U.S. Army Machine Gun Squad (1914): M1909 Benét–Mercié

An early U.S. Army Machine Gun Squad (1914). Before the U.S. entered World War I, the Infantry Regiment’s machine guns were all contained within a Provisional Machine Gun Company. This company at war strength had 4 squads (2 platoons) that each served a M1909 Benét–Mercié feed strip-fed machine gun.

At this time the squad was 10 men: a Squad Leader (Sergeant), Gunner (Corporal), and numbers 1 to 8. No 1 was the Loader, No. 2 was the Tripod Carrier, and No. 3 was a crewmember. In the Drill Regulations, Nos. 4 to 6 were designated as Pack Drivers (1 gunmule and 2 ammo mules) and Nos. 7 and 8 were Ammo Carriers. However, the T/O allotted for 4 mules like the cavalry version of the squad. Which one is more definitive I don’t know, but I tend to go with the regulations specific to the M1909.

In 1917 the regimental company was expanded to 6 and then 16 machine guns (Hotchkiss M1914 or Vickers or M1917s at the very end) during the war, plus a 4-company Machine Gun Battalion at the brigade-level so 5 of 6 Infantry Battalions in a brigade could have one MG Company in support.