Jan 5, 2021
On this episode of the Resistance Library Podcast Dave and Sam
discuss John Garand, the inventor of the M1 Garand. One of the most
iconic American firearms of all time, the M1 Garand was the
standard issue weapon for WWII and the Korean War. This is the
forgotten history of the man who invented this .30-06
semi-automatic rifle and how it became a symbol of the American
military.
“In my opinion, the M1 rifle is the greatest battle implement ever
devised.”
- General George S. Patton
Any gun nut – er,
“firearms
enthusiast” – worth their salt has heard of the M1 Garand
(it
rhymes with
“errand,”
by the way). This .30-06 semi-automatic rifle is one of the most
iconic American firearms of all time, and was the standard-issue
weapon for American infantry troops during World War II and the
Korean War. Drill teams and honor guards continue to use this in
the present day, such is its role as a symbol of the American
military.
Fewer, however, know about the life story of the man behind the
weapon – John Garand, a Canadian-American engineer and weapons
designer. Born one of a whopping 12 children on a Quebec farm,
Garand’s father relocated the entire family to Connecticut
following the untimely death of the clan’s mother in 1899. All six
boys in the family had the official first name St. Jean le
Baptiste, however, John Garand was the only one of them who
used
“Jean”
as his first name. The other five used their middle
names.
The invention bug ran in the family, with several of his brothers
sharing his penchant for innovation. Garand learned how to speak
English while working in a textile mill sweeping floors. He later
worked in a shooting gallery where he developed an interest in
firearms, which, when combined with his naturally innovative nature
and machining skills picked up in the textile mill, got him a job
at a Providence, RI, tool-making company in 1909. In 1916, he
relocated to New York City, where he continued working as a
toolmaker, and practiced his rifle skills at shooting galleries on
Broadway.
You can read the full article “John
Garand: The Forgotten History of the Man Who Invented the Iconic M1
Garand Rifle” at Ammo.com.
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