Weapons of the Vietnam War

Vietnam era rifles used by the US military & allies

This article is about the weapons used in the Vietnam War, which involved the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) or North Vietnamese Army (NVA), National Liberation Front for South Vietnam (NLF) or [Viet Cong] (VC), [National Republic of Vietnam Military Forces], and the armed forces of the United States, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Thailand, and the Australian, New Zealand defence forces, and a variety of irregular troops.

Nearly all United States-allied forces were armed with U.S. weapons, some of which, such as the M1 Carbine, were substitute standard weapons dating from World War II. The Australian army employed the 7.62 mm L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle as their service rifle, with the occasional US M16.

The NVA, although having inherited a variety of American, French, and Japanese weapons from World War II and the First Indochina War (aka French Indochina War), were largely armed and supplied by the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union, and its Warsaw Pact allies. In addition, some weapons—notably anti-personnel explosives, the K-50M (a PPSh-41 copy), and “home-made” versions of the RPG-2—were manufactured in Vietnam. By 1969 the US Army had identified 40 rifle/carbine types, 22 machine gun types, 17 types of mortar, 20 recoilless rifle or rocket launcher types, 9 types of antitank weapons, and 14 anti-aircraft artillery weapons used by ground troops on all sides. Also in use, primarily by anti-communist forces, were the 24 types of armored vehicles and self-propelled artillery, and 26 types of field artillery & rocket launchers.

Communist forces and weapons

Captured NVA weapons

Communist forces were principally armed with Chinese[2] and Soviet weaponry[3] though some Viet Cong guerrilla units were equipped with Western infantry weapons either captured from French stocks during the first Indochina war, such as the MAT-49, or from ARVN units or requisitioned through illicit purchase.[4]

The ubiquitous Soviet AK-47 was widely regarded as the best assault rifle of the war and it was not uncommon to see U.S. special forces with captured AK-47s.Template:Berndt, Anthony. "The Vietnam War 'The Secret of the Weapons.'" TedEd. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.

US weapons

The American M16 rifle, which replaced the M14, was lighter and considered more accurate than the AK-47 but was prone to jamming. Often the gun suffered from a jamming flaw known as "failure to extract," which meant that a spent cartridge case remained lodged in the chamber after a bullet flew out the muzzle.[5] According to a congressional report, the jamming was caused primarily by a change in gunpowder which was done without adequate testing and reflected a decision for which the safety of soldiers was a secondary consideration.

The heavily armored, 90 mm M48A3 Patton tank saw extensive action during the Vietnam War and over 600 were deployed with US Forces. They played an important role in infantry support though there were few tank versus tank battles. The M67A1 flamethrower tank (nicknamed the Zippo) was an M48 variant used in Vietnam. Artillery was used extensively by both sides but the Americans were able to ferry the lightweight 105 mm M102 howitzer by helicopter to remote locations on quick notice.^[1]^[2] With its 17-mile (27 km) range, the Soviet 130 mm M-46 towed field gun was a highly regarded weapon and used to good effect by the NVA. It was countered by the long-range, American 175 mm M107 Self-Propelled Gun.^[3]

The United States had air superiority though many aircraft were lost to surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery. U.S. air power was credited with breaking the siege of Khe Sanh and blunting the 1972 Communist offensive against South Vietnam. At sea, the U.S. Navy had the run of the coastline, using aircraft carriers as platforms for offshore strikes and other naval vessels for offshore artillery support. Offshore naval fire played a pivotal role in the Battle for the city of Hue, providing accurate fire in support of the U.S. counter-offensive to retake the city.^[4]

The Vietnam War was the first conflict that saw wide scale tactical deployment of helicopters.^[5] The Bell UH-1 Iroquois was used extensively in counter-guerilla operations both as a troop carrier and a gunship.^[2] In the latter role, the "Huey" as it became affectionately known, was outfitted with a variety of armaments including M60 machineguns, multi-barreled 7.62 mm Gatling guns and unguided air-to-surface rockets.^[2] The Hueys were also successfully used in MEDEVAC and search and rescue roles.^[2]

Weapons of the ARVN, US, South Korean, Australian, and New Zealand Forces

Small arms

M16

Pistols & revolvers

Browning High Power pistol - used by Australian and New Zealand forces. Also used on an unofficial basis by US Reconnaissance and Special Forces units.
Smith & Wesson Mark 22 Mod.0 "Hush Puppy" - Suppressed pistol used by SEALs, among others
Colt M1911A1 - It was the main side arm of the US Army and other countries except the ones in the Commonwealth.
Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless - Carried by General Officers, but it was replaced by the Colt Commander in the Mid-60s
Colt Commander - Replaced the Colt M1903 pistol in the mid-60s
Smith & Wesson Model 15 (USAF M15) - carried by USAF Security Police Units
Smith & Wesson Model 12 - Given to helicopter pilots
M1917 revolver - Used by the South Vietnamese and US forces during the beginning of the war alongside the Smith & Wesson Model 10
High Standard HDM - It was replaced by the Smith & Wesson Model 39 as the main suppressed pistol because of its caliber

