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Why two Marines built six unauthorized machine guns in secret during WW2 — and why their story almost disappeared from history. This World War 2 story reveals how Sergeant Mel Grevich and PFC John Lyttle modified aircraft weapons that fired three times faster than standard guns.
November 17, 1944. Sergeant Mel Grevich, machine gun section NCO, stood in a warehouse at Camp Tarawa, Hawaii, staring at damaged aircraft parts. His battalion had lost eleven gunners in four weeks. The M1919A6 light machine gun fired four hundred rounds per minute — too slow against Japanese defenders. Grevich decided to modify AN/M2 aircraft guns into man-portable weapons. Every Marine Corps regulation said this was unauthorized field modification. Battalion armory experts called it impossible without proper machine shop equipment.
They were all wrong.
What Grevich and PFC John Lyttle discovered that November wasn't about following regulations. It was about saving Marine lives in a way that contradicted everything Marine Corps Ordnance taught. Working nights with hand tools, they built six weapons using M1 Garand stocks and BAR bipods. By the end of February 19, 1945 — D-Day at Iwo Jima — Marines acros
November 17, 1944. Sergeant Mel Grevich, machine gun section NCO, stood in a warehouse at Camp Tarawa, Hawaii, staring at damaged aircraft parts. His battalion had lost eleven gunners in four weeks. The M1919A6 light machine gun fired four hundred rounds per minute — too slow against Japanese defenders. Grevich decided to modify AN/M2 aircraft guns into man-portable weapons. Every Marine Corps regulation said this was unauthorized field modification. Battalion armory experts called it impossible without proper machine shop equipment.
They were all wrong.
What Grevich and PFC John Lyttle discovered that November wasn't about following regulations. It was about saving Marine lives in a way that contradicted everything Marine Corps Ordnance taught. Working nights with hand tools, they built six weapons using M1 Garand stocks and BAR bipods. By the end of February 19, 1945 — D-Day at Iwo Jima — Marines acros
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00:00At 2200 hours on November 17th, 1944, Sergeant Mel Grevich stood in a storage warehouse at Camp Tarawa, Hawaii,
00:09staring at a row of damaged aircraft waiting to be scrapped.
00:1326 years old, 18 months in the Pacific, zero innovations that had saved lives.
00:19His battalion had lost 11 machine gunners in the past four weeks during training exercises.
00:24The problem was speed.
00:26The M1919A6 light machine gun weighed 32 pounds and fired 400 rounds per minute.
00:34German MG42s fired 1,200 rounds per minute.
00:38Japanese Type 92s fired 450.
00:42American Marines were outgunned.
00:45Grevich had watched three gunners die on Bougainville because they couldn't lay down suppressive fire fast enough.
00:51The enemy simply advanced through the gaps in their firing pattern.
00:54Grevich was assigned to G Company, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division.
01:00The regiment was preparing for the invasion of Iwo Jima.
01:03Intelligence reports estimated 21,000 Japanese defenders dug into 11 miles of underground tunnels.
01:10The Marines would land on black volcanic sand with nowhere to hide.
01:14Machine gun teams would be critical.
01:16But the M1919A6 was too slow, too heavy, too vulnerable.
01:23Three weeks earlier, Grevich had approached his company commander.
01:26He explained that the M1919A6 took three men to operate effectively.
01:32One gunner, one assistant gunner to feed ammunition, one ammo bearer to carry spare belts.
01:37If the gunner went down, the entire fire team collapsed.
01:41The weapon was also difficult to reposition during an assault.
01:45Marines had to stop, set up the bipod, and then begin firing.
01:49By that time, Japanese defenders had already identified their position.
01:54The company commander listened.
01:56Then he asked Grevich if he had a solution.
01:58Grevich did.
02:00He had seen it work on Bougainville 13 months earlier.
02:03In November 1943, he had been with the 3rd Parachute Battalion.
02:08Marines had salvaged ANM2 aircraft machine guns from crashed dive bombers.
02:13These weapons were designed to be mounted on SBD dauntless aircraft.
02:17They fired .30 caliber rounds at 1,200 rounds per minute, three times faster than the M1919A6.
02:26The barrels were lighter.
02:27The weapons were designed to be cooled by 300 mph airflow during combat.
02:33On Bougainville, a Marine named Private Bill Colby had simply attached a bipod to an ANM2 and used it as
02:41a ground weapon.
02:42It worked.
02:43But the weapon still had aircraft-style spade grips.
02:46No stock.
02:47No proper trigger.
02:49It was functional but awkward.
02:51Grevich and his platoon leader, Lieutenant Philip Gray, had modified one ANM2 more extensively.
02:57They added an M1 Garand rifle stock, a BAR bipod, a fabricated trigger.
03:04The weapon worked, but the 3rd Parachute Battalion was disbanded before they could use it in combat.
03:10Grevich was reassigned to the 28th Marines.
03:13The modified ANM2 was left behind.
03:16Now, in November 1944, Grevich stood in that warehouse, remembering what that weapon could do.
03:23The 28th Marines would land on Iwo Jima in less than three months.
03:28The M1919A6 wouldn't be enough.
03:31He needed that ANM2 modification.
03:35But this time, he needed six of them.
03:37One for each rifle platoon in G Company.
03:40One for the demolition section.
03:42One for himself.
03:43His company commander approved the project.
03:46So did the battalion commander.
03:48Grevich was authorized to build the weapons.
03:50But there was a problem.
03:52He needed parts.
03:54ANM2 receivers.
03:56M1 Garand stocks.
03:58BAR bipods.
03:59Trigger components.
04:01Metal working tools.
04:02And he needed them without official requisition paperwork.
04:05The modification wasn't standard issue.
04:08It wasn't approved by Marine Corps ordinance.
04:10If Grevich went through official channels, the project would be delayed for months.
04:15Maybe years.
04:16He found Private First Class John Little.
04:19Little was a machinist.
04:20He understood tolerances and fabrication.
04:24Grevich explained what he needed.
04:26Little agreed to help.
04:27If you want to see how Grevich and Little managed to build six unauthorized machine guns in secret,
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04:38Back to Grevich.
04:40The two Marines began searching the base.
