WWI Hand Bomber / Rifle Grenadier / Automatic Rifleman

The 1917 US infantry platoon had four distinct rifle specialties: hand bombers (grenadiers throwing fragmentation), rifle grenadiers (firing VB cup-launchers off Springfields), riflemen, and automatic riflemen (Chauchat or BAR gunners). Each was a separate billet with separate equipment.

The Story

The AEF issued 244,000 French Chauchats — nicknamed the "Sho-Sho" in 8mm Lebel. American Rifleman magazine called it "that damned, jammed Chauchat." When the BAR arrived in September 1918, it was such an upgrade that the entire automatic-rifleman specialty as a separate billet started its slide toward becoming a regular squad role.