[SGTGunn]

The Mechanized Infantry Platoon and Squad (M113)has two different tables of organizational equipment (TO&E): the older "H" TO&E and the newer "J" TO&E.

The "H" TO&E platoon has three 11-man rifle squads and one 7-man headquarters section.

The HQ section is comprised of the:

Vehicle Crew:

Driver
Track Commander/Gunner (Plt Sgt)

Dismounts:

Platoon Leader
Platoon RTO
Forward Observer
FO RTO
Plaoon Medic


The three squads are comprised of:

Vehicle crew:

Driver
Track Commander & Gunner (Team Leader)

Dismounts:

Squad Leader (M16)
Assistant Squad Leader (M16 and M203 GL)
Machine Gunner (M60 and M1911A1 or M9 pistol)
2 x Automatic Rifleman (M249 SAW or M16 SAW)
2 x Rifleman (M16)
Grenadier (M16 with M203 GL)
Anti-Armor Specialist (M47 Dragon & M16)

M67 frag grenades, M72 LAWs and M18 claymore mines would also be carried.

The "J" TO&E Platoon came about with the widespread adoption of the M249 SAW which lead to the removal of the M60 machine gunner as an organic "squad" member - but keeps the gun. It is comprised of one 7-man HQ section and three 9-man squads.

The HQ section is identical to the "H" TO&E with one exception - the Platoon Sgt though part of the HQ section rides in a squad APC - the idea was not to have your #1 & #2 man in the same track. One of the team leaders in the track the Plt Sgt rides in takes his place as TC/Gunner on the Plt HQ track. Confused yet? =)

The three squads are comprised of:

Vehicle crew:

Driver
Track Commander & Gunner (Team Leader)

Dismounts:

Squad Leader (M16)
Assistant Squad Leader (M16 - maybe M203 GL)
2 x Automatic Rifleman (M249 SAW or M16 SAW)
Rifleman (M16)
Grenadier (M16 with M203 GL)
Anti-Armor Specialist (M47 Dragon & M16)
M60 Machine Gun - no crew assigned. Weapon can be deployed for defense or in other scenarios were increased fire power is needed. It is likely that the MG would be manned by either an automatic rifleman or the grenadier, with the rifleman acting as the assistant gunner.

I suspect that whenever unit strength allowed it, an extra man would be carried in the squad to man the M60.

All of the above comes from FM 7-7 Mech Inf Plt & Sqd (M113)March 1985 (the last revision of this FM).

Adrian