They Banned His “Rust Lock” Rifle — Until the Sniper Dropped 9 Germans in 48 Hours

They Banned His “Rust Lock” Rifle — Until the Sniper Dropped 9 Germans in 48 Hours
December 7th, 1944. Hürtgen Forest, Germany. When every rifle in his squad jammed in freezing combat, Corporal Thomas Mitchell's M1 Garand kept firing—because three nights earlier, he'd broken every Army regulation to save his friends' lives. A Montana mechanic turned soldier, Tommy had watched seven men die with seized weapons. So he did what engineers at Aberdeen Proving Ground said was impossible: he modified his rifle with motor oil from a Jeep. The technique spread like wildfire through the ranks, saving an estimated 3,000-5,000 soldiers. The Army never thanked him. Most men who used it never knew his name. This is the story of the innovation that changed WWII infantry combat—and the working-class hero who risked a firing squad to make it happen.
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