Infantry rifles

Vietnamese Rangers with M16 rifles in Saigon during the Tết Offensive

L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle - Used by Australian and New Zealand soldiers in Vietnam

A U.S. soldier with an M14 watches as supplies are dropped in Vietnam, 1967.

M1 Garand - Was used by the Marine Corps during the early stages of the war. Also used by the South Vietnamese, South Koreans and Laotians
M1903 Springfield Bolt-action rifle used in the early stages of the war.
M1 carbine and M2 Carbine- Were widely used by the South Vietnamese Military, Police and Security Forces, the Viet Cong, and the US Military.
M40 Bolt-action sniper rifle meant to replace the M1903 Springfield rifle; used by the US Marines.
M14 rifle It was issued to most troops from the early stages of the war until 1967-68, when it was replaced by the M16.
M21 Sniper Weapon System Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) used by the US Army.

^[6]

M16 and M16A1 - The M16 was issued in the late 1960s, but due to reliability issues, it was replaced by the M16A1 which added the forward assist and chrome-lined barrel to the rifle for increased reliability.^[7]
XM177E2 - Shortened version of the M16 rifle very popular with MACV-SOG units
Stoner 63 - used by U.S. Navy SEALs and USMC.
Heckler & Koch G3 - It was used by Thai forces and Navy SEALs.
Heckler & Koch HK33 - It was used by Thai forces that were not armed by the United States. It was chambered for the same cartridge as the M16 assault rifle used by American troops.
- T223 - which is a copy of the Heckler & Koch HK33 Assault Rifle under license by Harrington & Richardson used in small numbers by Navy SEAL teams. Even though the empty H&R T223 was 0.9 pounds (0.41 kg) heavier than an empty M16A1, the weapon had a forty-round magazine available for it and this made it attractive to the SEALS.

Submachine guns

Thompson submachine gun - It was used in small quantities by artillery and helicopter units. Even though it was replaced in the end of the Korean war after serving in WW2, it was still used by many American troops and South Vietnamese troops in the Vietnam war. The Viet Cong were armed with the Chinese copy.
M3 Grease gun - The M3 "Grease gun" was issued to troops all over Vietnam was the main submachine gun, but many others were used such as the Thompson which was replaced later on.
Ingram MAC-10 - Is a compact, blowback operated machine pistol, used since 1968.
Swedish K - It was used by Navy SEALs in the beginning of the war, but was later replaced by the Smith & Wesson M76 in the late 1960s. Many South Vietnamese soldiers were armed with this weapon and used it until the end of the war.
- Smith & Wesson M76 - A copy of the Swedish K, it replaced that gun as the main submachine gun of the Navy SEALs in 1967.
Madsen M-50 - It was supplied by mercenaries from Denmark and a lot were bought by the United States for the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.
Uzi (SOG recon teams) The Uzi submachine gun was supplied in from Israel and given to special forces troops in the field.
Owen Gun (Australian submachine gun) It served the Australian Army through WWII, Korea, Malaya and now into the Vietnam War as the main submachine gun. It was later replaced by the F1 submachine gun that resembled it.
F1 submachine gun (Australian, replaced Owen Gun)
Sterling submachine gun a variant of the British Sterling used by the SASR for prisoner extraction also used with suppressor/silencer.
Sten submachine gun - This weapon was used by Special Forces troops with silencers attached to the weapon's barrel.

Shotguns

Ithaca 37

The shotguns were used as an individual weapon during jungle patrol; infantry units were authorized a shotgun by TO & E (Table of Organization & Equipment). Shotguns were not general issue to all infantrymen, but were select issue, such as one per squad, etc.

Winchester Model 1912 pump-action shotgun was used by the Marines during the early stages of the war.
Ithaca 37 pump-action shotgun replaced every other shotgun in the field and armed the United States Marine Corps throughout the war.
Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun used by the Marines
Special Operations Weapon a modification for a Remington 1100 which made it fully automatic
Remington 11-48 semi-automatic shotgun used by the Marines in small quantities
Winchester Model 1897 used by the Marines during the early stages of the war, but was later replaced by the Ithaca 37
Winchester Model 1200 Pump-action shotgun used by the US Army
Stevens Model 77E, pump-action shotgun used by Army and Marine forces in Southeast Asia. Almost 70,000 Model 77Es were procured by the military for use in SE Asia during the 1960s

Machine guns

US Marine fires his M60 machine gun at an enemy position during the Battle of Huế.

