M1 Thompson autographed by Bill Guarnere (Band of Brothers)

[dsp]

Thought you fellow members might like to see my Bill Guarnere Thompson M1 "tribute package".  It is an early Savage Thompson. The previous owner had the buttstock autographed by Bill Guarnere.  The gun came with a "Band of Brothers" book which was autographed at same time as the buttstock.  I purchased the autographed copy of Bill Guarnere's "Brothers in Battle" book from Bill's son.  The TM 9-213 manual that I purchased off of Ebay is stamped "Capt. Joseph J Blazina ORDC".  Upon research, it appears Capt. Blazina had this manual while in an armored division during the 1950's.  I created the 1/6th scale "Bill Guarnere" paratrooper diorama by sending multiple wartime photos of Bill to a company that produced a 1/6th scale head to match Bill's face.  Bought a NOS parts kit from Bob at Philadelphia Ordnance which includes every replacement part except receiver.  Most of the spare parts had labels showing  they were packaged by the government between 1949 and 1954.  Only a few of the 20 mags that I have acquired are shown.  Don't know much about the zipper jump bag, it came with the gun.

[p51]

2 hours ago, dsp said:

I created the 1/6th scale "Bill Guarnere" paratrooper diorama by sending multiple wartime photos of Bill to a company that produced a 1/6th scale head to match Bill's face.  

 

This looks great but Id remove the frags and smokes, as they'd vanish once he jumped.

It also looks like the reserve ripcord is retained by a strap?

Looks like he's jumping with a T7, which didnt exist when E/506 jumped wearing their M42 jumpsuits into France.

Edited August 10, 2025 by p51

[rpbcps]

Nice pictures and well done on the paratrooper diorama. I see you have a British/Commonwealth soldered XX magazine in your collection too.

Your 'zipper jump bag' is actually a Thompson canvases case issued with half tracks I was told. I have one, complete with it's metal frame in my collection, the metal frame was designed to attach to the half track.

[RoscoeTurner]

Your display looks great, thanks for sharing it with us.

[p51]

2 hours ago, rpbcps said:

Your 'zipper jump bag' is actually a Thompson canvases case issued with half tracks I was told. I have one, complete with it's metal frame in my collection, the metal frame was designed to attach to the half track.

I've wondered for a long time what that zippered case/bag was for. Thanks for answering that.

[full auto 45]

I had Earl "One Lung" McClung, Brad Freeman and Lynn "Buck" Compton sign mine years ago. About 6 months later, Buck passed, then Earl and last was Brad. never got the opportunity to meet Bill or the others. 

[rpbcps]

8 hours ago, p51 said:

I've wondered for a long time what that zippered case/bag was for. Thanks for answering that.

Here are some photos of the case with the frame, showing how it fitted.

 

 

Never found a picture yet of one fitted in a half track, does anyone out there have one?

Edited August 11, 2025 by rpbcps
added image

[ACARLG]

11 hours ago, rpbcps said:

Here are some photos of the case with the frame, showing how it fitted.

 

 

Never found a picture yet of one fitted in a half track, does anyone out there have one?

No pics but this tells you where to look for them

p.69-70

Technical Manual TM 9-710 Basic Half-Track Vehicles (White, Autocar, and Diamond T) : War Department : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

[rpbcps]

3 minutes ago, ACARLG said:

No pics but this tells you where to look for them

p.69-70

Technical Manual TM 9-710 Basic Half-Track Vehicles (White, Autocar, and Diamond T) : War Department : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Thankyou for that link, much appreciated ?

[ACARLG]

11 hours ago, rpbcps said:

Thankyou for that link, much appreciated ?

No problem.

If you have any buddies who build models, ask them to check their instruction sheets. TAMIYA's kits are usually insanely detailed enough to show stowage like that.

[nope = not there]

Tamiya-35070.pdf

Edited August 12, 2025 by ACARLG

[ACARLG]

I think the Thompson smg bracket might have been a prewar (Louisiana Manuevers) <-> early war (Kasserine Pass) thing and may not have been popular.

I thought about this and went looking for an M2 halftrack (earliest practical service) load plan and found this

Half-track Car M2

While the images may not be complete, restorationists would have picked out details like the bracket.  ?‍♂️

 

 

[rpbcps]

5 hours ago, ACARLG said:

I think the Thompson smg bracket might have been a prewar (Louisiana Manuevers) <-> early war (Kasserine Pass) thing and may not have been popular.

I thought about this and went looking for an M2 halftrack (earliest practical service) load plan and found this

Half-track Car M2

While the images may not be complete, restorationists would have picked out details like the bracket.  ?‍♂️

 

 

That is interesting reading, thanks. Last night I scoured the internet for pictures of halftracks, hoping to find the TSMG frame in place, without success. Perhaps the frame is a rarer piece than I thought.
Perhaps they were like the British transit chests produced for the UK / Commonwealth Thompsons in the early days, when they were planned to be distributed as unit weapons. At that time, unit weapons, such as Vickers, Lewis and Bren, were all stored in transit chests, as they were nobody's personal responsibility and were issued to whoever ‘signed for them’, from the units armoury. In June 1941, the decision was taken that the Thompson guns would be issued as a personal weapon and therefore the chests were no longer required, and became rarer items to find on the collectors market.

 

Edited August 12, 2025 by rpbcps
Typo

[David]

Only bracket I can recall seeing are just the L shape brackets with a canvas strap loop. It’s what my m2 halftrack came with and only one I typically see in photos. They were above the passenger rear fuel tank. The m5 had them at the front behind the passenger and below the pulpit. Either way, interesting seeing that other one. I’d never seen one. 

[rpbcps]

I was watching James Bond in 'Octopussy' the other night.  The opening scene shows a Half track. Didn't get a chance to see if it had a frame fitted though. ?