy made a the decision during the Cuban Missle crisis to blockade the island rather than ...
can a bullet penetrate a car?9/13/2010
  Q: I see so many hollywood movies and tv shows that show the impact of bullets on cars that seemingly ...
  A: Peter: Your observation is just another example of Hollywood ignoring the ballistics of firearms ...
19lb cannonball9/7/2010
  Q: heavy solid cannon ball. It weighs an odd 19.2lbs, has a circumference of 16". It was found on Cape ...
  A: Lisa: It sounds to be in the 18 pdr range. They had a nominal diameter of 5 inches or so which is ...
knives9/3/2010
  Q: been unable to find any info. on a hawkbill type folding knife stamped "pavo real" on one side and a ...
  A: Wendy_ You have a bilingual knife. Pavo Real means Peakcock in spanish. So it was made for the ...
identifying unusual cannon ball ?8/20/2010
  Q: Please can you help me identify what this is? It appears to be made of cast iron and has many ...
  A: The nodes look to be iron, since they appear to be rusted. The area you referred to, the bare area ...
identifying unusual cannon ball ?8/20/2010
  Q: Please can you help me identify what this is? It appears to be made of cast iron and has many ...
  A: Jackie: I have never heard of a ball like the one you have. The weight you describe would make it ...
WWII strategies8/15/2010
  Q: What were some strategies/tactics (other than strategic bombing and persistent strategy) that the ...
  A: The US and Britain both used unrestricted submarine warfare against both the Japanese and Germans. ...
Identification of a 3-inch cannon ball8/13/2010
  Q: I recently purchased a cannon ball in an antique store in California. It was listed as a "3-inch, ...
  A: George: No artillery was used at Tippicanoe from the source I checked. ...
Identification of a 3-inch cannon ball8/13/2010
  Q: I recently purchased a cannon ball in an antique store in California. It was listed as a "3-inch, ...
  A: George: A 4lb was 3.05 inches in diameter. A six pound shot was 3.49 inches in diameter. If you ...
unique hand weapon8/13/2010
  Q: I was wondering if you could identify a weapon that looks like a real weapon but was used in a ...
  A: Peter: Here is bulletin board devoted to your question. ...
WW II - Campaign Medals7/30/2010
  Q: My father was awarded the "European, African, and Middle Eastern Theater Service Medal" and he also ...
  A: Each Bronze star represents participation in a campaign in a specific theater. The theater ...
Hitler's Death7/27/2010
  Q: I have a question. Everything I have read about Hitler's death says that he shot himself while ...
  A: If my memory serves, it came from the accounts of Junior members of his staff, who attended the ...
maxin mg087/13/2010
  Q: I inharited this ww1 milarty weapon from a faimly member.The water tank has some rust, aiming sight ...
  A: Jerry: First, you will probably need to obtain the proper permit in order that you don't get busted ...
politics6/30/2010
  Q: are you a republican
  A: I'm an independent. My father served in the military for 30 years and fought in 2 wars, Korea and ...
stalingrad city lay out before battle6/22/2010
  Q: I have a small museum about Soviet WWII soldiers (http://redarmysoldier.info/) I recently visited ...
  A: Try the links and urls given here: ...
what is its worth6/7/2010
  Q: I have a U.S. Springfield Armory model 1903. Serial number 590969. And i was wondering when it was ...
  A: Paul: I don't need to be wasting my time by reading a lecture from someone who can barely write a ...
when the rifle was made6/6/2010
  Q: I have a U.S. Springfield Armory model 1903. Serial number 590969. And i was wondering when it was ...
  A: Paul: Your rifle was manufactured in 1914 by the Springfield Armory. My source is the Civilian ...
USMC Units WW15/29/2010
  Q: Reading about Belleau Wood and Cantigny I see that USMC companies (not the Army) have what seems to ...
  A: I can find no direct information regarding the reason for the numberic numbering of companies. ...
sword wounds5/25/2010
  Q: I am currently writing a story set during the American War of Independence, and one of my main ...
  A: Esther: Interesting question. I just was reading something about this, not so much the length of ...
DEFENCE BATTLES5/24/2010
  Q: I have to give a presentation on the Principles of Defensive Operations and would like to use ...
  A: Andrew: For number 1) the classic examples are the two campaigns in Russia, the best being the ...
Tactics in the World Wars!5/21/2010
  Q: Compare and contrast the Axis powers tactics with those of the Alliance. Please focus on tactics ...
  A: Lauren: First a disclaimer. This looks like a classroom question. I don't mind helping, but do ...
historical japanese swords5/15/2010
  Q: the original katana or japanese sword during the height of its artistic and quality era ( 970 - 1396 ...
  A: It is hard to put a general price on them since the desirability of them varys from maker to maker ...
gun info5/11/2010
  Q: i have a old rifle co hannel in suhl mfg. 1915 numbers on gun are 6836 g886 9083 7053 the last ...
  A: Bob: You more than likely have a Mauser. Since the Mauser Gewehr 98 was the main rifle used by ...
Me 2625/7/2010
  Q: what gun crew was first to shoot down a jet powered Me 262 ?
  A: Sorry, I misunderstood your question. I assumed you meant aircraft gun crew, not anti-aircraft. As ...
evolution of the cannon5/7/2010
  Q: I was wondering what cannon shot originally, and how it evolved to exploding devises. Thanks
  A: Kurt: The precursor of the cannon is attributed to be the fire lance. These eventually evolved ...
Military evolution5/5/2010
  Q: Good evening. I have a favour to ask yyou. can you please tell me in brief "What were the major ...
  A: Major Humayun: There were a number of advances in the military during the interwar period in all ...
Possible Cannonball find after a rain storm5/2/2010
  Q: As a kid in the seventies in Sherman, TX while playing in a creek (Sandy Creek) after a recent rain ...
  A: Jim: Cannon shot are normally measured two ways, by weight, or by diameter. A shot can be a 3 ...
found a small cannonball?4/29/2010
  Q: I live in Lancaster, PA and while extending my garden I dug up what appears to be a small ...
  A: Adam: This is probably a 2 lb shot from a two pounder gun. Most two pounders were obsolete by the ...
Old Brass cannon ball4/29/2010
  Q: Mr. Patton, I am in possession of a cannon ball that was found about 48-49 years ago on Padre Island ...
  A: Paul: Padre Island has a long history of conflict and ship wrecks. At least three spanish galleons ...
cannonball4/25/2010
  Q: I have a cannonball which was found on a farm along the licking river in grant county kentucky. It ...
  A: Doug: This is the most likely battle the ball came from. You cannot discount that it may have been ...
38th Infantry Regiment Company M4/21/2010
  Q: Am researching the KIA location of a friend's brother on August 14, 1944. War Department letters ...
  A: David: Your assumptions sound pretty spot on. The military labels hills by their elevation. So ...
sleeping at battle ground4/8/2010
  Q: how did de German and Russian troops sleep during the battle of Stalingrad because they were ...
  A: Koen: The battle lines at Stalingrad were not so small as you would imagine. Not only did the ...
WW24/7/2010
  Q: To what extent was Hitler's caution affect the outcomes of the invasion of France?
  A: Logan: This may or may not be a class assignment. The reason I mention it, is that context is ...
rifle4/7/2010
  Q: Hello i was woundering if you could help me figer out what type of rifle i have i beleive it is a ...
  A: Tyler: I would need a picture to make any kind of identification. Is it a bolt action? What ...
iraq war - any final assessment?4/2/2010
  Q: can there be any final assessment of the US military intervention of the iraq war 2003 invasion....? ...
  A: The initial invasion is 2003 was a classic example of a military invasion along multiple axes of ...
1871 bayonet3/28/2010
  Q: I have a bayonet I think is a 1871 model this is the info from a book I found. country: ...
  A: The bayonet you have was used not only in Europe but in its African Colonies as well. Soemtimes ...
Question regarding the first airplane landings after D-Day3/26/2010
  Q: Patton, I have previously contacted a researcher at the National WW2 Museum in New Orleans, but he ...
