reconbob Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 We have seen this one before, but this is the clearest copy I have ever seen...Guadalcanal landing, M1928A1 Thompson with 50-rd drum: http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/reconbob/G1.jpg I have not seen this one before. Cape Glouster 1944. machine gun nest cuttingoff retreat of Japanese forces. M1 Thompson: http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f392/reconbob/G3.jpg Bob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Mills Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Great pics. My uncle was there, a Sarge with his Thompson. He lived to tell about it, with grim tales to go along with it. Thanks for posting these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD. Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 That looks like John Wayne (to me) in the second picture. Notice how the bolt is in the forward position on the M1 Thompson. Is this a posed photograph? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 That looks like John Wayne (to me) in the second picture. Notice how the bolt is in the forward position on the M1 Thompson. Is this a posed photograph? TD, No, that is not a posed photograph, it is real and appears in many WWII books about the Pacific Theater. The guy in the middle does look a little like John Wayne, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piep Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 John Wayne was my first thought also. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Most of those were "posed" to a certain extent. A photographer comes to the front lines and says "Line up guys and lets make it look good to the folks back home."....Not saying that these guys weren't on the front lines or that they weren't going to get hit that night. They weren't picked out and placed there... The first pic is also one of my favorites too, Thompson, BAR and a Paratrooper Reising......Who could ask for more?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Most of those were "posed" to a certain extent. A photographer comes to the front lines and says "Line up guys and lets make it look good to the folks back home."....Not saying that these guys weren't on the front lines or that they weren't going to get hit that night. They weren't picked out and placed there... The first pic is also one of my favorites too, Thompson, BAR and a Paratrooper Reising......Who could ask for more?? Hawkeye, Yes, I agree the men in the photos obviously knew the photographer was there. I just meant it wasn't a photo from a movie or otherwise posed with actors in a fake setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidthefields70 Posted February 12, 2012 Report Share Posted February 12, 2012 Great pics. Brave men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Here's one you don't see everyday, usage of the forearm band. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoscoeTurner Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 If you haven't picked up a copy of Armor Plate Press' The Thompson Submachine Gun, the book is well worth the money for the original Thompson photos in it. http://www.armorplat.../books/weapons/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmagee1917 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Notice the ammo can between thier heads. It holds the phone handset so they can talk to the crew while they're buttoned up .Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirtyround Posted April 5, 2012 Report Share Posted April 5, 2012 Greetings to all. Great photo, I have seen it before but didnt notice the unusual thickness of the barrel band until now. Notice the barrel band on the M1 Thompson under zoom, It looks very wide. I'm leaning toward a field improvised setup or even tape. Is it just me? Take a look. JB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted April 5, 2012 Report Share Posted April 5, 2012 thirtyround, The M1 Thompson or the M1 Carbine? I don't see any barrel band on the M1 Thompson. The photo was taken with and old view camera, probably a 4" X 5" negative. In jungle conditions the photo would have ben taken without a flash and in low light. So the aperture would be wide open creating a shallow depth of field. The camera operator focused on the two guys in the center, who are in focus. The natural phenomenon of depth of field (area in focus) causes the man in front and the man in the back to be slightly our of focus. This coupled with the reflection of the light off the metal parts creates the illusion that the parts are larger the normal. I think the M1 carbine has the normal early barrel band and again, I don't see one on the Thompson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalbert Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 gijive and thirtyround, I think you guys are each referring to different photos. Thirtyround is referring to this one: GIJive is referring to this one: David Albertdalbert@sturmgewehr.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gijive Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 Dalbert, You're right. My mistake. Wasn't signed in so didn't see the photo of the guys by the tank. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirtyround Posted April 6, 2012 Report Share Posted April 6, 2012 All, I apologize for the descriptive overlook. Yes I was refering to the GI's behind the tank, the barrel band when viewed on zoom is obviously wider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riderboy Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 Most of those were "posed" to a certain extent. A photographer comes to the front lines and says "Line up guys and lets make it look good to the folks back home."