Hi all,

 

The Marines coming ashore in Da Nang in 1965 wore M1961 belts and ammo pouches (M14) with M1941 suspenders and haversacks, along with other WWII and Korean war load carrying items. But exactly what 782 gear was considered "standard issue" by the end of the war?

 

I've got dozens of books with pictures of Marines in Vietnam but almost none of them clearly show the 782 gear of Marines in the late 1960's - early 1970's. Most of them show Marines only carrying ammo in bandoleers or the pockets of their M1955 flack jackets. But surely this cannot mean that they weren't issued any load carrying equipment at all, can it?

 

I do have some pics of Recon Marines wearing M1956 gear, but that's bout it. And there seems to have been some USMC-specific M1967 gear but as these are now scarce as hens teeth, I wonder if these were just experimental or saw wide distribution.

 

So my question is: was US Army M1956 and/or M1967 load carrying equipment ever issued on a large scale to the Marines in the later years of the Vietnam war?

 

Thanks and regards,

 

Frederik

not sure how wide the M-1967 gear was spread at the USMC but I have a pic showing marines with ERDL helmet cover and M-1967 30rd Magazine Ppuch

not sure how wide the M-1967 gear was spread at the USMC but I have a pic showing marines with ERDL helmet cover and M-1967 30rd Magazine Ppuch

The power of Google! I googled on the picture you provided and it resulted in the following link:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...c=33924&hl=

The 30-rd ammo pouches appear to be LINCLOE small arms ammunition cases (which I never even heard of before).

 

Still so much to learn. Please keep the info coming!

Post #33, in the following thread, shows M-1956 LCE and M-1967 LLCE (as well as USMC proprietary M-1967 equipments) in use late in the war:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...29476&st=32

Basically the M1961 belt w/ M1961 pouches, suspenders and haversack system was the standard issue 782 gear through the entire war. The other web gears - Army M56, M67 seems to be more of the theatre "purchase" and USMC M1967 was just tested.

 

By 1969 and 1970 you can see Marine Grunts sporting mostly bandoleer & flak jacket pockets "fashion" to carry ammo, belt with knife/bayonet, two canteens and first aid kit. When you wear the flak jacket, it is much more comfortable to move than if you have any pouches. Also you can get to magazines faster and easier.

 

On the other side Recon wore mostly M56 sets - 4x ammo pouch, suspenders, butt pack/aid kit and 2-4 canteens on belt and butt pack. I don´t say it´s 100%, but in general. You can see also "quite a lot" Recons w/ M67 ammo pouches.

 

Hope it helps.

 

Martin

On aside to this thread my dad, Daniel Flores was one of the Marines who landed at Da Nang in late 1966 from the troop ship USS Snohomish County (LST 1126) and served all of 1966 in country.

 

Leonardo

not sure how wide the M-1967 gear was spread at the USMC but I have a pic showing marines with ERDL helmet cover and M-1967 30rd Magazine Ppuch

 

I think I seen this photo before, it is of marines during the Mayaguez incident in April 1975, You do see the early three prong flash suppresser on the M16, but that would'nt be much of an issue in dating this photo from 1975 to an earlier period as the three prong M16s would occasionly crop up from time to time throughout the late 60s and well into the 70s, hell a guy in my platoon at FT Benning during my Infantry OSUT was issued one, he was the only one, and I wished I had instead as I reconized it was an early M16, never got a look at the butt though, it may or may not have been upgraded with the new trapdoor butt plate for cleaning emplements.

I have photos of one of my South Vietnamese Marine Advisors, taken in 1969, he is wearing all USMC Nylon M1967 field gear (Nylon: Suspenders, Davis Buckle Cart Belt, Canteen Covers, Compass Pouch & Strobe Pouch) with standard 1911A1 Pistol Leather Hip Holster.   Earliest picture I have come across with a Marine using this gear in Vietnam.  He was also a Force Recon Marine by trade.  Cant see his First Aid Pouch, dont know what type he was wearing.  The USMC VNMC Advisors often wore their Hot-Wet Survival Kits they were given upon completion of the Army Advisors course before deploying to Vietnam on Advisors duty as opposed to the standard US Jungle First Aid Kits, or wore both.

 

Semper Fi,  Dan