M1 81mm Mortar - Baxter Memorial Gardens - Mountain Home, Ar. - Military Ground Equipment Displays on Waymarking.com

This M1 WWI 81mm Mortar is on display at the Baxter Memorial Gardens. Th mortar is mounted on a fieldstone base with a concrete top. A brass plaque is set into a grey and black speckled granite stone embedded in the base. The plaque reads:

81MM MORTAR

This lightweight field artillery piece
with high trajectory met the needs
of World War I trench warfare
and strengthened the fire power of the
infantry unit of World War II
with their increased
mobility requirements.

Presented to the Baxter Memorial Gardens
North Central Arkansas Veterans Council
4th July 1982

(furled flag, eagle resting on a sword, and a wreath)

CHARACTERISTICS

The M1 81mm Mortar was a smoothbore, high-angle fire, muzzle loading weapon.

Weight: 136 pounds
Length of tube: 49.5 inches
Elevation: 40 to 80 degrees
Rate of fire (normal): 18 rpm
Rate of fire(maximum): 30 to 35 rpm
Range: 100 to 3,290 yards

The M1 81mm mortar was the largest weapon in the arsenal of the Marine infantry battalion. It provided the battalion commander with a powerful and flexible indirect fire capability. Four of these weapons were assigned to each battalion, in either the weapons or headquarters company, depending on the table of organization.

Sometimes called "infantry artillery," or "hip pocket artillery," mortars were capable of quickly laying down heavy barrages. These could stop enemy attacks under the worst conditions. Able to fire at high angles, mortars could fire at targets in defilade, either under direction of an forward observer, or firing off map coordinates. In the Pacific campaigns, these weapons became an important part of the battalion's firepower, especially since they could be man-packed into positions that were inaccessible to artillery.

During World War I, U. S. infantry battalions were equipped with the 3" Mk I Stokes Trench Mortar. This was the first truly man-portable mortar. With an effective range of 800 yards, the trench mortar could fire 6-10 rounds per minute at sustained rate, and 30 rounds per minute at rapid rate. After the war, the Mk I remained in service, although several abortive attempts were made in the 1920s to design a new mortar. Instead, the U. S. Army Ordnance Department finally settled on a program to develop better ammunition.

- World War II Gyrene

Location restrictions: Daylight Hours only as this is an active Cemetery - No entry fee.

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