Question on Garands

[Litt'le Lee]

did you make the Hawaii exercise in early 61-I came from K-bay to 7th comm and went back again on that trip back where we did landings on one of the islands-A full blown landing--our barracks was on the opposite end of the mess hall at camp horno--way across the grinder there--our guy on the code machine was a cpl. Swartz

[Sarge]

Still haven't found the card for the Garand, but here is the ser nrs for my M1 Carbine & M14:
Carbine was an Inland #570013 and the M14 was a Winchester #197285. I qualified expert with both of these.
Sarge

[Litt'le Lee]

Cpl Norton--4th Marines in K-bay-we had a Carbine with that early star-light scope--about as big as a thompson round mag and it had a huge battery pack connected by a big long cable

[2111]

U.S. Rifle Cal. .30M1, serial number 4380578, issued to me at PISC Apr. 1956

[Doug]

Didn't make a Hawaii trip in early 1961, did make Exercise Greenlight (Phase III-Alpha) which took place starting early May and ending early June (Phase III-Bravo) was the end with 8 days of live fire at 29 Palms. You may have been on one of the early Phases. We had units supporting all operations in the Pacific during the early 60's. It was an interesting time with "Sub Units", Detachments, and Details going everywhere. Greenlight involved 42,000 personnel (Navy & Marine), 71 ships, 296 aircraft along with 4 minesweepers from the Royal Canadian Navy. Don't remember Cpl. Swartz but many names from that era are gone from my memory.

[remus]

I was issued an M1 in Sept. of 62 in basic training at Ft. Ord. Qualified exp. with it. Advanced inf. I was issued an M14. We didn't qualify in ait. When I got to the 101st abn in Mar. of 63 I was issued an M14. Requaled exp.

[oldbrk42]

I was issued an M1 for training at Ft. Knox for basic training in 1994. Other platoons were marching by with M14's. We thought the M14's were neater/lighter looking.

[edpm3]

Does getting an M1 issued to me in ROTC in 1968-69 count? They replaced it with an M14 in 1970.

[John D.Kopke]

John';
I was issued one while undergoing Marine Phase Training at the
USCG Training Facility at Cape May NJ.(13 weeks), JAN.1961.
jonn (Bay of Pigs Yacht Club Member).

[gunny]

Being Navy, I was never issued a rifle. While aboard the USS Ranger CV-61, I was part of the Security Augmentation Forces (SAF) and qualified on the M14, M870, M60, and M2... and I was designated an M2 gunner. I did a lot of shooting with M14s and M60s though, shooting trash bags off the fantail!

Now my dad served in the Army in the mid 1950s and he was issued an IHA Garand. I would love to find that one (he knows the serial number).

By M2 you are referring to "Ma Deuce"...yes? Anyone who likes belt feds would love to spend some range time behind her.

Gunny

[Vern Humphrey]

The Ma Deuce is a gun with a soul. I commanded two Mechanized Rifle Companies, on in the States and one in Viet Nam. A Mechanized Rifle Company had a pot full of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers -- 4 per platoon, plus the HQ and Mortar Platoon and a couple of others for the medic and mechanics. So we had 20 Ma Deuces.

I liked to get the M113s into action in a real fight and turn those Ma Deuces loose!

[Randy]

Was issued one in Marine Corps boot camp in 61, Has one in ITR at Lejeune. Was issued one for 18 months at Marine Barracks Gitmo, Plus a BAR. Carried that BAR and 12 loaded magazine for 62 days during the Cuban missile crises. Back then crew serves were kept in the armory, but our m_1s were in rifle racks in the squadbay

[PhillipM]

The Ma Deuce is a gun with a soul. I commanded two Mechanized Rifle Companies, on in the States and one in Viet Nam. A Mechanized Rifle Company had a pot full of M113 Armored Personnel Carriers -- 4 per platoon, plus the HQ and Mortar Platoon and a couple of others for the medic and mechanics. So we had 20 Ma Deuces.

I liked to get the M113s into action in a real fight and turn those Ma Deuces loose!

I've wondered why the army didn't use them in the sandbox and went with the up armored humvee

[psteinmayer]

By M2 you are referring to "Ma Deuce"...yes? Anyone who likes belt feds would love to spend some range time behind her.

Gunny

Absolutely! I LOVED shooting the Ma Deuce... and I even have a .50 Cal can filled with 100 rounds of linked brass that I actually shot (wish it could be 100 rounds of linked live ammo, LOL). The Deuce was a pleasure to shoot. I had many repel drills where I had to run to sponson 6, set up, and man the gun! During my last deployment (Operation Desert Storm) they disbanded the Security Augmentation Forces, and we were replaced by Marines and Weapons Department personnel, and I just stuck to my normal duties. I still have my weapons qualification / SAF member card (complete with a use of deadly force statement on the back).

[Vern Humphrey]

I've wondered why the army didn't use them in the sandbox and went with the up armored humvee

The HAMWAG (Half-Assed Medium Weight Ass Grinder) was meant to replace the Jeep and also the M37 Weapons carrier (the old Dodge Power Wagon) and was issued accordingly. As a general purpose vehicle, it wound up taking a lot of casualties -- and we didn't have enough M113s. But if we had, it would have been a great performer!