Essay - Non-commissioned Officers (Nco) in the American Army 1925-1945 Outline Research...

Non-commissioned Officers (NCO) in the American Army 1925-1945

Outline

***** initially presented a challenge as a dearth of information addressing specific supporting segments seemed to exist. Nevertheless, as this writer continued to seek information in the library and online Army related websites, ***** bank ***** words grew ***** materialized in***** this paper.

Facets of the U.S. ***** from 1925 - 1945

***** army is always the same. The sun and ***** moon change. The army knows no seasons." Nathan Brittles, played by John Wayne, made th***** comment when referr*****g to *****e army's permanence in the 1949 movie, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (Nugent, Stall*****gs, ***** Ford). In a sense, the ***** perm*****nency may or may not change in time. Regard*****g changes in the U.S. Army's discipl*****e, training, duties, and weapons however, changes have and will most likely continue, just as during the time from 1925 ***** 1945. According to the Army Study Guide, "America's NCO corps and designated discipline details just didn't happen, but evolved over the years, tapping ide***** and innovations ***** many different sources" (Army). Influence ***** Baron Von Steuben, ***** first inspector general, powerfully shaped the structure of NCO ***** and ensuing discipline strategies and techniques, ***** only in the Cont*****ental Army, but ultimately within the U.S. Army. Von ***** introduced ***** officially established "the Regulations for ***** Order and Discipline of the Troops of ***** United States, commonly called the 'Blue Book.'"

The "Blue Book" ********** "duties and responsibilities ***** corporals, sergeants, first sergeants, quartermaster sergeants, and sergeants major, while it encompasses the ***** ranks ***** that day." The book also established qualities a soldier must h*****ve to serve in demanding positions. Although the ***** Book ceased ***** serve as ***** U.S. Army's regulatory bible after 30 years, it provided the frame for Army guides and manuals used during 1925 - 1945.

TABLE 1. Life Span of ***** Doctrine Manuals

Publication Year

Longevity in *****s

Odom 6)

***** the period from ***** - *****, and including World War II, similar to war in the eighteenth century, combat consisted of close range fighting, with "massed-fire melee, where rapidity of firing was ***** primary importance. Accuracy was little more than firing faster than the opposing line." Training for use of *****, drawn from the manual of arms and firing drills stressed firing speed. Speed ***** *****, it was determined, ***** best gained by soldiers repeatedly being drilled h*****ling *****ir firearms. Practices of the firing motions were repeated over and over and ***** until the loading and ***** actions became automatic. Mechanical firing motions during ***** time from 1925 - 1945, for practice and combat, were derived from the following identified eight counts; fifteen motions utilized in the 18th century:

Fire! One Motion.

Half-Cock — Firelock! One *****.

***** — Cartridge! One Motion.

Prime! One Motion.

Shut — Pan! ***** Motion.

Charge with *****! Two motions.

***** — Rammer! Two motions.

Ram down — Cartridge! One Motion.

Return — *****! Two *****." ("*****...")

While training soldiers in weapons' use,