  A: Cindi: You say your veteran was a member of the 9th Squadron, Armored Division. I think he is ...
Soldiers3/24/2010
  Q: My great grandpa, fought in WW2, he recently died a few years ago, and he always sent me letters ...
  A: Katlyn: You need to find out the time frame. What I mean is when was he in the Wehrmacht, and when ...
11ith grade u.s. history3/22/2010
  Q: how was Admiral Holtzendorff important to world war 1?
  A: He was the German Admiral who convinced Kaiser Wilhelm to begin unrestricted submarine warfare ...
titanium body armor?3/19/2010
  Q: came across a story of russian special forces using titanium plates in their body armor in their ...
  A: Titanuim is light and it is expensive. Russia produces the most in the world. It is expensive to ...
Vietnam War / Conflict3/19/2010
  Q: I have some basic knowledge based on research that I have done, but I am trying to expand my ...
  A: With respect to Cambodia, the war and out covert bombing there, handed Pol Pot and the Khemer Rouge ...
U.S 45th Infantry Division during 19443/18/2010
  Q: I am currently writing a project about the American 45th Infantry Division and i would like to know ...
  A: Kristoffer: http://www.history.army.mil/documents/eto-ob/45ID-ETO.htm ...
Vietnam War / Conflict3/17/2010
  Q: I have some basic knowledge based on research that I have done, but I am trying to expand my ...
  A: Becky: There were a couple of reasons. The primary one was lack of political will on the part of ...
Holocaust3/16/2010
  Q: What were the different stages of the holocaust? How did the "Final Solution" evolve from previous ...
  A: Michael: I am not sure that the Final Solution was planned out from the beginning as it turned out, ...
www1 mustard gas shells3/15/2010
  Q: I'm a producer for a photographer and I'm hoping you might be able to help me with some information ...
  A: No images came through. You can send them to keithhpatton at hotmail dot com. It should be easy ...
Question about tank formations3/6/2010
  Q: Patton, Hello, sir. I was wondering if perhaps you could help me with this question, if it is not ...
  A: Julian: In the west, armored formations vary from army to army, but by in large they all use the ...
Avatar and correlations with the war against the Indians3/5/2010
  Q: Patton, I just read you answer to a question about tactics used during the civil war worked against ...
  A: Stefan: I personally think that the associations you teacher wants you to make about Afghanistan ...
Bradley saying.3/4/2010
  Q: "There goes your ball game,Pink" in this phrase:"Bradley turned to Bull(Pink), and said 'There goes ...
  A: In this context, Bull's planned attack in the Saar was going to be derailed (an idom, to a train ...
German Mauser3/4/2010
  Q: Can you tell me about a German Mauser with Swastika and W before 4 digit serial number. I have one ...
  A: Jim: I am going to make a a guess that you might have a Czech VZ24. It is a Mauser version of the ...
Avatar and correlations with the war against the Indians3/3/2010
  Q: Patton, I just read you answer to a question about tactics used during the civil war worked against ...
  A: Stefan: Good question. I thought about it myself after seeing the movie. One thing to remember is ...
Bradley saying.3/2/2010
  Q: "There goes your ball game,Pink" in this phrase:"Bradley turned to Bull(Pink), and said 'There goes ...
  A: Jan: That is what we refer to as an idiom, which is latin for "Special Phrasing". It is a word, or ...
confederate cannon ball3/2/2010
  Q: This ball I have has a visible seam it weight 12 1/4 lbs it dia. is 4 7/16 lbs and it has two #12 ...
  A: Don: The author of the article Finding Battery Positons at Wilson's Creek, Missouri is Carl G. ...
Korean War Cabinet3/2/2010
  Q: Patton, In a week or so I will head off to Taipei to be a part of WorldMUN. That's the biggest ...
  A: Aubrey: I am assuming by the name, that you are playing the part of the South Korean Minister of ...
Identify a Shell casing2/25/2010
  Q: Could you please identify the shell casing I have, on the bottom is stamped 75 DEC, and also ARS ...
  A: Paul: I couldn't find anything else, but is seems that you probably know most everything you need. ...
ww12/24/2010
  Q: Hello my grandfather served in ww1 with the 118th infranty i have his "memoirs of my days in the ...
  A: My dad was in the USAF for 30 years. He got something similar issued to him from the units he ...
Civil War Training2/24/2010
  Q: Would a Civil War infantryman receive some sort of training on how to load and fire a cannon? I ...
  A: Considering how parochial the various arms were about their roles, I doubt that this was done. ...
Identify a Shell casing2/23/2010
  Q: Could you please identify the shell casing I have, on the bottom is stamped 75 DEC, and also ARS ...
  A: Paul: It would help to know the diameter of the cartridge mouth. It does not have the typical ...
Russian MIG 21 during the Cold War2/16/2010
  Q: I am doing a research paper on the MIG 21 and its effect on the Cold War between Russian and the ...
  A: Ian: 1) Internal Cannon, Center pylon mounted 16 rocket pod, drop tank or 250 kg bomb. Also a ...
How technology affected the outcome of World War 22/15/2010
  Q: I am an 8th grade student currently working on a year long studies project that requires me to get ...
  A: Matt: 1) The German panzer was not always superior to allied tanks and the Sherman in particular. ...
can you name this rifle?2/15/2010
  Q: can you identify this rifle? ( attachment )...
  A: It is a Mauser 98 Gewehr, Karbiner Kurz. In other words it is the short carbine version of the ...
Vietnam War2/13/2010
  Q: I'm Alex and I'm conducting a research project on the weapons and tactics of the Vietnam War. Last ...
  A: Alex: 1) Political will. We were never defeated on the battlefield. We never lost a major ...
artillery round2/6/2010
  Q: I have an all up,fixed,inert artillery shell my great uncle gave me 45 years ago. Starting at the ...
  A: Russell: The factory might have been in South Africa. Judging from your last name, this is ...
14th Base POST OFFICE1/28/2010
  Q: I have a STARS And stripes dated Jan 31 1944 There is stamp 14th Base POST OFFICE APO 887 and a ...
  A: I found a listing that has the 887 APO as being in France and England. ...
D Day1/26/2010
  Q: Where did the Allied forces gather just prior to D-Day?
  A: The troops assembled at embarcation points all along the length of southern Britain from The Thames ...
WWII APO location & war decorations1/13/2010
  Q: I am researching my father's participation in WWII. He was in Company "D" of the 65th Infantry ...
  A: The Term "Plant" was used to designate semi-permenant hospital facilities made of wooden buildings ...
Military Bayonet1/12/2010
  Q: My friend who served in Iraq got this knife after an exchange with a local there. I think it could ...
  A: Tommy: Cut and Paste the url below into your browser address line (right mouse button and high ...
NHD1/8/2010
  Q:
  A: Alex: Here are a couple of sites that have detailed information and pictures. ...
Mystery ammunition?1/6/2010
  Q: I am in Idaho and recently we found this strange object object in an area that was very sparsely ...
  A: Tim: You might be able to nail it down based on the stars on the projectile, but I could not find a ...
WWII1/4/2010
  Q: I am looking for information on Co. G., 311th Infantry. My grandfather was in this unit during ...
  A: The 311th Regiment was part of the 78th Division. It did not arrive in Europe until Nov. 27 1944 ...
Medieval two-handed swords, strength1/3/2010
  Q: I was wondering about what medieval two-handed swords were really like, as opposed to modern ...
  A: Ted: First, don't base your observations on "modern reconstructions". I collected some early ...
Getting the record straight buddy12/24/2009
  Q: I am an enthusiast of the history period spanning from WW1 to WW2 and read some your comments made ...
  A: Rick: First, if you intend to post on English language sites, then I would work on mastering the ...
APO 34312/15/2009
  Q: My father was in the 4th Ind Hq 8th Army APO 343 in 1945-46 and I am trying to locate any ...
  A: The 8th Army Headquarters was located at Camp Zama, about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo. Camp Zama was ...