04:42They needed six ANM2 receivers.
04:45These were controlled items.
04:47Aircraft armament.
04:48Supposed to be accounted for and turned in when damaged.
04:52But thousands of aircraft had been lost in the Pacific.
04:55Damaged.
04:56Crashed.
04:56Shot down.
04:57Some of those aircraft had been salvaged.
05:00Parts were sitting in warehouses.
05:02Waiting to be scrapped or shipped back to the mainland.
05:05Grevich and Little started asking questions.
05:07They visited maintenance depots.
05:10Salvage yards.
05:11Aircraft repair facilities.
05:13They found three ANM2s in a parts bin labeled for scrap.
05:17Two more in a damaged aircraft fuselage.
05:19The six they obtained from a source little later described as God knows where.
05:24By late November, they had six receivers.
05:27But they still needed stocks.
05:29Bipods.
05:30Sights.
05:31Triggers.
05:32And they had less than 10 weeks before the division shipped out for Iwo Jima.
05:36Every night after regular duty, the two Marines worked in a makeshift shop.
05:40And every night, they wondered if they'd finish in time.
05:43Or if they'd be caught with unauthorized equipment before they ever got a chance to prove it worked.
05:50The first modification began on November 21st.
05:54Grevich and Little worked in a corner of the battalion maintenance shed after dark.
05:57The ANM2 aircraft machine gun weighed 23 pounds with its spade grips attached.
06:03The receiver was designed to be bolted into an aircraft mount.
06:06There was no provision for a shoulder stock.
06:09No conventional trigger mechanism.
06:10The weapon was fired by pressing two butterfly triggers on the spade grips.
06:15This system worked perfectly in an aircraft turret.
06:18It was nearly useless for a Marine advancing across open ground.
06:22Little began by removing the spade grips.
06:24The grips were attached to the rear of the receiver with four bolts.
06:27Once removed, the weapon had no way to be aimed or controlled.
06:31The next step was fabricating a trigger assembly.
06:34The ANM2 used an electrical solenoid to fire.
06:38Aircraft triggers sent current to the solenoid.
06:40Little needed to create a mechanical trigger that would activate the same firing circuit.
06:45He fashioned a trigger from sheet metal, bent it to the correct angle, drilled mounting holes,
06:51attached a simple trigger guard made from scrap steel.
06:53The trigger was crude, but it functioned.
06:56The stock was more complicated.
06:58The M1 Garand rifle stock was designed to fit the Garand receiver.
07:02The ANM2 receiver had a completely different shape.
07:05The rear of the machine gun receiver included a buffer tube.
07:08This tube housed the recoil spring.
07:11It protruded several inches behind the main body of the weapon.
07:15Little took a spare Garand stock and began cutting.
07:17He removed the forward section, hollowed out the rear portion to accept the buffer tube.
07:22The work required precision.
07:24If the stock fit too loosely, the weapon would be unstable.
07:28If it fit too tightly, it would crack under recoil stress.
07:32Little worked for six hours on the first stock.
07:34He used hand tools, files, chisels, sandpaper.
07:38When he finished, the stock slid over the buffer tube with minimal clearance.
07:42He drilled holes for mounting bolts.
07:44Attached the stock to the receiver.
07:46The weapon now had a shoulder rest, but it still lacked sights and a bipod.
07:51The BAR bipod was easier to install.
07:54The bipod attached to a mounting bracket on the barrel shroud.
07:58Little fabricated an adapter plate from quarter-inch steel.
08:00The adapter allowed the BAR bipod to fit the ANM2 barrel.
08:04He welded the adapter in place, tested the bipod deployment.
08:09It worked.
08:09The weapon could now be fired from a prone position.
08:12The rear sight presented another challenge.
08:15The ANM2 had rudimentary sights designed for aircraft use.
08:19These sights were inadequate for ground combat.
08:22Little considered using BAR sights, but the BAR rear sight had its windage knob on the right side.
08:27The ANM2 receiver configuration required the windage knob to be on the left.
08:31Little found M2 heavy barrel machine gun sights in the parts inventory.
08:36These sights had left side windage adjustment.
08:38He modified the sight mount to fit the ANM2 receiver.
08:42Attached it with screws to the top plate.
08:44The final modification was an ammunition feed system.
08:48The ANM2 was designed to be belt-fed from aircraft ammunition bays.
08:52Marines couldn't carry loose ammunition belts in combat.
08:55Little fabricated a 100-round ammunition box from sheet metal.
08:58The box attached to the left side of the receiver.
09:01A standard cloth ammunition belt could be loaded into the box.
09:05The belt fed directly into the weapon.
09:07This allowed one Marine to carry and operate the weapon without an assistant gunner.
09:11By December 5th, the first weapon was complete.
09:15Grevich and Little took it to a remote section of the base firing range.
09:18They loaded a 100-round belt.
09:20Grevich shouldered the weapon.
09:22Aimed at a target 50 yards downrange.
09:24Pulled the trigger.
09:25The weapon fired.
09:261,200 rounds per minute.
09:28The sound was distinct.
09:30Sharper than the M19-19.
09:32Faster.
09:33The recoil was manageable with the stock.
09:36The bipod kept the weapon stable.
09:38Grevich fired three 10-round bursts.
09:40All rounds impacted within an 18-inch group.
09:43But there was a problem.
09:44After 30 rounds, the barrel began to smoke.
09:48After 50 rounds, the barrel was too hot to touch.
09:51After 75 rounds, the weapon stopped firing.
09:55The barrel had expanded from heat.
09:57The AN-M2 was designed to be cooled by airflow at high speed.
10:02On the ground, there was no cooling.
10:04The barrel overheated in less than two minutes of sustained fire.
10:08Grevich and Little discussed solutions.
10:10They couldn't add water cooling.
10:12That would add weight and complexity.
10:14They couldn't change the barrel diameter.
10:16That would require machining equipment they didn't have access to.
10:20The only solution was to change how Marines used the weapon.
10:23Short bursts.
10:24Five to ten rounds maximum.
10:26Allow the barrel to cool between bursts.
10:29It wasn't ideal, but it was workable.
10:31By December 20th, they had completed three weapons.
