S&W In VietNam ?

One of my pet peeves is the revisionist reporting on Tet.

Here is what I have read as to be the real truth.

That it was a massive win for South Vietnam and the U.S. from what I have read. The VC came out and were killed off outright in numbers that supposedly left them ineffective for the rest of the war. This supposedly a plan by Ho Chi Minh to eliminate possible resistance from the VC when HE took over South Vietnam.

Another lie, repeated often, even on the disreputable history channel, "The VC got into the U.S. Embassy in Tet."

Only one V.C. got into the compund. He went into a building nearby the embassy and a civilian CIA/Spook or Army officer in civvies crawled into a window (I have seen video of this) with a M1911A1 .45. He hunted the VC alone in the building and killed him as he walked up a flight of stairs. The American was at the top of the stairs and shot the VC. He was not even looking up when he started to climb the stairs.

If Nixon had been running that war from 1964 it would have ended by 1968 probably because I don't think he would have screwed around.
 
Mack, sorry for your loss and I wish I'd seen this post earlier as you could have called the local VFW post and asked if they had an honor squad. Our VFW post does and I'm on it and we do the folding and presentation of the flag and the 21 gun salute to any family of a veteran that dies in our county and requests it. That's any Veteran and not just VFW eligible members that served in country at a time of war.

My tour in Vietnam was different in that I was in the 4th infantry 1/12 company B 2nd platoon as a squad leader and then platoon SGT and none of us except the old man had a handgun. He carried an issued 45 and a Car 15. Our mission was doing 30 search and destroy missions in the jungle and we were almost always out with full back packs and full gear so no one carried a pistol. I did see Air crew members with side arms in Vietnam and they usually had an S&W or Browning HP. All of us carried either M-16's (most guys), a M79 grenade launcher, or the machine gunners carried the M60 machine gun. Everyone carried some sort of large combat knife as their backup and I carried a Marine Kbar.

Speaking of being short I was told with 77 days to go that I got a 60 day drop to go back to college and I that only had 17 days left in country. Talk about a wake up call as I was just wounded the day before and by the time I finished my treatment it was time for the freedom bird ride home. I got a million dollars’ worth of experience over there that at the time I wouldn’t have paid you a nickel for.
 
I thought it would be worth adding Vietnam's most famous (or infamous) S&W. Anyone know for sure what it was? A Bodyguard 49? There's another thread worth looking through as this photo had a great deal of importance, both political and in the US and internationally. Eddie Adams later regretted the impact it had on GEN Nguyen, to the point apparently where he was even denied medical treatment.

The thread:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/165486-what-revolver.html

And the famous photo:

View attachment 54172

First time I've read through this thread, thank you all for the amazing stories. I was the generation just behind most of you, who was right on the cusp (1A on my card) of going. They stopped taking folks around the time I was eligible. I had heard enough lies that I had no desire to go in, though things would be different now. Anyway, I had a good friend who was assigned communications in Saigon, and was working the day the photo referred to came across the wire. According to him there were 5 pictures in all, with a couple being extremely graphic in nature. He also let me know the back story, that the prisoner was one of a group of VC who had gone to the houses of RVN military officers and killed their families. I do not blame the general for his response.
 
Found this one on the net,
post-5-1216929834.jpg


Cant tell what kind of revolver but the holster and lanyard loop hint at a S&W M&P?
 
Back-up gun I carried in Vietnam

I was an M60 machine gunner (0331). I carried that, a 1911 .45ACP & a Kabar knife. Under my flak jacket I carried a Colt D frame,Detective Special in .32 New Police caliber with the 2 inch barrel in a Bucheimer shouldler holster. My parents sent it to me after I arrived there. Broke a lot of laws with that I'm sure. I lost it when we had to move out in a hurry from hill 552 to hill 471 which was in I Corp near Kne Sanh May 1968.
 

Attachments

  • 3rd BN 4th Marines.jpg
    3rd BN 4th Marines.jpg
    55.3 KB · Views: 495
  • M60 Machine at Khe Sanh 1968 (1024x745).jpg
    M60 Machine at Khe Sanh 1968 (1024x745).jpg
    191.3 KB · Views: 664
Last edited:
Hello

I'm not certain if I should be posting in this topic, seeing as I was in the Service a bit later (1989-1993).

Anyway, here is a photo of my 1966/1967 era made Model 10-5. So revolvers similar to mine were issued to Aircrew?

