be happy that allies dont get 250 ammo MG.
The biggest difference between the regular infantry and paratroopers was that the paratroopers served 1 M1919A4 belt-fed medium machine gun (later M1919A6) at the squad level rather than the BAR (the BAR would be also added to the squad organization in early 1945 that would replace one rifleman).
Ammo for the machine gun was in 250-round fabric belts. Each belt weighed 19.3 lb. The squad would jump with 3,250 rounds in 13 belts. Of these, 5 belts (1,250 rounds) would be jumped on men in the squad. One belt could be carried in metal ammo can or not in an M1 general purpose carrying bag. An additional 8 belts (2,000 rounds) were dropped in a bundle that would be retrieved by the machine gun team on the ground. In combat, it could be expected that the gunner would carry 1 belt and the gun, while the assistant would carry the tripod and 2 belts. The ammo bearer would most likely carry 2 belts as well.
In 1944, the German Infantry (Grenadier) Squad consisted of 9 men: 1 Squad Leader (MP-40), 1 Assistant Squad Leader (MP-40), 1 Machine Gunner (1 MG-42 or MG-34, 1 pistol), 1 Assistant Machine Gunner (1 Kar98k), and 5 Riflemen (1 Kar98k each). According to “The German Infantry Handbook 1939-1945” by Alex Buchner, you could expect the following load:
- 1,150 rounds of machine gun ammunition (250 rounds carried in 5 belt drums of 50 rounds; 900 rounds carried in 3 ammo boxes of 300 rounds)
and that fabric belt was probably replaced with metal disintegrating belt cause of better tolerance to weather conditions…