10:35By January 5th, all six were finished.
10:38Each weapon weighed 25 pounds.
10:40Seven pounds lighter than the M19-19A6.
10:44Each fired three times faster.
10:46The weapons were painted olive drab.
10:48Grevich named his weapon Betty Ann.
10:50The others received similar names.
10:52The names were stenciled on the receivers in white paint.
10:55On January 7th, 1945, the 5th Marine Division boarded transport ships in Hawaii.
11:01The six modified weapons were packed in equipment crates.
11:04No official paperwork documented their existence.
11:07No Marine Corps armorer had inspected them.
11:10No ordinance officer had approved them.
11:12Grevich carried the maintenance manual for the standard AN-M2 in his pack.
11:16He hoped it would be enough if anyone asked questions.
11:19The convoy sailed west toward the Japanese home islands.
11:23And Grevich wondered if his unauthorized machine guns would work in actual combat.
11:27Or if they'd fail when Marines needed them most.
11:32The convoy stopped at Eniwetok Atoll on February 5th.
11:36The Marines conducted equipment checks.
11:38Grevich inspected all six weapons.
11:40He test-fired each one at a makeshift range on the island.
11:43All six functioned.
11:45The overheating issue remained.
11:46But the weapons fired reliably in short bursts.
11:49Five to ten rounds.
11:50Pause.
11:51Five to ten rounds.
11:52This firing pattern would work for suppressing pillboxes in enemy positions.
11:56On February 13th, the convoy conducted a practice landing on Tinian.
12:01This was the final rehearsal before Iwo Jima.
12:04Grevich brought all six weapons ashore during the exercise.
12:07He wanted to see how they performed during an actual amphibious assault.
12:11The weapons survived the landing, but the ammunition boxes took a beating.
12:15Saltwater spray corroded the metal.
12:17Sand jammed the feed mechanisms.
12:20Grevich and Little spent two days cleaning and waterproofing the boxes.
12:24They wrapped the weapons in canvas tarps for the actual assault.
12:27On February 16th, the convoy arrived off the coast of Iwo Jima.
12:31The island was eight square miles of volcanic rock.
12:34Mount Suribachi dominated the southern tip.
12:37Intelligence briefings estimated 21,000 Japanese defenders.
12:41Most were underground.
12:43The island had been bombed for 74 consecutive days.
12:47Navy battleships and cruisers had fired thousands of shells at the beaches,
12:50but reconnaissance photos showed the defenses were still intact.
12:53The plan called for the 28th Marines to land at Green Beach.
12:57This beach was on the far left of the landing zone,
13:00directly below Mount Suribachi.
13:02The regiment's mission was to drive across the narrowest part of the island,
13:05cut off the mountain from the rest of the Japanese defenses,
13:09then assault and capture Suribachi itself.
13:12The terrain was brutal.
13:13Black volcanic sand that absorbed mortar and artillery impacts,
13:17steep terraces that channeled attackers into kill zones,
13:20pillboxes and bunkers covering every approach.
13:23Grevich assembled his fire team on February 18th.
13:26He explained how the modified weapons worked.
13:28Short bursts only.
13:30Never sustained fire.
13:32The barrel would overheat.
13:33The weapon would jam.
13:34Marines needed to fire, pause, fire, pause.
13:40Each gunner would carry 200 rounds in ammunition boxes.
13:43Additional ammunition bearers would carry spare belts.
13:46The assistant gunners would monitor barrel temperature.
13:49If the barrel started smoking, cease fire immediately.
13:53The weapons were distributed.
13:55One went to 1st platoon,
13:57one to 2nd platoon,
13:58one to 3rd platoon.
13:59These were the rifle platoons of G Company.
14:03One weapon went to the demolition section.
14:05Grevich kept the 5th weapon,
14:07Betty Ann.
14:08He would carry it himself during the assault.
14:10The 6th weapon presented a problem.
14:13G Company had 5 weapons,
14:15but Grevich had built 6.
14:17The extra weapon needed a gunner.
14:19Someone who understood machine guns.
14:21Someone who could be trusted with an unauthorized weapon.
14:24The battalion commander suggested Corporal Tony Stein.
14:27Stein was assigned to A Company, 28th Marines.
14:31Different company, but Stein had a reputation.
14:34He was a toolmaker, a machinist from Dayton, Ohio.
14:38He had worked at Patterson Field and Delco Products before enlisting.
14:41He understood mechanical systems.
14:43He had experience modifying equipment.
14:46Stein met with Grevich on February 18th.
14:49Grevich showed him the weapon,
14:50explained the modifications,
14:52demonstrated the firing technique.
14:55Stein examined the trigger assembly,
14:57the stock fitment,
14:58the ammunition feed system.
15:00He asked technical questions.
15:02How much clearance in the buffer tube?
15:04What grade of steel for the trigger guard?
15:06Whether the bipod mount could handle repeated deployment stress?
15:10Grevich answered each question.
15:12Stein understood the weapon immediately.
15:14There was speculation later about why Stein received the 6th weapon.
15:18Some believed Stein had helped with the construction.
15:21That he had assisted Grevich and Little during the fabrication process.
15:24Little never confirmed this.
15:26He only said that Stein was a machinist by trade.
15:29That Stein understood how the weapon worked.
15:31That he could be trusted to use it effectively.
15:34The exact arrangement was never documented.
15:36On February 19th, at 0400 hours,
15:40Marines began loading into landing craft.
15:42The naval bombardment had resumed at 0640.
15:46Battleships fired 16-inch shells at the beaches.
15:49Cruisers fired 8-inch shells at the terraces above the landing zone.
15:53Destroyers moved within 1,000 yards of shore
15:56and fired 5-inch shells at pillboxes.
15:59The noise was overwhelming.
16:01Continuous.
16:02The entire island disappeared behind smoke and dust.
16:06Grevich stood in the landing craft with 42 Marines from G Company.
16:10Betty Ann was wrapped in canvas.
16:12The ammunition box held 100 rounds.
16:15He carried two additional belts in a pack.
16:17Total weight, 47 pounds.
16:20The M1919A6 with tripod and ammunition weighed 56 pounds
16:26and required two men to carry.
