5 Sept 2023 Garand Stock picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

CORPORAL TONY STEIN
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, in the Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. The first man of his unit to be on station after hitting the beach in the initial assault, Cpl. Stein, armed with a personally improvised aircraft-type weapon, provided rapid covering fire as the remainder of his platoon attempted to move into position. When his comrades were stalled by a concentrated machinegun and mortar barrage, he gallantly stood upright and exposed himself to the enemy's view, thereby drawing the hostile fire to his own person and enabling him to observe the location of the furiously blazing hostile guns. Determined to neutralize the strategically placed weapons, he boldly charged the enemy pillboxes 1 by 1 and succeeded in killing 20 of the enemy during the furious single-handed assault. Cool and courageous under the merciless hail of exploding shells and bullets which fell on all sides, he continued to deliver the fire of his skillfully improvised weapon at a tremendous rate of speed which rapidly exhausted his ammunition. Undaunted, he removed his helmet and shoes to expedite his movements and ran back to the beach for additional ammunition, making a total of 8 trips under intense fire and carrying or assisting a wounded man back each time. Despite the unrelenting savagery and confusion of battle, he rendered prompt assistance to his platoon whenever the unit was in position, directing the fire of a half-track against a stubborn pillbox until he had effected the ultimate destruction of the Japanese fortification. Later in the day, although his weapon was twice shot from his hands, he personally covered the withdrawal of his platoon to the company position. Stouthearted and indomitable, Cpl. Stein, by his aggressive initiative sound judgment, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of terrific odds, contributed materially to the fulfillment of his mission, and his outstanding valor throughout the bitter hours of conflict sustains and enhances the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.[

[Ovidio]

Cojones de acero! Unbelievable!!!

[RASelkirk]

Is there any more info on that MG? Never seen anything like it! Looks like a .30 Browning with a ? rifle stock, BAR carry handle, and home brewed box mag...

Russ

[browningautorifle]

Is there any more info on that MG?

We've talked about them here before too. If you track this around a bit you can find out all of it. He was a tool and die maker before service, they made six of these I think. M2 Stinger - Wikipedia

[RAM1ALASKA]

Here's one account of the story.

Firepower in the Pacific: The “Stinger” Machine Gun | An Official Journal Of The NRA

Also I watched this when it was originally on TV.
The Host is kind of a goofball but overall enjoyed the mechanics of the show.
The weapon has an impressive cyclic rate !

Iwo Jima Franken Gun (TV Episode 2017) - IMDb

[RASelkirk]

Thanks guys! I'm a voracious reader of the Pacific Theater and had never heard of this before now.

Russ

[Surpmil]

Similar idea to the previous use of the Vickers K Gun in a ground role. It was of course limited by the 100 round drums it went through in moments.