Nam Question?
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Nam Question?
What was the routine squad & platoon size during Vietnam? Would it be like today 9-10 guys for squad and 16-44 guys for platoon? Also would the same apply to Navy SEAL teams? Would it be common for a SEAL team to use other weapons such as M16, M60, and M79? Looking to make a Nam diorama. Thank you for your help.
momaw nadon
momaw nadon
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http://www.answers.com/topic/united-states-army Scroll down and you'll come to Batalion, Platoon and Squad strength. Please note that my unit was never even close to these figures. Regards....Bob
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SEALs were on the cutting edge of the weaons system. Near the end they were equiped with top of the line "modern" weapons as well as M-16A1's and M-60's. Besides these two, SEALs used:
The standard S&W 9mm
M-79 Granade Launchers
M-63 Stoner weapons system
H&K G3 sub machine guns
AK-47
Various sniper rifles
Any and all weapons they could get their hands on back to WW2 45cal "Grease guns" and all kinds of hand guns silenced or not and rifles from a dozen countries.
TTT
The standard S&W 9mm
M-79 Granade Launchers
M-63 Stoner weapons system
H&K G3 sub machine guns
AK-47
Various sniper rifles
Any and all weapons they could get their hands on back to WW2 45cal "Grease guns" and all kinds of hand guns silenced or not and rifles from a dozen countries.
TTT
Sometimes I am the windshield, sometimes, I am the bug.
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I was a platoon comander.
101st Airborne, HQ company.
We were supposed to have around 50.
We never had anywhere near that many guys.
Ever.
I would say I was somewhere around 35 at most times.
Sometimes less. Sometimes more.
There were all sorts of rules about numbers of guys and combat effectiveness, and to be honest, I don't remember what it was, but it was never given any attention.
good luck,
101st Airborne, HQ company.
We were supposed to have around 50.
We never had anywhere near that many guys.
Ever.
I would say I was somewhere around 35 at most times.
Sometimes less. Sometimes more.
There were all sorts of rules about numbers of guys and combat effectiveness, and to be honest, I don't remember what it was, but it was never given any attention.
good luck,
-mike-
http://community.webshots.com/user/macvsog101st
http://community.webshots.com/user/macvsog101st
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macvsog wrote:I was a platoon comander.
101st Airborne, HQ company.
We were supposed to have around 50.
We never had anywhere near that many guys.
Ever.
I would say I was somewhere around 35 at most times.
Sometimes less. Sometimes more.
There were all sorts of rules about numbers of guys and combat effectiveness, and to be honest, I don't remember what it was, but it was never given any attention.
good luck,
I was a squad leader in a light infantry platoon and this is what we had
3 Squads
Platoon leader: 1
Usually a west point graduate with a Ranger tab that has no real operational experience in the real world and has a tendency to get lost and like to flow the FM manuals to a T.
***"No disrespect to the guys with Rangers tab’s or the ones that served in the Bat’s"
Platoon Sargent: 1
Usually a beer drinking competent leader that knows his way around the army regulations and knows what works and what does not. He is Usually spending his time undoing what West Point teaches to its cadets about field and real world operations, and generally baby sits the PL during the first year of the PL command.
1st squad: was the crew served weapons: 2 M60’s gunners and 2 gunner’s assistance plus one squad leader.
Total 5
2nd squad: 1 squad leader, 2 team leaders 2 M203, 2 M249 and 2 M16’s
Total 9
3rd squad: 1 squad leader, 2 team leaders 2 M203, 2 M249 and 2 M16’s
Total 9
Total 25
Usually we ran sort a few guys in each platoon.
Colonel "Madman" Maddox: Let me hear your guns!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: My what?
Colonel "Madman" Maddox: Your guns! Ack, ack, ack, ack, ack!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: [fires his airplane's guns] AHHHH!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: My what?
Colonel "Madman" Maddox: Your guns! Ack, ack, ack, ack, ack!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: [fires his airplane's guns] AHHHH!
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momaw nadon wrote:VMF115,
Were you also 101st Airborne?
Do any of you guys know if the SEALs would have about the same in numbers? Thank you all with the help, also I thank you guys for serving in a time when not everone supported the military.
momaw nadon
I was in 1992-1996 and served in the 25th ID, 4/87 and,shadow83 wrote:I believe VMFs platoon breakdown is circa the early 80s and not vietnam stats.
<----------------------1/27 infantry Wolfhounds
As far as the numbers go, I believe the Vietnam infantry units where made up of this. rifle platoons are generally made up of four nine-man squads (three rifle squads and one weapons squad).
Colonel "Madman" Maddox: Let me hear your guns!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: My what?
Colonel "Madman" Maddox: Your guns! Ack, ack, ack, ack, ack!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: [fires his airplane's guns] AHHHH!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: My what?
Colonel "Madman" Maddox: Your guns! Ack, ack, ack, ack, ack!
Captain Wild Bill Kelso: [fires his airplane's guns] AHHHH!
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I found out some information on SEAL teams if anyone wants to know. It in modern numbers, but I would think it would be about the same for Nam too.
momaw nadon
I would think that most during Nam would be that 8 or less squad size. More so less as every other Unit in Nam was. If you have a take on this let me know. Thank you guys for all the help.SEALs are trained to operate in small units of one or two men up to platoon strength of sixteen. However, they work best in squads of eight or fewer.
momaw nadon