L2A1 AR - Full-automatic capable version of the L1A1 SLR used by ANZAC forces
Stoner M63a Commando & Mark 23 Mod.0 - used by U.S. Navy SEALs and tested by Force Recon
M60 machine gun GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun) It was the main machine gun of the US army at the time and many of them were put on helicopters
M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifle - Issued to troops during the early stages of the war, but was replaced by the Stoner 63 and M60 machine guns.
M1917 Browning machine gun - A .30cal heavy machine gun issued to some machine gunners in the South Vietnamese Army and also in limited use by the US Army.
M1919 Browning machine gun - Was used on platforms such as boats, Jeeps, and tanks early in the war, but was replaced by the M2 .50cal.
Browning M2HB .50cal Heavy Machine Gun

Grenades and mines

Claymore anti-personnel mine in use in Vietnam

Mark 2 Fragmentation Hand/Rifle Grenade
M61 Fragmentation Hand Grenade
M34 white phosphorus grenade is a smoke grenade that uses white phosphorus, which, when in contact with air ignites and creates white smoke. The white phosphorus was also a useful way to dislodge the Viet Cong from tunnels or other enclosed spaces as the burning white phosphorus absorbs oxygen, causing the victims to suffocate or suffer serious burns.
M18 grenade Smoke Hand Grenade
Claymore M18A1 - An anti-personnel mine
M67 grenade
M16 mine - A bounding anti-personnel mine

Grenade launchers

M79 Grenade Launcher, a single shot grenade launcher that uses the 40mm grenade used against vehicles or material. It is break action similar to a shotgun it had leaf iron sights and was accurate up to 150 yards. The China Lake Grenade Launcher, a pump action weapon, also saw action in the Vietnam War albeit in very small numbers.

M203 grenade launcher, The M203 is a single shot 40 mm under-slung grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older stand-alone M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilizes the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low. Though versatile, and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was originally designed for the U.S. M16.In the Vietnam war U.S. Navy and Coast Guard personnel on boats would lob M203 grenades into the water (using the M79 grenade launcher), this to preemptively attack Viet Cong swimmers ("sappers") attempting to plant explosives on anchored or moored U.S. water craft ^[8]

Flamethrowers

Infantry support weapons

A US soldier carries an M67 recoilless rifle past a burning Viet Cong base camp in Mỹ Tho, South Vietnam, 1968

M18 recoilless rifle 57 mm,
M20 recoilless rifle 75 mm
M67 recoilless rifle Anti-Tank 90 mm
M40 recoilless rifle 106 mm
M19 Mortar 60 mm
M29 Mortar 81 mm
4.2 inch mortar 107 mm commonly referred to as the "four deuce"
M72 LAW Light Anti-Tank Weapon
M31 HEAT Rifle Grenade Used primarily by the U.S. Army before the introduction of the M72 LAW. Fired from the M1 Garand and M14 Rifle.
M20 Super Bazooka Used mainly by U.S. Marine Corps before the introduction of the M72 LAW
FIM-43 Redeye MANPADS (Man-Portable Air-Defence System) Shoulder-fired heat-seeking anti-air missile, used by the US Army and US Marines.

Artillery

Self-propelled Howitzer M109 in Vietnam

105 mm Howitzer M2A1
105 mm Howitzer M102
155 mm Howitzer M114
M53 Self-propelled 155mm gun
M55 Self-propelled 8-inch howitzer
M107 howitzer Self-propelled 175 mm gun
M108 Self-propelled 105 mm howitzer
M109 Self-propelled 155 mm howitzer
M110 Self-propelled 8-inch howitzer
75mm Pack Howitzer M1
L5 pack howitzer 105 mm pack howitzer used by Australia

Artillery ammunition types

Beehive anti-personnel rounds
White phosphorus (marking round) "Willy Peter"
HE, general-purpose (High Explosive)
Canister

Aircraft

Bell UH-1D Iroquois

A U.S. Navy F-4B from VF-111 dropping bombs over Vietnam, 1971.

USAF F-5 Tiger II.

