Once again, the U.S. military found itself woefully short of weapons and U.S.
Ordnance men scoured Americas available stocks of small arms.
After spending nearly 20 years in storage, theU.S.
M1917 Enfield rifles from World War Iwere called upon to serve once more.
After the Great War, U.S.
Ordnance opted to maintain the M1903 Springfield across the board as Americas primary battle rifle.
Coming out of storage, many M1917s needed reconditioning primarily barrels, bolts and stocks.
and 46 long).
Even so, it was also too good for U.S.
Ordnance to pass up, and once again the Enfield was there to serve when America needed it.
Shots fired in anger in U.S. hands were rare, but it did happen on occasion.
The next day, Imperial Japanese troops began their assault on the Philippines.
China
China had been at war since the Japanese invasion of Manchuria during September 1931.
These troops were equipped and trained by American advisors, beginning in 1942.
In response, the M1917 was shortened by 5, trimming both the barrel and stock.
By September, the First Free French Army had grown to more than 550,000 men.
The potential for a German invasion loomed large and the need to equip every able-bodied Englishman was immediate.
