"Review : USMC In Vietnam (Early War)" Topic

"From the day that the country was created in 1955, the USA had supported the South Vietnamese government, which it saw as a bulwark to the communist government of the North. In time this included thousands of American individuals, including many service personnel as military advisors, but a major escalation came on 8th March 1965, when the first US combat troops were landed with the task of defending the base at Da Nang, and in June of the same year they were authorised to engage in ‘offensive patrolling', meaning to seek out and confront the enemy. Those very first troops were Marines, and their numbers rapidly increased, quickly making Vietnam the major overseas commitment for the USMC in the late 1960s…"

Full Plastic Soldier Review

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Armand

I talked to an older USMC guy who had just returned from Vietnam. About 1969, iirc. He talked about how the flak jackets saved his life on several occasions.

I think Skarper beat you to it this time. But that site is brilliant, with many an expert review

The first two figures in the top row have three small pouches in a row, down the right leg. Some of my 28mm Gringo Marines have the same, what were they for?

I talked to an older USMC guy who had just returned from Vietnam. About 1969, iirc. He talked about how the flak jackets saved his life on several occasions.

They will stop most shrapnel and deflect .30cal rounds on occasion. I still have mine. I fired a .22cal round from a rifle 15 feet away and it just put a dime-sized dent in the ceramic plate.

Wolfhag

Thanks!

Armand

Londonplod, I believe those are M1956 grenade pouches.

US Infantry in Vietnam (Middle War)

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Armand

Much chunkier. The first look more like ARVN frankly (nothing wrong with that. You cannot game the war without them. It would be like the Western Desert with only Rommel's German units of DAK and no Italians.

Thanks my good friend…

Armand