16:27Grevich's weapon was lighter, faster, and completely unauthorized.
16:33At 0830, the landing craft formed assault waves.
16:37The bombardment lifted.
16:39Naval gunfire shifted to targets inland.
16:41The first wave headed toward Green Beach.
16:44Grevich's craft was in the second wave.
16:46Scheduled to land at 0915.
16:48He could see Mount Suribachi ahead.
16:51550 feet high.
16:53Black Sand Beach at the base.
16:55Smoke rising from the bombardment.
16:58No visible enemy fire.
17:00The beach looked empty.
17:02Intelligence had predicted moderate resistance for the first few hours.
17:05Then heavy counterattacks once the Marines moved inland.
17:09At 0900, the first wave hit the beach.
17:12Grevich watched from 800 yards offshore.
17:15The landing craft dropped their ramps.
17:17Marines poured out.
17:19Ran up the beach.
17:20Still no enemy fire.
17:22The beach remained quiet.
17:23Grevich wondered if the bombardment had worked.
17:26If the Japanese defenses had been destroyed.
17:29If the landing would be easier than expected.
17:3115 minutes later, he would learn exactly how wrong that assumption was.
17:36And whether his unauthorized machine gun could do what no regulation weapon could accomplish.
17:43At 0912, Grevich's landing craft crossed the line of departure.
17:48The beach was 300 yards ahead.
17:50The first wave had disappeared into the terraces above the waterline.
17:54Still no enemy fire.
17:56The silence was unnatural.
17:5842 Marines in the craft.
18:00Nobody spoke.
18:01The only sounds were the engine and waves hitting the hull.
18:04At 0914, the craft was 100 yards from shore.
18:09Grevich could see the beach clearly now.
18:11Black volcanic sand.
18:13Steep terraces rising 15 feet above the waterline.
18:17Damaged landing craft from the first wave.
18:19But no Marines visible.
18:21They had all moved inland.
18:23The beach looked abandoned.
18:24At 0915, the ramp dropped.
18:27Grevich was the third Marine out.
18:29His boots hit waist-deep water.
18:31The sand beneath was unstable.
18:34Volcanic ash mixed with larger rocks.
18:36Every step required effort.
18:38The weight of Betty Ann and ammunition made movement harder.
18:42He pushed forward.
18:4320 yards to the beach.
18:4515 yards.
18:4610 yards.
18:47The first mortar round landed at 0916.
18:5140 yards to Grevich's left.
18:53The explosion threw black sand 20 feet into the air.
18:56The second round landed 5 seconds later.
18:5930 yards to his right.
19:00Then the beach erupted.
19:02Mortars.
19:03Artillery.
19:04Machine gun fire from hidden positions in the terraces.
19:07The Japanese had waited.
19:09Let the first two waves land.
19:11Allowed the Marines to bunch up on the beach.
19:13Then opened fire from prepared positions.
19:16Grevich reached the beach at 0917.
19:18He dropped behind a small rise in the sand.
19:21Unwrapped Betty Ann.
19:22Deployed the bipod.
19:24Scanned for targets.
19:25The enemy fire was coming from pillboxes built into the terraces.
19:29Concrete reinforced positions with interlocking fields of fire.
19:33The pillboxes were invisible until they opened fire.
19:36Then they disappeared behind smoke and dust.
19:38A Marine 20 feet to Grevich's right had an M1919A6.
19:43The gunner was trying to set up the weapon.
19:45The assistant gunner was feeding the ammunition belt.
19:48Both were exposed.
19:50A burst of Japanese machine gun fire hit the assistant gunner.
19:53He went down.
19:54The primary gunner grabbed the weapon and tried to reposition.
19:57A second burst hit him in the chest.
20:00The M1919A6 fell into the sand.
20:04The fire team was eliminated in 8 seconds.
20:07Grevich identified the Japanese position.
20:09A pillbox 70 yards inland.
20:11Firing port 6 inches high.
20:132 feet wide.
20:15He shouldered Betty Ann.
20:16Aimed at the firing port.
20:18Pulled the trigger.
20:2010 rounds.
20:211 second.
20:22The distinctive sound of the ANM2 cut through the noise of the beach.
20:261,200 rounds per minute.
20:28The tracer showed every 5th round.
20:30All 10 rounds impacted around the firing port.
20:33The Japanese gun stopped firing.
20:36Grevich paused.
20:37Let the barrel cool for 5 seconds.
20:39Acquired a second target.
20:41A machine gun position 80 yards to the left.
20:44Fired another 10 round burst.
20:46The position went silent.
20:48He shifted to a third target.
20:50Fired.
20:51Shifted again.
20:52Fired.
20:53Each burst was deliberate.
20:55Controlled.
20:56Short enough to prevent overheating.
20:58Long enough to suppress the target.
21:00The difference was immediately apparent.
21:02The M1919A6 fired 400 rounds per minute.
21:06A 10 round burst took 1.5 seconds.
21:10Betty Ann fired the same 10 rounds in 0.8 seconds.
21:13Half the exposure time.
21:15Half the time for enemy gunners to acquire Grevich's position.
21:18The higher rate of fire also created better suppression.
21:21Japanese defenders couldn't return fire effectively when 1,200 rounds per minute were impacting around their position.
21:28Other Marines with the modified weapons began engaging targets.
21:32Grevich could hear the distinctive sound of the AN-M2s across the beach.
21:36Higher pitched than the M1919.
21:39Faster cycling.
21:40The six weapons were spread across Green Beach with different companies and platoons.
21:44But all six were firing.
21:46All six were working.
21:48By 0930, elements of the 28th Marines had pushed inland.
21:52The beach was still under fire.
21:54But the volume had decreased.
21:56The modified weapons had suppressed enough positions to create gaps in the Japanese defensive fire.
22:01Marines exploited those gaps, moved forward, established positions in the terraces.
22:07Grevich's ammunition box was empty.
22:09100 rounds expended in 15 minutes.
22:12He reloaded with a fresh belt.
22:14The barrel of Betty Ann was hot.
22:16Not critical yet, but approaching the limit.
22:19He would need to reduce his rate of fire.