This is one of my only two S&W Revolvers, and I have used this photo already like 26 times, sorry about that LOL.
Thank you
Mark

DSCN0932.jpg

In 1989 I was piloting UH-1Hs and carrying an issued 10-5 that looked just like that one, lanyard loop and all. I carried mine in a nylon holster that was sewn on to my survival vest. I didn't think much of the Model 10 at the time. I wanted one of those "new" Beretta 92s that held 15 rounds of 9mm in one mag. I was issued one (beretta) in 1990. I was totally unimpressed! To this day, I would not give you $100 for a 92. I would give a lot more for my old 10-5.
 
I see the last post to this thread was in Feb 2012. I was in the Air force, worked in Air transportation, air frieght, I was assigned to a detachment in the central highlands. I was with the 14th Aerial Port Sq. we were an 8 man unit responsable for 24 hour operation of the Cam Ly Air Field at Dalat, RVN I was there in 67 & 68. We were all enlisted and issued the S&W Combat Master Peace and the M16a. I kept the 38 stashed the M16 and scrunged a remington 12 ga shotgun and used buck and ball when i could get it or 00 buck shoot. My M16 chocked a lot did trust it. the 12 ga never failed and never missed. I servered with a bunch of good brave boys that became men quickly. the ncoic was 32, the youngest was 20 (me) average age 21.
 
S&W Viet Nam

I would love to see some of your Revolvers that were used or just carried during the War! SEMPER FI

Gun Digest collector's guide 2009 had a very nice article and photos of all guns used in Nam. I have a 38 spl 4" with original nam cart. belt & holster. Parkerized logo grips. Nice. Vet. brought it home.
 
Nam M13?

Here is a story that i was told-not sure of the M13 being available in Nam years tho so forgive me if this is inaccurate regarding mdl of the Smith:
I had some gun dealing a few years back with man who was nam vet and we got on that for a bit on the phone. He was point man and I forget the unit now , but carried a M12 ( Winch shotgun ) and used it to kill a NVA or VC officer who he said had a M13. As a war souvenier he declared it and returned with it. he researched the gun via serial # and discovered it had been issued to a pilot of an aircraft i forget now, but he was shot down and killed. Assumption then is that the 13 was captured by the enemy and then recaptured by this point man.
Anyway, the point man I was visiting with tracked down the family of the pilot to return the 13 to them, but they rejected it, I suppose due to resentment of the loss of their loved one. Thus, he still had it some 20 years ago.
No extra charge for non S&W stories.
I never saw a M12 used in the '69-70 tour I did but we had a well used 870 and even some all brass shells for it. Our CO carried it one op and had an accidental discharge with it and of course it was the gun's fault so it disappeared from our company (9th div C co/5/60th)
Also met man at VA who was infantry and i asked about souveniers-he had a Browning HP he captured when officer in spider hole in Cu chi area shot this GI's helmet off from below, grazing the GIs face and ear.
Infantry survivors count your blessings!!!
We also captured a chi com tokarev that my friend shot holes in while finishing the Charlie off by moonlight.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here is a story that i was told-not sure of the M13 being available in Nam years tho so forgive me if this is inaccurate regarding mdl of the Smith:
I had some gun dealing a few years back with man who was nam vet and we got on that for a bit on the phone. He was point man and I forget the unit now , but carried a M12 ( Winch shotgun ) and used it to kill a NVA or VC officer who he said had a M13. As a war souvenier he declared it and returned with it. he researched the gun via serial # and discovered it had been issued to a pilot of an aircraft i forget now, but he was shot down and killed. Assumption then is that the 13 was captured by the enemy and then recaptured by this point man.
Anyway, the point man I was visiting with tracked down the family of the pilot to return the 13 to them, but they rejected it, I suppose due to resentment of the loss of their loved one. Thus, he still had it some 20 years ago.
No extra charge for non S&W stories.
I never saw a M12 used in the '69-70 tour I did but we had a well used 870 and even some all brass shells for it. Our CO carried it one op and had an accidental discharge with it and of course it was the gun's fault so it disappeared from our company (9th div C co/5/60th)
Also met man at VA who was infantry and i asked about souveniers-he had a Browning HP he captured when officer in spider hole in Cu chi area shot this GI's helmet off from below, grazing the GIs face and ear.
Infantry survivors count your blessings!!!
We also captured a chi com tokarev that my friend shot holes in while finishing the Charlie off by moonlight.

