I was there 69-70. I had learned to reload as a teenager, and had bought and shot a variety of guns before the Army days, so I knew guns.
I moved around a lot during my tour. I was around both Marine and Army units, ARVN's, and ROK's. I flew a lot, on both Marine and Army choppers of all kinds, and AF C-130's, C-123's, and Caribou's, so you might say I saw a lot of flight crews. I never recall seeing a 357.
45's and 38's is all I recall.
This is the first MENTION of body armor I have ever heard related to the VC or NVA troops. I don't believe that any of them ever wore any.
I suppose it would have been possible to find anything there, since it had been a busy area for decades.
My CO handed me a 1911A1 one day, saying I "might need it to protect him". No paper, no receipt. He also handed me a Mod 37 Ithaca Trench gun and lots of 00 for the same reason. Again, no paper, no receipt. I liked it- one of the old ones that fired as you pumped it if you held the trigger. I loaned it to one of my men, and he let it get confiscated by an MP one sad day. The MP made no charges, and did not even take his name, so he was just flat swiping my Ithaca! We went looking for him, but could not find him.....

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett