This page will list some Field Manuals that are hard to find or ones that I find interesting. Easy 39th has a larger list of field manuals and Pamphlets, so you can head to that page if you don’t see what you want here.
In addition, for a fuller list, you can find about 1,000 of them between 1940-1945 on the Archive.org website. So if you don’t see one here try looking there.
Finally, if you want field manuals from 1946 to the early 2010s this Google site lists the field manuals broken down by number. You could likely also review the Archive.org website to locate a field manual.
Misc Field Manuals
A Manual for Courts-Martial US Army 1928 – Corrected to April 1943 | Outlines how to conduct a courts-martial. Updated in 1943.
Physical Standards in WWII by Lt Gen Leonard Heaton 1967 | Outlines standards for soldiers. Note the height and weight standards table which was used to mark categorization such as 1A. For a historical review of Army height and weight standards see: Body Composition And Military Performance: Origins Of The Army Standards.
The Army did provide a regulation that if you were overweight you could still be accepted if the weight could be brought under control. Those under 105 pounds weren’t considered.
Army Air Force Manuals
- FM 1-10 Tactics and Technique of Air Attack Nov 1940
- FM 1-15 Tactics and Technique of Air Fighting April 1942
- FM 1-20 Tactics and Technique of Air Reconnaissance and Observation April 1942
- FM 1-26 Defense of Airdromes Jan 1944
- FM 1-30 Air Navigation Aug 1940
- FM 1-35 Aerial Photography Dec 1940
- FM 1-40 Intelligence Procedure in Aviation Units Sept 1940
- FM 1-55 Reference Data Administration April 1942
- FM 1-60 Reviews and Inspections April 1941
- FM 1-75 Combat Orders June 1942
- FM 1-195 The Service Center Sept 1942
Cavalry Manuals
FM 2-5 Cavalry Drill Regulations Horse March 1944 | Drill, movement, and usage of horse units.
FM 2-6 Crew Drill Light Armored Car M8 Dec 1943 | Drill, movement, and usage of the M8 Armored car.
FM 2-7 Cavalry Drill Regulations Mechanized March 1944 | Describes drill, movement, and inspections.
FM 2-10 Mechanized Elements April 1941 | General outline of drill and movement of mechanized units.
FM 2-15 Employment of Cavalry April 1941 | Describes how to use horse cavalry units.
FM 2-20 Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop Mechanized Feb 1944 | The purpose of this manual is to present the organization, characteristics, and missions of the cavalry reconnaissance troop, mechanized; and to set forth doctrine for its training and tactical employment.
FM 2-30 Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron Mechanized Aug 1944 | How to conduct recon as a mechanized squad.
For an older version see: FM 2-30 Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron Mechanized March 1943.
Engineer Manuals
FM 5-5 Engineer Troops Oct 1943 | Outlines structure and duties for different Engineer units like combat battalion, armored, motorized, mountain, airborne, light ponton, heavy ponton, bridge, light, depot, parts, maintenance, dump truck, topographic, camouflage, water supply, special service, base equipment, heavy shop, port repair ship, port construction, petroleum distribution, gas generation, utilities, forestry, and fire-fighting.
For an older version see: FM 5-5 Troops and Operations Jan 1941
FM 5-15 Field Fortifications Feb 1944 | Explains how to construct various fortifications such as foxholes, machine gun towers, gun platforms, weapons emplacements for mortars, machine guns, anti-aircraft systems, radar, bunkers, and trench systems.
One interesting note is that it’s expected to take 1.5hrs to dig a foxhole for a soldier with a rifle.
For an older version see: FM 5-15 Field Fortifications Oct 1940.
For the Vietnam era see FM 5-15 Field Fortifications Aug 1968.
FM 5-20 Camouflage Basic Principles Feb 1944 | Outlines basic camouflage ideas such as form disruption, tone contrasts, and natural and artificial materials. Includes how to camouflage in deserts, jungles, snow, and temperate zones.
For the older version see: FM 5-20 Camouflage June 1940.
FM 5-20A Camouflage of Individuals and Infantry Weapons Jan 1944 | Outlines dos and don’ts when it comes to blending into patterns, creating foxholes, creating machine gun pits, creating mortar pits, creating anti-tank gun pits, shadows and light, observation, darkening equipment, shines and shiny objects, backgrounds and silhouettes.
