The sergeant at the front of the movement
The Thompson in this American sergeant's hands identifies a leader equipped for close-range fighting. He is advancing with his men rather than standing apart to issue orders. The inspiration is the practical authority of the NCO, the link between a plan and the soldiers expected to carry it out.
The Thompson fired a pistol cartridge, unlike the more powerful .30-06 round of the Garand. Its compact automatic fire gave it a different purpose from the squad's rifles. That variety is worth noticing: American infantry equipment was a set of complementary tools, not one standard weapon carried by everyone.
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