Airplanes

A-1 Skyraider ground attack aircraft
A-3 Skywarrior carrier based bomber
A-4 Skyhawk carrier borne strike aircraft
RA-5C Vigilante carrier borne reconnaissance aircraft
A-6 Intruder carrier borne all weather strike aircraft
EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare & attack aircraft
A-7 Corsair II carrier borne strike aircraft
A-26 Invader light bomber
A-37 Dragonfly ground attack aircraft
AC-47 Spooky gunship
AC-119G "Shadow" gunship
AC-119K "Stinger" gunship
AC-130 "Spectre" gunship
KB-50 Superfortress aerial refueling aircraft
B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber
B-57 Canberra medium bombers - used by the U.S. Air Force
Canberra B.20 Royal Australian Air Force medium bomber
B-66 Destroyer bomber
C-1 Trader cargo/transport aircraft
C-2 Greyhound cargo/transport aircraft
C-5 Galaxy strategic lift cargo aircraft
C-7 Caribou tactical cargo aircraft - used by the U.S. Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force
C-47 cargo/transport aircraft
C-97 Stratofreighter cargo/transport aircraft
C-119 Boxcar cargo/transport aircraft
EC-121 reconnaissance aircraft
C-123 Provider cargo/transport aircraft
C-124 Globemaster II cargo/transport aircraft
C-130 Hercules cargo/transport plane
C-133 Cargomaster cargo/transport aircraft
KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft
C-141 Starlifter strategic cargo aircraft
E-1 Tracer AEW aircraft
E-2 Hawkeye AEW aircraft
F-4 Phantom II carrier and land based fighter-bomber
F-5 Freedom Fighter light-weight fighter used in strike aircraft role
F-8 Crusader carrier and land based fighter-bomber
F-9 Cougar fighter
F-10 Skyknight electronic warfare platform
F-86 Sabre fighter jet used by the Royal Australian Air Force
F-100 Super Sabre fighter-bomber
F-101 Voodoo (RF-101) fighter-bomber/reconnaissance plane
F-102 Delta Dagger fighter
F-104 Starfighter fighter
F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bomber
F-111 Aardvark medium bomber
HU-16 Albatross rescue amphibian
O-1 Bird Dog, light observation airplane
O-2 Skymaster, observation aircraft
OV-1 Mohawk battlefield surveillance and light strike aircraft
OV-10 Bronco, light attack/observation aircraft
P-2 Neptune maritime patrol aircraft
P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft
QU-22 Pave Eagle (Beech Bonanza) electronic monitoring signal relay aircraft
S-2 Tracker ASW aircraft
SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft
T-28 Trojan trainer, used as ground attack aircraft
U-2 reconnaissance aircraft
U-6 Beaver utility aircraft
U-10 Helio Courier utility aircraft
Grumman F-14 Tomcat used in 1975

USS Garrett County at anchor in the Mekong Delta with two UH-1B Iroquois helicopters on deck.

Helicopters

AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter
UH-1 Iroquois "Huey", (various models) transport helicopter, gunship
H-2 Seasprite helicopter
HH-3 "Jolly Green Giant" marine search and rescue helicopter
SH-3 Sea King marine cargo/transport/rescue helicopter
Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low Heavy-lift helicopter used towards the end of the war.
OH-6 Cayuse light transport/observation helicopter
H-13 Sioux light observation helicopter
CH-21 Shawnee cargo/transport helicopter
OH-23 Raven light utility helicopter
CH-34 Choctaw cargo/transport helicopter
CH-37 Mojave cargo/transport helicopter
H-43 Huskie firefighting/rescue helicopter
CH-46 Sea Knight cargo/transport helicopter
CH-47 Chinook cargo/transport helicopter
CH-53 Sea Stallion cargo/transport/rescue helicopter (a variant was known as the "Super Jolly Green Giant")
CH-54 Tarhe heavy lift helicopter (more commonly known as the Sky Crane)
OH-58 Kiowa light transport/observation helicopter

Aircraft ordnance

GBUs
CBUs
BLU-82 Daisy cutter
Napalm
Bomb, 250 lb, 500 lb, 750 lb, 1000 lb, HE (high explosive), general-purpose
Rocket, aerial, HE (High Explosive), 2.75 inch

Aircraft weapons

A minigun being fired from a gunship in Vietnam

M61 Vulcan, 20 mm (aircraft mount)
M39 cannon, 20 mm (aircraft mount)
Minigun, 7.62 mm (aircraft and helicopter mount)
M197 Gatling gun, 20 mm
M60 machine gun, 7.62mm (helicopter mount)
AIM-4 Falcon
AIM-7 Sparrow
AIM-9 Sidewinder
AGM-12 Bullpup
AGM-62 Walleye
AGM-45 Shrike
AGM-78 Standard ARM

