When I started at HMA in '45, I was issued an Enfield rifle, not a Springfield rifle. Clay Draud thinks I am nuts as
Enfield is an English arms company. If you go to Google and type in -
American Enfield rifle, you will get the whole story. Any one else back me up on this? The school may be using
Springfield or M1 rifles now. This is because there was a period when the government took back the Enfields after the school dropped out of the Junior ROTC program.
Later an alumni bought the school rifles to carry. Incidently the Enfields we had originally were operational and that lasted until a cadet obtained ammo and took his out in the woods for a little target practice.
Col. (then Capt.) Todd inspected his rifle one day and found it corroded as he had not cleaned it after firing it. After that, all the firing pins were taken out.
Leon Rueleonrue@adelphia.net
Band Company '49
When I started at HMA in '45, I was issued an Enfield rifle, not a Springfield rifle. Clay Draud thinks I am nuts as 
2 comments:
I enjoyed Leon Rue's comments re the Enfield rifle since I shoulded one as a cadet in Co. D (day students). It is my understanding that these rifles were returned to the military because of the arms shortages of WWII. I had a great time while at HMA and believe that I received a first class high school education. Great instructors: Cols. Floyd, Tune, Majors Brooks and Spratt and of course Capt Kinney. I remember with fondness many of my old classmates particularly Fred Dixon and Kirk Landon who have contributed so much to the Adademy.
I also had several email exchanges with Draud about the drill rifles, as I was looking to add one to the collection. He was very adamant that we either had the 1903 Springfield or the M1 Garand. After scrounging up my old yearbooks, photos taken by family of parades, and a long forgotten "video yearbook" VHS tape from '91, it is readily evident that MOST of the rifles were M1917 Enfields. There were some 1903s in the mix as well but very few. Many of the P17/M1917s had red (and some white)stripes on the stocks, which upon further research signified they were "Lend Lease" returns from England.
As chance would have it, I was able to fondle both the 1903 and the 1903A3 today at the local gun shop we frequent. After a comparison of the sights and safeties on both rifles I have no doubt that the bulk of the rifles we were issued were 1917s. The M1917 had a flip up ladder elevation rear sight at the very rear of the receiver and the safety was on the right rear of the receiver. I am positive that I encountered no 1903A3s although I am sure there were standard '03s.
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