APO 34312/15/2009
  Q: My father was in the 4th Ind Hq 8th Army APO 343 in 1945-46 and I am trying to locate any ...
  A: This was the APO number for the 8th Army. Each organization, Army, Corp, and Division had a ...
M4 Sherman Interview Questions for History Day Project12/4/2009
  Q: 1) How did the m4 sherman tank from WW2 change modern warfare forever? 2) How did the m4 sherman ...
  A: 1) I don't know that it did, but it did show that mass production (the soviet T-34 did the same ...
map12/2/2009
  Q: I have a map that lists the battle across europe.It has pictures of the general and others at the ...
  A: You don't say who the commander pictured is. It could be Woods or Gaffey. The reason is that ...
artillery shell12/2/2009
  Q: I have an old artillery shell that I found in my grandpa's garage years ago. It measures 6 inches ...
  A: The diameter, 6 inches converts to 15 cm which would make it a 155 X 725R casing from a 15 cm Kanone ...
Cannon Balls11/28/2009
  Q: I have what I think is a cannon ball from the Revolutionary War. My son dug it up years ago in the ...
  A: It looks like a iron cannon shot to me. An it appears that you have done enough home work to ...
BRASSCANNONBALL11/21/2009
  Q: I HAVE ONE ALSO MINE APPEAR TO HAVE ONLY ONE PLUG AREA SOMETHING RATTLES INSIDE ZND MINE APPEARS TO ...
  A: To my knowledge brass was not used for cannon balls. It was expensive. It would not be hollow id ...
The battle of the 300 spartans11/16/2009
  Q: I was wondering if the Spartans acually built walls out of the dead "Immortals" at the pass of ...
  A: Jimmy: Most accounts of the battle use the term "wall of Persion dead" figurelatively or as a ...
Cannonball speed11/9/2009
  Q: What is the speed of a 12-pound cannonball?
  A: A 12 pd started with a muzzle velocity of about 1769 Feet Per Second. This would vary with the age ...
Winston Churchill11/7/2009
  Q: I was wondering if you could post a list of accomplishments and leadership trait that winston ...
  A: Sunny: First, Winston Churchill was a great wartime leader. He was a bit too confrontational for ...
World War 211/5/2009
  Q: What were the specific military tactics of the major powers in World War 2 and how did they differ?
  A: Konnor: The first thing you must know is that any military of any nation is used to obtain ...
brass ball11/1/2009
  Q: I see you had another cannon ball question. I also got this ball, Brass %26 weighs 1lb.1/2 It also ...
  A: First, the "plug" is really where the sprue was cut off. The sprue is a piece formed during the ...
horses in statues10/28/2009
  Q: is there a language to how the horses are posed? ie; one leg up meaning something, reared up ...
  A: Yes. Popular belief is that if the hose is rampant, or rearing, with two legs in the air, the rider ...
WWI Shell Casing10/27/2009
  Q: I have an artillery shell casing from WWI that my inlaws gave me. It is marked: 75 DEC, ...
  A: JR: First way to verify it is a 75mm is to measure the throat of the casing, if it is 75mm it will ...
Bayonet questions10/23/2009
  Q: Hi how are you? My name is tommy and i was just cleaning out my grandfathers desk and found an old ...
  A: Thomas: Is there any way you could send a picture? It sounds like a Russian AK-47 bayonet made by ...
British 39th Regiment10/23/2009
  Q: I'd like some information on a term I came across in an 1820s diary. The writer is worried about ...
  A: Doug: "Stocks" were the stiff stand up collar worn with the uniform of the day. Not too much ...
US Military bayonet identification10/22/2009
  Q: I would appreciate anything you can share about the following article: the markings are as follows: ...
  A: The likely possibility is the US Model 1905 Springfield Bayonet. The SA stands for Springfield ...
British 39th Regiment10/22/2009
  Q: I'd like some information on a term I came across in an 1820s diary. The writer is worried about ...
  A: Doug: Each Regiment had a company of Grenadiers - their chosen men, to use a term from Napoleonic ...
Hautboist in Germany Near Mannheim c.172710/20/2009
  Q: I have a forefather that was a hautboist (oboe?) player in the Buchwitz, Grenadier Leib and ...
  A: Here is a write up concerning the evolution of the French military bands and the Hautbois in ...
Hautboist in Germany Near Mannheim c.172710/18/2009
  Q: I have a forefather that was a hautboist (oboe?) player in the Buchwitz, Grenadier Leib and ...
  A: Brian: You are probably correct in that they are all references to the same thing. He was a member ...
Brass Cannon ball10/17/2009
  Q: This is my first time trying to research it. I'm not 100% certain that this is what the gentleman ...
  A: I am not sure what to say about the shot. As I said, brass was not something that was usually used ...
Brass Cannon ball10/16/2009
  Q: This is my first time trying to research it. I'm not 100% certain that this is what the gentleman ...
  A: Rick: First, they didn't make cannon projectiles from brass. Brass was relative expensive to iron, ...
army cot10/14/2009
  Q: I have an army cot that I assume is from WW1. There is a number stamped on the wooden rail and am ...
  A: Paul: I looked online, curious as to the actual history of the army cot, its inception and design. ...
brass shell identification10/11/2009
  Q: I have recently acquired a brass shell and would love to know its origin - can you help? It is 2¾ ...
  A: Liz: From the cartridge stamping it sounds like you have an engine starting cartridge case. ...
flail10/9/2009
  Q: i saw a mideival picture of a black night fighting a silver knight and the black knight was using a ...
  A: William, it sounds like someones imagination. First, a flail was a short range weapon, most useful ...
Irish History10/8/2009
  Q: I am doing a painting of various little-known historical figures and need some help. I once read a ...
  A: I would love to see a jpg of the finished picture. It had a much happier ending than the one of ...
Bayonet from Grandfather10/2/2009
  Q: I have bayonet from my grandfather who passed and he never talked about it. He was in WWII so I ...
  A: It is a WWI bayonet, made by C.G. Haenel of Suhl: Imperial German Scarce unit ID'd Mauser model ...
German model 1898/05 bayonet markings10/1/2009
  Q: I have a 1898/05 bayonet, my question is in reference to the markings on the side of the blade. The ...
  A: That stick figure mark is the maker's mark of the knife maker, Henckels. It can still be seen laser ...
Old gun9/30/2009
  Q: I got a gift - old pistol. I need help. Does anyone know what century it was produced. Is it ...
  A: RG: It looks to be a holster pistol, since the forestock is thin and thickens rearward and there ...
tiger tank vs m4 sherman9/29/2009
  Q: In a discussion I have had with many military buffs regarding the german tiger tank vs the american ...
  A: Once again, it was due to doctrine and manufacturing demands. The War Ordnance department and High ...
tiger tank vs m4 sherman9/29/2009
  Q: In a discussion I have had with many military buffs regarding the german tiger tank vs the american ...
  A: My comment was about the claim that the Sherman was the better tank at close range. But I stand ...
tiger tank vs m4 sherman9/28/2009
  Q: In a discussion I have had with many military buffs regarding the german tiger tank vs the american ...
  A: I know of no sources that support that statement. The M2 "Super" Pershing with its high velocity ...
The M6 Tank +9/22/2009
  Q: Sir, Suppose the US had had the means(roads & cargo space) to transport the M6 Heavy tank to ...
  A: As to the last part of your question. They might have, but I am not aware that the Britsh or ...
The "M6" Heavy Tank9/21/2009
  Q: Sir, Suppose the US had had the means(roads & cargo space) to transport the M6 Heavy tank to ...
  A: Probably not. Considering that Europe was not invaded till 44, the first theaters it would have ...
WW19/21/2009
  Q: What tactics were used by the Germans between 1914-1916? ASAP ANSWER: According to the ...
  A: Conner: The allies, particularly the British and the French were consumed by the Doctrine of the ...
arms and armor9/20/2009
  Q: in mideival europe, what armour would you say offered the most protection from blows? what weapon ...
