Ebony Doughboys

Weapons

Upon the 93rd Infantry Division's arrival in France in 1918 the men of the division were reissued French weapons and equipment. The only US equipment that they were able to retain was the US uniform. The 1903 Springfield was the weapon that was standard for US Infantry and Marines during the war. The 93rd was required to retrain with all French weapons. The primary rifle issued to the 93rd was the Berthier 1907/15 M.16 and model 1917 8 mm.

1903 Springfield Rifle

The M1903 Springfield, formally the United States Rifle, Caliber .30-06, Model 1903, is an American clip-loaded, 5-round magazine fed, bolt-action service rifle used primarily during the first half of the 20th century. It was officially adopted as a United States military bolt-action rifle on June 19, 1903, and saw service in World War I. It was officially replaced as the standard infantry rifle by the faster-firing semi-automatic 8 round M1 Garand starting in 1937. However, the M1903 Springfield remained in service as a standard issue infantry rifle during World War II, since the U.S. entered the war without sufficient M1 rifles to arm all troops. It also remained in service as a sniper rifle during World War II, the Korean War, and even in the early stages of the Vietnam War. It remains popular as a civilian firearm, historical collector's piece, and as a military drill rifle.

The Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II (1940). After World War II, the Berthier carbine with a five round clip ( Mle 1890M16, 1892M16 and Mle 1916 "mousquetons" ) was again utilized by French Foreign Legion and some colonial infantry and cavalry units, including the French Spahis. Mle 1916 Berthier carbines were retained in some French law enforcement units (e.g. the "Compagnies Republicaines de Securite" or "CRS") until the 1960s. The Berthier weapons were invented by a French civilian engineer in the Algerian railways, named Emile Berthier, whose first short carbine designed to arm cavalry troops was adopted by the French Army on March 14, 1890. The preserved French records indicate that altogether in excess of 2 million Berthier rifles and carbines were manufactured by the French State manufactures supplemented by civilian industries.

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