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← Older revision		Revision as of 21:36, 28 June 2022
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	'''Bazooka''' (/bəˈzuːkə/)<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/bazooka\|title=bazooka noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes\|website=Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary}}</ref> is the common name for a [[Man-portable anti-tank systems\|man-portable]] recoilless [[Anti-tank warfare\|anti-tank]] [[rocket launcher]] weapon, widely deployed by the [[United States Army]], especially during [[World War II]]. Also referred to as the "stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was among the first generation of [[rocket-propelled grenade\|rocket-propelled]] anti-tank weapons used in [[infantry]] combat. Featuring a [[solid-propellant rocket]] for propulsion, it allowed for [[High-explosive anti-tank warhead\|high-explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) warheads to be delivered against [[Vehicle armour\|armored vehicles]], [[machine gun]] nests, and fortified [[bunker]]s at ranges beyond that of a standard thrown [[grenade]] or [[land mine\|mine]]. The universally-applied nickname arose from the M1 variant's vague resemblance to the musical instrument called a "[[bazooka (instrument)\|bazooka]]" invented and popularized by 1930s U.S. comedian [[Bob Burns (humorist)\|Bob Burns]].		'''Bazooka''' (/bəˈzuːkə/)<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/bazooka\|title=bazooka noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes\|website=Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary}}</ref> is the common name for a [[Man-portable anti-tank systems\|man-portable]] recoilless [[Anti-tank warfare\|anti-tank]] [[rocket launcher]] weapon, widely deployed by the [[United States Army]], especially during [[World War II]]. Also referred to as the "stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was among the first generation of [[rocket-propelled grenade\|rocket-propelled]] anti-tank weapons used in [[infantry]] combat. Featuring a [[solid-propellant rocket]] for propulsion, it allowed for [[High-explosive anti-tank warhead\|high-explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) warheads to be delivered against [[Vehicle armour\|armored vehicles]], [[machine gun]] nests, and fortified [[bunker]]s at ranges beyond that of a standard thrown [[grenade]] or [[land mine\|mine]]. The universally-applied nickname arose from the M1 variant's vague resemblance to the musical instrument called a "[[bazooka (instrument)\|bazooka]]" invented and popularized by 1930s U.S. comedian [[Bob Burns (humorist)\|Bob Burns]].

	During [[World War II]], the [[Nazi Germany\|German]] armed forces captured several bazookas in early North ~~Africa~~<ref name="MC 2008"/~~><ref>With cheap cost per use and which any 'farm peasant can be trained to fire', the [[AT4\|AT4 CS]] is the modern-day descendant of the Bazooka (paraphrased conclusion).</ref~~> and Eastern Front encounters and soon [[Reverse engineering\|reverse engineered]] their own version,<ref name="MC 2008"/> increasing the warhead diameter to 8.8 cm (among other minor changes) and widely issuing it as the ''Raketenpanzerbüchse'' "[[Panzerschreck]]" ("rocket anti-armor rifle 'tank scare{{'"}}).<ref name="MC 2008"/> Near the end of the war, the Japanese developed a similar weapon, the [[Type 4 70 mm AT Rocket Launcher]], which featured a rocket propelled grenade of a different design.<ref>{{cite book\|title=''Panzerfaust'' and ''Panzerschreck''\|author=Gordon L. Rottman \|year=2014 \|isbn=978-1782007883 \|publisher=Osprey Publishing}}</ref>		During [[World War II]], the [[Nazi Germany\|German]] armed forces captured several bazookas in early North African<ref name="MC 2008"/> and Eastern Front encounters and soon [[Reverse engineering\|reverse engineered]] their own version,<ref name="MC 2008"/> increasing the warhead diameter to 8.8 cm (among other minor changes) and widely issuing it as the ''Raketenpanzerbüchse'' "[[Panzerschreck]]" ("rocket anti-armor rifle 'tank scare{{'"}}).<ref name="MC 2008"/> Near the end of the war, the Japanese developed a similar weapon, the [[Type 4 70 mm AT Rocket Launcher]], which featured a rocket propelled grenade of a different design.<ref>{{cite book\|title=''Panzerfaust'' and ''Panzerschreck''\|author=Gordon L. Rottman \|year=2014 \|isbn=978-1782007883 \|publisher=Osprey Publishing}}</ref>

	The term "bazooka" still sees informal use as a [[generic trademark\|generic term]]<ref name="gen">{{cite web \|url= https://www.genericides.org/trademark/bazooka \|title= Has bazooka become a generic trademark? \|access-date= January 28, 2021 \|website= genericides.org }}</ref> referring to any ground-to-ground [[shoulder-fired missile]] weapon (mainly rocket propelled grenade launchers or [[recoilless rifle]]s), and as an expression that "heavy measures" are being taken.<ref name="gen" />		The term "bazooka" still sees informal use as a [[generic trademark\|generic term]]<ref name="gen">{{cite web \|url= https://www.genericides.org/trademark/bazooka \|title= Has bazooka become a generic trademark? \|access-date= January 28, 2021 \|website= genericides.org }}</ref> referring to any ground-to-ground [[shoulder-fired missile]] weapon (mainly rocket propelled grenade launchers or [[recoilless rifle]]s), and as an expression that "heavy measures" are being taken.<ref name="gen" />
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	====Korean War====		====Korean War====
	The success of the more powerful German ''Panzerschreck'' caused the bazooka to be completely redesigned at the close of World War II. A larger, 3.5 in (89 mm) model was adopted, the M20 "super bazooka". Though bearing a superficial resemblance to the ''Panzerschreck'', the M20 had greater effective range, penetrating capability and was nearly 20% lighter than its German counterpart. The M20 weighed 14.3 pounds (6.5 kg) and fired a hollow shaped-charge 9 lb (4 kg) M28A2 HEAT rocket when used in an anti-tank role. It was also operated by a two-man team and had a rate of fire of six shots per minute. As with its predecessor, the M20 could also fire rockets with either practice (M29A2) or WP smoke (T127E3/M30) warheads. Having learned from experience of the sensitivity of the bazooka and its ammunition to moisture and harsh environments, the ammunition for the new weapon was packaged in moisture-resistant packaging, and the M20's field manual contained extensive instructions on launcher lubrication and maintenance, as well as storage of rocket ammunition.<ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-297, 3.5-inch Rocket Launchers M20 and M20B1 \|date=August 10, 1950 \|pages=31–35, 86–88}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-1055-201-12, Launcher, Rocket, 3.5-in M20A1 and M20A1 B1 \|place=Washington, DC \|date=August 1968 \|page=39}}.</ref> When prepared for shipment from the arsenal, the weapon was protected by antifungal coatings over all electrical contacts, in addition to a [[cosmoline]] coating in the hand-operated magneto that ignited the rocket. Upon issue, these coatings were removed with solvent to ready the M20 for actual firing.		[[File:Bazooka rocket.jpg\|thumbnail\|A 3.5 inch bazooka rocket—loader training projectile\|right]]
			The success of the more powerful German ''Panzerschreck'' caused the bazooka to be completely redesigned at the close of World War II. A larger, 3.5 in (89 mm) model was adopted, the M20 "super bazooka". Though bearing a superficial resemblance to the ''Panzerschreck'', the M20 had a greater effective range, penetrating capability and was nearly 20% lighter than its German counterpart. The M20 weighed 14.3 pounds (6.5 kg) and fired a hollow shaped-charge 9 lb (4 kg) M28A2 HEAT rocket when used in an anti-tank role. It was also operated by a two-man team and had a rate of fire of six shots per minute. As with its predecessor, the M20 could also fire rockets with either practice (M29A2) or WP smoke (T127E3/M30) warheads. Having learned from experience of the sensitivity of the bazooka and its ammunition to moisture and harsh environments, the ammunition for the new weapon was packaged in moisture-resistant packaging, and the M20's field manual contained extensive instructions on launcher lubrication and maintenance, as well as storage of rocket ammunition.<ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-297, 3.5-inch Rocket Launchers M20 and M20B1 \|date=August 10, 1950 \|pages=31–35, 86–88}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-1055-201-12, Launcher, Rocket, 3.5-in M20A1 and M20A1 B1 \|place=Washington, DC \|date=August 1968 \|page=39}}.</ref> When prepared for shipment from the arsenal, the weapon was protected by antifungal coatings over all electrical contacts, in addition to a [[cosmoline]] coating in the hand-operated magneto that ignited the rocket. Upon issue, these coatings were removed with solvent to ready the M20 for actual firing. However, budget cutbacks initiated by Secretary of Defense [[Louis A. Johnson]] in the years following World War II effectively canceled the intended widespread issue of the M20, and initial U.S. forces deploying to Korea were armed solely with the M9/M9A1 2.36-in. launcher and old stockpiled World War II inventories of M6A3 rocket ammunition.