  A: William: The best protection was undoubtably plate armor. Its loan drawback was its expense. It ...
korean conflict9/17/2009
  Q: A friend told me of a situation during the Korean war, where an American artillery unit was ...
  A: Nerol: It is hard to tell whether your friend was talking about a specific unit or something more ...
WW19/15/2009
  Q: What tactics were used by the Germans between 1914-1916? ASAP
  A: According to the controversial book called Myths of the Great War, the germans were ahead of the ...
small cannon ball id9/10/2009
  Q: I was hiking in the remote desert of Eastern Oregon called the Oregon Desert (not farm ground, none ...
  A: Rose: Weight the ball too. It looks to be around 1/3/4 inches. Probably a 2 lb cannon maybe from ...
American tactics of WW19/8/2009
  Q: The United States were not in WW1 for very long, but I was wondering if you could educate me on any ...
  A: Nicole: Primary engagements fighting alongside the French were: 3rd Battle of the Aisne in May of ...
American tactics of WW19/6/2009
  Q: The United States were not in WW1 for very long, but I was wondering if you could educate me on any ...
  A: Nicole: Like with so many things going into WWI, the US Army had none. We had no machine guns, no ...
norman axe9/5/2009
  Q: i read in a book (an actual published book, not wikipedia) that the normans used a battle axe ...
  A: William: Everthing being equal a large heavy blade can decapitate a large animal. Have you ever ...
cannon identification8/31/2009
  Q: I have recently located 2 brass cannons with some markings on them that I have been trying to ...
  A: Yes, they are probably bronze, bronze cannon turn green with time. If you measure the bore diameter ...
cannon identification8/30/2009
  Q: I have recently located 2 brass cannons with some markings on them that I have been trying to ...
  A: Are you sure they are brass and not bronze? I was able to find reference to an I. H. King 1807 in ...
French Empire8/30/2009
  Q: 1. I was wondering where do the French Empire (first colonial, second colonial, modern France, ...
  A: This is a complex question. Lets just say, that France has never really been number one. It was ...
History of the NCO before the roman army8/30/2009
  Q: Keith, can you tell me if there is any history of the NCO before the Roman Army? And why did the ...
  A: Bill: I would think it was for command and control of the articulated legion. After the Romans ...
cannon ball8/29/2009
  Q: My dad and our dog found a cannon ball on his mother's property. The place where it was found was ...
  A: Trish: Time for a little detective work. First measure the diameter of the ball. Now weigh it. ...
the koreign war and WWII8/27/2009
  Q: What is the differnce in the two wars?
  A: Minnie: World War II was fought in just about every corner of the world from 1939 to 1945. The ...
Mexican -American War Metal8/23/2009
  Q: I have metals from the Mex-Amer. war with purple ribbon and 2 stars. what is the Value ( 1836 yr)
  A: Charles: The date you give is actually the date of the Texas War for Independence, not the Mexican ...
Timeliness in the military8/23/2009
  Q: I have a presentation due that I have to make pertaining to timeliness in the military and its ...
  A: I am not sure what you mean by timeliness. I will assume you are referring to the desemination of ...
canonballs8/22/2009
  Q: i wonder if you may be able to help, ive recently found a canonball in our garden whilst digging out ...
  A: Mark: It sounds like a 2 lb shot from a 2 lb gun. There were some engagements in Cornwall during ...
small cannon ball8/21/2009
  Q: We have a small, solid, iron cannon ball, a little smaller than a tennis ball. It's obviously old, ...
  A: There are a few possibilities. YOu did not say where you obtained it, and provenance is important ...
Projectile identification8/12/2009
  Q: I have a projectile that I need identified. I have tried via Civil War data with no results, the ...
  A: Yes please send a photo and I will see what I can do. either attach it to another question or send ...
Stamp on back of picture8/11/2009
  Q: I have a picture, early 50's I think, that has the following stamped on the back....'PASSED BY U.S. ...
  A: Sharon: It denotes that the picture was passed by a censor for either publication or for sending in ...
Marine Corps Sea Duty8/7/2009
  Q: Where can i view history, records, logs, crew list, etc., or obtain any information about the last ...
  A: Brian: http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Home_Page.htm Contact this site. It might be that you have ...
Spartan battle tactics8/2/2009
  Q: do you know what's the tactics that the spartan used to fight against the Persians in the battle of ...
  A: Ronald: The Spartans didn't have a lot of options. The pass at Thermopylae was a narrow choke ...
WW2 Military Bands7/26/2009
  Q: I'm trying to locate music from the U.S. Military Band "Base Section 3." My Grandfather was their ...
  A: Here is a list of various army bands. You might be able to contact one near you, or one of your ...
Militrary burual records.7/22/2009
  Q: I am in the process of documenting a cemetery in Shelby County, Tennessee, and I ran across a ...
  A: First, I would have to say that the information on the link you gave me might be wrong. Born in ...
Chickamauga Tactics7/20/2009
  Q: I was reading about Chickamauga and the criticism of the late attk on Sept 20 which seems to be due ...
  A: Fred: First I would direct you to the following document: ...
help6/25/2009
  Q: hey! what fighting techniequs did they invent in ww1?
  A: There were a number of firsts that they were involved in, but I don't know if you can truthfully say ...
WW1 Bayonet6/22/2009
  Q: Mr Patton,I have what i believe is a WW1 bayonet, it has a quill type blade 20 1/2 inches (52CM) ...
  A: Garry: What you have here is a German bayonet made to fit the Mauser Gewehr 98. You don't describe ...
my dad during the Battle of the Bulge....6/17/2009
  Q: I am trying so hard to figure out what division/unit that my dad served with during WWII at the ...
  A: Tina: Do you recall any information he might have pass on to you about what type of unit he served ...
aztecs6/9/2009
  Q: Im doing a project on the Spanish conquer ing of mesoamerica. I was wondering what the differences ...
  A: No, the Mayan civilization was down in the Yucatan Penninsula and had risen and fallen long before ...
aztecs6/7/2009
  Q: Im doing a project on the Spanish conquer ing of mesoamerica. I was wondering what the differences ...
  A: The Aztecs were fairly primative in their warefare. There is a ongoing debate of the whys and hows ...
W.W. I battle5/25/2009
  Q: Supposedly, ammunition for the Winchester rifle did not arrive in a timely fashion for the men of ...
  A: John: I have never heard that story and would question its accuracy. I doubt the Germans would ...
D-Day question5/14/2009
  Q: When I see film footage of D-Day and how our troops were fired upon by the German machine guns as ...
  A: David: There were the types of armor available to the air corp. They had designed and manufactured ...
Vietnam Wat5/11/2009
  Q: What were each Presidents plans for winning the Vietnam war and what tactics did they use?
  A: Franklin: First, a little correcting of terminology. A President sets policy goals, and strategic ...
Gulf War & Oil5/10/2009
  Q: How did the Gulf War effect American oil imports? also How did the Gulf War effect oil production in ...
  A: Nathan: The war didn't affect US imports much at all. What if did effect was the overal price of ...
Prussian Army military history5/8/2009
  Q: We have been researching our family genealogy, and we are interested in learning about our ...
  A: No I don't. One alternative you might try, is look into seeing if you can identify the regiments ...
Cold War5/7/2009
  Q: I am writing a school report on the Cold War, and I have a question for you. I have found a lot so ...
  A: Sean: For one, the Miltiary Industrial Complex would not exist, nor would the hugely bloated ...
Organization of British infantry, circa 18005/1/2009
  Q: I have been reading/enjoying Bernard Cornwell's historical fiction series about Richard Sharpe that ...
  A: Ted: Good books those. If you like the series you will probably like the older book Soldiers at ...
Sgt C W Bull river Scheldt4/30/2009
  Q: Could you help. I am a volunteer at a small village museum. We are researching a war hero who came ...
  A: Jack: A few things first. Are you Canadian, British? We don't use the term "village" to often in ...
Historic Bows4/28/2009
  Q: I have found a lot of information discribing the draw weights of English long bows saying that ...
