357 Mags in Nam

[S&W38]

Joe Kent:
Yes, I do refer to the late Robert "Bob" Mallette. He was a fine craftsman as well as a knowledgeable and generous friend. He made that corner of the world a better place just by the way he conducted his everyday business and personal affairs.

 

[Joe Kent]

S&W38, I could not agree more. My very best regards, Joe.

 

[hoglaw]

In 1964 there were far fewer regulations of firearms, both civilian and military. When facing movement to Vietnam I shopped at the PX in the Philippines thinking of buying a S&W .357 to take with me. Never got around to it.

In Desert Storm my Army Reserve aviation unit was still issued M10's. Of course, by 1990 all firearms were tightly regulated and no personal weapons were allowed without written authority of an O-6, or higher. Consequently I caught a lot of grief because of my M10. Everyone thought I was in violation of the general order.

I dared on REMF O-3 to confiscate my weapon, but he backed down.

 

[Ops Officer]

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.

 

[cmort666]

Originally posted by handejector:

Originally posted by Lionhound:
Here's the link to Paco Kelly's article that mentions use of primitive body armor by the Vietnamese:http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/special_handguns.htm

I read part of that link, but eventually started laughing so hard I could not focus. His reference to body armor:
"I did two TDY tours in Southeast Asia...and had occasion to use the magnum several times. Once firing thru a boiler plated idiot with a sword that came screaming into our A-Camp one night." Now I remember- MANY VC wore boiler plate around. It made them easy to ID. That, and the long swords......
He talks of being an "Intel Officer" that trained troops in Africa- in small arms! He mentions that he took this with him- "A Colt S/A in 45 Colt and a second barrel and cylinder for 44 special." Interesting- I guess he just grabbed that ol' barrel, and unscrewed it by hand whenever he hankered for a change.

The clencher-
" trained their training personnel, in the use of the small arms the U.S. was giving them. From the 38 Special up thru the 105 Recoilless Rifle. The Recoilless was mounted on jeeps and the aiming system was a 50 cal. Browning Machine Gun. You would walk the 50 BMG rounds into the target and then fire the 105..."

He MEANT to say the 106mm Recoiless Rifle. They do NOT have a 50 cal MACHINE gun mounted on them- they have a 50 cal Semi-Auto, that takes a shorter cartridge than the 50 BMG. Trust me- I HAVE actually fired them....

I don't have my reference here in the office, but I do believe there was a 105mm RCL, but it wasn't successful and dropped out of the system (if it ever made it in) long before Vietnam.

I'm always tickled by people with JUST enough knowledge to prove themselves liars about a particular subject. There was a guy in usenet years ago who talked about how his grandfather carried a "full-auto 8ga. shotgun" in WWI. Similarly, there's actually a quite well known usenet "kook" who fancies himself a "dad's rights advocate". Really, he's just a misogynist, bully and pathological liar who was in "Air Force Special Forces in Vietnam, when all of the Special Forces units were together"... or at least that was his story. That prompted a comment from me about the "Parachute Ski-Marines" that stuck for YEARS.

One day he started running his mouth about how AK47s and their "500 round magazines" should be banned. I took especially great pleasure in holding him up as a liar.

 

[cmort666]

Originally posted by hoglaw:
In 1964 there were far fewer regulations of firearms, both civilian and military. When facing movement to Vietnam I shopped at the PX in the Philippines thinking of buying a S&W .357 to take with me. Never got around to it.

In Desert Storm my Army Reserve aviation unit was still issued M10's. Of course, by 1990 all firearms were tightly regulated and no personal weapons were allowed without written authority of an O-6, or higher. Consequently I caught a lot of grief because of my M10. Everyone thought I was in violation of the general order.

I dared on REMF O-3 to confiscate my weapon, but he backed down.

I carried my own Series 70 Colt in Korea in '80-81. I also carried it on occasion as a pay officer at Fort Knox. One pay day, they had made us turn in all of our .45acp ball and not yet issued replacement ammunition. We were given the choice of carrying M16s, providing our own firearms, or providing our own ammunition. I wasn't going to schlepp an M16 around, so I carried my Series 70 loaded with my VERY hot handloads using the 200gr. Hornady "Combat-Target" jacketed semi-wadcutter.

I also had my Ithaca M37 DS/PS 12ga. I used it to teach Korean civilian guards to use their newly issued Winchester 1200s. Other platoon leaders I knew in the 2nd ID had a 8 3/8" Model 29 and a 4" Model 13 respectively.

 

[rayb]

I am continually amazed by the number of special operations folks who served in RVN. If my informal internet survey is any indication, there were 3 other people besides myself who were not "special operators" involved with clandestine and secret missions during my tour there. Since everything was secret, nothing must have happened while I was there......
all records having been written in disappearing ink.

rayb

"may I see your DD 314 please??"

 

[CH47gunner]

"may I see your DD 314 please??"

It's DD 214.

 

[wjh2657]

You didn't have to be "SpecOps" to not be issued a pistol. Very few enlisted men other than senior NCOs were issued .45s. A lot of them bought their own sidearms until that was shut off in 66. Plus, most folks in RVN prior to 65 were in fact part of some form of "SpecOps" I was a Marine and all of us were either directly or indirectly (attached) to MACV in 63. Even the helicopters and Bird Dogs up in Danang belonged to MACV in 63. Most Marine units were phased back into Marine units as those units (3MARDIV and 1stMAW)came into RVN after 63.In early 63 ShuFly was a MACV command, something constantly contested by Marines who weren't there then.Long story short, we were "Misbegotten Children" that sometimes bought our own sidearms. The Old Timers that came in 65 and after forget there was a "special presence" in RVN prior to that time.

