Flame thrower.

Agree, the cost to make one was incredible compared to others.

Ive shot a M1 Garland several times. They are some heavy suckers.

Probably the M1 Carbine due to the weight.
That said, I would really liked to have inherited my father-in-laws Presentation Grade Thompson.

Guberment was looking for a low cost alternate to the Thompson which was very expensive to make.

The only "safety" on the M3 was the dust cover...interesting.

I carried an M60 with a 1911 as my sidearm in the Army. After 7 years of lugging it around, I'd say M1 Carbine or M3 grease gun. Followed up by M1 Garand, Thompson, BAR, and in last place a M1903A4. I own or shot them all. While I love the M1903A4, there's something to be said for volume of fire. Folks who haven't the joy of neck and shoulder pain of carrying a heavy weapon and ammo for long distances overestimate their abilities to do so.

Machine gun and mortar teams I'll bet had to lug stuff around

Knowing what I know now, an M2 carbine.

My Dad was a Marine Recon Sgt in Korea ('52 - '53). Dad carried a Thompson with the rear stock removed.
One guys in his squad carried a Grease gun until the night they were behind enemy lines and the guy slipped down a hill and it started going off because of the 'safety'. Dad banned the grease gun from his squad after that.

My preference would depend greatly on where I would have been deployed. In general, if in the pacific theater, either a Thompson or M1 Carbine. If in the European theater, a Garand. That's generally speaking, of course. Many scenarios which could have changed that.

Garand.

I would go with the Johnson LMG at 13 lbs with the firepower of a BAR. They a were very limited issue item.

Don’t think it’s been mentioned….

I’d pick the STG 44.

Germans made it too late in the war and on too small of a scale. Only a few ever made it to the front lines, war was already lost..had they had it in early stages when they were steamrolling with landsers carrying the K98, who knows.

Was the first true “assault rifle”
In fact, the STG 44 stands for sturmgewehr 44, “storm rifle” or “assault rifle”

Pumps 600 rounds a minute rate of fire, with a larger caliber round than would be expected.

Kalashnikov styled his AK-47 design off the stg 44. They are remarkably similar in appearance.