The M-60

[Peter1469]

Being as I was never really an infantryman I never really had to carry anything long distances. We always had vehicles

I was light / airborne infantry. Walked everywhere. I always saw the vehicles as death traps.

[Crepitus]

I was light / airborne infantry. Walked everywhere. I always saw the vehicles as death traps.

All depends on what you're doing I guess. Since my career was in what are euphemistically called "private security" companies we didn't do field maneuvers or stuff like that.

[Peter1469]

All depends on what you're doing I guess.

Our mission was move to contact- push into enemy territory and keep moving until we made contact with the enemy.

[Crepitus]

Our mission was move to contact- push into enemy territory and keep moving until we made contact with the enemy.

We were usually either protecting an asset or a person, although there was the occasional contract where we were used as soldiers to take an objective. There is a world of difference between the two.

[Peter1469]

We were usually either protecting an asset or a person, although there was the occasional contract where we were used as soldiers to take an objective. There is a world of difference between the two.

Yes there is.

[SoonToBe2LT]

I was light / airborne infantry. Walked everywhere. I always saw the vehicles as death traps.

Army infantry: 20 kilometers? Throws on ruck and starts marching.
Air Force: 20 kilometers? Where's the truck?

[Crepitus]

Army infantry: 20 kilometers? Throws on ruck and starts marching.
Air Force: 20 kilometers? Where's the truck?

That goes for me as well.

[SoonToBe2LT]

That goes for me as well.

lol thanks for being honest

[Crepitus]

lol thanks for being honest

Oh Even at almost 50 I can run, I just don't want to! LOL

[The Sage of Main Street]

I've never actually fired one, I've heard both that they were great and that they had serious issues from different people.

Closest thing I've ever fired is an RPK. Piss poor quality control but after you work it over they're pretty decent. Heavy buggers though.

Very dangerous to be a machinegunner. On Operation Lincoln, during 1967 in Vietnam, 40% of F/2/5 got killed but 100% of the machinegunners died. The one time I was a-gunner, because the regular a-gunner had chickened out, the gunner and I wouldn't have lasted more than a few minutes if the VC hadn't run away.

In Nov66, Frank Sills got shot in the face after taking over the gun. In Feb67, they sent him back even though everybody thought he had a million-dollar wound. A month later while out on patrol, a sniper zeroed in on him when Frank was only carrying the machinegun and killed him.