 

[redsfan2]

As I said earlier, in '69 - '70 the guys I worked with carried " issue". When I was in the CAP unit, I carried a grease gun. It was good for ambushes which was what we mainly did. I also carried a demo bag full of grenades, We didn't hump far, so the added weight wasn't a problem.

From what I saw and later heard from others ,,, I think there were a wide range of truthful experiences and stituations depending on when and where you happened to be there.

During my time , every m 60 machine gunner was issued a .45 auto.

 

[CH47gunner]

My aviation company must have had some slack rules.

Many of my pilots carried "unauthorized" sidearms, as did some of the other crewmembers. HighPowers were the most prevalent but, there were some Smith/Colt .357's carried also.
All aircrew, in my company, were given a choice of either the S&W Model 10 or a Colt 1911. Almost all chose the M10, including myself.
My Model 10 was never fired except to shoot-up the countryside.

Bruce

 

[straightshooter1]

Sorry for reviving an older thread (I guess a week or so is okay, isn't it?).

This Paco dude has written some other stuff that is just flat unbelievable. I think whoever he is, he is full of something but that something does not equate with experience.

I was there. No swords, no body armor, and I never saw any SAAs. And no screaming NVAs or VCs ever came running into the camp like "SURPRISE!". They'd have to get by the sentry(ies), the claymores, the wire, the flares, etc.

I think he was trying to say he was at a Special Forces A-Team's camp. If so, there would have been ARVNs, Montanyards and/or Nungs to contend with. I simply can't imagine anyone simply waltzing in but, if they did, I would expect better armament than a sword.

Most handguns I saw there were the GI 45s and the 38 Smiths, but many brought their own in '65/early 66. One guy carried a Colt Cobra, others had various revolvers.

Never saw anyone with a privately purchased hand gun that wasn't a revolver or a Colt 45 of some type.

I had an issued 45 at one time, but was so hot for a 38 Smith since, in my misspent youth, I thought they were somehow "better."

Bob

 

[Long Barrel]

I actually bought a 60mm mortar from the local RF/PF company for $30.00 MPC. We used to for local self-illumination at the firebase at Dalat. Had to sell it when we left because I couldn't take it to my next unit.

 

[REDTAIL]

Alot of officers over there had Browning 9mm in their posession in the mid 60's

 

[Guest]

I wasn't there that early but I can say that by the time I got there I found a pretty large number of them awaiting destruction. Nearly all of them had seen better days and I guess I already wasn't much of a fan of the 9mm and especially didn't like the magazine disconnector so those guns didn't get much attention from me. Also, 9mm ammo wasn't readily available where I was since the US Military hadn't gotten the Metric Fever just yet.

 

[fyimo]

I guess I'll try this again as my post yesterday got sent to never never land for bad word choices.

Even though Vietnam was a very unpopular war there seems to be a large segment of the Vietnam aged male adult population who now want to claim that they were in the war and were combat soldiers. This is a well documented fact and the estimate is that there are 5 times as many people claiming to have served in country in Vietnam as actually did serve in country.

We run into this all the time in the VFW when people try to join. They tell us all these stories of where they served, when they served, and even the battles they were in and then when you ask them for their DD 214 they either say they lost it or it doesn't show them having been in country because they were black ops people.

Anyway, Just remember that 4 out of 5 people claiming to be Vietnam Veterans are in fact not. Those of us who actually served in Vietnam resent these posers and can usually spot them after a few minutes of conversation.

It's actually a sad and alarming number when you think of it.

 

[Seven For Sure]

What a great read this thread is. Thank you all for your service.

 

[S.B.]

Paco Kelly relates a story of revolvers in VietNam in this link:
http://www.leverguns.com/artic...special_handguns.htm

 

[Guest]

S.B. This guy is so full of BS that his eyes have to be very dark Brown!!!

I kind of like this particular comment: "<span class="ev_code_RED">I did two TDY tours in Southeast Asia...and had occasion to use the magnum several times. Once firing thru a boiler plated idiot with a sword that came screaming into our A-Camp one night. The 173 grain hard cast bullets...punched right thru the old iron plate, leaving some good sized holes exiting his body. Which amazed all the Vietnamese G.I.s when they gathered around to gawk at the dead V.C. I remember one youngster asking..."Gowd Lt. what you got in that gun...?</span>" and especially the later remark of: "<span class="ev_code_RED">....It was Eisenhower's war in those late days of the 1950s...</span>"

This is just the kind of BS artist that fyimo was talking about. For him to have done even half of what he 'Claims" he'd have to be 150 Years old at least!!!

 

[perpster]

Originally posted by fyimo:
I guess I'll try this again as my post yesterday got sent to never never land for bad word choices.

Even though Vietnam was a very unpopular war there seems to be a large segment of the Vietnam aged male adult population who now want to claim that they were in the war and were combat soldiers. This is a well documented fact and the estimate is that there are 5 times as many people claiming to have served in country in Vietnam as actually did serve in country.

We run into this all the time in the VFW when people try to join. They tell us all these stories of where they served, when they served, and even the battles they were in and then when you ask them for their DD 214 they either say they lost it or it doesn't show them having been in country because they were black ops people.

Anyway, Just remember that 4 out of 5 people claiming to be Vietnam Veterans are in fact not. Those of us who actually served in Vietnam resent these posers and can usually spot them after a few minutes of conversation.

It's actually a sad and alarming number when you think of it.

Reminds me of the scene early in Trading Places when Eddie Murphy is scamming as a legless Viet Nam vet panhandler. The cops, who are Viet Nam vets, ask him what unit he served in and his answer is one of the funniest parts of the movie.