	~~[[File:Bazooka rocket.jpg\|thumbnail\|A 3.5 inch bazooka rocket—loader training projectile]]~~		At the outbreak of the [[Korean War]], the South Korean military had 1,958 M9A1 rocket launchers that were given from the U.S. Forces Korea during withdrawal in 1948 to 1949, and they were the only anti-tank firearms that the Korean military had secured sufficient quantities. The South Korean military actively operated rocket launchers against North Korean armor. However, the 2.36-inch rocket launcher failed to show its power against the front armor of T-34-85, which was the biggest threat. The South Korean military responded by firing rockets into the side, rear, or track through ambushes, but it did not have much effect.<ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations">{{Cite book \|last=Bak \|first=Dongchan \|url=http://medcmd.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202105270240172800.pdf \|title=Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations \|publisher=Ministry of Defense Institute for Military History \|date=March 2021 \|isbn=979-11-5598-079-8 \|location=Republic of Korea \|pages=66–70 \|language=Korean}}</ref>
	~~Budget cutbacks initiated by Secretary~~ of ~~Defense~~ [[~~Louis A. Johnson~~]] in the ~~years following World War II effectively canceled~~ the ~~intended widespread issue of the M20, and initial~~ U.S. ~~forces deploying~~ to ~~Korea~~ were ~~armed solely with~~ the ~~M9/M9A1~~ 2.36-~~in.~~ launcher ~~and old stockpiled World War II inventories~~ of ~~M6A3 rocket ammunition~~. ~~During~~ the ~~initial stages~~ of the Korean War, ~~complaints resurfaced over~~ the ~~ineffectiveness of~~ the 2.36-inch ~~M9 and M9A1 against Soviet-supplied enemy armor~~. ~~In one notable incident~~, ~~infantry blocking forces~~ of ~~the U.S. Army's~~ [[Battle of Osan#Task Force Smith\|Task Force Smith]] ~~were~~ overrun by 33 North Korean T-34~~-85 tanks despite repeatedly firing 2.36 inch rockets into~~ the rear ~~engine compartments of~~ the ~~vehicles~~.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Fukumitsu \|first=Keith K \|title=No More Task Force Smiths \|journal=Professional Bulletin \|publisher=Army \|place=US \|url=http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011100243/http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-date=October 11, 2008 \|url-status=dead}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|title=[[Talk:Battle of Osan#Task Force Smiths letter to President Reagan\|To President Reagan on failure of 2.36 inch bazooka]] \|author=former members of Task Force Smith \|year=1985 \|type=letter}}.</ref> Additionally, ordnance authorities received numerous combat reports regarding the failure of the M6A3 warhead to properly detonate upon impact, eventually traced to inventories of rocket ammunition that had deteriorated from numerous years of storage in humid or salt air environments. ~~Supplies~~ of 3.~~5- in M20 launchers with M28A2 HEAT rocket ammunition~~ were ~~hurriedly airlifted from~~ the ~~United States~~ to South ~~Korea~~, ~~where they proved very effective against the T-34~~ and ~~other Soviet~~ tanks.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Blair \|first=Clay \|title=The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 \|place=Annapolis, MD \|publisher=Naval Institute Press \|year=2003 \|isbn=1-59114-075-7}}.</ref> Large numbers of 2.36-inch bazookas that were captured during the [[Chinese Civil War]] were also employed by the Chinese forces against the American Sherman and Patton tanks,<ref name=appleman17_18>{{cite book \|last=Appleman \|first=Roy \|year=1989 \|title=Disaster in Korea: The Chinese Confront MacArthur \|publisher=Texas A and M University \|series=Military History \|volume=11 \|location=College Station, Texas \|isbn=978-1-60344-128-5 \|pages=17–18, 118, 188, 120, 190}}</ref> and the Chinese later reverse engineered and produced a copy of the M20 designated the ''Type 51''.<ref>{{Citation \|first=Denis HR \|last=Archer \|publisher=Jane \|title=Infantry Weapons \|year=1976 \|page=572 \|isbn=0-531-03255-8}}.</ref> It is considered that the Communist-used bazookas destroyed more tanks than the UN bazookas did.<ref name="Korea">{{cite book\|last=Rottman\|first=Gordon L.\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NpOp2OO1-DAC&pg=PA199\|title=Korean War Order of Battle: United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950–1953\|date=December 2002\|publisher=Praeger\|isbn=978-0-275-97835-8\|page=199}}</ref>
			At the same time, the U.S. military dispatched its first troops to the Korean Peninsula without trusting reports that a 2.36-inch rocket could not destroy North Korean tanks. On July 5, 1950, during the [[Battle of Osan]], [[Battle of Osan#Task Force Smith\|Task Force Smith]] tried to stop North Korean tanks with 2.36-inch rocket launchers and 75 mm recoilless rifles but was overrun by 33 T-34-85s. One of the North Korean T-34 received a total of 22 shots on the side and rear at about 10 meters in distance, but survived the attack.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Fukumitsu \|first=Keith K \|title=No More Task Force Smiths \|journal=Professional Bulletin \|publisher=Army \|place=US \|url=http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011100243/http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-date=October 11, 2008 \|url-status=dead}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|title=[[Talk:Battle of Osan#Task Force Smiths letter to President Reagan\|To President Reagan on failure of 2.36 inch bazooka]] \|author=former members of Task Force Smith \|year=1985 \|type=letter}}.</ref><ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/>