  A: John: I don't know of any single source, you might be able to glean the information from multiple ...
simson co bayonet4/25/2009
  Q: i have a bayonet just marked with simson co suhl with a small abstract cross on the metal bit just ...
  A: Lionel: Here is a website with a number of blades. Simson Co. of Suhl Germany manufactured a lot ...
hey4/16/2009
  Q: Did muhamed mehmedbasic do anything good?
  A: Hunter: It depends on your outlook. He was a failed assassin who when the time came for him to ...
Bayonet4/13/2009
  Q: Patton I have a Bayonet with wooden grooved handle appx.20" long the marking said C.G.Haenel Suhl ...
  A: Paul: Tel me about the blade or could you send a picture. Suhl is company based in Suhl Germany. ...
WW2 N Africa and Italy theater3/10/2009
  Q: My dad was army veteran with the 338th Engr Regt 2nd Bn Co.E . He pasted away 20 years ago. He, like ...
  A: Wally: The links at the bottom have reunion and engineer association contact info. You might try ...
WW2 Weapons in the ETO2/26/2009
  Q: I am a 7th grade student doing research for a school project. I have to ask experts on my topic ...
  A: Alex: My daughter's name is Alexandra...Defender of the Kingdom. Nice name. The best American ...
empire2/23/2009
  Q: 1. The top ten empires are: Ming, Tang, British, Spanish, Russian, Soviet Bloc, Ottomon, Persian, ...
  A: Henry: I have patiently tried to explain what a criteria is. To try to compare empires across ...
empires2/20/2009
  Q: 1. Roman, Han, Tang, Song, Ming, Venetian, Ottomon, Huns, British, Spanish, French, Persian, ...
  A: The Mayan, Inca and Aztec Empires were large but they ruled over diverse indian populations, were ...
empires2/20/2009
  Q: 1. Roman, Han, Tang, Song, Ming, Venetian, Ottomon, Huns, British, Spanish, French, Persian, ...
  A: 1) I would say the Mughal was the most powerful. They subjugated China, parts of India and all the ...
empires2/19/2009
  Q: 1. Roman, Han, Tang, Song, Ming, Venetian, Ottomon, Huns, British, Spanish, French, Persian, ...
  A: Henry: You have to determine what your criteria is. For instance, if your primary criteria is ...
empire2/19/2009
  Q: 1. Here is my lists of world major empires: Roman, Han, Tang, Song, Ming, Venetian, Ottomon, Huns, ...
  A: I understand that you want to identify the top 20, but you have to have a criteria or basis for ...
empire2/18/2009
  Q: 1. Here is my lists of world major empires: Roman, Han, Tang, Song, Ming, Venetian, Ottomon, Huns, ...
  A: Henry: Since you don't define how you are measuring the size...by landmass, contiguous, or by ...
Spanish armada2/18/2009
  Q: My question is what kind of ships were in the Spanish armada and also what of ships were the English ...
  A: Tai: The Spanish used large galleons, whereas the English used smaller more maneuverable galleons ...
empire2/18/2009
  Q: 1. Here is my lists of world major empires: Roman, Han, Tang, Song, Ming, Venetian, Ottomon, Huns, ...
  A: Henry: Here are a few more: The German's or Prussians had an empire prior to WWI. They lost their ...
U.S Army2/15/2009
  Q: I am in the army and have to prepare a briefing on the role of the brigade commander. There is no ...
  A: These might help ...
Famous Wepon2/6/2009
  Q: What weapon become famous in vietnam war, but was used in the las years of WW2
  A: The helicopter. Six different versions were used by the US in WWII, primarily for supply and rescue ...
WWII Marshall Islands2/3/2009
  Q: After doing research i can't information on specific battle details like what weapons were used and ...
  A: BillY; No, my family came to Virginia and settled in the Shenandoah Valley about a hundred years ...
WWII Marshall Islands2/1/2009
  Q: After doing research i can't information on specific battle details like what weapons were used and ...
  A: Billy: The Marshal Island campaign consisted of the capture of Kwajalein, Majuro and Enewetak, ...
mortar sight2/1/2009
  Q: MY FATHER IN LAW HAS ACHEMICAL MORTAR SIGHT SER.NO 3443 LOT 50-6 C A CO THAT HE BROUGHT HOME FROM ...
  A: Bob: You might post a question on the following sites to see what people might pay for it. There ...
German Military1/28/2009
  Q: these pics I have come across inscription on the back is Belgrade year 1949 are you able to ...
  A: Anna: Judging from the uniform, it appears he is a member of the the German Gebirgsjager or Alpine ...
disposition of artillery at trenton1/15/2009
  Q: I am researching a biography of Cpt. Thomas Clark of the NJ militia artillery, son of the signer. He ...
  A: According to: http://www.ushistory.org/WashingtonCrossing/history/artillery.htm The artillery was ...
Kelly Field, TX Photo's1/11/2009
  Q: I was cleaning out my Grandfathers attic and found 2 panoramic photo's(9x51)of solider's from Kelly ...
  A: Check out these sites, they may shed some light on your photos. If you contact them they might be ...
world war I1/1/2009
  Q: What were the military practices/tactics used by the French in World War I?
  A: Joe: First, if you are interested in WWI and controversies surrounding it, look up the book Myths ...
WWII - British Admiral and Secretary of State12/17/2008
  Q: Patton: Hopefully, you can help me out with a couple of questions. I recently was made aware of ...
  A: Larry: Try here. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/royal-navy-service.asp Or ...
falklands conflict12/9/2008
  Q: just wondering if you could shed any light on my question for my history coursework. It is: what do ...
  A: Lewis: I am not an expert on this particular clash but these are my thoughts. The biggest factor I ...
trying to identify cavalry sabre11/10/2008
  Q: my name is simon and I know of a person that has a very old cavalry sabre that might appear to be ...
  A: Simon: The tip type is called a clip tip. It might be a Mameluke Saber. Check out the picture ...
Value of rifle11/10/2008
  Q: I have an 1873 45/70 breech loader. serial # 493441. Has US on the butt plate and on the top of the ...
  A: You don't say whether you have the carbine or rifle model. That would make a big difference. See ...
D-day11/4/2008
  Q: Could you point me in the right direction of the historical debates surrounding D-day? what do ...
  A: Josh: The biggest controversy of course is whether the landings won the war or was the war won by ...
The War on land Schieffen plan10/26/2008
  Q: Can you name some things that can symbolize this topic? How is the war on land/schlieffen plan ...
  A: Tom: I am not sure of the context of your question. The Von Schlieffen Plan was an operational ...
Civil War10/3/2008
  Q: what did a typical civil war soldier carry into battle? And what were the main differences between ...
  A: Kenneth: Since both armies drew their officers from the same training base (US Military Academy) ...
Personnalitiys of Leaders9/30/2008
  Q: i was wondering if you could enlighten me on the attributes and skills of the three commanders and ...
  A: Blucher was of the old school. He was determined, tenacious and loyal. He told Wellington he would ...
WWII draft9/29/2008
  Q: My father was not a citizen of the U.S. until June of 1942. He volunteered immediately after that ...
  A: Jan: I believe the info below is current law as Aliens were exempt during WWII. They did take ...
canon equipment9/26/2008
  Q: I made a diorama consisting of a Revolutionary War cannon and four figures. Two of the figures held ...
  A: One would have something that looked like a cork screw called a wormer. This was to pull out any ...
the falklands war9/9/2008
  Q: i am not sure whether you will be able to answer this but its worth ago. in your opinion what are ...
  A: Probably the main point was Will. The argentine junta launched its ill fated venture to deflect ...
Battle of Waterloo9/8/2008
  Q: Writing an essay on why Napoleon lost, is there any technical reasons you could help me with? ...
  A: The gods were against him. I say this because had he been able to launch his attack earlier in the ...
30.06 springfield9/8/2008
  Q: i recent;y found a rifle in my passed grandpas golf bag. and i have been trying to get information ...