22:21Give the barrel more time to cool between bursts.
22:24At 0945, a Marine runner reached Grevich's position.
22:28The runner was from A Company.
22:30He reported that Corporal Stein was engaging pillboxes on the right flank.
22:34Stein had already made three trips back to the beach for more ammunition.
22:38Each trip, he brought a wounded Marine with him.
22:41Stein was running without his helmet.
22:43Without his boots.
22:44Trying to move faster under fire.
22:46Grevich acknowledged the report.
22:48He wondered how long the weapons would last.
22:50The barrels were thin.
22:52Designed for aircraft use with forced air cooling.
22:54Combat on Iwo Jima was different.
22:57Sustained fire.
22:58Limited cooling.
22:59High ambient temperature from volcanic activity.
23:02The island itself was hot.
23:04Steam rose from cracks in the ground.
23:06The combination of combat heat and environmental heat was beyond anything the weapons were designed
23:11to handle.
23:12At 10 hundred hours, Grevich heard a different sound.
23:15Not the crack of rifle fire or the thump of mortars.
23:18This was a scream.
23:20High-pitched.
23:21Inhuman.
23:22Coming from Japanese positions inland.
23:24Marines later reported hearing similar sounds throughout the first day.
23:28Some believe it was Japanese soldiers reacting to the modified weapons.
23:32The rate of fire was unfamiliar.
23:34The sound was unfamiliar.
23:35The effectiveness was beyond what they had encountered from standard American machine guns.
23:40Whether the Japanese actually called them monster guns would never be confirmed.
23:45But the psychological effect was undeniable.
23:48And Grevich knew his weapon was working exactly as designed.
23:52The question now was whether it could sustain that performance for the days of fighting ahead.
23:58By 1100 hours on February 19th, all six modified weapons were in continuous use.
24:05The gunners had learned to manage the overheating problem.
24:085 to 10 round bursts.
24:1015 second cooling intervals.
24:12The technique worked.
24:14Barrels stayed within operating temperature.
24:16The weapons maintained function.
24:18The tactical advantage was significant.
24:21Standard American machine guns required a crew of three.
24:24One gunner.
24:25One assistant to feed ammunition.
24:27One bearer to carry spare belts.
24:30The modified weapons required only one Marine.
24:33The gunner carried the weapon and ammunition.
24:36The 100 round box eliminated the need for an assistant feeder.
24:39This meant rifle squads could maintain full strength while still having machine gun support.
24:45The weight reduction also mattered.
24:4725 pounds versus 32.
24:50A Marine could carry the weapon and still move quickly across broken terrain.
24:54The first platoon gunner engaged a pillbox complex northeast of Green Beach at 1130.
25:00The position held three interlocking firing ports.
25:04Japanese defenders had clear fields of fire covering the approach to the terraces.
25:09The gunner advanced to within 60 yards.
25:11Fired a 15 round burst at the center port.
25:14Shifted left.
25:16Fired at the second port.
25:18Shifted right.
25:19Fired at the third port.
25:20Total engagement time, 12 seconds.
25:24All three ports went silent.
25:26The platoon advanced through the gap.
25:29The second platoon gunner worked with a demolition team at 1,200 hours.
25:33The team was tasked with destroying a concrete bunker built into the base of a terrace.
25:38The bunker had a steel door.
25:40Reinforced walls.
25:42The demolition team needed to place charges directly against the door.
25:46But Japanese fire from adjacent positions prevented approach.
25:50The gunner suppressed four positions in sequence.
25:53Short bursts.
25:54Rapid target transition.
25:55The demolition team reached the bunker.
25:58Placed charges.
25:59Withdrew.
26:00The bunker was destroyed at 1215.
26:02The third platoon gunner encountered the overheating limit at 1230.
26:06He had been firing almost continuously for 90 minutes.
26:10The barrel temperature exceeded safe limits.
26:13The weapon jammed.
26:14The gunner cleared the jam.
26:16Attempted to resume firing.
26:18The weapon jammed again.
26:19He stopped.
26:21Let the barrel cool for 10 minutes.
26:23The weapon resumed function.
26:25But the incident highlighted the fundamental limitation.
26:28The AN-M2 barrel was designed for short bursts in aircraft combat.
26:33Not sustained ground fire.
26:35Gunners had to discipline themselves.
26:37Short bursts.
26:38Long pauses.
26:40It was the only way to keep the weapons operational.
26:43The demolition section gunner used his weapon to cover engineer teams clearing obstacles.
26:48Japanese defenders had placed mines and wire obstacles across approach routes.
26:53Engineers needed to clear these obstacles under fire.
26:56The gunner provided suppression.
26:58He fired at Japanese positions.
27:00Forced the defenders to take cover.
27:03The engineers completed their work.
27:05By 1300 hours, three major obstacle belts had been cleared.
27:09The 28th Marines pushed deeper inland.
27:12Grevich continued engaging targets throughout the afternoon.
27:16Betty Ann had fired approximately 400 rounds by 1400 hours.
27:20The barrel showed signs of wear.
27:22Heat discoloration near the chamber.
27:24Slight warping along the length.
27:26But the weapon still functioned.
27:29Grevich monitored the barrel carefully.
27:30He reduced his burst length to five rounds.
27:33Increased cooling time to 20 seconds.
27:36The modified firing pattern kept the barrel within limits.
27:39Tony Stein's performance on the right flank became notable by mid-afternoon.
27:44Stein was using his modified weapon to attack pillboxes directly.
27:48His technique was aggressive.
27:49He would identify a pillbox, advance to close range.
27:54Fire sustained bursts at the firing port, then rush the position with grenades while Japanese
27:59defenders were suppressed.
28:01The method worked, but it consumed ammunition rapidly.
28:04Stein made eight trips back to the beach for resupply by 1500 hours.
28:09Each trip covered approximately 200 yards under fire.
28:13Each trip, he brought back wounded Marines who couldn't walk on their own.
28:17The psychological effect of the weapons became apparent during the afternoon fighting.
28:22Japanese defenders responded differently to the modified weapons than to standard machine guns.
28:27The rate of fire was triple what they expected.
28:30The sound was distinct.
28:32Higher pitched.