			On July 8, Colonel Robert R. Martin, commander of the 34th Regiment of the 24th U.S. Division, was killed while operating a 2.36-inch rocket launcher to prevent North Korean tanks from advancing.<ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/> Additionally, ordnance authorities received numerous combat reports regarding the failure of the M6A3 warhead to properly detonate upon impact, eventually traced to inventories of rocket ammunition that had deteriorated from numerous years of storage in humid or salt air environments. Therefore, the U.S. Army immediately airlifted a small number of available M20 Super Bazookas from the U.S. mainland after learning that it needed more powerful rockets. The rockets were deployed during the [[Battle of Taejon]] on July 18, and proved their power by destroying a number of North Korean tanks that entered the city on July 20. As a result, the U.S. Army rushed to secure more M20 rockets and was able to hold more than 900 Super Bazookas during the [[Battle of Pusan Perimeter]]. The South Korean military also began receiving M20 in early August, and successfully destroyed 4 tanks with M20s during their first usage on 9 August.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Blair \|first=Clay \|title=The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 \|place=Annapolis, MD \|publisher=Naval Institute Press \|year=2003 \|isbn=1-59114-075-7}}.</ref><ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/>

			Large numbers of 2.36-inch bazookas that were captured during the [[Chinese Civil War]] were also employed by the Chinese forces against the American Sherman and Patton tanks,<ref name=appleman17_18>{{cite book \|last=Appleman \|first=Roy \|year=1989 \|title=Disaster in Korea: The Chinese Confront MacArthur \|publisher=Texas A and M University \|series=Military History \|volume=11 \|location=College Station, Texas \|isbn=978-1-60344-128-5 \|pages=17–18, 118, 188, 120, 190}}</ref> and the Chinese later reverse engineered and produced a copy of the M20 designated the ''Type 51''.<ref>{{Citation \|first=Denis HR \|last=Archer \|publisher=Jane \|title=Infantry Weapons \|year=1976 \|page=572 \|isbn=0-531-03255-8}}.</ref> It is considered that the Communist-used bazookas destroyed more tanks than the UN bazookas did.<ref name="Korea">{{cite book\|last=Rottman\|first=Gordon L.\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NpOp2OO1-DAC&pg=PA199\|title=Korean War Order of Battle: United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950–1953\|date=December 2002\|publisher=Praeger\|isbn=978-0-275-97835-8\|page=199}}</ref>

	====Vietnam War====		====Vietnam War====
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	* {{flag\|Sierra Leone}}: Super bazooka<ref name="gander2002"/>		* {{flag\|Sierra Leone}}: Super bazooka<ref name="gander2002"/>
	* {{flag\|South Africa\|1928}}: Super bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 71"/>		* {{flag\|South Africa\|1928}}: Super bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 71"/>
	*{{flag\|Republic of Korea}}: ~~Bazooka~~, ~~super bazooka~~<ref name="~~Rottman 2012 71~~" />		* {{flag\|Republic of Korea}}: Received 1,958 M9A1 from the U.S. prior to the Korean War. At the end of the war, the military operated 609 M9A1 and 4,907 M20.<ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/>
	*{{flag\|South Vietnam}}: M9A1 and M20A1 variants<ref>{{cite book\|author=Gordon L. Rottman\|title=Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955–75\|date=2010\|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]\|isbn=9781849081818\|volume=Men-at-Arms 458\|page=7}}</ref>		*{{flag\|South Vietnam}}: M9A1 and M20A1 variants<ref>{{cite book\|author=Gordon L. Rottman\|title=Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955–75\|date=2010\|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]\|isbn=9781849081818\|volume=Men-at-Arms 458\|page=7}}</ref>
	* {{flag\|Soviet Union}}: Bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 38"/>		* {{flag\|Soviet Union}}: Bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 38"/>