Vehicles

M38A1 1/4 ton jeep
Ford M151 MUTT 1/4 ton Military Utility Tactical Truck (jeep)
Dodge M37, 3/4 ton truck
Kaiser-Jeep M715 1¼ ton truck
Truck, cargo/troops, 2½ ton (deuce and a half)
Truck, cargo/troops, 5 ton
M520 Goer Truck, Cargo, 8-ton, 4×4
Land Rover short and long wheelbase - Australian and New Zealand forces.
M135 troop/Cargo trucks, 2 1/2 ton
M211 Cargo/troop truck, 2 1/2 ton

Combat vehicles

Tanks

M24 Chaffee Light tank - Main ARVN tank early in the war, used at least as late as the Tet Offensive.
M41 Walker Bulldog Light tank - Replaced the M24 Chaffee as the main ARVN tank in 1964-1965.
M48 Patton medium tank - Main tank of the US Army and Marines throughout the war, and also used by ARVN forces late-war.
M103 Heavy Tank - Heavy tank used by the US Army and USMC. Deployed in Vietnam but never actually saw combat.
M67 "Zippo" - Flamethrower variant of the M48 Patton.
M551 Sheridan Armored Reconnaissance Airborne Assault Vehicle/Light Tank - Used by the US Army from 1969.
Centurion MK.V Main Battle Tank - Used by the Australian Army.

Other armored vehicles

M113 APC (Armored Personnel Carrier)
- M113 ACAV Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle
M163 Vulcan Is a self-propelled anti-aircraft tank
M3 Half-track Used by South Vietnamese forces early in the war.
M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle Modified M60 Patton tank equipped with dozer blade, short-barreled 165mm M135 Demolition Gun, and A-Frame crane.
M60 AVLB Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge. M60 Patton chassis.
M88 Recovery Vehicle Armored Recovery Vehicle. M48 and M60 chassis based.
M8 Greyhound Used by ARVN forces early in the war.
LVTP5 (aka AMTRACs) Amphibious tractors / landing craft used by US Marine Corps
M50 Ontos Self-propelled 106 mm recoilless rifle carrier used by the USMC until 1969. Some were later transferred to ARVN forces.
Cadillac Gage V-100 Commando
Mark I PBRs (Patrol Boat River)
LARC-LX
BARC
M114 Reconnaissance vehicle
M42 Duster (M41 light tank based hull, with a twin 40 mm antiaircraft gun mounted on an open turret)
LCVP Landing craft vehicle personal
LCM Landing craft mecanised
M56 Scorpion

Gun trucks

Often, non-combat logistical vehicles were armored and adopted to carry several machine guns to be used for convoy escort duties

Gun trucks, 2½ and 5 ton cargo trucks with quad .50 cal machine guns mounted in the back
M3 halftracks with quad .50 cal machine guns in the back
Jeeps with mounted M60 machine guns
Land Rovers with single and twin M60 machine guns mounted used by Australian and NZ forces

Naval craft

Fast Patrol Craft

Monitor, heavily gunned riverine craft
Swift Boat, (PCF) Patrol Craft Fast
ASPB, Assault Support Patrol Boat, (known as Alpha boats)
PBR (Patrol Boat River) - All-fiberglass boats propelled by twin water jets, used by the US Navy
APA 27, USS George Clymer. Troop transport.

Weapons of the PAVN/NLF

NVA (North Vietnamese Army) and the Southern communist guerrillas NLF, or Viet Cong as they were commonly referred to during the war, largely used standard Warsaw Pact weapons. Weapons used by the North Vietnamese also included Chinese Communist variants, which were referred to as CHICOM's by the US military.

Artillery

North Vietnamese SAM crew in front of a SA-2 launcher.

ZPU-4 quad 14.5 mm anti-aircraft machine gun
ZU-23 twin 23 mm anti-aircraft cannon
M1939 37 mm anti-aircraft gun
S-60 57 mm anti-aircraft gun
85 mm air defense gun M1939 (52-K)
100 mm air defense gun KS-19

The KS-19

82 mm, 107 mm, 120 mm, and 160mm mortars
122 mm Katyusha rockets
Type 63 multiple rocket launcher
BM-21 Grad
BM-25 (MRL) limited numbers
122 mm gun M1931/37 (A-19)
122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30)
D-74 122 mm Field Gun
130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)
152 mm howitzer M1943 (D-1)
152 mm towed gun-howitzer M1955 (D-20)

Aircraft

MiG-21 jet fighter
MiG-19 jet fighter, used in limited numbers
MiG-17 jet fighter
MiG-15 jet fighter, used in limited numbers
Shenyang J-6 jet fighter
Shenyang J-5 jet fighter
An-2 aircraft
Mi-4 helicopter
Mi-1 helicopter
Mi-2 helicopter
Mi-8 helicopter