Are you a Veteran and what weapons did you use?

[Old Dog 19]

Thought it would be nice to see how many veterans we have in this forum, who saw combat, where and what weapons they used. I will start.

 

Vietnam 1970 - 1971 M16 w/M203 grenade launcher, M60 machine gun, M79 Grenade Launcher and 1911 handgun. I was in the Mobile Artillery and we used 175mm and 105mm guns. Slept near these guns for many months and the Army did not issue ear plugs. The flash at night was very bright and yet we still were able to see the enemy when they attacked and were not deafened by the blast. That is why I take comments about certain calibers blinding you and making you deaf if you shoot them, with a grain of salt. The link is to a picture of a 175mm gun so that you can see how big they are. ** Post corrected** I had originally posted 150mm instead of 105mm and showed the wrong picture of the gun. That is what happens when you get old.

 

http://farm7.staticf..._2516190676.jpg

[Night Prowler 0]

Thank you sir for your service.

[DSD1026 48]

Thank you sir for your service.

+1 for that.. i love all our vets/current soldiers.. they've made the country what it is (at least the good parts..lol)

[Displaced Texan 11,731]

I was Navy on fast attack submarines. Our primary weapon was the Mark 48 ADCAP torpedo, with the Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles thrown in for good measure. The distructive power of these weapons is amazing.

 

As far as small arms, we used the .45 and shotgun for basic security. We used the CAR-15 type rifle and M60 machine gun for 'other' types of security (surface transit in foreign waters, special weapons ops, ect).

 

 

[matty 810]

As far as small arms in the USAF in mid 80s, it was M16 & .38 S&W Combat masterpiece. I shot maybe annually and the .38 only once,along with a 10 rd belt of an M60 when I first got to the UK. The aircraft had all the stuff, and my primary job was fixing radar jammers. On the B52 G&H, there was anything from 125lb dumb bombs up to ALCMs and Harpoons. They would load them on the aircaft at my base in CA and fly over the Soviet 'trawlers' out in international waters off the coast. Cold war funnies. We would sometimes help with maintenance on the tail guns (quad 50s or 20mm Gatling) if we weren't otherwise occupied. On the A10s in europe, the jammer was pod mounted on the wing, so we would help load missiles and bombs on those, if our stuff was not broken. The cannon had its own loading and unloading setup, which was a beast. They also were VERY strict about people grabbing expended 30mm casings or unfired rounds. You could get empties if you asked, but you had to wait for the primer to be removed by the weapons guys.

[jrfly3006 42]

Never saw combat but was on M-1 Abrams.(Army) .. 105mm rifled cannon.. (Newer models had 120mm smoothbore), 2 x FN. M240 7.62 , 1 x M2 HB .50 cal, each crewman had M9 Beretta, 2 M16 per tank for dismounted ops. We would operate in task forces attached to Bradleys, Scouts on HMMWV's, Apaches, MLRS, M109 Paladins (155mm), track mounted 120mm mortars, followed by a whole bunch of support vehicles(maintenance, meds, fuelers, ammo tracks etc). To those who have seen combat a big thanks!

[zoid 24]

 

As far as small arms, we used the .45 and shotgun for basic security. We used the CAR-15 type rifle and M60 machine gun for 'other' types of security (surface transit in foreign waters, special weapons ops, ect).

 

What kind of ammo for the shotgun?

[bulpup 98]

M9, M4, M-16A2, M249, M240B, M2, AT-4, M-203, Mk-19, M119, M109, M198

 

Mosul

 

I had joined as artillery after the gulf war but was deployed with a bulk fuel transportion company for OIF. As the convoy recovery element I frequently was in no position to return fire but was in the center of a defensive position around damaged vehicles. That said, relative to my unit I was the "white cloud." with no CAB.

[olderguy 0]

I, too, was lucky enough to never see combat.

 

I trained with a Garand in basic and M48A1 in Fort Knox. So the list is M1 and its' grenade launcher, Grease Gun(believe it was the M3) M14,1911, 90mm Cannon on the M48 along with the Cal.30 and Cal.50 and then the 105mm on the M60A1 as it was brought to Germany as I was leaving to rotate back to CONUS.

 

Some of the best years of my life.

[Displaced Texan 11,731]

 

 

What kind of ammo for the shotgun?

 

00 buckshot.

[mikeyboyeee 66]

AS someone who does not posses the temperament to be in the military ( I don't take blind orders very well), I commend and thank all of you for your service and protecting my way of life.

 

Now if the sons of liberty were to ever rise again........

[ogfarmer 138]

Thank you all for your service...

 

My lil bro is in afghanistan and this is his....

 

[usnmars 136]

Well I was all over the world as downed aircraft recovery. I was special and had a detail of Marines out of Rota Spain that would hold my security when I worked. I carried a 16 twice into the field and never again. It wasn't reliable enough and didn't have the stopping power that I think a rifle in the field should have. From then on it was a sweet relationship with a 14, that lasted a couple of years but unfortunately we had to seperate when i came stateside.

[Old Dog 19]

Well I was all over the world as downed aircraft recovery. I was special and had a detail of Marines out of Rota Spain that would hold my security when I worked. I carried a 16 twice into the field and never again. It wasn't reliable enough and didn't have the stopping power that I think a rifle in the field should have. From then on it was a sweet relationship with a 14, that lasted a couple of years but unfortunately we had to seperate when i came stateside.

 

I can assure you that it has adequate stopping power or I would not be here right now. Took me only a few weeks to see what a lightweight bullet travelling at high speed can do to flesh. Shoot someone in the arm and it can come out of their back or neck. I do not think we would still be arming our troops with M16/M4's if it was an inadequate weapon regardless of the opinion of a few.