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← Older revision		Revision as of 21:36, 28 June 2022
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	'''Bazooka''' (/bəˈzuːkə/)<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/bazooka\|title=bazooka noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes\|website=Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary}}</ref> is the common name for a [[Man-portable anti-tank systems\|man-portable]] recoilless [[Anti-tank warfare\|anti-tank]] [[rocket launcher]] weapon, widely deployed by the [[United States Army]], especially during [[World War II]]. Also referred to as the "stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was among the first generation of [[rocket-propelled grenade\|rocket-propelled]] anti-tank weapons used in [[infantry]] combat. Featuring a [[solid-propellant rocket]] for propulsion, it allowed for [[High-explosive anti-tank warhead\|high-explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) warheads to be delivered against [[Vehicle armour\|armored vehicles]], [[machine gun]] nests, and fortified [[bunker]]s at ranges beyond that of a standard thrown [[grenade]] or [[land mine\|mine]]. The universally-applied nickname arose from the M1 variant's vague resemblance to the musical instrument called a "[[bazooka (instrument)\|bazooka]]" invented and popularized by 1930s U.S. comedian [[Bob Burns (humorist)\|Bob Burns]].		'''Bazooka''' (/bəˈzuːkə/)<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/bazooka\|title=bazooka noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes\|website=Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary}}</ref> is the common name for a [[Man-portable anti-tank systems\|man-portable]] recoilless [[Anti-tank warfare\|anti-tank]] [[rocket launcher]] weapon, widely deployed by the [[United States Army]], especially during [[World War II]]. Also referred to as the "stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was among the first generation of [[rocket-propelled grenade\|rocket-propelled]] anti-tank weapons used in [[infantry]] combat. Featuring a [[solid-propellant rocket]] for propulsion, it allowed for [[High-explosive anti-tank warhead\|high-explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) warheads to be delivered against [[Vehicle armour\|armored vehicles]], [[machine gun]] nests, and fortified [[bunker]]s at ranges beyond that of a standard thrown [[grenade]] or [[land mine\|mine]]. The universally-applied nickname arose from the M1 variant's vague resemblance to the musical instrument called a "[[bazooka (instrument)\|bazooka]]" invented and popularized by 1930s U.S. comedian [[Bob Burns (humorist)\|Bob Burns]].

	During [[World War II]], the [[Nazi Germany\|German]] armed forces captured several bazookas in early North ~~Africa~~<ref name="MC 2008"/~~><ref>With cheap cost per use and which any 'farm peasant can be trained to fire', the [[AT4\|AT4 CS]] is the modern-day descendant of the Bazooka (paraphrased conclusion).</ref~~> and Eastern Front encounters and soon [[Reverse engineering\|reverse engineered]] their own version,<ref name="MC 2008"/> increasing the warhead diameter to 8.8 cm (among other minor changes) and widely issuing it as the ''Raketenpanzerbüchse'' "[[Panzerschreck]]" ("rocket anti-armor rifle 'tank scare{{'"}}).<ref name="MC 2008"/> Near the end of the war, the Japanese developed a similar weapon, the [[Type 4 70 mm AT Rocket Launcher]], which featured a rocket propelled grenade of a different design.<ref>{{cite book\|title=''Panzerfaust'' and ''Panzerschreck''\|author=Gordon L. Rottman \|year=2014 \|isbn=978-1782007883 \|publisher=Osprey Publishing}}</ref>		During [[World War II]], the [[Nazi Germany\|German]] armed forces captured several bazookas in early North African<ref name="MC 2008"/> and Eastern Front encounters and soon [[Reverse engineering\|reverse engineered]] their own version,<ref name="MC 2008"/> increasing the warhead diameter to 8.8 cm (among other minor changes) and widely issuing it as the ''Raketenpanzerbüchse'' "[[Panzerschreck]]" ("rocket anti-armor rifle 'tank scare{{'"}}).<ref name="MC 2008"/> Near the end of the war, the Japanese developed a similar weapon, the [[Type 4 70 mm AT Rocket Launcher]], which featured a rocket propelled grenade of a different design.<ref>{{cite book\|title=''Panzerfaust'' and ''Panzerschreck''\|author=Gordon L. Rottman \|year=2014 \|isbn=978-1782007883 \|publisher=Osprey Publishing}}</ref>

