When They Put a Flamethrower Nozzle on an M1 Garand — Germans Called it Devil's Breath скачать в хорошем качестве

When They Put a Flamethrower Nozzle on an M1 Garand — Germans Called it Devil's Breath

On March 17th, 1945, Staff Sergeant James McCord faced one of the deadliest German pillboxes near Remagen, Germany. Armed with an experimental weapon—the M1A1 Rifle Flamethrower, a terrifying combination of rifle and flamethrower—he carried twenty-two pounds of sheer firepower into combat. Unlike traditional flamethrowers, this device allowed regular infantrymen to deliver devastating flames without becoming obvious targets, earning the nickname “Devil’s Breath” from terrified German soldiers. Standard tactics had caused massive casualties when attacking fortified positions. McCord’s weapon changed that. With a single burst, he could project fire up to thirty feet, suffocating or forcing defenders out of concrete bunkers, reinforced houses, and cellars. Its psychological effect was immediate: soldiers couldn’t identify who carried it, and entire positions fell in seconds. Despite its effectiveness, the M1A1 was rare—only forty-three units reached front-line infantry. Operators faced immense challenges: heavy weight, cold weather, finicky ignition systems, and extreme close-range risk. Yet, it saved countless lives by reducing frontal assaults and minimizing casualties. This is the untold story of innovation born from desperation, of ordinary soldiers wielding extraordinary weapons, and of how one experimental flamethrower briefly turned the tide in urban combat during World War II.