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During a time which the US Military was fielding a .30 weapon (M14 rifle), jungle warfare required a weapon that was lighter and could "put the lead out." The M16 could do this. Consequently, the M16 was sent to Vietnam as a jungle rifle; all other US forces (army, marines, navy, air force was the only exception) retained their M14 rifles around the world. ONLY troops in Vietnam received the jungle rifle (M16). Until after 1970...then the M16 began to replace the M14s.

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