  A: It sounds like you have a 1906 Springfield manufactured by Remington. During WWI and later until ...
score card for army shot gun8/26/2008
  Q: Do you know if there is a score card for the 12 gauge shot gun for the military. And if there is ...
  A: I could not find any evidence of one. You might try one of the dedicated shooting forums. To my ...
ww2 bomb site8/13/2008
  Q: My dad passed away and he was in the marines in ww2. He had a bomb site i guess used to detect ...
  A: Bettianne: It does not sound like any bomb sight I know of unless it was a war trophy that he ...
Austro-Prussian WAr 18668/11/2008
  Q: What were the armys involving in battles? What were the sthenght and the order of battle of the ...
  A: Sorry about that, I was in a hurry getting ready to leave for vacation. Try here they have a number ...
95 mm brass cannonball8/11/2008
  Q: i was wondering if you could tell me about a 95mm brass cannonball that i found in the attic of the ...
  A: Shiela: I did some research for you and I do not think you have a cannon ball. For one thing brass ...
Austro-Prussian WAr 18668/2/2008
  Q: What were the armys involving in battles? What were the sthenght and the order of battle of the ...
  A: Marco: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Prussian_War_Order_of_Battle France Order of battle ...
Springfield 03 in 30-066/28/2008
  Q: I have an 03 that is a great shooter. What I do'nt know is who made it. The top of the receiver says ...
  A: James: The government let out a lot of contracts to make the 03a3. Not limited to Springfield, ...
British artillery - Battle of Waterloo6/13/2008
  Q: I am looking for an "exploded" view of the above. I recently inherited a lithograph covering the ...
  A: Barbara: I think this might help you out. this site also has a wealth of other information. ...
Cape Passaro 17186/4/2008
  Q: Judging on the lack of sources on the internet, I was wondering what the Spanish casualty list of ...
  A: From what I could find, I don't think it was that large a battle. As explained here: ...
WWI5/15/2008
  Q: My name is Shane Gersbach. I'm an eighth grader at Alderwood middle in Washington State. I'm doing ...
  A: Shane: The US got into the war mainly for political reasons. During that period the US was ...
research on D-day5/13/2008
  Q: Patton, I am an 8th grader at Alderwood Middle School and I am doing a research on American history ...
  A: Radu: 1) The lack of a coordinated counter attack by the German forces. This was due to the ...
Gulf war5/12/2008
  Q: My name is Oscar Covarrubias and i'm an 8th grader at alderwood middle school in lynwood ...
  A: Oscar: 1) Standard issue what? Weapon? It was the M-16A2. Uniforms were the desert camoflage ...
Hollywood vs History4/11/2008
  Q: I'm interested in the Hollywood vs History angle. The film "300" won big at the box office so it ...
  A: Jim: Most films ar totally inaccurate. Even the highly regarded Saving Private Ryan, and Band of ...
Rommel - Battle of El Alamein4/10/2008
  Q: I'm in the process of completing a project on Rommel's role in the Battle of El Alamein in 1943. I ...
  A: Paula: The blame for the N. African debacle did not lay with Rommel. There were a lot of factors: ...
Gatling gun4/3/2008
  Q: I have often wondered why no use was made of the powered Gatling gun in WW2.In particular,it might ...
  A: Michael: It is hard to bring old ideas back in vogue. The problem with the gatling gun was ...
30 cal. water cooled machine gun3/25/2008
  Q: When did the Marine Corps disband the last weapons company and particularly the 30 cal. water cooled ...
  A: Simon: I could not find any specific information. Some sources say it saw service in Viet Nam, ...
the great conspiracy3/1/2008
  Q: I have a copy of the great conspiracy by John Logan my dad gave me...it's in bad condition- the ...
  A: Mark: If it is indeed an autographed copy of the book, It might be worth substantially more than an ...
M6 Heavy Tank & Gen. AdnaR. Chaffee Jr.2/13/2008
  Q: If it had been possible to mass produce the M6 Heavy Tank and have the capability to move it to ...
  A: Charles: Thats a lot of what ifs. Had the M6 it been available earlier there is no doubt it ...
question about rifles & knives2/4/2008
  Q: Movies about WWII, every soldier that had a rifle, had a knife on the end of it. It seemed to be a ...
  A: David: The knife you refer to is called a bayonet. The name derives from the french term "bayon" or ...
Early Modern Pike/Shot interaction1/31/2008
  Q: I have looked long and short for sources, sites, books, articles, essays and the regarding pike and ...
  A: Dennis: The shot actually were formed outside the inner bastion of pike. They were arrayed in ...
5 star generals and wrestlers1/20/2008
  Q: where there any 5 star generals in the russian army with the name sounding like kiselerva. Also was ...
  A: Alex: Here is a list of all the Soviet Generals whose name began with Ki. For a more complete ...
Revolutionary War cannon ordnance1/11/2008
  Q: What did cannon balls do in the time of the American revolution and where/what can I read more on ...
  A: Sam: Hollywood has done a dis-service to artillery through the ages. There were generally three ...
WW11 tanks1/1/2008
  Q: i'm working on a research paper on the development of the german tank after WW1. the primary book ...
  A: Ian: It is not so easy when it comes to doctrine. In the US Army the Tradoc Command dictates ...
WW2 squad orqanisation for USA12/20/2007
  Q: How many men were in standard WW2 era US marine squad? How many men were in WW2 era US airborne ...
  A: The Table of Organization for the Army was standard. The Airborne squads had 12 men, same as the ...
Marine F-4 Units in Vietnam12/6/2007
  Q: Looking for the Marine F-4 units in I Corp and II Corp from 1966-1969 that were stationed in those ...
  A: Larry: They go by Marine Air Wing. I did a search on Google.com for Marine Air Wing Viet Nam and ...
Impediments11/27/2007
  Q: Mr. Patton, I am doing research on impediments, or trenches that would be used as a deterent to ...
  A: Steve: There are a lot of different forms of impediments some man-made others natural. Here are a ...
ww1 and the usa11/7/2007
  Q: could you pls help me in regards to examining the impact the entry of the US had on the first world ...
  A: James: The primary impact the US had on the war was a fresh supply of manpower. The war and tactics ...
weapons of prussia in the 30 years war10/30/2007
  Q: Patton I am curious to know what weapons and military tactics were used during the thirty years war ...
  A: Here is a good treatise on the weapons and tactics of the Thirty Years War ...
Japan on World War II9/24/2007
  Q: Could you explain me what kind of interests could have Japan in order to participate on World War II ...
  A: Japan had signed a Pact with the other Axis powers Italy and Germany. Britain, France, the ...
My Lai Massacre - RVN9/8/2007
  Q: What did the army conclude in their investigation were the probable causes of the My Lai Massacre. ...
  A: I never read the actual report, but I have read enough to know the following. The Americal Division ...
Hitler's "brilliance"8/25/2007
  Q: Were Hitler's speeches "brilliant," as some have claimed, that is to say, were they on the order of ...
  A: I wouldn't go so far to say they were brilliant in the vein of those you cite. More they were ...
Tank inventor7/2/2007
  Q: Liddell Hart in his book 'A history of the First World War' (p256) refers to a Nottingham Plumber ...
  A: The first tank patented by Australian inventor De La Mole. However, Ernest Swinton recieves credit ...
VT Fuse6/14/2007
  Q: Who the VT fuse first and for what purpose?
  A: The US was the only country to perfect the Vt or Radio Proximity fuse. It was used primarily to ...
Alfred Mahan6/9/2007
  Q: I have read most of Adm. Mahan's work but I was wondering if you could tell me some sources to read ...
  A: Here are a few sources for material. ...
ww2 ETO Hurtgen Forest campaign6/5/2007
  Q: researching my fathers army artillery outfit...1st Bn 941st FA. IAW Bn CO's journal the 941st ...
  A: Try contacting or perusing this website. The historians are usually pretty helpful. ...
17 pounder tank weapon3/25/2007
  Q: how big was the 17 pounder in mm. I am confused between the metric and the pounder this and pounder ...
