This was taken a month into the war.
“1950 Press Photo American Troops in jeep with 50 Caliber Gun in Taejon, Korea. This is an original press photo. American troops take a rough Caliber as they advance in jeep armed with 50 caliber machine gun. Communist troops were reported smashing into and around Taejon as battle action see a wed on the Western Korean Front Photo measures 7.25 x 9.25 inches. Photo is dated 07-20-1950.”
That’s a big gun. no wonder everyone is huddled around him.
If the gunner touched that .50 off the guy on the right of him would be ducking like a toad in a hail storm when those empties came out !
Spent cases eject from the bottom of an M2, and links just drop out of the side. The guy on the right has nothing to worry about except the communists.