This month is an assortment of very rare photos. These photos show the M1891 Mosin - Nagant Rifle in use by the United States military. These photos are from the National Archives collection. Most are from the U.S. invasion of Russia in 1918, a little know adventure of ours. Click on the thumb-nails to view the full size image.
Our archives are almost out so a few sent in by the faithful reader would be greatly appreciated.
This photo shows a group of Bluejackets from the U.S.S. Olympia (Admiral
Dewey's Flagship during the Spanish American War) armed with the Model 1891
rifle. Seems the sailors ditched the bayonets and used some rope for the
slings. They initially started with U.S. issued weapons in 30-06 but ran out
of ammo and took the rifles and ammo they had been guarding. They were
stranded for four weeks fighting a land battle. This photo is after their
return to the ship.
The Army outside a barracks getting ready for a sleigh convoy.
American Soldiers in Archangel purchasing what they could. Supplies were
extremely short but available for enough money.
The famed 339th Infantry at HQ in Archangel, Russia. Note the fellows are
equipped with standard Army gear and the M1891 rifle and bayonet. Winter had
not started yet!
Here we see an American guard ladling out rice to Bolshevik prisoners
during October, 1918. M1891 Rifle with bayonet shown.
Here we have a U.S. soldier also of the 339th Infantry standing guard
while oatmeal is being unloaded into one of the huge warehouses storing U.S.
supplies
This is the lone photo we know of showing the M1891 rifle in use in the
United States. This man is in what was then the ROTC training system, Student
Army Training Corps. This photo is from the Rock Island Museum.