Interesting Viet Nam carbine photo

[DaveHH]

When I got there there was something like 125,000 troops by the time I left it was over 300,000 and a year after that it was 500,000. The whole thing had to change. We had 500 men using a 6 hole latrine and a shower that was making people sick with Hepatitis. Water was short, we all lived under canvas. When Tet of 1967 came, all of the Nungs and guards in the Nha Trang area shot off most of their ammo into the air, two guys in our camp were hit by spent rounds passing through canvas. There was a Bubonic Plague epidemic in spring of 67, killed 35K Viets , but the soldiers made it through because of our shots. I was happy because it killed all of the rats.

You are right about the modern Army, especially the elite troops.

[misterclark]

If you look at the AR he is carring you will see that it is an early M16 not the later M16-A1 as there is no forward assist on it. This would have been an RVN issued weapon as they were the first to buy the M16. Many of the US advisers early on tried these and really like them asking the Army to get some for them but that would take some time for that to happen.

That AR looks like a Model 601. It looks like it has the early thin, 3 prong flash suppressor and the triangular charging handle. But the magazine is the later aluminum 20rder. The 'duck hunter' camo in correct for early advisors and they are wearing M1956 web gear. I'd date the pic around 1964-65. I think the fellows with the carbines are Nungs.

[LeagleEagle]

They were the best of the best. Large, tough, well trained and they loved Americans. They put a company out beside a rubber plantation that used to be trouble for convoys on HWY1, they just killed everybody for about a mile around and no more trouble. Some of these Gulf War guys think I'm BSing when I talk about what it was like over there 45 years ago. It was not the "Be All You Can Be" Army with time outs and girls. It was a filthy, undisciplined camping trip with guns. You were very happy to get out of that place.

Were the Koreans armed with M1 Garands? I recall seeing a few photos where the ROK troops were carrying them.

[ChipS]

If you look at the AR he is carring you will see that it is an early M16 not the later M16-A1 as there is no forward assist on it. This would have been an RVN issued weapon as they were the first to buy the M16. Many of the US advisers early on tried these and really like them asking the Army to get some for them but that would take some time for that to happen.

My mistake on time period and pretty much all around (Nungs?). I originally thought I saw a forward assist on the M16 and now I notice there is no fence in front of the mag release. But, it still looks like a closed A1 birdcage type flash suppressor on my screen. Old eyes and cheap video card. My TO weapon was an XM16E1 that looked like it must have been dragged all over South Vietnam and run over by a tank. But it was accurate and worked every time.

[jackthesmib]

The Nungs were used extensively as camp security after the
SF camp at Heip Hoa was overrun by VC. One of the SF guys
captured was the first American to escape from A VC prison
camp.

[DaveHH]

All US WW2 weapons. M1 rifles and carbines.