Discussion about Hiroo Onoda came up the other day on BARFCOM or Facebook, I forget which. Some one mentioned his rifle and what it must have looked like after all that time int he jungle. In case you didn’t know about this man’s story, he was a Japanese soldier that escaped into the jungle ofContinue reading “HIroo Onoda”
Category Archives: Armed Conflicts Worldwide
Lt Col Frank W. Speir (1910-1956)
The late “Formerly Famous Gunwriter” Dean Speir was justifiably proud of his father Frank W. Speir. If anything, Dean was too humble about him. Born 3 September 1910, Frank Speir graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1932, receiving his US Army Reserve commission in the Corps of Engineers. Upon being called to active dutyContinue reading “Lt Col Frank W. Speir (1910-1956)”
WWII “Mae West” Life Preserver
An iconic, although often over looked, piece of WWII equipment is the B3/B4 Life Preserver. Better known as the “Mae West.” Externally the B3 and B4 look almost identical but the main difference is the earlier one was a nylon exterior over a rubber bladder while the later was just solid rubber. Really more ofContinue reading “WWII “Mae West” Life Preserver”
SEAL Sniper With M40
This is a pretty interesting picture from the Vietnam war. It’s one you don’t see very often. There are a few things that make it interesting to me. First, it is reported to be a SEAL. I have no interest about SEALS and their very tiny impact on the war but it is interesting toContinue reading “SEAL Sniper With M40”
Ed Wolcoff on the RPD
From talks down with Bud Gibson Courtesy of LTC Ed Wolcoff:“When I carried the RPD. I also carried 500 rounds of ammo. 100 rounds were in a drum magazine attached to the weapon. 200 rounds were carried in two additional drums in purpose-built pouches on my belt- I retained the pouch straps to supplement theContinue reading “Ed Wolcoff on the RPD”
Battlefield Luck Charm For Two Generations
Guest post by Jack Broz In 1969 I was a Navy Corpsman assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines in Vietnam. The week of March 25th 1969, Alpha was ordered to assist Delta 1/4 which had captured LZ Argonne near the border with Laos. Delta was being sniped at by an NVA .51 caliberContinue reading “Battlefield Luck Charm For Two Generations”
From the Footlocker: Silk Map Quilt
During World War II my grandfather was a pilot in the South Pacific. Being a pilot meant getting issued silk maps. Silk might sound like an odd material for a maps but it was for the durability and waterproof qualities (it gets wet but doesn’t break down like paper or cotton). Well silk, then asContinue reading “From the Footlocker: Silk Map Quilt”
Staff Sergeant Adelbert F. Waldron III made 109 confirmed kills
From The Giant Killer facebook page The man has never gotten the credit he deserves and I am always glad to see other talk about him. Rare photo of the man who is believed to be the deadliest sniper of the Vietnam war Adelbert Waldron: During his single deployment in Vietnam, Staff Sergeant Adelbert F.Continue reading “Staff Sergeant Adelbert F. Waldron III made 109 confirmed kills”
Weaponsman Wednesday: Wednesday Weapons Website of the Week: N6CC
What’s that? It sounds like a ham callsign? And we think that’s what N6CC.com stands for, although the site breaks it out as Navy 6 Combat Coms. But what we were flagged to was the site author, Tim Sammons’s, stories of his service in the Navy on a forgotten class of small combatants, the Trumpy class PTF patrol boats.Continue reading “Weaponsman Wednesday: Wednesday Weapons Website of the Week: N6CC”
Body Armor: Vietnam Use and Development
By Trey Moore Body armor and flak jackets have been something sought after by armed forces around the globe to protect their troops from arms fire and shrapnel. Developed to prevent death and lessen injuries, body armor has been used in war combat since as early as world war one. Even from the first mediocreContinue reading “Body Armor: Vietnam Use and Development”
Scattered Shots 