The Marine Corps uses MOS designation numbers to classify entire fields. The 01 field is admin, the 02 field is intelligence, and the 03 field is infantry. As a Machine Gunner, I know how to count past three, but in the Marine Corps, 03 is all that matters. Every other job exists to support the infantry. In the Marine Corps infantry, God’s favorite MOS is 0331, the machine gunner.
I was a 0331, and I loved being a machine gunner. I carried an M240 as part of a line company. While the guns and ammo can be heavy and daunting to carry, it’s the gun you want when shit pops off. The best part of being a machine gunner is opening up with the gun and having an immediate effect on the enemy. That and never having to hold rear security.
Throughout the history of machine guns, there have been machine gunners. In fact, machine gun gunnery was such a valuable skill in both a pre- and post-WWI world that many machine gunners would become mercenaries and market their skills with belt-fed fire-breathing blasters. In the Marine Corps specifically, to understand the machine gunner, you have to understand the Patron Saint of Machine Gunners.
The Patron Saint of Machine Gunners
Beneath John Basilone’s Italian good looks and swagger sat a pair of balls so big they think he may have broken deadlift records. “Manila John” served in both the Army and Marine Corps, and in Guadalcanal, he earned the Medal of Honor for what could only be described as pure, unadulterated violence.
If violence is an art, John Basilone painted masterpieces.
John Basilone proved you can’t get PTSD if you’re the one who experienced the traumatic event. During the Battle for Henderson Field, “Manila John” commanded two machine gun sections as they fought off 3,000 Japanese soldiers. For two days, John and his boys fought. It got to the point where ammo was low, and supply lines were cut off, so John Basilone turned them back on.
He fought through the Japanese-filled jungle and brought back the supplies that were desperately needed to feed his troops and their guns. He moved an extra gun into position and unleashed a torrent of American-made .30-06 into the enemy. When one gun broke down, he jumped into action, fixing it and getting it running once more.
“Manila John” didn’t budge from his position. He knew if he turned tail and ran, the Marines of 1/7 would suffer. Eventually, only John and two Marines were left in his section. As the last of the ammunition ran out, John deployed his machete and M1911, refusing to retreat. As the attack slackened off and Marines could reinforce his position, they were able to see that forward of his line lay piles of dead Japanese.
From the Mouths of Babes
PFC Nash Phillips, one of John’s Marines, said it best:
“Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest, or food. He was in a good emplacement, and causing the Japanese lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun, but also using his pistol.”
The 0331
It’s easy to see why 0331s look up to John Basilone. The man even requested to go back to combat and leave a sweet war bond tour. He wanted to be with his Marines, and for that, he paid the ultimate price at the Battle of Iwo Jima.
Gunnery Sergeant Basilone had brass balls and exemplified what it meant to be a Marine, but it’s not just his courage and extraordinary action that make him the Patron Saint of Machine Gunners. His actions, while extraordinary, exemplify the role and responsibilities of a machine gunner.
The Job
Your role as a machine gunner is to lay down hell, death, and destruction on the enemy. Your unit depends on the fire of automatic weapons in both the defense and offense. Without automatic weapons and suppressing fire, the enemy wins.
Fire without movement is a waste of ammo, but movement without fire is suicide. Even when he was outnumbered and supplies were low, he never abandoned his duty to provide automatic fire against an overwhelming enemy. If the guns go silent in a fight, then the fight is already over.
John Basilone and his Marines persevered through days and days of constant attack. They faced a well-armed enemy who threw themselves at Basilone’s position with wave after wave of troops. Basilone never retreated, never gave up,and he kept the guns running.
Ammo
Second, a big part of being a machine gunner is keeping your gun fed. If you don’t have ammo, you don’t have a machine gun; you have an anchor. The machine gun needs to eat, and John Basilone kept the guns running for days, no matter what.
He ensured his Marines weren’t just wasting ammo and burning barrels out. Maintaining short controlled bursts extends the amount of time you can provide automatic fire and ensures your hits count. When ammo got dangerously low, John took the initiative to go get more because the guns couldn’t stop running.
Knowing when to increase and decrease your rate of fire, as well as knowing your ammo consumption, is crucial to being a 0331.
Guns Up
I was issued an M9 with my M240, but I knew I’d never need it. The idea is that if your machine gun breaks, you have a weapon to defend yourself. The thing is, if my machine gun broke, my Marines expected me to try my damndest to fix the thing and not call it a day and swap to my M9.
John Basilone had a gun go down, and under attack by grenades, mortars, and small arms, he repaired it, and then personally manned it. The gun has to stay in the fight. It’s an 0331’s job to keep it going.
The Envy and Pride
No one wants to carry the gun, but everyone wants to shoot it. That’s the reality of being a 0331. Every patrol has you carrying nearly 30 pounds of steel with just the gun. Add in another 30 pounds of ammo, plus gear, and water…
We had this briefing about the different munitions the enemy used in Afghanistan, including anti-tank mines. An anti-tank mine required a specific amount of weight to set it off, and while I can’t remember the number, I can tell you I weighed enough to set one off when fully geared up and toting my M240 and ammo.
However, when shit starts to pop off, guys start offering dip, cigarettes, and Monsters to get behind the gun. Of course, I’ve never taken a bribe in the middle of a firefight. Officially. Machine gunners take a lot of pride in their MOS, their work, and the fact that they get to carry the big gun.
It’s not for the weak, but nothing in the infantry is.
A variety of fits for a variety of guns for a variety of optics for a variety of carry styles!
0331: 0/600/450
0331 MOS: 0/500/450
Machine gunner: 0/400/400
John Basilone: 8/22k/300
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