Buy the book at cornellpubs.com: Machine Guns 1917

In the summer of 1916, the War Department gave authority for the establishment of several Machine Gun Schools of Instruction for troops serving in the Southern Department. The first school to begin operations under this authority was established by Lieut.-Colonel C. C. Williams, Ordnance Department, at Harlingen, Texas. Two of the present authors, Capt. J. S. Hatcher, Ordnance Department, who had previously been engaged in the preliminary machine gun instruction of troops at various points along the border, and 1st Lieut. H. J. Malony, 26th Infantry, who had served for several years in command of various machine gun organizations, were assigned as instructors. 1st Lieut later joined these officers. Glenn P. Wilhelm, 4th Infantry, who was in command of the machine gun company of that organization, and 1st Lieut. W. W. Doe, 26th Infantry. At the writing, the school had been in operation for over six months, and the experience of the authors in the operation of the guns at the school had covered an average expenditure of about 10,000 rounds of ammunition per week during this period. The notes made by the authors during their work at the machine gun school and elsewhere formed the basis for this volume. These notes were rewritten and arranged in their present form by Captain Hatcher.

The Illustrated text focuses on the mechanics and tactical use of machine guns. It covers different models like the Benet-Mercie, Lewis, Colt, Maxim, and Vickers, discussing their construction, operation, and potential malfunctions. The manual provides instructions on cleaning, assembling, and disassembling each weapon, as well as strategies for aiming and firing. The text also examines the strengths and limitations of each machine gun, and explores the role of machine guns in offensive and defensive combat scenarios.

World War One had begun in 1914 and by 1917 had stalemated the armies of Europe and was reduced to a brutal grind of trench warfare made all the worse by machine guns.

Meanwhile, during 1914 and 1915, Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa waged war in Northeastern Mexico against the Carranza government. Prior to the Mexican Revolution, the U.S.-Mexico border had been only lightly policed but that was about to change.

As part of a campaign against U.S. interests in Northern Mexico, Villa's forces had attacked U.S. mining executives in Mexico, provoking public anger in the United States, especially in Texas. Then in March of 1916, Pancho Villa's forces raided the town of Columbus, New Mexico, resulting in the death of sixteen Americans.. This led to an increased U.S. military presence including Black Jack Pershing’s failed incursion into Mexico to capture Villa.

The imbroglio resulted in the establishment of several Machine Gun Schools of Instruction for troops serving in the Southern Department. Authors Hatcher, Wilhelm and Malony were recruited to prepare a comprehensive manual of Machine Gun operations, this is the story of their work.