	The term "bazooka" still sees informal use as a [[generic trademark\|generic term]]<ref name="gen">{{cite web \|url= https://www.genericides.org/trademark/bazooka \|title= Has bazooka become a generic trademark? \|access-date= January 28, 2021 \|website= genericides.org }}</ref> referring to any ground-to-ground [[shoulder-fired missile]] weapon (mainly rocket propelled grenade launchers or [[recoilless rifle]]s), and as an expression that "heavy measures" are being taken.<ref name="gen" />		The term "bazooka" still sees informal use as a [[generic trademark\|generic term]]<ref name="gen">{{cite web \|url= https://www.genericides.org/trademark/bazooka \|title= Has bazooka become a generic trademark? \|access-date= January 28, 2021 \|website= genericides.org }}</ref> referring to any ground-to-ground [[shoulder-fired missile]] weapon (mainly rocket propelled grenade launchers or [[recoilless rifle]]s), and as an expression that "heavy measures" are being taken.<ref name="gen" />
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	====Korean War====		====Korean War====
	The success of the more powerful German ''Panzerschreck'' caused the bazooka to be completely redesigned at the close of World War II. A larger, 3.5 in (89 mm) model was adopted, the M20 "super bazooka". Though bearing a superficial resemblance to the ''Panzerschreck'', the M20 had greater effective range, penetrating capability and was nearly 20% lighter than its German counterpart. The M20 weighed 14.3 pounds (6.5 kg) and fired a hollow shaped-charge 9 lb (4 kg) M28A2 HEAT rocket when used in an anti-tank role. It was also operated by a two-man team and had a rate of fire of six shots per minute. As with its predecessor, the M20 could also fire rockets with either practice (M29A2) or WP smoke (T127E3/M30) warheads. Having learned from experience of the sensitivity of the bazooka and its ammunition to moisture and harsh environments, the ammunition for the new weapon was packaged in moisture-resistant packaging, and the M20's field manual contained extensive instructions on launcher lubrication and maintenance, as well as storage of rocket ammunition.<ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-297, 3.5-inch Rocket Launchers M20 and M20B1 \|date=August 10, 1950 \|pages=31–35, 86–88}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-1055-201-12, Launcher, Rocket, 3.5-in M20A1 and M20A1 B1 \|place=Washington, DC \|date=August 1968 \|page=39}}.</ref> When prepared for shipment from the arsenal, the weapon was protected by antifungal coatings over all electrical contacts, in addition to a [[cosmoline]] coating in the hand-operated magneto that ignited the rocket. Upon issue, these coatings were removed with solvent to ready the M20 for actual firing.		[[File:Bazooka rocket.jpg\|thumbnail\|A 3.5 inch bazooka rocket—loader training projectile\|right]]
			The success of the more powerful German ''Panzerschreck'' caused the bazooka to be completely redesigned at the close of World War II. A larger, 3.5 in (89 mm) model was adopted, the M20 "super bazooka". Though bearing a superficial resemblance to the ''Panzerschreck'', the M20 had a greater effective range, penetrating capability and was nearly 20% lighter than its German counterpart. The M20 weighed 14.3 pounds (6.5 kg) and fired a hollow shaped-charge 9 lb (4 kg) M28A2 HEAT rocket when used in an anti-tank role. It was also operated by a two-man team and had a rate of fire of six shots per minute. As with its predecessor, the M20 could also fire rockets with either practice (M29A2) or WP smoke (T127E3/M30) warheads. Having learned from experience of the sensitivity of the bazooka and its ammunition to moisture and harsh environments, the ammunition for the new weapon was packaged in moisture-resistant packaging, and the M20's field manual contained extensive instructions on launcher lubrication and maintenance, as well as storage of rocket ammunition.<ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-297, 3.5-inch Rocket Launchers M20 and M20B1 \|date=August 10, 1950 \|pages=31–35, 86–88}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|publisher=Department of the Army \|type=technical manual \|title=TM 9-1055-201-12, Launcher, Rocket, 3.5-in M20A1 and M20A1 B1 \|place=Washington, DC \|date=August 1968 \|page=39}}.</ref> When prepared for shipment from the arsenal, the weapon was protected by antifungal coatings over all electrical contacts, in addition to a [[cosmoline]] coating in the hand-operated magneto that ignited the rocket. Upon issue, these coatings were removed with solvent to ready the M20 for actual firing. However, budget cutbacks initiated by Secretary of Defense [[Louis A. Johnson]] in the years following World War II effectively canceled the intended widespread issue of the M20, and initial U.S. forces deploying to Korea were armed solely with the M9/M9A1 2.36-in. launcher and old stockpiled World War II inventories of M6A3 rocket ammunition.

