11-162 Garand Picture of the Day

[Snafu]

Description
Happy Americans in the Ardennes

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Bill Hughes]

What a contrast on the faces from the previous photo! Bill

[browningautorifle]

True, these guys probably jumped in on D-day and here it is winter and they're still OK. The other guys had been in for 60 days and were f**ked. But this illustrates the stories about how intense the difference in combat zones were.

[LimeyCarbineLover]

Guys you know how i love your pictures..that particular one is a "doozie" as it is the meet up of the US 17th Airborne Division (The Golden Talons) and the US 11th Armoured Division at Morhet Near Bastogne in Belgium....the 17th having been trucked into action straight from the Uk in the 1st week of January 1945 to stem the Nazi advance on Bastogne on its Northern flank around Flamierge.

Of particular note is the M43 jackets they are wearing....and also the GI in the centre wearing a British Dennison jump smock with his overboots....whereas the other young 17th GIs wear the Jumpboots.

Regards

Lloyd

[frankderrico]

The young trooper on the right has a fighting knife on his right leg. What I find interesting is he's holding a Thompson but has carbine mag pouches on his belt.....Frank

[LimeyCarbineLover]

Good morning Frank....buddy on closer inspection i think those are "single" LTD 1942 pattern Colt 45 mag pouches rather than carbine pouches....they are taller and slimmer than carbine pouches.
Yes also good spot on the M3 knife in M8 scabbard on the leg...a typical airborne "ism"

Regards

Lloyd

[frankderrico]

Good morning Lloyd, after I magged it up I agree they don't look like carbine pouches but look like 1911 mag pouches. He must have the 1911 on the other side of his belt. Love those jumping soldiers.....Frank

[Bob Seijas]

They look like they're ragging on the guy with the Brit smock ... first guy is saying, "Where the f*ck did you get that??" The kid is saying, "Looks like my old Doctor Dentons!" The guy on the right is saying, "Crazy Joe always comes up with weird stuff." LOL

[RCS]

One advantage of the M1/M1A1 Thompson is that you can apply the safety with the bolt in the forward position and not worry about dropping the weapon and having an accidental discharge.
With the M21/28 series you could not apply the safety with the bolt closed on an empty chamber and if dropped, the inertia would allow the bolt to travel far enough to pick-up a cartridge and chamber it firing the weapon. Very few M28 Thompsons were modified with the extra safety bolt notch and these were done by the British in the field.

Note in the above photo all the bolts are closed

[LimeyCarbineLover]

Ha Ha Ha Bob S i love it.....more likely he is an "influencial" officer.... judging by the binos round his neck.....who had a penchant for the unusual..but that is definatley a British dennison smock.....by the studs at the crotch....

Perhaps he won it at a game of "craps".....

Regards

Lloyd