|
ORDNANCE NOTES
by Bob
Stoner GMCM(SW) Ret.
While
with MST-Two Det Charlie at Sea Float/Solid Anchor (May 1970-Nov 1970), I had the occasion
to work on or shoot some interesting hardware, including boat ordnance and personal
weapons. Not all MST/SEAL units had all of these weapons. Some (especially the
personal weapons) were picked up through trades, from weapons caches, and other
means. With the exception of the Mk18 and Mk20 40mm GL, the MST dets at SEA
FLOAT/SOLID ANCHOR had use of all the weapons shown. The SEAL weapons include
those used by our platoons plus other SEAL platoons elsewhere.
MST Weapons - Boats
The manner of arming the boats varied from
detachment to detachment and from crew to crew, but our detachment armed
our boats as follows:
LSSC (Light SEAL Support Craft)
Two M-60 mid-ships and .50 BMG aft. Sometimes the crews would swap the
M-60s to the forward mounts. The ammo was fed from the 7.62mm ammo cans
found on the helo gunships. The .50 BMG was from the standard 100-round
box and tray arrangement.
MSSC (Medium SEAL Support Craft)
We mounted two M-60s per side (total of four). One pair was even with
the coox'n flat (so as not to interfere with the SEALS going past. The
other pair was mounted aft of the .50 BMGs. The .50 BMGs were mid-ships.
The after mount had the .50 BMG, then Mk 19, then .50 BMG, and then the Mini-gun.
HSSC (Heavy SEAL Support Craft)
Starting at the bow: to the rear of the bow ramp was the Mk 2 Mod 1 .50/81mm
mount with its ammo box on the port side. The to its immediate rear, the
well deck had been covered with a helo pad. At the front of the helo pad
was a gun tub for the Mini-gun. There was an M40A1 106mm RCL in the middle
of the helo pad. Below the helo pad were a pair of .50 BMG on each side
with a built-in tray for 950 rounds of continuous linked .50 cal per gun. We
usually put up a pair of M-60s on each side between the .50s and ran about 1,200
rds/per gun. There was a .50 BMG "stinger" at the rear of the
armored cox'n flat.
MST Weapons - Personal
SEAL Weapons -
Personal
Some readers may be asking why sometimes
SEALs used foreign weapons instead of American. There are several reasons, but
those that come immediately to mind are deception and plausible deniability.
Weapons of foreign origin were used to disguise the users because they would
not immediately brand the unit as American. Weapons of foreign origin also have
a distinctive sound signature when they fire. The foreign weapon may not be
recognized, or the sound signature may be a familiar one that the bad guys know
but do not associate with Americans. Last, if the weapon was lost through combat
or other reasons, its foreign origin precluded it being traced back to the United
States.
Top * Home
|