	~~[[File:Bazooka rocket.jpg\|thumbnail\|A 3.5 inch bazooka rocket—loader training projectile]]~~		At the outbreak of the [[Korean War]], the South Korean military had 1,958 M9A1 rocket launchers that were given from the U.S. Forces Korea during withdrawal in 1948 to 1949, and they were the only anti-tank firearms that the Korean military had secured sufficient quantities. The South Korean military actively operated rocket launchers against North Korean armor. However, the 2.36-inch rocket launcher failed to show its power against the front armor of T-34-85, which was the biggest threat. The South Korean military responded by firing rockets into the side, rear, or track through ambushes, but it did not have much effect.<ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations">{{Cite book \|last=Bak \|first=Dongchan \|url=http://medcmd.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202105270240172800.pdf \|title=Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations \|publisher=Ministry of Defense Institute for Military History \|date=March 2021 \|isbn=979-11-5598-079-8 \|location=Republic of Korea \|pages=66–70 \|language=Korean}}</ref>
	~~Budget cutbacks initiated by Secretary~~ of ~~Defense~~ [[~~Louis A. Johnson~~]] in the ~~years following World War II effectively canceled~~ the ~~intended widespread issue of the M20, and initial~~ U.S. ~~forces deploying~~ to ~~Korea~~ were ~~armed solely with~~ the ~~M9/M9A1~~ 2.36-~~in.~~ launcher ~~and old stockpiled World War II inventories~~ of ~~M6A3 rocket ammunition~~. ~~During~~ the ~~initial stages~~ of the Korean War, ~~complaints resurfaced over~~ the ~~ineffectiveness of~~ the 2.36-inch ~~M9 and M9A1 against Soviet-supplied enemy armor~~. ~~In one notable incident~~, ~~infantry blocking forces~~ of ~~the U.S. Army's~~ [[Battle of Osan#Task Force Smith\|Task Force Smith]] ~~were~~ overrun by 33 North Korean T-34~~-85 tanks despite repeatedly firing 2.36 inch rockets into~~ the rear ~~engine compartments of~~ the ~~vehicles~~.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Fukumitsu \|first=Keith K \|title=No More Task Force Smiths \|journal=Professional Bulletin \|publisher=Army \|place=US \|url=http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011100243/http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-date=October 11, 2008 \|url-status=dead}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|title=[[Talk:Battle of Osan#Task Force Smiths letter to President Reagan\|To President Reagan on failure of 2.36 inch bazooka]] \|author=former members of Task Force Smith \|year=1985 \|type=letter}}.</ref> Additionally, ordnance authorities received numerous combat reports regarding the failure of the M6A3 warhead to properly detonate upon impact, eventually traced to inventories of rocket ammunition that had deteriorated from numerous years of storage in humid or salt air environments. ~~Supplies~~ of 3.~~5- in M20 launchers with M28A2 HEAT rocket ammunition~~ were ~~hurriedly airlifted from~~ the ~~United States~~ to South ~~Korea~~, ~~where they proved very effective against the T-34~~ and ~~other Soviet~~ tanks.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Blair \|first=Clay \|title=The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 \|place=Annapolis, MD \|publisher=Naval Institute Press \|year=2003 \|isbn=1-59114-075-7}}.</ref> Large numbers of 2.36-inch bazookas that were captured during the [[Chinese Civil War]] were also employed by the Chinese forces against the American Sherman and Patton tanks,<ref name=appleman17_18>{{cite book \|last=Appleman \|first=Roy \|year=1989 \|title=Disaster in Korea: The Chinese Confront MacArthur \|publisher=Texas A and M University \|series=Military History \|volume=11 \|location=College Station, Texas \|isbn=978-1-60344-128-5 \|pages=17–18, 118, 188, 120, 190}}</ref> and the Chinese later reverse engineered and produced a copy of the M20 designated the ''Type 51''.<ref>{{Citation \|first=Denis HR \|last=Archer \|publisher=Jane \|title=Infantry Weapons \|year=1976 \|page=572 \|isbn=0-531-03255-8}}.</ref> It is considered that the Communist-used bazookas destroyed more tanks than the UN bazookas did.<ref name="Korea">{{cite book\|last=Rottman\|first=Gordon L.\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NpOp2OO1-DAC&pg=PA199\|title=Korean War Order of Battle: United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950–1953\|date=December 2002\|publisher=Praeger\|isbn=978-0-275-97835-8\|page=199}}</ref>
			At the same time, the U.S. military dispatched its first troops to the Korean Peninsula without trusting reports that a 2.36-inch rocket could not destroy North Korean tanks. On July 5, 1950, during the [[Battle of Osan]], [[Battle of Osan#Task Force Smith\|Task Force Smith]] tried to stop North Korean tanks with 2.36-inch rocket launchers and 75 mm recoilless rifles but was overrun by 33 T-34-85s. One of the North Korean T-34 received a total of 22 shots on the side and rear at about 10 meters in distance, but survived the attack.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Fukumitsu \|first=Keith K \|title=No More Task Force Smiths \|journal=Professional Bulletin \|publisher=Army \|place=US \|url=http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011100243/http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/oqmg/professional_bulletin/1996/Spring/tfsmith.html \|archive-date=October 11, 2008 \|url-status=dead}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation \|title=[[Talk:Battle of Osan#Task Force Smiths letter to President Reagan\|To President Reagan on failure of 2.36 inch bazooka]] \|author=former members of Task Force Smith \|year=1985 \|type=letter}}.</ref><ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/>

