The culture of the military can never be compared to that of any society or organization in the world, further reflected by unique traditions that most military forces around the globe are bound to uphold. There is one such tradition present that cuts across all borders: giving nicknames to gear, particularly weapons. One could say, having trained with various military forces, that from trucks to rifles, everything gets an alternative name. Today, we delve into the memorable nicknames of American service weapons through time.
Nicknames for weapons are created for many reasons, sometimes reflecting the name or capabilities of the weapon, as terms of endearment, and occasionally as terms of derision. These stick when they have an element of truth behind them that makes them memorable. Here are seven iconic nicknames for U.S. military service weapons.
General John T. Thompson’s own hands designed the Thompson submachine gun, and it quickly became famous as the “Tommy Gun.” Although it received several nicknames, including the “Chicago Typewriter” by gangsters, “Tommy Gun” stuck throughout its military service. Soldiers preferred this name because it had a ring to it and gave the weapon a more blue-collar feel. Interestingly, the term “Tommy” was also used as slang for a British soldier and the Brits used the Thompson so “Tommy with a Tommy” was a common sight.
The nickname “Grease Gun” had to do with the resemblance to a mechanic’s tool. The M3 series was developed as a much cheaper alternative to the Thompson, and it used stamped and welded steel, giving the appearance of a crude gun. This industrial look earned it an industrial nickname that has come to be far more recognizable than its official designation.
Another John Browning design, the M2 Machine Gun, came into service right at the end of the First World War. The weapon is affectionately known as “Ma Deuce” because the ‘M’ and ‘2’ of its designator are pronounced “Ma Deuce.” Explains one instructor, “We call her ‘Ma Deuce’ because she’s your second mom, and she’ll take care of you.” The M2 proved indispensable in taking out lightly armored targets and delivering long-range fire.
The M60, America’s first general-purpose machine gun, served from 1957 into the 1980s and beyond. Dubbed “The Pig,” this was a pretty apt nickname for a belt-fed machine gun that was loud, greedy, and rather large. Despite a host of problems, though, the M60 enjoyed a love affair with troops in-country in Vietnam due to its relatively lightweight and maneuverability.
M1895 Colt-Browning Machine Gun – “The Potato Digger”
The M1895 Colt-Browning Machine Gun was an early automatic weapon given the moniker “Potato Digger” for its exposed operating lever, similar in function to a lever-action rifle. If this mechanism were exposed, it would dig its hole if close to the ground. Marines used this gun during the Spanish-American War, and the nickname became an affectionate term for the weapon.
By the time the M16A4 came into service, a lot of those in the Marine Corps and Army had already switched to the M4 carbine. The M16A4 was like a big long rifle compared to the field of carbines, earning it the nickname “The Musket.” The term endearment/derision reflected not only its old age but how big and clumsy it seemed compared to newer designs.
Perhaps the most evocative of the nicknames has stuck to the Maxim MG08, better known as “The Devil’s Paintbrush.” So it was against this awful weapon that was employed on the no less awful errand of stifling the identical weapons in the hands of an opposing host, in World War I as to create the dread “No Man’s Land” between a breadth of opposing trenches. The nickname epitomizes the brutal efficiency that sprays bolts of bullets across the battlefield.
Nicknames are special and attach the ethos of a service weapon. Not some high-ranking officer heading half a million militiamen, just soldiers using the weapon in combat. This is a grassroots tradition that makes the nicknames memorable and meaningful, accurately reflecting the true nature of the weapons they describe.