This Is My Rifle: Episode 9 The M1 Garand changed everything. Adopted in 1936, it became the first standard-issue semi-automatic rifle for U.S. forces, giving Marines an unprecedented advantage in firepower and speed. General Patton famously called it “the greatest battle implement ever devised”—and for good reason. From Guadalcanal to Okinawa, the M1 Garand proved its worth across every theater of World War II, earning a legendary reputation for reliability and accuracy. The M1C variant, fitted