What did Vietnam soldiers carry?

Answer 1

US Infantrymen carried either a rifle (M-14 in the beginning, an M-16 later in the war), or a machingun (M-60, belt fed), or an M-79 grenade launcher (later the M-203 over an under). If the grunt was a radio operator (RTO-Radio Telephone Operator) he also carried a radio ON HIS BACK. Medics, (whom may or may not have been authorized to carry arms, usually carried an M-16 or a .45 pistol). Straight leg infantry (those that were NOT designated Mechanized or Airmobile or Airborne) were issued back packs (RUCK sacks) with round edged aluminum frames. Airmobile and Airborne grunts could be issued those packs too. Mechanized Infantrymen were not issued RUCK sacks nor bayonets, if they were, they were turned in later in the war. All straight leg grunts carried an average of about 6 (1 qt) green plastic canteens attached to their rucks. Or the newly issued 2 qt canteens, which were square shaped. Straight leggers also carried 3 to 6 or more hand grenades and a bayonet. Plus 100 or 200 rounds of machingun ammo, and two to four bandoliers of M-16 ammo (seven M-16 magazine pockets to the bandolier, each magazine normally loaded with only 18 rounds of 5.56mm; capacity was 20 rounds, but to preserve the magazine's spring it was compressed with only18 rounds). All of these items, added to his steel helmet, gave him a miserable extra 30, 40 or more pounds to carry in the extreme humidity, thru knee deep mud, and up jungle strewn hill tops. 2 Frag grenades - 2 lb., 2 Smoke grenades - 3 lb., 1 claymore mine - 3.5 lb., Helmet - 5 lb., boots - 2 lb., Poncho and liner 3 lb., entrenching shovel - 5 lb., gas mask 2.5 lb, M16 ammo - 14 lb, 200 hundred M60 ammo in can - 13 lb, rifle - 7.5 lb., 3-4 days C rations 6 lb., 1 1/2 gal. water - 12 lb adds up to 78.5 pounds. additionally a fire team shared equipment to include a full sized shovel, a full sized pick, starlight scope, LAW and radio batteries for about another 7 lbs. The 173rd Airborne Brigade humped that load 7 days a week. The 173rd did not wear flak jackets because of the heat and heavy load. I believe most if not all light infantry units carried the same load in high heat and humidity

Answer 2

US tank crewmen carried Army .45's, infantrymen carried M14 rifles up until '67, then transitioned to M16 rifles. Machine gunners carried M60 machine guns (.308 caliber/7.62mm NATO). Some pilots carried .38 revolvers.

Answer 3

Rucks were officially only issued to straight legs (regular infantry; not mechanized infantrymen). In addition to each grunt carrying alternating equipment...they packed a claymore antipersonnel mine, an extra pair of socks or two, (GIs wore no underware nor under shirts as time went by), a belt of M60 ammo (machine gun ammo), a few grenades, a few smoke grenades, maybe a hand popper or more (aluminum tubed hand flares), 5 or more M16 bandoliers (7 mags to a bandolier), 5 or more water canteens (1 quart and 2 two quart capacities), a meal or more of C rations, sleeping gear (usually a sleeping bag), maybe a shelter half (half a tent). extra smokes (cigarettes), maybe a bayonet (only issued to straight legs). LSA (gun oil/Lubrication Small Arms) & bug juice (mosquito repellent) was strapped in the GIs steel pot (M1 steel helmet) camo elastic band.

Answer 4

Zippo cigarette lighters. Everything else was GI issued.

Answer 5

usually a gun a mess kit and a change of socks

Answer 6

bags of potatoes