[notmetoo 41]

Depends on what you mean by use...

Like Matty, I'm a USAF vet. 20 years including the Cold War, Desert Storm, the Bosnian mess, Ops Iraqi & Enduring Freedom. My primary weapons were AFTO Form 781s, keyboards and mice. Secondarily were the S&W Combat Masterpiece and Beretta M9. And, of course, .50 cal tail guns, MK82s, B61s, B83s and AGM-86 ALCMs.

Never saw combat (thank God).

[Wojo 98]

Non-Combat, but certainly in some HOT situations. During the Reagan years, I was on a cutter patrolling what went thru the Panama Canal and did some 'Humanitarian' support in Central America. The reality was on several occasions we would pick up and deploy small Ranger groups to do their thing on the mainland. We were also looking for Soviet military material going into Central America and did in fact turn away a lot of stuff...plus doing the drug searches which was always good for some strees.

 

Lots of boardings on foreign vessels with M16's, 1911's and a Remington 870 or 11-87. The 92F's were just getting issued and our Captain thought they were crap so we stuck with our 1911's...Good man he was. I was also trained on the Browning M2 that was tripod mounted on the cutter and got to play overlord in case it hit the fan. At the time, our 76mm cannon was not operational so we just faked it by letting it track targets.

 

Going Airedale in Alaska...I used to keep my personal Mini-14F in Stainless with a pair a 30 round factory mags in my flight bag and a Dan Wesson 357 stainless strapped to my thigh in my flight suit.

[Socom 19]

Non combat navy vet 97-01; did a couple rescue missions and a small war off Albania also rescued the people off the uss cole after the attack on it

 

USS Austin LPD-4 my ship

EM3 (SW) my rate and rank

[Soju 153]

Not quite yet, but in 3 months I'll be in veteran status. I carry an M9. The only time it comes out of the holster is when it goes back in it's case, or it falls out. Hooray for the questionable retention of my shoulder holsters. Dumped it down my flight suit leg once. Trying to extract it out, was interesting....

[Wojo 98]

We used to wear our standard OD flight suit and then an orange exposure / flight suit over it in AK. I too lost my pistol in between the suits. Yes, that was an interesting experience because I noticed it when I got up to climb out of the HH-3F (Jolly Green Giant / Pelican) to refuel.

[redwings9 5]

RVN combat vet. 1911,GAU5,M16,M-79, M-60, M-2, 12 Ga pump and XM174 Good thing about being on a M-113 did not have to hump the stuff,bad thing is everything goes in and out of that spun aluminum hull.

 

 

Life Member MOPH,thanks to all who served. Welcome home.

[Mike48 0]

I was Air Force 66-70...I fired Expert with an M-16 in basic and never saw a weapon again....was in Vehicle Maint on a SAC B-58 base in Indiana and a Red Horse outfit in Korea. TDY to Thule Greenland. I drove every kind of Wrecker the AF had....pulled a whole lot of drunk NCO's out of ditches after the bars closed....

 

...when I got out, I still wasnt old enough to legally drink....now I am too old to keep drinking...heh.

[9thMarines 44]

USMC 54-57 Japan/Okinawa/San Diego Naval Base. Fortunately,no one shooting at us at this time. As a grunt , M1 Garand and BAR. Loved that BAR. It really brings out the John Wayne in you. Stateside as a brig guard. the 12 gauge pump and 45.

Best move I ever made.

Semper Fi

[Inyuendo 0]

No veteran status yet, but USMC Infantry 2009-present, in a weapons company. M16A4, M4, Mk153 SMAW, AT-4, M72 LAW, FGM-148 Javelin, M249, M240B, M2, Mk19.

[Secret Squirrel 3]

Not a vet yet, still serving, USAF 2A353, 2009-Present, F-16 Crew Chief, M16A2 and M9.

[Old Dog 19]

Depends on what you mean by use...

Like Matty, I'm a USAF vet. 20 years including the Cold War, Desert Storm, the Bosnian mess, Ops Iraqi & Enduring Freedom. My primary weapons were AFTO Form 781s, keyboards and mice. Secondarily were the S&W Combat Masterpiece and Beretta M9. And, of course, .50 cal tail guns, MK82s, B61s, B83s and AGM-86 ALCMs.

Never saw combat (thank God).

 

For me I mean that I shot those weapons at the enemy. I had shot more types in practice or from friends who had them that let me try them, but the ones listed I used in combat.

[Spectre 1]

USAF Retired: AC-130 Aircraft Commander: (2) 20mm Gatling (2) 40mm / 640 rounds Laos, Cambodia, HCM Trail

.38 Rev.

[notmetoo 41]

For me I mean that I shot those weapons at the enemy. I had shot more types in practice or from friends who had them that let me try them, but the ones listed I used in combat.

 

Absolutely NO disrespect was meant to any of our combat veterans. It was my way of trying to be funny ( ) As I said, I never saw combat, the closest I came is in the picture below. Thank you all for your sacrifices and hardships.

 

[Socom 19]

 

Absolutely NO disrespect was meant to any of our combat veterans. It was my way of trying to be funny ( ) As I said, I never saw combat, the closest I came is in the picture below. Thank you all for your sacrifices and hardships.

 

It's cool you were an officer no one has real respect for an officer well not us enlisted guys anyways haha

[notmetoo 41]

no one has real respect for an officer

LOL, including ME!

[Old Dog 19]

It's cool you were an officer no one has real respect for an officer well not us enlisted guys anyways haha

 

I joined the Army after qualifying for OCS but after actually being in the Army I declined not only OCS but AIS as well. They wanted me to go into Army Intelligence and I just wanted to fight.