M19 mortar

The M19 Mortar is a light, smoothbore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon for light infantry support developed and produced in the United States. It has been replaced in service by the more modern 60 mm M224 Mortar, which has a much longer range and improved ammunition.

US M19 60 mm Mortar
TypeInfantry mortar
Place of originUnited States
Service history
Used bySee Users
WarsKorean War
Vietnam War
Laotian Civil War
Cambodian Civil War
Salvadoran Civil War
Specifications
Mass23.4 kilograms (52 lb) (M5 mount)[1]
9.3 kilograms (21 lb) (M1 mount)
Length81.9 cm (2 ft 8.2 in)
Barrel length72.6 cm (2 ft 4.6 in)[2]
Shell weight1.36 kg (3 lb 0 oz)
Caliber60 mm (2.4 in)
Elevation+40° to +85° on M5 mount
free on M1 mount
Traverse14° on M5 mount
free on M1 mount
Muzzle velocity89 m/s (290 ft/s)
Effective firing range68 m (74 yd)
Maximum firing range747 m (817 yd)[2]
Feed systemmanual

Description

The original M19 just had a simple spade-like M1 baseplate, leaving the elevation and traverse free for the firer. This of course was found to be too inaccurate, and the infantry initially refused the M19. A new mount, the M5, was developed, which used a conventional baseplate and bipod with elevation and traverse adjustment. This gave the M19 better accuracy, but made it heavier than the M2 Mortar with less range.

The M19 fired the same ammunition used in the M2 mortar, which it would replace. The 60 mm mortar is used by the infantry to lob high-explosive and white phosphorus smoke shells at well-protected hostile locations. The weapon can also fire illumination rounds to light up the battlefield at night. The primary difference between the M2 and M19 was that the M2 was drop-fire only while the M19 could be drop-fired or a round loaded and then fired by a lever-like trigger at the base of the tube.

History

M19 development began in 1942 as the T18E6 to replace the M2 Mortar. It was a very simple and light weapon, but was too inaccurate without a mounting. The conventional M5 mount for the M2 mortar was fitted to it. It began to be fielded during the Korean War to replace the M2 and saw limited use in the Vietnam War. Many M19s were scrapped or exported to other countries.

Operators

References

Notes
  1. "60-MM MORTAR (M19)". Canadian Army official website. Archived from the original on 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  2. Chamberlain, Peter (1975). Mortars and rockets. Gander, Terry. New York: Arco Pub. Co. p. 21. ISBN 0668038179. OCLC 2067459.
  3. Wiener, Friedrich (1987). The armies of the NATO nations: Organization, concept of war, weapons and equipment. Truppendienst Handbooks Volume 3. Vienna: Herold Publishers. p. 462.
  4. Gander, Terry J; Cutshaw, Charles Q (2001). "60 mm M19 mortar". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2002-2003. pp. 5335–5337.
  5. Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Colombia". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 1395.
  6. Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, El Salvador". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 1643.
  7. Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Ethiopia". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 1645.
  8. Maung, Aung Myoe (2009). Building the Tatmadaw: Myanmar Armed Forces Since 1948. p. 107. ISBN 978-981-230-848-1.
  9. Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Panama". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 3238.
  10. Rottman, Gordon L. (2010). Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955–75. Men at Arms 458. Osprey Publishing. p. 35. ISBN 9781849081818.
  11. Rottman, Gordon L. (10 Feb 2009). North Vietnamese Army Soldier 1958–75. Warrior 135. Osprey Publishing. p. 32. ISBN 9781846033711.

Bibliography
  • Hogg, Ian (2000). Twentieth-Century Artillery. Friedman/Fairfax Publishers. ISBN 1-58663-299-X


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