Has anyone ever heard of this: M72 LAW tube recycled into a mortar tube?

[dragoon500ly]

This was part of project Eldest Son, a SOG program to inject sabotaged ammo into NVA weapon's caches. This program was effective enough that SOG had to have its own AK ammo manufactured in Taiwan because there was concern that using captured NVA mags could result in one of the doctored rounds killing SOG people. (A lot of SOG teams carried AKs or at least equipped their Vietnamese pointmen with them.)

They did it with 82mm mortar ammo as well.

The SOG/LRRP teams would also carry small cans of CN powder; it served two purposes, when they buried their trash, a small amount poured in would discharge animals from digging it up. Another purpose was to scatter it on their scent trail when the NVA counter-recon people started using hunting dogs to track down the teams.

They were also found of carrying toepopper AP mines...just to scatter a few on their back trail and take out a tracker or two, especially when the NVA started fielding counter-recon companies.

One of the main reasons why the teams carried AK-47s was to take advantage of human nature. Just think about this, you are some NVA guard and you open fire on a shadow with your AK...they return fire with an AK...now what's the first thought that runs through your mind Could it, perhaps be other NVA that you are shooting at

[Jason]

I was at a Texas BBQ on July 4th one time. Lots of M80's and Cherry Bombs. One guy pulled out a M72 LAW tube and started firing home made rockets at the neighbor's cows. :O

He had made the rockets from components normally use to fire hobby rockets into the sky. He handmade 'sabots' to hold the actual rocket 'tube' thingy It was fairly accurate, but no cows were harmed or even hit. He got close enough to hitting one a couple times to get a huge reaction from the guests.

I must say it was badass to watch him fire off the handful of rockets though. This is the only time I had heard of an M72 being reused.

[Abbott Shaull]

One of the main reasons why the teams carried AK-47s was to take advantage of human nature. Just think about this, you are some NVA guard and you open fire on a shadow with your AK...they return fire with an AK...now what's the first thought that runs through your mind Could it, perhaps be other NVA that you are shooting at

One of the most effective means to keep the guards head down until someone who much braver of higher rank comes along to get them back into the action...lol

It why at some levels they tended to look the other way when AKs were picked during current operations. It was discourage, but lack of certain thing and effect on opposing force hearing AK firing on them. Of course, it helps to if anyone in earshot knows you packing AK too, and letting them know where you are so you don't get fired upon by your own forces.

[dragoon500ly]

Its amazing the number of "old tricks" that keep resurfacing!

[Legbreaker]

This is the only time I had heard of an M72 being reused.

We did it quite often on the range actually. The tube would be reloaded at the ammo point with a 35mm subcalibre rocket - virtually useless for combat (although it would put a hole in person unlucky enough to be hit by one), but still lots of "fun" to fire with a hangover...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M72_LAW#Ammunition

[dragoon500ly]

We did it quite often on the range actually. The tube would be reloaded at the ammo point with a 35mm subcalibre rocket - virtually useless for combat (although it would put a hole in person unlucky enough to be hit by one), but still lots of "fun" to fire with a hangover...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M72_LAW#Ammunition

Remember the hand-held flares that were issued, let's just say that they have an impressive horizontal range!

[Legbreaker]

This I know well, I had to put out the resulting fire once - a long way to run to reach it before it took hold!

[dragoon500ly]

This I know well, I had to put of the resulting fire once - a long way to run to reach it before it took hold!

Equally impressive is just how wide spread a fire that a smoke grenade launcher can start...