Land Mines - TM 9-1940 War Department Technical Manual

a. The purpose of this manual is to impart information of a technical nature concerning land mines and related items, such as may be necessary for their intelligent care, handling, and use. (4) Demolition materials. (5) Fuzes and firing mechanism. c The inforpiation covers: (2) Care, handling, and preservation. (4) Authorized assembly and disassembly. b« This manual describes: Care and precautions in handling
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• . 5 Storage and preservation 6 Destruction of unserviceable material and duds 7 Packing and marking for shipment 8 Field report of accidents 9 a« All t3rpes of land mines consist of a charge of high explosive and a device for detonating this charge under the proper conditions. In general, land mines are of the trap type; they rely on some action of the enemy for initiation. Sosm types are of complicated design, as the boxmding mine which projects a shell 6 to 8 feet above the grotmd and explodes it there. Most types are simple, coxisisting only of a container of high explosive and a firing mechanism. a. Land mines classified according to the iise for which they are designed as antitank and antipersonnel However, either type may, on occasicxi, be used for the other and both types may be used for demolitions, just as either t; may be improvised from demolition materials. Antitank mines are also classified as high-explosive, practice, or dummy. wu GeneraL Ammunition is identified by means of the pa intin g and TttflrlrtTur on the item itself and all containers. Complete identification is furnished by: (1) Standard nomenclature which includes type, si e, and model (2) Lot number, which includes manufacturer's lot number, manufacturer's initials or symbol, and date of loading. b. Standard Nomenclatiire Standard nomenclature is established in order that each itiem supplied may be specifically identified by name. Its use, for all purposes of record, is mandatory except as noted in subparagraph c, below. % Ammimilion Identification Code. To facilitate reporting, requisitioningi and record keeping in the field, each complete round and each item of issue is assigned a five-character code symboL These symbols and information concerning their use may be found in Standard Nomenclature Lists and OFSB 3-14 d« Mark or ModeL To distinguish a particular design, a model number is assigned when the design is adopted. This designation becomes an essential part of the nomenclature of the item. It consists of the letter ''M" followed by an Arabic numeraL Modifications of the cniginal model are indicated by adding the letter A" and the ap propriate Arabic ntmieral to the model designation. Fcnrmerlyi the word "Max) was used. This was abbreviated T " and followed by a Roman numeral. e« Ammmiition Lot Nambers. When anamimition is manufactured, an anunimition lot number is assigned in accordance with pertinent specifications. The lot nimiber is niarked or stamped on every item (tmless the item is too small) and on all containers of the ammimition. Its use is required for all purposes of record, including reports on condition, function or accidents. £
• Painting. Ammunition is painted to prevent rust; to provide, by the color, an aid to concealment, and for identification as to type. Service land mines are painted lusterless olive-drab with marking in black. However, where it will not aSect the concealment qualities, there is an area painted in accordance with the ammunition identification color scheme: yellow, high-explosive; blue, practice; black, dummy or drill. g« Marking.

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