TOEs: Rifle Platoons, Contemporary and Historical
v.1.0 March 31, 2002

US Marine Corps (Vietnam War) 37 men

Platoon HQ      = 6
-         Platoon Commander
-         Platoon Sergeant
-         Platoon Guide
-         Radio/Messenger
-         2 medical corpsman (attachment from US Navy)
3 X Rifle Squad = 11
-         Sergeant
-         Grenadier
-         3 X Corporal (Team Leader)
-         3 Automatic Rifleman
-         6 Rifleman

Japanese Special Landing Units (Navy) World War II
Platoon HQ = ??
Weapons Support Squad = 13 (3 X 50mm mortar)
3 X Rifle Squad = 13 (1 MMG)

Swedish Army

HQ
Weapon Squad = 8
3 X Rifle Squad = 8

Chinese Communist Army (Guerilla Platoon)  28 men
Platoon Leader
3 X Rifle Squad = 9
-         Squad Leader
-         8 Rifleman

North Vietnamese Army  39 men
Platoon HQ
-         2nd Lieutenant
-         Senior Sergeant
-         Runner
4 X Rifle Squad = 9
-         1 sergeant
-         1 RPG
-         1 LMG
-         6 Rifleman

US Navy Construction Battalion (Seabee) = 47 men
Platoon HQ = 5
-         E-7 Commander
-         E-6 Assistant Commander
-         E-6 Guide
-         E-3 Communication Specialist
-         E-3 Messenger
3 X Rifle Squad = 14
-         E-6 Squad Leader
-         E-4 Grenadier (M203)
-         3 X Fire Team, each = 12
o       E-5 Fire Team Leader
o       E-4 Automatic Rifleman
o       E-3 Rifleman
o       E-3/E-2 Rifleman

US Army 1944  40 men
HQ = 4
-         Platoon Leader
-         3 Rifleman
3 X Rifle Squad = 12 each
-         Leader (Sub-machine gun)
-         Assistant Leader (BAR)
-         10 Rifleman

US Army Armored Infantry World War II  57 men
Platoon HQ = 12
-         Commander
-         Platoon Sergeant
-         Staff Sergeant
-         Driver
-         8 Rifleman
2 X Rifle Squad = 12 each
-         Staff Sergeant
-         Assistant (sergeant)
-         Driver
-         9 Rifleman
MG Squad = 12
-         Staff Sergeant
-         Assistant (Sergeant)
-         2 Gunner
-         2 Ammo handler
-         Driver
-         5 Rifleman
Mortar Squad = 9
-         Staff Sergeant
-         2 Gunner
-         2 Ammo Handler
-         2 Rifleman
-         2 Driver

US Army Airborne World War II  39/51 men
Platoon HQ = 7
-         2 Officers
-         Platoon Sergeant
-         Sergeant Guide
-         3 Messengers (1 RTO)
2-3 Rifle Squad X 12
each
Mortar Squad = 6 (1 X 60mm mortar)

US Army 1943  41 men
Platoon HQ = 5
-         Lieutenant
-         Platoon Sergeant
-         Staff Sergeant
-         2 Runner
3 X Rifle Squad = 12 each
-         Staff Sergeant
-         Sergeant
-         Assault Group = 7
o       2 Scouts
o       5 Rifleman
-         Automatic Rifle Group
o       Gunner
o       Assistant Gunner
o       Ammunition Carrier

US Marine Corps Series D 1942  42 men
Platoon HQ = 7
Automatic Rifle Squad = 8
-         1 Squad Leader
-         1 Scout           
-         2 BAR Gunner
-         2 Reserve Gunner
-         2 Rifleman
3 X Rifle Squad = 9 each
-         Corporal
-         2 Scouts
-         Automatic Rifleman
-         5 Rifleman (including 1 assistant leader)

US Marine Corps Series E, 1942  43 men
Platoon HQ = 7
3 X Rifle Squad = 12 each
-         Sergeant
-         Corporal
-         2 BAR
-         8 Rifleman

US Marine Corps Series E 1944  45 men
Platoon HQ = 7
3 X Rifle Squad = 13 each
-         Squad Leader
-         3 X Fire Team = 4 each
Corporal
            BAR
            2 Rifleman

Germany 1944  31 men
HQ = 4
3 X Rifle Squads = 9 each
-         Squad Leader (sergeant, SMG)
-         Assistant Squad Leader (SMG)
-         Gunner (SMG)
-         6 Rifleman

Great Britain World War II  36 men
Platoon HQ = 4
-         1 Officer
-          3 OR
Light Mortar Section = 3
-         3 OR
3 X Rifle Sections each 10 men
-         10 men

Great Britain Mechanized Infantry, 1960s-80s, 34 men
Platoon HQ = 7
-         1 Officer
-         6 OR (2-inch mortar; 3.5” RL)
3 X Rifle Section, each = 9 men
-         9 men  (L4A4 7.62mm LMG)

Germany 1940-42  50 men
HQ = 10
-         1 leader
-         3 runner
-         1 medic
-         1 supply wagon driver (horse drawn)
-         3 mortar crew (50mm mortar)
4 X Rifle Squads = 10 each
-         Squad Leader (sergeant, SMG)
-         Assistant Squad Leader (SMG)
-         Machine Gunner (SMG)
-         Ammunition Carrier
-         6 Rifleman




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All content © 2002 Ravi Rikhye. Reproduction in any form prohibited without express permission.