Description
TM 9-3071-1 Change 1 - 60mm and 81mm Mortar Maintenance Update Photocopy - January 1967
Item Overview
This item is a photocopy of the January 1967 Change 1 update for Army technical manual TM 9-3071-1. Use this supplement with the original manual issued on January 6, 1958. Its subject is field maintenance of American 60mm and 81mm mortars, including the mounts and baseplates that supported these infantry weapons.
Identification and Features
The publication covers both light and medium mortar equipment, with separate designations for the weapons and their supporting assemblies.
- Publication: TM 9-3071-1, Change 1.
- Update date: January 1967.
- Format: Photocopy of the change supplement.
- Original manual date: January 6, 1958.
- 60mm mortars: M2 and M19.
- 60mm supporting equipment: M5 mortar mount and M1 mortar baseplate.
- 81mm mortars: M1 and M29.
- 81mm mounts: M4, M23A1, M23A2, and M23A3.
Function and Update Contents
Change 1 revises inspection guidance for tube wear, barrel pitting, and free play in elevation and traverse mechanisms. It also adds inspection references for fire-control equipment, including sight units, aiming post lights, and instrument lights. Read these changes alongside the corresponding sections of the parent manual.
Publication History
The Army issued Change 1 on January 12, 1967, nine years after the base manual. That parent publication had replaced the field maintenance portion of TM 9-1260, dated March 14, 1952. This later update records continued revision of mortar maintenance standards during the Vietnam War period.
Documented End-Item Application
The parent manual documents the 60mm M2 with M5 mount; 60mm M19 with M5 mount or M1 baseplate; 81mm M1 with M4 mount; and 81mm M29 with M23A1, M23A2, or M23A3 mounts. It also addresses M1/M4 equipment installed in M4A1 and M21 mortar carriers.
Equipment History
The American 60mm M2 and 81mm M1 mortars drew on French Brandt designs developed before World War II. The M19 grew from the wartime T18E6 project, which sought a lighter weapon for infantry use. The M29 began replacing the M1 in 1952, bringing lower weight and greater range. These developments explain why the manual covers several generations of mortar equipment together.
60mm M5 Mount and M1 Baseplate Background
The M5 mount paired a bipod with a conventional baseplate for the M2 and M19 mortars. Its mechanical adjustments supported controlled barrel positioning. The M19 could also use the smaller M1 baseplate in a handheld role, reducing the load carried by the crew. These two arrangements reflected the need for both stable support and lighter equipment during infantry movement.
81mm Mount and Baseplate Development
The M4 mount used two springs in its shock absorber, while the M23-series mounts used one. The M23A1 baseplate had separate inner and outer rings. The M23A2 used a one-piece titanium baseplate, and the M23A3 used a one-piece aluminum baseplate. These differences help collectors identify period mounting equipment.
Weapon-System Background
These smoothbore, muzzle-loading mortars gave infantry portable fire support. Their high firing angles allowed shells to reach ground hidden behind hills, buildings, and other cover. The lighter 60mm weapons supported rifle troops, while 81mm mortars carried larger projectiles for broader support. Mounts controlled barrel position, and baseplates transferred firing forces into the ground.
History of Use
The M2 and M1 served American troops during World War II and the Korean War. Army records from Korea place 60mm M2 mortars in rifle companies and 81mm M1 mortars in battalion weapons companies. The M19 continued in the light mortar role during the Cold War and saw limited use in Vietnam. The M29 family also became an important Vietnam-era support weapon, extending the service story of the equipment covered by this publication.
Ideal For
This photocopied supplement suits readers building a reference set or researching changes in Army mortar maintenance practices.
- Collectors pairing Change 1 with the January 1958 base manual.
- Researchers studying American 60mm and 81mm mortar equipment.
- Museums documenting infantry weapons and supporting hardware.
- Collectors comparing M5, M4, and M23-series mounting equipment.
- Historians studying Cold War and Vietnam-era technical publications.
Approx length 8.5", Approx width 11", Approx height .25", Approx weight .5lbs.
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