  A: It was a 76.2 mm. The old "pdr" connotation goes back to the days of round solid shot in smoothbore ...
Adolf Hitler3/17/2007
  Q: There may be no historical answer to this question, but i guess i can get your opinion. If Hitler ...
  A: I don't think Hitler's emnity was pointed at the west as much as the east. Initially he was only ...
Question about specific person in WW22/1/2007
  Q: I want to write a biography about my grandfather and I have a question. He was in World War 2 and I ...
  A: Try this: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/ Once you know what unit and organization he was in, ...
WWII Wepon10/30/2006
  Q: What was the basic rifle and other guns used by American Infantry in World War II
  A: Morgan: At the start of the war, the Springfield bolt action 1903 Model A3 was the standard issue ...
Furthering the 'Arian' race theory10/11/2006
  Q: Followup To Question - Mr. Patton: Do you know if there has been any evidence uncovered of ...
  A: The Mexicans sent one Squadron called Escuadron 201 the Aztec Eagles of aircraft provided by the US ...
Furthering the 'Arian' race theory10/10/2006
  Q: Mr. Patton: Do you know if there has been any evidence uncovered of Hitler's intention regarding the ...
  A: Dawn: While your son was on the right track, it was more than just outnumbering them. The US ...
Fate of Seydlitz Committee members10/9/2006
  Q: What happened to the members of the Seydlitz Committee (Seydlitz, Von Paulus,et.al.) following the ...
  A: The committee was disbanded in 1945 after the German surrender. Some went on to be politically ...
combat ratios10/5/2006
  Q: I would like to know how many infantry soldiers are assigned to an army infantry brigade? I know a ...
  A: Larry: The 9 to one is actually kind of low by today's standard. The service tail has gotten ...
Furthering the 'Arian' race theory10/5/2006
  Q: Mr. Patton: Do you know if there has been any evidence uncovered of Hitler's intention regarding the ...
  A: Dawn: You are probably right, eventually he would have gotten around to them. He personally ...
battle of antietam (civil war)9/26/2006
  Q: What were the strategies used by both the north and the south in this battle? The Battle of Antietam
  A: Chad: Don't confuse strategy and tactics. Strategy deals with the big picture of how and why to ...
Metal useage9/12/2006
  Q: Could you give me some information about metal and it being taken from homes and familes during the ...
  A: My father use to tell me about the metal drives. The drives would urge civilians to donate metal ...
German anger with Britain8/30/2006
  Q: We all have heard how Kaiser Wilhelm thought Britain and France were deliberately trying to deny ...
  A: That is an interesting thesis. However, communism has its greatest appeal in states where the ...
Gulf War I8/23/2006
  Q: Sir, I'm a Major attending a brazilian CGSC. We have being tasked to make a work about a Brigade ...
  A: Luis: Take a look at the following: http://www.knox.army.mil/armormag/backissues.htm There are a ...
world war II battle maps8/9/2006
  Q: Mr. Patton: I am currently a student of Military history at a university in TN. I wish to ...
  A: To your question about my name, it is more interesting to me that my family's arrival in the ...
ammunition boxes5/25/2006
  Q: Mr. Patton, My mother recently gave me 2 wooden boxes with metal hinges and closures that she ...
  A: Judy: First, what country are you in? Great Britain, Canada, or the US? I am trying to understand ...
Military Draft WWII5/13/2006
  Q: During WWII were married men with several children given draft deferments? If so, what was the ...
  A: In WWII, "Unless it suited the needs of the military, no one was deferred. Married men with ...
M14 Qualification Score Sheet5/11/2006
  Q: Yes Sir I'm just checking to see if there was some type of score sheet/card for the M14? If so ...
  A: Hmm, I am sure there is probably something out there. Try these you can probably use one or the ...
WWII Strategy and Foreign Affairs influened by Economics5/7/2006
  Q: How did economics influence the US's Foreign Policy/Strategic War Decisions in WWII? I'm pretty ...
  A: Jennifer: The question is an interesting one. There are probably a lot of opinions on this, all of ...
War time presidents past / present4/28/2006
  Q: Mr. Patton, You always give Great informative answers ! You answered a question for me about the ...
  A: Ron: Archer Jone's book Why the North Won address some of your questions about Lincoln. If nothing ...
second world war4/22/2006
  Q: how was the german tank ace michael wittman killed
  A: From the Wiki online encyclopedia: Death Wittmann was killed in action less than two months after ...
tactics3/8/2006
  Q: information for small battles. I'm the screenwriter who asked about how you would handle being ...
  A: Scott: Here is one for you. I can't remember the name of it, but it happened during the ...
tactics2/22/2006
  Q: Patton, Let me start by saying I know my question is a little (translate to "completely") ...
  A: I don't want to dash your hopes but this has been done on a TV show in the 1960's. It starred ...
Civil War2/7/2006
  Q: Patton, Many mistakes were made by both sides during the Civil War. If you had to pick the single ...
  A: Ron: Interesting question. There is currently a school of thought that the Conf. shot themselves ...
1974 weapons capabilities.1/16/2006
  Q: For a book (fiction) I am writing about a joint CIA/U.S. secret military operation in 1974, I would ...
  A: Noe: 2) I don't think the object would fit in the rear cargo door of the SeaStallion. It might you ...
Army uniform1/8/2006
  Q: Do you possibly know how to place Captain bars on an M-65 field jacket?
  A: Hmmm Let me think, I should remember since I was in Germany in the 70's. Since it is a field ...
WWII Audie Murphy12/21/2005
  Q: During WWII, how many German soldiers did Audie Murphy (the most decorated American Soldier in the ...
  A: The number is hard to pin down exactly but his Medal of Honor citation says around 50 killed or ...
Battle Groups12/18/2005
  Q: What effect would a US Carrier battle group lying off shore Europe have on the length, outcome of ...
  A: Malcom: Virtually none. What good would a vunerable carrier force have done when land based ...
Roman army11/3/2005
  Q: Could u plz help me i need info about military tactics and training for Roman soldiers. It's for a ...
  A: Gabbi: First, the Roman army went through numerous changes in the thousand odd years of the Roman ...
American tanks production strategy in WWII10/4/2005
  Q: Why did the U.S. produce high volumes of lower quality tanks such as the Sherman which was such a ...
  A: Interesting question. It is a bit more complicated. First, there was a school of armor in the US ...
Mexican American War awards8/30/2005
  Q: My third great grand uncle was severely wounded at the Battle of Monterrey 24 Sept 1846. Was there ...
  A: Dee ann: Sorry to say that at the time there were no awards as such. George Washington instituted ...
military ranking during Revolution8/1/2005
  Q: I am a dance historian researching social dance and drill during the American Revolution. Because ...
  A: Melissa: I gathered some links for you the first is from the US Army Military History site and a ...
Missionary Ridge Battle/nuclear6/23/2005
  Q: I have a two part question. On November 24, 1863 in Tennessee there was a battle. Someone in that ...
  A: I have no idea. Since 88 years separate the two events, the person in question would have to be ...
u.s. army special operations in first world war5/9/2005
  Q: Patton, Do you know anything on an inncident in 1918 concerning a special unit equipped with ...
  A: Robert: There might have been nuggets of truth in there, like President Wilson's remarks. But they ...
u.s. army special operations in first world war5/8/2005
  Q: Patton, Do you know anything on an inncident in 1918 concerning a special unit equipped with ...
  A: Robert: Here is the url for an article that talks about the gun and it's affect on the Germans. ...
Military system5/5/2005
  Q: My question is not particularly your area of interest, but with your knowledge I am sure you can ...
  A: Usman: I really need more information. By military system, do you mean weapons system, or do you ...
30 years war - weapons and tactics4/24/2005
  Q: Patton, could you please explain to me something of the battle tactics employed in the thirty years ...
  A: William: Since firearms at the time were at best unreliable, formations of pikemen were mainly ...
Air and Space Power4/14/2005
  Q: Good day to you Mr Patton, I am doing research on Air and Space power and wanted to find out how ...