When I read your post I went deep into my safe to bring out my ChiCom Tok (dated 1966). We supported what was left of the 9th ID in 1969. What a scragly bunch you guys were;). That is compared to the 25th, and with all respect to you guys in the 9th. The reddish brown, cut-off jungle fatigues were a little bit of a surprise to me, but your AO made it all blend in.

This one was not shot up. And no, it's not for sale. It's what they call "priceless".
 

Attachments

  • ChiCom Tok 001.jpg
    ChiCom Tok 001.jpg
    245.4 KB · Views: 615
  • ChiCom Tok 002.jpg
    ChiCom Tok 002.jpg
    239 KB · Views: 515
Navy Aviator Model 36

I was a Navy A-7 pilot on the USS America in 1972. Most of my missions were over North Vietnam. I was issued a blued steel model 36 with a lanyard ring as part of my survival gear. Carried tracer and flare rounds to mark my position if I ended up on the ground under a jungle canopy. I also was issued a Colt 45 auto. Would love to have either or both of those pistols today.
 
the pic shows usaf brig gen robin olds, three times ace (16 victories), when he was a colonel in viet nam war.

on his right hip, he is carrying a smith wesson k frame into a holster.

by the way, in 1990 i was a high ranking argentine ministery of defense official. having been sent for a couple of weeks to saudi arabia for liasson duties during desert shield operation, i carried a smith wesson model 36, 2", five shooter wheelgun "just in case".

nowadys that little and nice model 36 is my wife gun. (i replaced it with a 2" model 10-5 blued)
 

Attachments

  • robin olds.jpg
    robin olds.jpg
    107 KB · Views: 3,388
Hi Marine 1970,

My dad flew F-100s out of Phan Rang in 1966-1967. He carried a S&W K-38 Combat Masterpiece on 429 missions. He had orders to fly F-8 Crusaders for the Navy but the Air Force realized he had not yet been to Vietnam, so they cancelled his Navy tour and told him he could fly a tour with the Navy after his Viet Nam tour. But, he was promoted to major right after his combat tour and the Navy tour was open only for Air Force captains, so he never did get the F-8 tour. He really liked that revolver and had a custom holster and belt made for it that is similar to the rig Digi-Shots posted in reply #17. He had it made by a saddlery in Alexandria, Louisiana before he deployed. He carried his revolver in that holster on a few missions, but the belt would make him sweat, and it interfered with G-suit comfort ("G-suit" and "comfortable" are mutually exclusive, but any little bit of comfort helps), so he switched to the issued shoulder holster. That shoulder holster worked pretty well when he ejected - his revolver was still snapped in it when he hit the ground. He has found memories of that K-38, but he would not risk his carrier to bring it home to me.

I still have his holster and belt and have carried my model 67 in it some, but it does make the lower back and tummy sweat.

Happy Easter!
Rushbeau
 
Speaking to a neighbors teenage son last week he was telling me how they are taught in school that we lost the Viet Nam war. Being a sharp lad I informed him that in fact we won the Viet Nam war. Perplexed he asked how that could be, so I enlightened him to the facts.
1. We compelled the North Vietnam to sign and agree to the Paris Peace accords in 1973. Thus ending the war, freeing our POWs and we withdrew.
2. Two years later the North violated the terms of the accord and invaded the South once again.
3. The US Congress refused to fund the South or recommit troops and so the South was defeated and South Vietnam not the USA lost the war.
I told him to ask his teacher, how do you lose a war when you departed two years earlier. Yesterday this bright teenager told me he questioned his teacher, who did some research and came back saying he was right. To many teachers have learned about Viet Nam from the revisionists leftys who protested the war later becoming teachers themselves, then they perpetuate the lie over and over. Those of us who were there know better.


Thank you for your post. I had suspected that most teachers, especially in college, are "left" and teach things like that. A great many were probably draft-dodging by becoming teachers and avoided Vietnam service.

When I was in college, I handed out some Rhodesian government literature giving their side of the terrorist war there and that nation's decision to leave British rule. I had a very liberal history teacher who mouthed off about that and said that she intended to fail me because of my views.

Fortunately, my Journalism teacher heard her in their lounge and told me. We got it sorted out. But you can imagine how that teacher felt about the Vietnam involvement!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top