Joined
·
9,188 Posts
You're right Chas. Alot of that is propaganda, particularly those chaps with that heavy high mounted M1917 vs. a proned out MG.34Not a bad way to cut down a tree..
Oh yea, willy-pete is for smokescreens but MAY cause wounds too!
Lastly, those BAR guys were big time targets and often were the first to take enemy fire..the film does not mention keeping low, I guess that part of the training came later.
There are great vids on this site. A recent one is the firing squad execution of a German general who ordered the execution of 15 American special ops troops who went ashore in Italy dressed as civilians. Not to take up for doing that, but I thought such people were defined as spies and subject to such punishment.
Mike, you were issued an M1 carbine? I have little faith in the 5.56, but is was my issue weapon in combat. I also had an M203 (or more accurately, my M203 was my weapon, 5.56 and 40mm, as the M4 wih grenade launcher is the M203)."Willy Peter makes you a believer."
I had to carry a M2 carbine for my first couple months in the bush in RVN with the CIDG.
I felt like I had brought a toy gun to a gunfight.
I had owned a couple prior to service and they were good for groundhogs.
In the real world you rarely get to prioritise your target-like a BAR gunner.
You get the one that presents himself-mainly as you are most likely in his sight picture as well.