One thing to note is that if you’re moving at night and you hear the pop of a flare drop to the ground. If you cannot stand still and drop your head (the face can shine). Flares give off lots of shadows and mess with your natural night vision. It’s possible the enemy won’t see you standing.
FM 5-20B Camouflage of Vehicles April 1944 | Applies the basics of camouflage to hide vehicles.
FM 5-20C Camouflage of Bivouacs Command Posts Supply Points and Medical Installations May 1944 | Applies the basics of camouflage to hide different positions. Outlines techniques for concealment for bivouacs command posts, supply points, waterpoints, and battalion, collecting, clearing medical stations.
Prior to the concealment operation, there should be a camouflage plan as indicated by the officer in charge.
FM 5-20D Camouflage of Field Artillery Feb 1944 | Applies the basics of camouflage to hide artillery. Looks at using decoy positions, aids, and artillery net sets No. 5 and No. 2. In addition, provides information on how to conceal a .50 caliber machine gun, 75mm Pack Howitzer, and how to paint it.
FM 5-31 Land Mines and Bobby Traps Nov 1943 | Explains tools used to lay down a mine field, different types of mine fields, how to create a mine field, how to remove mines, different types of mines from the US, Germany, France, Hungry, Japan, Netherlands, Britan, Italy, and Russian (though no mines are shown). Also includes how to bobby trap with fuzes and what to look for.
Field Artillery Manuals
FM 6-5 Field Artillery Organization and Drill Oct 1939 | Training and drill for field artillery batteries.
FM 6-20 Field Artillery Manual Tactics and Technique Feb 1944 | Describes how to use field artillery in different battle environments.
For an older version see: FM 6-20 Field Artillery Manual Tactics and Technique July 1940.
FM 6-40 Field Artillery Gunnery June 1945 | Describes the principles and tactical considerations of field artillery gunnery.
For an older version see: FM 6-40 Field Artillery Firing Manual Oct 1939.
FM 6-75 Service of the 105mm Howitzer M2 Truck-Drawn Dec 1941 | Drill, maintenance, and tactical usage of the M2 105mm Howitzer. Note that in 1962 the howitzer was renamed the M101A1.
Infantry Manuals
FM 7-5 Organization and Tactics of the Rifle Battalion Oct 1940 | Describes structure and tactical considerations of the rifle battalion.
FM 7-10 Rifle Company, Infantry Regiment March 1944 | Describes structure and organization of the rifle company. Includes riflemen jobs and responsibilities and weapons platoon which uses .30 caliber machine guns and 60mm mortars. Discusses movement, attack, defense, and formations for different tactical considerations.
For the older version see: Fm 7-10 Rifle Company, Rifle Regiment June 1942.
FM 7-15 Heavy Weapons Company Rifle Regiment May 1942 | Describes structure and composition of the heavy weapons company along with tactical considerations, attacking, defending, movement, and camouflage. Weapons of the company are .30 caliber machine guns and 81mm mortars.
What’s neat is the descriptions of building and conducting observation posts.
FM 7-20 Rifle Battalion Oct 1944 | Describes the role structure and organization of the Rifle Battalion as well as its tactical nature.
For an older version see: FM 7-20 Rifle Battalion Sept 1942
FM 7-24 Communication in the Infantry Division Dec 1944 – Describes the conduct of wire, radio, and other communication of the infantry division during various types of movements. The SCR-536/BC-611 is used at the company level. The SCR-300/BC-1000 is used at the battalion level.
Wire is the primary means of communication in the attack. Division Signalmen will remain with the regimental command post to maintain and extend lines.
FM 7-25 Infantry Field Manual Headquarters Company, Intelligence and Signal Communication, Rifle Regiment Oct 7th 1942 – Outlines jobs and roles of the intelligence and reconnaissance platoon and the communication platoon.
FM 7-30 Supply and Evacuation of the Infantry Regiment Service Company and Medical Detachment June 1944 | Describes how to supply infantry and medical detachments.
FM 7-35 Antitank Company Infantry Regiment and Antitank Platoon Infantry Battalion March 1944 | Describs and organization of the antitank company and platoon.
