What did soldiers think of the M16?
Vietnam War troops hated the M16 and dubbed it the “Mattel 16” because it felt more like a toy than a battle rifle. “We called it the Mattel 16 because it was made of plastic,” said Marine veteran Jim Wodecki in the video below. “At that time it was a piece of garbage.”
Did soldiers use full auto in Vietnam?
Originally, yes they did and that presented a major problem for the military. Several articles pointed to the fact that many inexperienced soldiers used full auto so frequently that they actually ran out of ammunition in the midof a firefight.
How many rounds of ammo were used in Vietnam?
In Vietnam the American military establishment consumed an estimated 50,000 rounds of ammunition for every enemy killed. Small arms ammunition includes the ammunition used by the sidearm, assault rifle, rifle and heavy machines.
What weapons did US soldiers carry in the Vietnam War?
US Infantrymen (grunts) carried either a rifle (M-16), or a machine gun (M-60, belt fed), or an M-79 grenade launcher. If the grunt was a radio operator (RTO-Radio Telephone Operator) he also carried a radio ON HIS BACK. Medics, (whom may or may not have been authorized to carry arms, usually carried an M-16 or a.45 pistol).
How much gear did Vietnam soldiers carry?
What did Vietnam Soldiers carry? 1 Helmet – 5 lb., 2 Boots – 2 lb., Poncho and liner 3 lb., Entrenching tool (shovel) – 5 lb., M-16 ammo – 14 lb., 3 Rifle – 7.5 lb., 4 Machete – 3lb,. Sandbags (empty) – 4 lb., Water – 12 lbs. Adds up to 79 + pounds.
What happened to the M67 recoilless rifle in Vietnam?
In the case of the M67 recoilless rifles, these AT sections were either dissolved or moved elsewhere in Vietnam as they were largely not necessary at the platoon level. Often the company mortar platoon would be reorganized to include both a mortar section and an AT section with the M67 recoilless rifles.
What was the average weight of an M60 machine gunner in Vietnam?
In the above described case; the poor M-60 machine gunners and the RTOs had extra weight to carry (Machine gun and Radio). Average weight carried by infantrymen in Vietnam was (+-) 85 pounds.