Since those frightful early encounters with tanks, infantry anti-tank weapons have been in constant development.
The Official Story
As with any new weapon, troops made some wild assumptions about the Bazooka.
The hollow charge does not rely on high muzzle velocity and solid shot to penetrate armor plate.
A heavy British tank advances along the Western Front while German POWs carry wounded soldiers to aid stations in October 1918. Image: NARA
They are powerful supporting arms which may be used both offensively and defensively.
Field reports state that the Bazooka has been very effective against tanks and other armored vehicles.
The muzzle velocity of these weapons is 265 feet per second.
A heavy British tank advances along the Western Front while German POWs carry wounded soldiers to aid stations in October 1918. Image: NARA
Any ammunition within this cone is usually exploded.
John C. McManus is one of Americas leading historians, and he spent countless hours interviewing G.I.
Others made it to Losheimergraben, only to become embroiled in close-quarters fighting with the Americans.
A G.I. of the 1st Infantry Division poses next to a Jadgpanzer IV tank destroyer that he knocked out with a bazooka at Hamich, Germany, on November 16, 1944. Image: NARA
Antitank guns were not as big of a problem for them as bazookas.
These handheld tubes were the great equalizer in any tank-versus-man confrontation.
That hardly mattered, though.
A U.S. soldier runs by a burning German “Hetzer” tank destroyer with his M9 bazooka near Aldenhoven, Germany during late November 1944. Image: NARA
The bazooka only required a two-man crew.
Carrying the batteries in inner pockets in cold climates will keep them sufficiently warm.
Spare batteries can be carried in the pockets and switched with cold ones every half hour.
A U.S. soldier with a bazooka watches for Panzers along a road in the Ardennes, December 1944. Image: NARA
A fall on the nose after the removal of the safety wire will cause detonation.
This occurs during cold weather but may also occur at other times.
This protection is important in cold climates or when no flash deflector is available.
U.S. soldiers of the 9th Infantry Division compare the single-piece M1A1 (left) bazooka with two-piece M9. Both versions were in use during the Battle of the Bulge. Image: NARA
It is also recommended that both the firer and loader wear steel helmets when using the launcher.
When firing from trenches or foxholes, clearance should be provided so the back-blast is not deflected against personnel.
Advanced training with the Bazooka made a critical difference.
A U.S. Ordnance catalog description of the M1A1 and M9A1 Bazookas from the summer of 1944. Image: U.S. Army Ordnance Museum
Care and maintenance of the launcher, and particularly the rather finicky rockets was also very important.
After the Battle of Bulge, the 57mm guns quickly began to disappear.
An adjustable range scale provides graduations from 50 to 700 yards in 50-yard increments.
While the Bazooka was a simple device, it still required ongoing maintenance and care. Training made a critical difference. Image: U.S. Army Ordnance Museum
Assembled and ready for firing, the rocket launcher measures 55 inches overall and weighs approximately 14 12 pounds.
Big Cats in the Ardennes
For most G.I.s, every German tank was a Tiger.
Even the sides of the King Tiger were thick at 80mm.
Bazooka-equipped U.S. infantry in the Ardennes Forest move into defensive positions during the Battle of the Bulge. Image: NARA
By late 1944, the Panzer MKV Panther had become the most common of the German main battle tanks.
The Germans considered the 50-ton Panther to be a medium tank, while the Allies considered it a heavy.
Regardless, the Panther was arguably the best overall tank of the entire war.
The troublesome batteries of the M1/M1A1 Bazookas led to the development of a magneto ignition system for the M9, which arrived in September 1944. Image: NARA
To save weight, the Panthers sides only carried 50mm (maximum) armor.
Consequently, Panther sides were vulnerable to Bazookas and U.S. anti-tank guns.
Maximum armor protection on the Panzer IV was 80mm, and the sides only featured 30mm.
Test firing a M9 against a derelict Panzer MKV “Panther” in Belgium during early December 1944. Advanced combat training was critical for the success of the Bazooka teams. Image: NARA
These vehicles carried a heavy gun, usually 75mm, mounted with very limited traverse in an armored casemate.
Frontal armor ranged up to 80mm, but the sides were vulnerable with less than 50mm of protection.
A couple of G.I.s were seen attempting to set a tank on fire with armloads of burning straw.
U.S. troops examine a captured German Tiger II, or King Tiger, tank near Bastogne. The nearly 77-ton beast was rare, but Germany deployed more than 120 during the Ardennes offensive. Image: U.S. Department of Defense
A tank that cannot move quickly becomes an iron coffin.
When tanks operate in urban or wooded areas, the opposing infantry suddenly has many advantages.
Without infantry to protect them from G.I.
The PzKpfw V Panther tank was a common opponent during the Battle of the Bulge. This one was destroyed by American troops on December 18, 1944. Image: NARA
Ultimately, the greatest anti-tank weapon available to the infantry is their courage.
In the Battle of the Bulge, American courage led to the triumph of man over machine.
