Influenced by the German MP 40 and the British Sten, the .45­caliber M3 “Grease Gun” served as the primary U.S. submachine gun for almost a half century. Designed to replace the expensive Thompson SMG, the M3 was issued to airborne troops thanks to its compact design with sliding wire stock, also being favored by armored crews right up to 1991's Operation Desert Storm.

In Korea and Vietnam, reconnaissance troops and special-operations forces were at times armed with the M3A1--also available in a suppressed version--and it was the first SMG issued to the US counter-terrorist unit Delta Force. Featuring full-color artwork, firsthand accounts, and archive and close-up photographs, this is the engaging story of the M3 submachine gun.

Leroy Thompson has trained special-operations units around the world on the tactical use of firearms, written over 45 books, and appeared as a weapons expert on Discovery, National Geographic, and the BBC. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Adam Hook has illustrated Osprey books on subjects ranging from the Aztecs to the Chinese Army. He lives in the UK.

Photojournalist and cartoonist Alan Gilliland was also a graphics editor of The Daily Telegraph. www.ravensquill.com / www.alangilliland.com