Philippine World War II Basic Weapons (1935-1941 Commonwealth Period)
The newly proclaimed Commonwealth Republic of the Philippines, as its first act, created its own army on December 21, 1935. By 1937, 20,000 men were called up to enlist in the Army of the Philippines.
The newly-organized Philippine Army had to make do with old US equipment from the early 1900s and First World War (1914-1918).
Among the rifles used by the Philippine Army were the M1903 Springfield and the M1917 Enfield.
The M1903 Springfield was a five-round magazine fed, bolt action, repeating rifle. It was a product of lessons from the Spanish-American and Filipino-American Wars.
The M1917 Enfield Rifle, also called the American Enfield, was a six-round magazine-fed, bolt action, repeating rifle produced in 1917-1918 for use by US forces in World War I. It was an American version of the British Enfield Rifle. These rifles were later issued to the Philippine Constabulary and the Philippine Army.
Among the sidearms issued to the new army was the M1911 Pistol or Colt 1911, a semi-automatic pistol that fired 7 to 8 rounds of .45 caliber from a box magazine.
By 1941, units of the Philippine Army were placed under the command of the United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE).
They will enter World War II with these weapons.
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