....Not saying that these guys weren't on the front lines or that they weren't going to get hit that night. They weren't picked out and placed there... The first pic is also one of my favorites too, Thompson, BAR and a Paratrooper Reising......Who could ask for more?? Hawkeye, Yes, I agree the men in the photos obviously knew the photographer was there. I just meant it wasn't a photo from a movie or otherwise posed with actors in a fake setting.Yes, I always try to imagine how and where the photographer would be standing/sitting/laying down. If it were me, I would not be in front of the line, apparently raised up ( looks like to me anyway ) to take a photo like that if lead was flying or about to fly. And the fact that the M1 bolt is forward makes it unlikely they were in a furball at the time. Nonetheless, they all look pretty grim, like there's just about any other place on earth they would rather be. Brave men doing their duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Here's one I found today with a couple of Tommyguns.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flipseat Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Here's one I found today with a couple of Tommyguns.... Is that a Kubelwagen I see? Judging by the body panels, and the front axle (torsion housings) it would appear so. Thompsons and Volkswagens?! Does it get any better than that? Sorry... I'm a vintage VW nutcase as well... hence my username. It refers to a vintage VW camping bus. Its pretty rare that I see a Kubel in the VW community, but they show up every once in a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bug Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Here's one I found today with a couple of Tommyguns.... Is that a Kubelwagen I see? Judging by the body panels, and the front axle (torsion housings) it would appear so. Thompsons and Volkswagens?! Does it get any better than that? Sorry... I'm a vintage VW nutcase as well... hence my username. It refers to a vintage VW camping bus.Its pretty rare that I see a Kubel in the VW community, but they show up every once in a while. Funny, my first thought was "Thing" and I laughed out loud. Any info on the pic? Is that RAAF on the door? How about the two fender leaners? Bob D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSMGguy Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Not only does it say RAAF on the door; there's an Australian flag underneath it. That means that the rightmost "fender leaner" is most likely an Australian produced #1 Mk. IV SMLE rifle . Can't make out the other one. Looks like a caliber .50 M2 being serviced. North Africa? Sicily? Italy? Don't know. Great pic, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olle grieze Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 The other one looks like an Carcano carbine with bayonet and there seems to be an other Tommy behind the Lee Enfiels and the Carcano. It likes it is fitted with a 50 round magazine. Olle Grieze Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye_Joe Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Here's one I found today with a couple of Tommyguns.... Is that a Kubelwagen I see? Judging by the body panels, and the front axle (torsion housings) it would appear so. Thompsons and Volkswagens?! Does it get any better than that? Sorry... I'm a vintage VW nutcase as well... hence my username. It refers to a vintage VW camping bus.Its pretty rare that I see a Kubel in the VW community, but they show up every once in a while. If you want to contact me off list so as to not hi-jack this thread I can steer you to a site where I got this pic and the poster has put up a huge amount of photos of Kubels and early VW's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopN Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 A picture of a Marine M-3 Light Tank Crewman holding a M1928 with a 50rd drum on Guadalcanal in September 1942. From "This is Guadalcanal" by L.D. Keeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirtyround Posted May 19, 2012 Report Share Posted May 19, 2012 Greetings all, These old photo's, especially the Marines with Thompson's with drums are great and rare. I'm a great fan of military history and was lucky enough to be part of it as well, with 22 years in the Marine Corps. Throughout my years and when attending professional academy's it was routine for the leadership to always bring in half a dozen or so war vets from WW2, Korea and Vietnam to put a "this was how it was" aspect on those conflicts, have conversation and connect us to those great men and the Corps history. Being a Thompson Nut, I always asked about it's use. An old Marine colonel that did time at Guadalcanal and a other places stated the older NCO's , part of the "old breed" (as he stated) always managed to have the 50 round drums for their 28's. Practice was to use the drum and ammo in the initial beach assault, or first engagement and then discard when empty, then use the 20 / 30 round mags The rear eschelon types would recover the drums if possible. He also stated that alot of fathers would mail their son's various types of pistols/ammo and other weapon related materials. This was not discouraged by their commands. I thought this was a great aspect about a great generation of men, God Bless'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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