M1917A1 Machine Gun

The National World War II Museum, 2006.050.001

The M1917A1 water-cooled machine gun was invented by legendary firearms designer, John Browning, and adopted for service by the US armed forces in 1917 after Browning demonstrated the reliability of his machine gun by firing a mile-long belt of ammunition without interruption or a single stoppage. During World War II, the M1917A1 was classified as a heavy machine gun for its ability to fire continuously, as opposed to air-cooled machine guns which had to be fired in short bursts to avoid overheating. The M1917A1 .30 caliber machine gun saw service in every theater of the war, but was especially effective against Japanese banzai charges in the Pacific.