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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Few weapons have withstood the test of time like the .50-caliber Browning M2 machine gun.
The .50-caliber Browning machine gun is the longest used small arms weapon in the United States military arsenal, according to the Department of Defense's archive. It was designed during World War I and was mass produced and used extensively throughout World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam Conflict, Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The M2 .50-caliber machine gun is an automatic, belt-fed, recoil-operated, air-cooled weapon that can be used effectively against personnel, light armored vehicles, low and slow flying aircrafts, and small boats.
"The .50-caliber machine gun is an effective weapon in combat," said retired Sgt. Maj. Mike D. "Iron Mike" Mervosh, 86, from Pittsburgh.
From the .50-calibers' début to today, there have been very few alterations on the weapon. Most of the changes made are for safety. Other modifications are added for advanced operations to include sight mounts and flash hiders to make operations easier when the weapon is being fired with night vision and thermal optics.
The Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group's armory still has a .50-caliber machine gun with the same wooden handles as the ones used in WWII that were manufactured by General Motors. That same weapon was being used in Iraq by Marines this year.
"I would feel very comfortable deploying with this weapon system," said Lance Cpl. Thomas R. Guidetti, 22, from Wooster, Ohio, a small arms repair technician with Headquarters Company. "It's a very dependable and reliable weapon."
Because the M2 .50-caliber machine gun weighs 84 pounds, it requires a mount. During OIF and OEF, the .50-caliber machine gun has primarily been used on vehicles for convoy protection. In early conflicts, the weapons were used mounted on a tripod to protect service members from enemies entering U.S. military bases in hostile areas.
"We used the .50-caliber machine gun for defensive setups to fortify our positions," said Mervosh. "It's a big enemy stopper."
The .50-caliber machine gun has been stopping enemies and helping U.S. forces win battles for almost a century and still plays a vital role in combat today.
| Date Taken: | 05.27.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2009 15:43 |
| Story ID: | 34175 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 334 |
| Downloads: | 291 |
This work, .50-caliber machine gun stands test of time, by Cpl Jacob A. Singsank, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
