USAF OSI gifted me a Model 19 in appreciation of exploiting intelligence it passed on to me while I served as a counterinsurgency officer in Tay Ninh. Since the target was a several lucrative caches with small chance of a firefight, I invited several of them to join our motley bunch for a day in the woods. The OSI agents were quite a contrast to a small group of 25th Infantry Division soldiers, starched camo fatigues and highly polished boots vs. pretty rangy jungle fatigues and scuffed, muddy jungle boots. They were so tickled we dug up various firearms, munitions, and documents that they later invited me for a weekend party in Saigon as well as the presentation of the S&W. I only received a half box of .357 ammo and had to use .38 special when that ran out. I only used it for one operation and just carried it when in garrison or a meet with RVN officials. That wheel gun was a real hoot. Normally, the handgun of choice for me was the 1911, which could take nasty conditions and packed a greater punch than a .38 special.