28:33More intense.
28:34Several Marines reported hearing Japanese soldiers shouting during firefights.
28:39The exact words were unclear.
28:40But the tone suggested surprise or alarm.
28:44Whether this translated to actual fear was impossible to confirm.
28:48What was confirmed was effectiveness.
28:51The six weapons had suppressed dozens of positions, enabled multiple advances, supported breakthroughs that standard weapons could not achieve.
28:59By 1600 hours, the 28th Marines had achieved their D-Day objective.
29:04They had crossed the 800-yard neck of the island.
29:08Mount Suribachi was isolated from the main Japanese defenses.
29:11The regiment had suffered heavy casualties, but they held their positions, prepared to assault the mountain the following morning.
29:18Grevich inspected Betty Ann at 16.30.
29:22The barrel was damaged.
29:24Heat stress had caused microfractures along the chamber.
29:27The weapon was still functional, but it wouldn't last much longer.
29:30He estimated maybe two more days of combat before barrel failure.
29:35The other five weapons showed similar wear.
29:38Little examined each weapon that evening.
29:40His assessment was consistent.
29:42The barrels were failing faster than expected.
29:44The weapons had maybe 48 hours of service life remaining.
29:48After that, they would need replacement barrels.
29:51But there were no replacement barrels.
29:54The AN-M2 aircraft gun wasn't designed for field maintenance.
29:57If the barrels failed, the weapons were finished.
30:00And the 28th Marines would be back to standard machine guns.
30:04Slower.
30:05Heavier.
30:06Less effective.
30:07Grevich wondered if six weapons in two days would be enough.
30:11Or if they'd burn out before the real fighting even began.
30:16February 20th began at 0600 with a cold rain.
30:20The 28th Marines prepared to assault Mount Suribachi from three directions.
30:24The mountain was 550 feet of volcanic rock, honeycombed with caves and tunnels.
30:29Japanese defenders had artillery positions, machine gun nests, mortar pits,
30:34all connected by underground passages.
30:36The Marines would have to fight uphill across open ground with minimal cover.
30:41Grevich's fire team moved out at 0730.
30:43Their mission was to suppress positions on the eastern slope while rifle squads advanced.
30:49Betty Ann had cooled overnight.
30:51The barrel still showed heat damage.
30:52But the weapon cycled normally during a pre-assault function check.
30:56Grevich loaded a fresh 100-round belt.
30:59He calculated he had enough ammunition for 10 to 12 engagements before requiring resupply.
31:04The advance began slowly.
31:06Japanese positions opened fire from concealed locations.
31:09Mortars, machine guns, rifles.
31:12The terrain channeled the Marines into narrow corridors.
31:15Every corridor was covered by overlapping fire.
31:18The modified weapons became critical for breaking these defensive positions.
31:22Grevich would identify a Japanese machine gun, fire a 10-round burst.
31:26The Japanese gun would stop firing.
31:29Rifle squads would advance 20 yards.
31:31Then another position would open fire.
31:33Grevich would suppress it.
31:34The process repeated continuously.
31:36By 0900, three of the six modified weapons had suffered malfunctions.
31:41The first platoon weapon experienced a barrel split.
31:44The thin aircraft barrel couldn't handle the sustained heat and pressure.
31:48The weapon was inoperable.
31:50The gunner switched to a standard M1919A6.
31:54The rate of fire dropped immediately.
31:56The demolition section weapon had a feed mechanism failure.
31:59Sand and volcanic dust had accumulated in the ammunition box.
32:02The belt jammed during feeding.
32:05The gunner spent 15 minutes clearing the jam.
32:07The weapon resumed function but required constant cleaning.
32:10The third platoon weapon overheated critically at 0930.
32:14The gunner had been engaging targets continuously for 40 minutes.
32:18He didn't allow sufficient cooling time between bursts.
32:22The barrel temperature exceeded critical limits.
32:25Metal fatigue caused the barrel to warp.
32:27Rounds began keyholing.
32:29Accuracy degraded beyond useful range.
32:31The gunner attempted to continue firing.
32:34The weapon jammed permanently.
32:36He abandoned it and picked up a rifle from a wounded Marine.
32:39Three weapons remained functional.
32:42Grevich's Betty Ann, the second platoon weapon, and Tony Stein's weapon on the western approach.
32:47These three weapons carried the burden of machine gun support for the entire regiment during the morning assault.
32:53The loss of the other three weapons forced tactical adjustments.
32:57Rifle squads had to provide their own suppressive fire using M1 Garands and BARs.
33:03Advance rates slowed.
33:05Casualties increased.
33:07Grevich's ammunition supply became critical at 1,100 hours.
33:11He had fired 600 rounds since 0730.
33:14His last ammunition belt had 75 rounds remaining.
33:17No resupply was immediately available.
33:20The beach was 300 yards behind the front line.
33:23Enemy mortar fire covered the route.
33:26Ammunition bearers couldn't advance safely.
33:28Grevich had to conserve ammunition.
33:30He reduced burst length to three rounds.
33:33Selected only critical targets.
33:35Positions that directly threatened advancing Marines.
33:38The second platoon weapon failed at 1045.
33:41The trigger assembly broke.
33:43The sheet metal fabrication couldn't withstand repeated firing stress.
33:47The trigger snapped off at the mounting point.
33:50The gunner attempted field repair.
33:52He tried to manually activate the firing solenoid.
33:55It didn't work.
33:56The weapon was finished.
33:57The second platoon lost its machine gun support.
34:00Betty Ann and Stein's weapon were the last two functioning.
34:03Grevich was on the eastern slope.
34:06Stein was on the western slope.
34:08They couldn't coordinate.
34:09Couldn't support each other.
34:10Each was isolated with his respective unit.
34:13Each had limited ammunition.
34:15Each had a damaged weapon that could fail at any moment.
34:19Grevich's last belt ran out at 1120.
34:2275 rounds.
34:23Gone in six engagements.
34:26The ammunition box was empty.
34:28He searched for resupply.
34:29Found a wounded Marine carrying spare belts for a standard M19-19.
34:34The belts were compatible.
34:36Grevich loaded one.
34:37Fired a test burst.
34:39Betty Ann cycled normally.
34:41He had 200 rounds remaining.
34:43After that, the weapon became useless metal.
34:46The assault on Suribachi continued through the afternoon.
34:50Progress was measured in yards.
34:52Every cave entrance had to be cleared.
34:54Every pillbox destroyed.
34:57Every tunnel sealed.
34:58The Marines used flamethrowers, demolitions, direct fire from tanks.
35:03The modified weapons, when they were still functional, had provided critical fire support during the initial advance.
35:09But by mid-afternoon on February 20th, only two weapons remained operational, and both were running on borrowed time.
35:17By 1700 hours, the 28th Marines had advanced 200 yards up the mountain.
35:23They held positions halfway to the summit.
35:26Casualties were severe.
35:27The regiment had lost 430 Marines killed or wounded in two days.
35:32The advance would continue the next morning.
35:35But Grevich knew Betty Ann wouldn't last another day.
35:38The barrel was visibly warped.
35:40The receiver showed stress cracks.
35:43The trigger assembly was loose.
35:44He estimated the weapon had maybe 50 rounds of life remaining.
35:49After that, he would be carrying 25 pounds of inoperable equipment.
35:53And the 28th Marines would have one fewer weapon to break through Japanese defenses.
35:58The Marines would take Suribachi, but they would do it with standard weapons.
36:03The modified guns had done their job.
36:05Now they were dying.
36:06One barrel at a time.
36:09One engagement at a time.
36:10Until nothing remained but the idea that two Marines with hand tools had built something the Marine Corps armory never
36:17could.
36:19Betty Ann fired its last rounds on February 21st at 0815.
36:24Grevich was suppressing a machine gun nest on the northern slope of Suribachi.
36:28He loaded his final ammunition belt.
36:3050 rounds.
36:32He fired three 10-round bursts.
36:34The Japanese position went silent.
36:37Grevich attempted a fourth burst.
36:39The weapon jammed.
36:40He cleared the stoppage.
36:42Pulled the trigger again.
36:44Nothing.
36:45The firing solenoid had failed.
36:47Electrical connections severed by sustained vibration and heat stress.
36:51Betty Ann was finished.
36:53Grevich set the weapon aside.
36:55He picked up an M1 Garand from a wounded Marine.
36:57For the next two days, he fought with a rifle.
37:01The weapon he had spent three months designing and building had lasted 72 hours in combat.
37:07Three days.
37:08But those three days had mattered.
37:10Tony Stein's weapon lasted longer.
37:13Stein continued using his modified gun through February 23rd.
37:17That was the day the 28th Marines reached the summit of Mount Suribachi.
37:21A 40-man patrol from E Company made the climb at 0800.
37:25They carried a small American flag.
37:27At 1020, the flag was raised on the summit.
37:31Photographers captured the moment.
37:33Later that afternoon, a second, larger flag was raised.
37:37Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal photographed the second flag raising.
37:41That image became one of the most recognized photographs in American history.
37:46Stein's weapon failed on February 24th.
37:48Barrel fracture.
37:50Complete structural failure near the chamber.
37:52The weapon literally split apart during firing.
37:56Stein was uninjured.
37:57But the gun was destroyed.
37:59He switched to a standard M1919A6 for the remainder of the Suribachi fighting.
38:04By February 26th, all six modified weapons were non-functional.
38:09Four had barrel failures.
38:11One had a broken trigger assembly.
38:13One had a catastrophic receiver crack that rendered it unsafe to fire.
38:17The 28th Marines collected the damaged weapons.
38:20They were supposed to be turned into battalion armory for documentation.
38:24But the weapons were never officially registered.
38:27No serial numbers.
38:28No property books.
38:30No maintenance records.
38:31The damaged weapons disappeared.
38:33Possibly discarded with other battle-damaged equipment.
38:36Possibly buried in the volcanic sand.
38:39The exact fate was never documented.
38:42Stein returned to combat after Suribachi was secured.
38:45The 28th Marines moved to the northern sector of the island.
38:48The fighting intensified.
38:50Japanese defenders had prepared extensive cave systems.
38:53Machine gun positions covered every approach.
38:56Progress slowed to yards per day.
38:58Casualties mounted.
38:59On March 1st, Stein volunteered to lead a 19-man patrol.
39:03The mission was to locate and destroy a Japanese machine gun complex that had pinned down A Company.
39:09Stein advanced with the patrol at 1,400 hours.
39:12The patrol moved through broken terrain north of Hill 362A.
39:17Japanese positions were concealed in caves and spider holes.
39:21The patrol took fire from multiple directions.
39:24Stein identified the primary machine gun position.
39:27He was firing a standard weapon now, not his modified gun.
39:30The rate of fire was slower.
39:32The suppression less effective.
39:34He advanced toward the position.
39:36A Japanese sniper in a concealed position fired one round.
39:39The round struck Stein in the head.
39:41He died instantly.
39:4323 years old.
39:4414 days after landing on Iwo Jima.
39:47The recommendation for Stein's Medal of Honor was submitted on March 15th.
39:51His platoon commander wrote the initial citation.
39:54The citation described Stein's actions on February 19th, the first day of the invasion.
39:59Stein had been armed with a personally improvised aircraft-type weapon.
40:03He had provided covering fire for his platoon, made eight trips to the beach for ammunition.
40:08Each trip, he carried wounded Marines to safety.
40:11He had killed at least 20 Japanese defenders, destroyed multiple pillboxes, stood upright under fire to draw enemy attention and
40:18locate their positions.
40:19The citation made no mention of Grevich, no mention of Little, no mention of the three months of work in
40:26Hawaii, no mention of the unauthorized fabrication, no mention of the other five weapons.
40:32The citation described the weapon as personally improvised.
40:36This implied Stein had built it himself.
40:39The language was technically accurate.
40:42Stein had received the weapon.
40:43He had used it personally.
40:45But the phrase personally improvised suggested sole authorship, individual creation.
40:51That was incorrect.
40:54The Medal of Honor recommendation moved up the chain of command.
40:57Battalion commander approved it.
40:59Regimental commander approved it.
41:01Division commander approved it.
