This is me in 1969 when I was 19, sitting near a foxhole close to a North Vietnamese Army supply trail. We stayed in that area for a few days setting up ambushes. Once, we managed to catch them by surprise. They dropped their gear and ran off. At the site, we found blood trails and I picked up a nice hammock, an NVA belt, and a pair of sandals made from tires.
In basic training, I learned to use the M14, and in Advanced Infantry Training, I trained with the M16. The M14 is a heavy weapon, and its ammo is heavy too. While it shoots a bigger, more powerful round, I don’t think that makes it better. Trust me, if someone gets hit anywhere on their body with an M16 round, they’re out of action and could be fatally wounded. In my opinion, the M14 is overkill for human targets and not worth carrying because of its weight. In Vietnam, anyone in my unit could choose to carry an M14 if they wanted, but not one person did. Everyone preferred the M16 because it’s about half the weight, and its ammo is much lighter too.
We carried our weapons every single day, everywhere we went. If you tried carrying an M14 and 25 pounds of ammo—about 400 rounds—for a day or two, you’d quickly switch to the M16.
The M16 I carried was stamped “GM Hydramatic Division,” and it never gave me any problems. I made sure it was properly lubricated every day and cleaned it after firing. It worked perfectly and was just right for fighting in the jungle.