[ARC5] BC-611 Production numbers...now AMA

[Hubert Miller]

As for the Pacific war, I have only seen the BC-611 used in the Aleutian Islands 
campaign. I do not consider it a successful radio, despite its impressing Winston 
Churchill. Numerous GI's complained that they "could shout farther than the radio
worked".  You had to hold it up to your head to work it - despite the F model paper
showing connection of throat mic and headphone, I have seen no documentation 
showing this ever actually used in a combat situation. Or any situation, really. There
was no frequency flexibility. A broken antenna disabled the set. In fact, around 1985
I saw one that had been discarded in Netherlands because it was a  useless liability 
with its broken antenna. Yes, you see photos of the BC-611 used in some street fighting
in Germany. I suggest that was the exception, and possibly the short range of the radio
was still usable in that situation. Just about every WWII Europe combat account you
read says the "300 set", the SCR-300 ( BC-1000 ). The feelings of the users about this 
radio were always positive. Even if crawling under fire, you could drag the radio
behind you - I read about exactly this being done. I think I reported previously on 
milsurplus a book on the history of the Rangers in the Pacific, and they rejected the BC-611
for its very limited range. I think they quoted 35 miles over open water for the BC-1000. 
I consider the BC-611 an interesting novelty and actually more fitting for civilian uses 
including maybe the Forest Service and such.  The Navy's MAB at least used headphones
and you had your 2 arms free except when answering. EVERY German WWII pack radio 
used headphones and throat mic. You never missed a message and your arms were free.
-Hue Miller