When did USMC receive the M14 ??

[dryheat]

This is just reminiscing. I was just a kid. Armed Forces Day(whenever that was) had me out at the local Army Base(Ft. Wainwright)taking in the festivities. I plopped down and fired blanks out of the M60. I stood up and fired blanks out of the m14. At the end of the day I snuck up to the 55 gal. barrel and scrounged enough spent ammo to build up a 4' long belt to take home.

[musketshooter]

Our navy Beachmaster unit was issued M-14s for the Cuban crisis invasion. The marines took them back after the crisis and we went back to M1s.

[the_1st_sgt]

I'll reminisce a little myself. While stationed at Le Jeune in 1972 I was part of a working party sent to the armory to help them reorganize the place. There was a 9 cube box on the deck that the armorers wanted moved. I tried to push it and damn near gave myself a hernia it was so heavy. I asked the armorer what the hell was in this thing. He opened the box and was packed to the gunnels with M3 Grease guns.

[nf1e]

Got to RVN October 1967 and received an M14. They were taken from us in early 1968 just in time for the TET offensive. Sure was nice to have a totally non functioning piece of crap M16 at a time when we needed our real rifles.
Leave it to the gubment to dork things up. I guess that won't ever stop.

Semper Fi
Art

[2111]

I'll reminisce a little myself. While stationed at Le Jeune in 1972 I was part of a working party sent to the armory to help them reorganize the place. There was a 9 cube box on the deck that the armorers wanted moved. I tried to push it and damn near gave myself a hernia it was so heavy. I asked the armorer what the hell was in this thing. He opened the box and was packed to the gunnels with M3 Grease guns.

I had a similar experience at Camp Lejeune. I worked as the battalion armorer for 3-10 from late 1956 until mid 1958 when I transferred. In the armory there was a large banded crate that I used for a work bench. For the longest time I had no idea what was in it. One day I decided to crack it open and see. It contained a number of carbines with infrared sniper scopes and battery backpacks. I sealed the crate back up and continued using it as my work bench. I latter was told that each infantry battalion had the M1 Garand sniper rifles ( MC 52 possibly) and artillery battalions had the carbines. As this was peace time these weapons were never issued, in fact, I had no idea who they would have been issued to.

[the_1st_sgt]

When we turned in our 14's nearly everyone in the battery (including me) was P.O.'d that we had to get rid of them for the "Matty Mattel."

[jsaviano]

My brother went thru Parris Island in Apr 64 & they had them. I went thru Fort Dix in Nov 64 & we had them.

[1972Doug]

M14

We got our new M-14s in Oct. 1965.

Bootcamp july 1962, issued M14, Oct 1962 issued M1 ITR

1972Doug USMC 62-66

[Garden Valley]

when I went to ITR we were issued the most beat up M16's you could imagine. I shipped out to the 3rd Mar Div in Aug 71 where I was issued a M16. Upon rotating home I was sent to Camp Lejeune (Force Troops) and was again issued a M14. Those 14's looked nearly new or at least fresh from rebuild. In Dec 72 they were taken away from us and we were issued brand new, out of the box m16A1's.

Are you possibly thinking of Staging Battalion instead of ITR? Staging Battalion had really beat up M16's even in late 1967.

[the_1st_sgt]

Nope it was ITR. While I was in staging battalion we were never issued weapons. All we did was working parties around mainside at Pendleton until our ship date.

[Garden Valley]

Nope it was ITR. While I was in staging battalion we were never issued weapons. All we did was working parties around mainside at Pendleton until our ship date.

That's sure different. We had M1's at ITR. Staging Battalion was split between the first few days at Mainside where we updated records, got shots, and some additional uniform items and a second seabag. We then went to Las Pulgas and spent a couple weeks field training with some really decrepit looking XM16E1 rifles. Then back to Margarita for a couple days and then to El Toro to fly to Okinawa.

[the_1st_sgt]

GV-You have to remember that the last of the ground combat Marines were out of Nam somewhere around Apr-May of 71. There were still Marines there of course but not division, regiment or battalion size units. So, when I went through staging battalion they weren't preparing us for a unit "in country." Staging Bn was just north of Mainside when I went through, next to the Hospitality Hostess house and across from the amtrac museum and fire station. If you kept going north on the road it took you to NWS Fallbrook and out to the Fallbrook gate. On a side note the only M16A1 I was ever issued on my first tour was in 1972. Everyone before that was a XM16E1

[Dolt]

I went through boot camp Feb-Apr 1971 and we carried and qualified with the M14. I have a buddy I served with in Desert Storm who went through boot camp sometime in 1973 and they were still carrying and qualifying with the M14

Edited to add. We were both Hollywood Marines

Hollywood Marines: Trained with the men you mean, as opposed to Parris Island Marines who trained with the girls?

[the_1st_sgt]

We were always looked down upon by those who went through the Island. It always had to do with their training being tougher because of the Island's terrain. My response was always that we had it tougher because the PX never had the right kind of wax for out surf boards :-)

[Devil Dog]

"M14" on Wikipedia has a bunch of info and dates for both army and Marine Corps issuing of M14.