			On July 8, Colonel Robert R. Martin, commander of the 34th Regiment of the 24th U.S. Division, was killed while operating a 2.36-inch rocket launcher to prevent North Korean tanks from advancing.<ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/> Additionally, ordnance authorities received numerous combat reports regarding the failure of the M6A3 warhead to properly detonate upon impact, eventually traced to inventories of rocket ammunition that had deteriorated from numerous years of storage in humid or salt air environments. Therefore, the U.S. Army immediately airlifted a small number of available M20 Super Bazookas from the U.S. mainland after learning that it needed more powerful rockets. The rockets were deployed during the [[Battle of Taejon]] on July 18, and proved their power by destroying a number of North Korean tanks that entered the city on July 20. As a result, the U.S. Army rushed to secure more M20 rockets and was able to hold more than 900 Super Bazookas during the [[Battle of Pusan Perimeter]]. The South Korean military also began receiving M20 in early August, and successfully destroyed 4 tanks with M20s during their first usage on 9 August.<ref>{{Citation \|last=Blair \|first=Clay \|title=The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1950–1953 \|place=Annapolis, MD \|publisher=Naval Institute Press \|year=2003 \|isbn=1-59114-075-7}}.</ref><ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/>

			Large numbers of 2.36-inch bazookas that were captured during the [[Chinese Civil War]] were also employed by the Chinese forces against the American Sherman and Patton tanks,<ref name=appleman17_18>{{cite book \|last=Appleman \|first=Roy \|year=1989 \|title=Disaster in Korea: The Chinese Confront MacArthur \|publisher=Texas A and M University \|series=Military History \|volume=11 \|location=College Station, Texas \|isbn=978-1-60344-128-5 \|pages=17–18, 118, 188, 120, 190}}</ref> and the Chinese later reverse engineered and produced a copy of the M20 designated the ''Type 51''.<ref>{{Citation \|first=Denis HR \|last=Archer \|publisher=Jane \|title=Infantry Weapons \|year=1976 \|page=572 \|isbn=0-531-03255-8}}.</ref> It is considered that the Communist-used bazookas destroyed more tanks than the UN bazookas did.<ref name="Korea">{{cite book\|last=Rottman\|first=Gordon L.\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NpOp2OO1-DAC&pg=PA199\|title=Korean War Order of Battle: United States, United Nations, and Communist Ground, Naval, and Air Forces, 1950–1953\|date=December 2002\|publisher=Praeger\|isbn=978-0-275-97835-8\|page=199}}</ref>

	====Vietnam War====		====Vietnam War====
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	* {{flag\|Sierra Leone}}: Super bazooka<ref name="gander2002"/>		* {{flag\|Sierra Leone}}: Super bazooka<ref name="gander2002"/>
	* {{flag\|South Africa\|1928}}: Super bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 71"/>		* {{flag\|South Africa\|1928}}: Super bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 71"/>
	*{{flag\|Republic of Korea}}: ~~Bazooka~~, ~~super bazooka~~<ref name="~~Rottman 2012 71~~" />		* {{flag\|Republic of Korea}}: Received 1,958 M9A1 from the U.S. prior to the Korean War. At the end of the war, the military operated 609 M9A1 and 4,907 M20.<ref name="Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations"/>
	*{{flag\|South Vietnam}}: M9A1 and M20A1 variants<ref>{{cite book\|author=Gordon L. Rottman\|title=Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955–75\|date=2010\|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]\|isbn=9781849081818\|volume=Men-at-Arms 458\|page=7}}</ref>		*{{flag\|South Vietnam}}: M9A1 and M20A1 variants<ref>{{cite book\|author=Gordon L. Rottman\|title=Army of the Republic of Vietnam 1955–75\|date=2010\|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]\|isbn=9781849081818\|volume=Men-at-Arms 458\|page=7}}</ref>
	* {{flag\|Soviet Union}}: Bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 38"/>		* {{flag\|Soviet Union}}: Bazooka<ref name="Rottman 2012 38"/>

Bazooka - Revision history

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