  A: Matt: Two things come to mind. First with respect to airpower. The USAF strives to achieve air ...
Cold war4/8/2005
  Q: This question is about the cold war. Before inter-continental missiles, US bombers with nuclear ...
  A: Nicholas: No, they did not. The Soviets never did have the emphasis on strategic bombers that we ...
Nation guards4/7/2005
  Q: My assignment is to intervoew somebody about my topic the national guard. I will post 10 questions ...
  A: 1) No 2)National Guard is the modern equivalent of the old state militias. They are partially ...
Czech Republic military history4/5/2005
  Q: What is the purpose of the lanyard worn over the left shoulder on a Czech military dress uniform?
  A: Kirk: The lanyard has it's orgins in the utilitarian purpose of keeping an item close to hand. In ...
Schlieffen plan3/21/2005
  Q: I was asked a question in history, and I'm not really sure how to answer it. If the Schlieffen plan ...
  A: Andrea: What the Von Schlieffen plan did was violate the neutrality of Belgium and the ...
What were the strategies used...3/14/2005
  Q: What were the strategies used by the north and the south during the civil war? And what strategies ...
  A: Frank: The north's strategy was many faceted. It started by instituting a naval blockade of ...
World War One3/8/2005
  Q: Was propaganda an important factor in getting people to work for the cause of World War One?
  A: Yes< World War I saw just about every combatant nation use propaganda in just about every medium. ...
Tank Inventor2/23/2005
  Q: Sir, Who was the inventor of the military tank?
  A: Keith: The proper nomenclature it Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV), Tank was the code word used by ...
mexican-american war (1848-1848)2/20/2005
  Q: Were there any new technological innovations produced, such as weapons and tatics, that contributed ...
  A: There weren't many, the main tactics were those used during the napoleonic wars. Rifled muskets had ...
Connotation of "Kittyhawk"2/17/2005
  Q: I'd like to know what is the connatation of the term "kittyhawk"? I know it is the name of an old ...
  A: Jason: Actually the name Kittyhawk is the town in North Carolina, that the Wright Brothers first ...
military history...12/17/2004
  Q: I asked you a question about the schlieffen plan and plan 17 and 19... Thanks for your help ! Pardon ...
  A: Eva: The Central Powers were Germany and Austria-Hungary. The Triple Entente powers were Britain, ...
Origins of WWI12/15/2004
  Q: Can you elaborate on the development of two armed camps and their plans for war before WWI...Such as ...
  A: Eva: One important point to remember, it shows how needless the war was, was that Queen Victoria of ...
Civil War Battle Tactics12/8/2004
  Q: Patton, After the Civil War ended many of the soldiers went on to fight the Indians in the west. In ...
  A: Ron: First, few if any of the tactics used during the civil war worked against the indians. The ...
WW112/7/2004
  Q:
  A: Probably the largest effect was that of displacement of the status quo. Several large monachies, ...
book11/30/2004
  Q: Hey there My boyfriend is a total military history buff. I want to get him an entertaining book for ...
  A: K.C.: I'll give you a couple of suggestions. The first is non-fiction, but it is a facinating book ...
I have questions about the Battle of Waterloo.11/29/2004
  Q: Q: If Wellington did not make the decisive moves he made during the battle would he have lost? Q: ...
  A: Tom: Looks like homework. Here's some help. Yes. Muskets, Bayonet, Artillery and some rifled ...
Civilization10/26/2004
  Q: Good Afternoon I am reading the Clash Of Civilization article by " Samuel p Hungtington" But need ...
  A: Jib: First, I don't do homework, this sounds like a question regarding an article you should have ...
detterence10/25/2004
  Q: I have one more question. Can u tell me what r the key varibales in thinking about deterrence ...
  A: Haq: The basis for deterrence lies in the knowledge of the opponent that the detriments out weight ...
Nuclear Weapon10/24/2004
  Q: Heloo Please tell me what parallels are there between the introduction of the gun and introduction ...
  A: Jib: Well you could say at first it revolutionized the way war was fought, for a time. Armies and ...
war10/21/2004
  Q: I am doing a research on war and would like to have your opinions regarding the following question ...
  A: Haq: In keeping with what I said about the causes, lets look at the armies. In ancient times up to ...
european warfare help10/17/2004
  Q: hey, my name is justin howard and i am in an AP European Histoy class at Eastlake High school in ...
  A: Justin: My family is from the Shenandoah Valley of Virgina, having settled there on the frontier in ...
military history-europe10/12/2004
  Q: was there a military revolution in europe in the 17th century? substantiate
  A: Sounds like a homework question. I will get you started. Gustafus Adolphus of Sweden, ...
World war 29/13/2004
  Q: During early 1945, what was the exact strength of the German army and airforce? Did army group ...
  A: John: Army Group Center was pretty much destroyed in Operation Bagration in Summer of 1944. Some ...
iraq9/9/2004
  Q: What is the main reason that we went to war with Iraq?
  A: PC: Well there are plenty of opinions out there as to why we went to war. There is the connections ...
WW II aand Vietnam Veterans Memorial7/12/2004
  Q: I was with the 96th Division that landed in Leyte the Philippines. How many ships were in that ...
  A: Bill: Try here. http://www.army.mil/cmh/ I recall a paper in their archives that dealt with the ...
footlocker6/28/2004
  Q: Patton: I inherited a footlocker when my parents passed away and unfortunately there is no one left ...
  A: Jack: Sorry about the late response I promised. Here are a few sites I found for the 7th Inf. and ...
WWII war tactics6/1/2004
  Q: i was wondering what were the US war tactics during world war II, and in which parts of the war did ...
  A: Joni: I answered a similar question not too long ago regarding Viet Nam. WII was a mobile war, ...
M14 qualification5/22/2004
  Q: Did the U.S.Army use and qualify with the M14 in the nineteen-sixties?
  A: Yes, The M-14 was the primary arm of the army for the period after Korea, till the adoption of the ...
silencers colt 19115/10/2004
  Q: First of all, I'm french so sorry for my bad english. My question is: The US Army's colt 1911 that ...
  A: Fabrice: Greetings from Houston, I until recently worked for Schlumberger, Ltd. But that is a ...
WWII and Vietnam War Tactics5/6/2004
  Q: What were the difference between the Vietnam War and WWII tactics, on BOTH sides? (but if you can ...
  A: Jennifer: That is a tall order since there were a lot of tactics used in different theaters in ...
Nuclear Arms4/15/2004
  Q: I am in a college International Studies class that is offered at my High School. This semester we ...
  A: Marcus: Well, per se, I know of no "pro" nuclear arms groups. Contrary to the "anti's", those who ...
Combat load3/24/2004
  Q: what is the waight of the fully loaded american soldier
  A: Matthew: It really depends on the mission. I would have to say that the most heavily loaded ...
Modern day infantry vs Civil War Era infantry3/20/2004
  Q: Patton,"How are you" You answered a question for me a while back about Battle of little big ...
  A: Ron: Interesting question. First, you have to take into consideration the type of soldier of today ...
Irish Military History3/14/2004
  Q: I've been researching and can't seem to find information on the history of wars and invasions of ...
  A: Mickey: Don't know too much about Ireland. But here are some sites that give some info. I did a ...
The Second World War (This is not a homework question)2/28/2004
  Q: (1 How did the Second World War promote the cause of anti-colonialism? and (2) Did the formation of ...
  A: Peter: Well, for one most of the colonial powers were on the losing end of the war at the ...
American Civil War2/22/2004
  Q: My name is Ben and in school, I am studying the American Civil War. All students are required to do ...
  A: Ben: First, as a budding historian you need to learn what a thesis is. It is an original ...

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Keith H. Patton

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I can answer questions pertaining to weapons and tactics, personalities, battles, and strategies in european and U.S. history.

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I was a history major, and had done extensive research in the subject area. I have designed and tested numerous computer games for various
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B.A History M.S. Science
I have had the opportunity to live abroad and walk numerous battlefields both in the United States, Europe, and the Pacific.

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