The crew-served weapons are the 57-mm antitank gun, the antitank rocket launcher (the Bazook), and the caliber .50 machine gun.
(2) The individual weapons are the rifle, the carbine, and the pistol.
For the older version see: FM 7-35 Antitank Company Rifle Regiment May 1941.
FM 7-37 Cannon Company Infantry Regiment March 1944 | Organization and structure of the Cannon Company. The cannon company consists of the following weapons:
(1) The crew-served weapons are the 105-mm howitzer (the M101A1), the antitank rocket launcher (the Bazooka), and the caliber .50 machine gun.
(2) The individual weapons are the carbine and rifle.
FM 7-40 Rifle Regiment Feb 1942 | Outlines organization and structure along with roles and responsibilities of a rifle regiment. Includes how it operates in different environments such as movement and defense.
Medical Manuals
Instructors’ guide for a Medical Department Mobilization Training Program 8-101 – This is a complete 8-hour-a-day, 6-day-a-week, 4-month basic training program for medical unit personnel.
What I find interesting is that it shows what should be part of a battalion aid station and how combat aid men (aka “medics”) are used in the medical organization chart.
Essentially they treat wounded and try to pool them together and litter bearers bring them to the battalion aid station for further treatment.
FM 8-5 Medical Department Units of a Theater of Operations May 1945 | Describes how various medical units and subdivisions operate including Infantry, Armored, Airborne, Hospitals, Medical Labs, Medical Depots, Dispensaries, Hospital Ships, Hospital Trains, Medical Air Evacuation, Malaria Control, Veterinary, and Museum and Medical Arts (which outlines new medical techniques and collects specimens).
For an older version see: FM 8-5 Medical Department Units of a Theater of Operations Jan 1942.
FM 8-10 Medical Service of Field Units March 1942 – Outlines the jobs, structure, and organization, of different medical units. Describes equipment available to officers and enlisted men.
FM 8-35 Transportation of the Sick and Wounded Feb 1945 | Describes carry types and instructions/commands for litter usage.
For an older version see: FM 8-35 Medical Field Manual Transportation of the Sick and Wounded Feb 1941.
FM 8-40-Medical Field Manual Field Sanitation Aug 1940 – Contains information on how to clean and stay sanitary when dealing with diseases, foods, water, cooking, bathing, cleaning, trapping bugs, and human waste.
FM 8-45 Records of Morbidity and Mortality Sick and Wounded Oct 1940 | Describes medical coding and how to fill out various medical forms for sick and wounded soldiers.
FM 8-50 Medical Department Bandaging and Splinting Jan 1944 –
For an older version see: FM 8-50 Medical Department Bandaging and Splinting Sept 1940.
FM 8-55 Medical Reference Data March 1941 | A guide for modeling battlefield casualties and other information related to conducting medical operations. Much of it is based on WW1 stats.
Ordnance Manuals
FM 9-6 Ammo Supply June 1944 | Describes how to supply ammunition to units in various situations. Includes forms and management and how to deal with captured ammo.
FM 9-10 Ordnance Field Maintenance April 1942 | Describes the operations of running an ordnance field shop to repair items.
FM 9-5 Ordnance Service in the Field July 1942 | Describes how to conduct Ordnance activities in the field.
FM 9-20 Ordnance Ammunition Company and Battalion July 1942 | Describes roles and responsibilities and structure of the company, platoon, and battalion of ammunition units. Essentially how to run these unit types.
FM 9-25 Ordnance Company Depot Sept 1942 | Describes roles, structure, responsibilities, organization of the company and platoons. Essentially how to run a company ordnance depot.
Quartermaster Manuals
FM 10-5 Quartermaster Operations April 1943 | Describes the role of the quartermaster from a high-level perspective.
For an older version see: FM 10-5 Quartermaster Operations March 1941.
FM 10-10 Quartermaster Service in Theater of Operations March 1942 | Describes the role of the quartermaster from a high-level perspective.
FM 10-16 General Fabric Repair May 2000 | This isn’t a WW2 field manual but it contains helpful information about how to fix clothing. So I thought it would be good to post a copy here.
FM 10-35 Quartermaster Truck Companies July 1945 | Describes basic information for a functioning quartermaster truck company. Including structure, loading, defense, convoy and maintenance.