41:03Fleet Marine Force Pacific commander approved it.
41:06Pacific Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz approved it.
41:09Chief of Naval Operations approved it.
41:12Secretary of the Navy approved it.
41:15President Harry Truman signed the final authorization.
41:18On February 19, 1946, exactly one year after the landing, Stein's widow received the Medal of Honor at a ceremony
41:27in Columbus, Ohio.
41:28Governor Frank Lausch presented the award.
41:31Admiral Richard Penoyer placed the medal around her neck.
41:34The citation was published in newspapers across the United States.
41:38The story focused on Stein, his bravery, his sacrifice, his improvised weapon.
41:45The narrative was compelling.
41:46A toolmaker from Dayton who modified an aircraft gun and used it to save his platoon.
41:53The story was true, but incomplete.
41:56Two other Marines had designed the weapon.
41:58Built six of them.
42:00Distributed them to gunners across the regiment.
42:02Those two Marines were never mentioned in the citation.
42:06Never mentioned in the news coverage.
42:08Never mentioned in the historical record that followed.
42:11Mel Grevich and John Little had created the weapon that earned Tony Stein a Medal of Honor.
42:16But history remembered only Stein.
42:19The question was, why?
42:21And whether anyone would ever correct the record before the last men who knew the truth were gone forever.
42:29The reason Grevich and Little disappeared from history was simple.
42:33They survived.
42:35Stein died.
42:36The Medal of Honor is almost always posthumous during wartime.
42:40Of the 464 Medals of Honor awarded during World War II,
42:45324 went to men who died earning them.
42:48The citation tells the story of the recipient's final moments.
42:51The heroic action that cost them their life.
42:54That narrative is powerful.
42:56Compelling.
42:57It captures attention.
42:59Grevich survived Iwo Jima.
43:01He fought through the entire 36-day battle.
43:04He was wounded twice.
43:06Neither wound was serious enough for evacuation.
43:09He returned to Hawaii with the 5th Marine Division in March 1945.
43:13The division prepared for the invasion of Japan.
43:16Operation Olympic.
43:17Scheduled for November 1st, 1945.
43:21Japan surrendered in August.
43:23Grevich never spoke publicly about the modified weapons.
43:26He was discharged in 1946.
43:29Returned to Mountain Iron, Minnesota.
43:32Lived a quiet life.
43:33Died in the 1980s.
43:35His obituary made no mention of the stinger.
43:38John Little also survived.
43:40He fought on Iwo Jima with H Company, 28th Marines.
43:44He was at the base of Mount Suribachi during the flag raising.
43:47He saw both flags go up on February 23rd.
43:51After the war, he returned to civilian life.
43:53Became a home builder in California.
43:55He rarely discussed his combat experience.
43:58In his later years, he confirmed his role in building the weapons.
44:02But he never sought recognition.
44:04Never contacted historians.
44:07Never pushed to correct the record.
44:09He died in 2015.
44:11His obituary mentioned he was a decorated Iwo Jima survivor.
44:15Nothing about the stinger.
44:16The Marine Corps never officially adopted the modified ANM-2 design.
44:21After Iwo Jima, there were recommendations to produce the weapon in larger quantities,
44:26replace the BAR in rifle squads, issue one modified weapon per platoon.
44:31The recommendations went up the chain of command.
44:34Ordnance evaluators studied the concept.
44:37They identified the fundamental problem.
44:39The barrel.
44:40Aircraft barrels couldn't sustain ground combat stress.
44:43The weapons worked for short engagements, but they failed after extended use.
44:48Replacement barrels would be required constantly.
44:50The logistics were impractical.
44:53The Marine Corps continued using the M1919A6 through the end of World War II.
44:59The weapon was heavy, slow, but reliable.
45:02It could fire continuously without barrel failure.
45:05That reliability mattered more than rate of fire.
45:09After the war, the Marine Corps developed new weapons.
45:12The M60 machine gun entered service in 1957.
45:16It offered better portability than the M1919, higher rate of fire, quick-change barrel system.
45:22The M60 incorporated lessons learned from weapons like the Stinger, but the Stinger itself was forgotten.
45:28Military historians discovered the Stinger story decades later.
45:32They found references in unit records.
45:34After-action reports mentioned modified weapons used by the 28th Marines.
45:38But the reports didn't name Grevich or Little.
45:41They credited Stein because his Medal of Honor citation was the most detailed documentation.
45:46Researchers assumed Stein built the weapon alone.
45:49The citation said, personally improvised.
45:52That phrase led historians to conclude individual fabrication.
45:56It took years of additional research to uncover Grevich and Little's role.
46:00Interviews with surviving Marines.
46:02Examination of technical details.
46:04Analysis of who had the skills and access to build such weapons.
46:08Today, only one Stinger replica exists.
46:11It was built by the Canadian Historical Arms Museum for a television documentary.
46:15The replica required three months to construct.
46:18Modern machinists with full machine shops and reference materials needed 90 days to reproduce what Grevich and Little built with
46:25hand tools in 10 weeks.
46:27The replica demonstrated the weapon's effectiveness.
46:301,200 rounds per minute, manageable recoil, accurate fire.
46:34But it also demonstrated the overheating problem.
46:37After 75 rounds, the barrel exceeded safe temperature limits.
46:41The replica confirmed every detail of the historical accounts.
46:45The original six weapons were never recovered.
46:48They disappeared on Iwo Jima.
46:51Destroyed by combat.
46:52Discarded as battle damage.
46:54Buried in volcanic sand.
46:56None survived.
46:58None survived.
46:58No serial numbers were recorded.
47:00No maintenance logs preserved.
47:02The weapons existed for three months.
47:05They fought for three days.
47:07Then they vanished.
47:09Only the story remained.
47:11If this story moved you the way it moved us, do me a favor.
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47:24We are rescuing forgotten stories from dusty archives every single day.
47:28Stories about sergeants and machinists who saved lives with improvised weapons and three months of night work.
47:35Real people.
47:36Real heroism.
47:38Drop a comment right now and tell us where you are watching from.
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48:02And thank you for making sure Mel Grevich and John Little do not disappear into silence.
48:08These men deserve to be remembered.
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