WW2 trench art and machine gun question

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I just got some photos of my dad when he was stationed in the Philippine Islands during WW2. One of them is dated 1944. He was a navy radio man and went island to island following the Marines in to establish radio communications. I have been told they were with the second or third wave to take the beach. I have whats left of the trench art ashtray that we destroyed as kids playing with it. I am kicking myself now the only thing left it the large shell case and 50 cal on top.
Can anyone identify what the machine gun is. Some thought it might be an A1A by Auto Ordance.
I would like to leave as much information as I can to my daughter and grand daughters before its all lost and forgotten.
img025.jpg img028.jpg img026.jpg img027.jpg
 
That's a Thompson M1

Cool ashtray's shame you don't have them intact anymore, with the photo proof they'd be worth a good bit.

tommy_m1.jpg
 
Nice photos. A neighbor that was good friends with my grandfather was in the PI and showed me some similar photos with him holding the M1 Thompson, although he was army MP. He passed away a few years ago but he used to talk to me about it because I went to the Philippines a few times for work and that would get him going on the subject. "What port did you ship into?" he'd ask me about my travels, lol. "I flew from LA to Manila. No ship for me.". I've talked to his family about getting a copy of one of his war photos as a keep sake but they're not willing to let me make a copy because of family squabbles over his money, etc.--such a shame. He did give me his antique dremil tool though after I helped him with some stuff, which is a fantastic keepsake!

BTW, since the M1 Thompson is an open bolt gun, that photo with the action closed is a sign that the chamber is empty.
 
ashtray small.jpg This is all that is left of the ashtray. We destroyed the rest of it playing with it as young kids. It was really cool with propellers that moved.
He tried to take the machine gun home but they didn't allow it.
 
I recently shot a full-auto Thompson at the Manchester Firing line. As my son who was with me said, "once you've shot full auto, it's hard to go back to semi."
 
I recently shot a full-auto Thompson at the Manchester Firing line. As my son who was with me said, "once you've shot full auto, it's hard to go back to semi."
I have shot them as well. A friend has a Thompson with the 100 round drum. I never really got bitten by that bug and hope I don't with the price of ammunition never mind the cost of the guns.
 
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