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Miniatures Adventure => The Conflicts that came in from the Cold => Topic started by: bobblezbob on April 13, 2013, 02:21:19 PM

Title: Typical Squad size of US Inf in Vietnam ?
Post by: bobblezbob on April 13, 2013, 02:21:19 PM
Hi, need help please.
Does anyone know what a typical Squad size was of US Infantry in Vietnam circa 1970s and what was the composition of fire power within the Squad i.e. percentage of M16s, M60s and M79s ?
I've googled it but got such a diverse range of numbers. I'm trying to put together a Squad of 28mm figs for small scale actions rather than platoon size over kill.

Thanks in advance
Title: Re: Typical Squad size of US Inf in Vietnam ?
Post by: carlos marighela on April 13, 2013, 03:24:47 PM
Assuming you mean US Army as opposed to the Marines then the 'paper' strength for the average leg infantry squad in Vietnam was ten men usually divided into two fire teams. Squad weapons would consist of two M79 grenade launchers with the rest having M16s. In theory 1x M16 per fire team was a squad automatic rifle and the Yanks did produce a cheap and nasty detachable bipod but it was rarely used. Doctrinally the two M60 machine guns were held in a weapons squad within the platoon but were, on occasion, attached to squads. The mechanised infantry had an M60 per carrier so that could be fielded as a squad weapon. The USMC used a larger 13 man squad with three fire teams, each nominally with an M79. Again no M60 at squad level, these were all held in a company level weapons platoon but again could be detached to squads and often were.
Title: Re: Typical Squad size of US Inf in Vietnam ?
Post by: Arlequín on April 14, 2013, 11:10:21 AM
Yes, diversity of numbers is something to get used to.  lol

Units in Vietnam generally operated at 20% below official strength, often at 30%, or on occasion more, so essentially an average of 2 or 3 figures would be absent from any individual squad. Obviously it wasn't spread out so evenly though, but effectively each platoon was essentially short of between 9 and 12 men at any one time - effectively one of its four squads.

The 'weapons squad' was often used as a pool to replace 'missing men' (sickness, leave, casualties) and to provide each of the three rifle squads with an M60 (with one added from the battalion MG platoon). The recoilless rifles were rarely carried, so this also provided spare riflemen too.

Squads of 5 men or less were considered 'combat ineffective' and 11 (including the Staff Sergeant leading the squad) was the maximum number of men it was felt could be led with any efficiency (the Marines obviously felt differently) by a single squad leader and even then, needed to be broken down into two 'fire teams' (ideally evenly), each led by a sergeant.

In essence then, your Army squad will have a 'Staff Sergeant' leading it and up to two Sergeants (or men acting as such) as fire-team leaders. Two men will have an M79 each and one will almost certainly have an M60. The rest of the men have M16 rifles and I suggest rolling 1D4 to determine how many of them there are.

;)
Title: Re: Typical Squad size of US Inf in Vietnam ?
Post by: Bravo Six on April 15, 2013, 02:26:07 AM
Bobblezbob.

You can always get more info, as well as inspiring gaming ideas over at my Vietnam Wargaming Community, Fields of Fire, over here: http://fieldsoffireonline.freeforums.org/index.php

-Todd
Title: Re: Typical Squad size of US Inf in Vietnam ?
Post by: bobblezbob on April 15, 2013, 11:54:46 AM
Thanks for the info people.
Todd, thats a great site, am only recently back into Vietnam -moved up from 20mm to 28mm - I hadnt realised there was a site dedicated to wargaming The Nam.
I'll be signing up to it shortly  :)

Cheers
Title: Re: Typical Squad size of US Inf in Vietnam ?
Post by: Bravo Six on April 19, 2013, 06:12:54 AM
We'll be glad to have you on board!

-Todd