Grevage could hear the distinctive whine of the A&M2 machine guns on the beach. A higher-pitched sound than the M1919s. A faster cycle. The six guns were spread out across Green Beach, among different companies and sections, but all were firing. All were functioning. By 9:30 a.m., elements of the 28th Marine Regiment had advanced inland. The beach was still under enemy fire, but the intensity had decreased.
The modified weapons had neutralized enough positions to create breaches in the Japanese defensive fire. The Marines exploited these breaches, advanced, and established positions on the terraces. Grevich’s ammunition box was empty. One hundred rounds fired in fifteen minutes. He reloaded with a fresh belt. Betty Anne’s gun barrel was burning hot.
The situation wasn’t yet critical, but it was nearing its limit. He needed to reduce his rate of fire and allow the gun to cool down more between bursts. At 9:45 a.m., a naval dispatch rider reached Grevich’s position. This rider belonged to a company. He reported that Corporal Stein was engaging pillboxes on the right flank. Stein had already made three trips back and forth to the beach to resupply with ammunition.
On each trip, he brought back a wounded marine. Stein ran without a helmet or boots, trying to gain ground under enemy fire. Grevich acknowledged receipt of the report. He wondered how long the weapons would hold out. The cannons were thin, designed for aviation with forced air cooling. The fighting on Ewima was different.
Heavy gunfire, limited cooling, and high ambient temperatures due to volcanic activity. The island itself was scorching. Steam billowed from cracks in the ground. The combined heat of the fighting and the ambient temperature exceeded the capabilities of the weapons. At 10:00 a.m., Grevich heard another sound. Neither the crack of rifle fire nor the rumble of mortars.
It was a shrill, inhuman scream coming from Japanese positions inland. Marines reported hearing similar sounds throughout the first day. Some believe it was Japanese soldiers reacting to modified weapons. The rate of fire was unusual. The sound was unusual. The effectiveness far exceeded that of standard American machine guns.
It will never be known for certain whether the Japanese actually called them “monster weapons,” but the psychological effect was undeniable, and Grevich knew his weapon was working perfectly. The question now was whether it could maintain this level of performance during the upcoming battles. By 11:00 a.m. on February 19, all six modified weapons were in continuous use.
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