The Tommy (Thompson) Gun
How Gen. Thompson’s gun wrote history
To order: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0312383266/ref=rdr_ext_tmb
The Tommy Gun was Paul’s main weapon as a Plt. Sgt inWWII.
A gun gives a soldier the power to ” save” a life or “take” a life.
Once in a great while a single firearm can change the face of war
During WWI, heavy tripod-mounted machine guns pinned infrantrymen in their trenches. Because frontal asaults were suicide missions, stalemates lasted for weeks, sometimes months. Retried Army General John T. Thompson wanted to devise a way to give the fight back for the foot soldier.
He designed a weapon that could be used as an automatic “trench-broom” to sweep enemy trenches, but it was completed after the war ended.
By the time America entered World War II, the Thompson was a trusted ally for the infantry. Once called “The deadliest weapon pound for pound, ever devised by man”, it was the perfect weapon for the American soldier, who often engaged the enemy face-to-face.
The Thompson gave them a huge advantage in close combat fighting and helped turn the tide of countless firefights. Its portability proved crucial to the soldier poking through the bombed out streets of Europe during the beach landings at Normandy.
paul j. andert 