M7 Bayonet
M8A1 Scabbard
M1942 Machete
carried with non and self-sharpening sheath
carried with non and self-sharpening sheath
M14The U.S. Rifle 7.62 mm M14 was adopted for military service by the United States in 1957. It is a rotating bolt, gas operated, air cooled, magazine fed, shoulder fired weapon. As adopted, the M14 was 44.14" long and weighed 8.7 pounds. With a full magazine and sling it weighed 11.0 pounds. The M16 rifle replaced the M14 rifle in the mid-1960s as the standard arm of the U. S. Armed Forces.
M16The first in the series of M16 rifles by Colt, this model did not have a forward assist and the flash suppressor was of a three prong open ended construction. The first of the ammunition caused a lot of fowling with the bolt and gas system and the bolt did not always lock back into battery. The open ended flash suppressor would catch on the jungle growth. It was important to keep the rifle very clean for it to operate properly. To say the M16 had growing pains was an understatement.
XM177E2This model of the M16 was a short barreled version. Internal operations were the same. The rifle is recognized by the collapsible stock and extended flash hider. The rifle was seen in theater with both the twenty and thirty round magazine.
M60 Machine Gun A 7.62mm general purpose machine gun that gave infantry units the edge in firepower in close-quarter firefights. Nicknamed "The Pig", it weighed at 23.75 lbs. Ammunition was generally distributed amongst the squad, each carrying at least 100 rounds, usually worn in bandolier fashion, or in special linen ammunition carriers. It was employed in a light role on it's bipod (effective range 500 meters) or in a medium role on a tripod (effective range 1,100 meters) as well as being used as protective armament on vehicles and helicopters. Gas operated, air cooled and belt fed, with a quick-change barrel to counter overheating during sustained firing. In Vietnam it was the main firepower of the infantry rifle section.
M72 LAW - Light Anti-Tank WeaponWeighing 5.2 pounds, the LAW was designed as a discardable one-man rocket launcher primarily for use as an anti-tank weapon. In Vietnam however, the LAW was used almost exclusively as a bunker buster or for attacking entrenched enemies. In action, the end covers were opened by removing safety pins and the inner tube was telescoped outwards. The LAW Fired a 1-kg rocket to a maximum effective range of 300m. Once fired the tube was discarded.
M18 Smoke GrenadesThis grenade weighs 19 ounces and contains a filler of 11.5 ounces of coloured smoke mixture. It employed an igniter type fuse that had a time delay of 2 seconds and emitted colored smoke for 50-90 seconds. The body of the grenade was painted olive drab with a horizontal white stripe. The writing on the side was also white. The grenade was designed to produce one of four colors: Red, Green, Yellow or Violet. The M18 smoke grenades were used to help helicopter pilot gauge wind direction as well as identifying enemy/friendly positions. Often carried by the radio operators (RTO).
M61 Fragmentation Hand Grenade A.K.A. M26A1This is the standard fragmentation hand grenade. It has a smooth sheet metal body and is shaped like a lemon. It weights 16 ounces and is filled with 5.5 ounces of explosive material, using a detonator type fuse. The grenade is olive drab with yellow markings. Prior to the reclassification program they were known as the M26A1 grenade.
Claymore Mine
An antipersonnel land mine. Widely used in Vietnam, the claymore antipersonnel mine was designed to produce a directionalized, fan-shaped pattern of projectiles. The claymore used a curved block of C-4 explosive, shaped to blow all its force outward in a semicircular pattern. A large number of pellets were embedded in the face of the explosive, creating a devastating blast of fragments similar to the effect of an oversized shotgun. With their directional pattern, claymores were well-suited as a perimeter-defense weapon. With electronic firing, defenders in bunkers could set claymores in a pattern to cover all approaches and fire them at will. The mines could be4 command detonated or rigged as booby-traps.
An antipersonnel land mine. Widely used in Vietnam, the claymore antipersonnel mine was designed to produce a directionalized, fan-shaped pattern of projectiles. The claymore used a curved block of C-4 explosive, shaped to blow all its force outward in a semicircular pattern. A large number of pellets were embedded in the face of the explosive, creating a devastating blast of fragments similar to the effect of an oversized shotgun. With their directional pattern, claymores were well-suited as a perimeter-defense weapon. With electronic firing, defenders in bunkers could set claymores in a pattern to cover all approaches and fire them at will. The mines could be4 command detonated or rigged as booby-traps.
