John T. Thompson designed and built the first portable machine gun. He was an expert marksman and gunner and wanted to help the U.S. Army infantryman fight. He completed the first working prototypes only in 1918, after the war ended. His invention ultimately played into the hands of the American mafia, which is why it initially gained fame. Thompson died in 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II, during which the Tommy would make a difference for the U.S. Army. Other nicknames for the weapon include: “Tommy Gun,” “Trench Broom,” “Trench Sweeper,” “Chicago Typewriter,” “Chicago Piano,” “Chicago Style,” “Chicago Organ Grinder,” and “The Chopper.”
