The late 20th-century war in Vietnam was a very different kind of war than Americans had become used to fighting. Soldiers on the ground had to contend with dense jungle terrain, the enemy's guerilla tactics and a primary weapon that was, shall we say, in transition. As American veteran and American Rifleman TV contributor Wiley Clapp recounted, "The Marine Corps did not do the best job of phasing that rifle into service. They were forced by circumstances beyond their control to literally have Marines walk by the back end of an open six [a type of military assault vehicle], throw their M14, take a few more steps, and then get handed an M16."
With a less-than-ideal rollout that neglected training, it was also discovered that the initial version of the M16 had problems that extended far beyond a lack of training ... and this did result in the loss of American lives. There was a rapid re-engineering effort that took place between 1967/68 and 1970 that resulted in vastly improved function, but to this day, the initial rollout leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many Vietnam Veterans.
In today's Throwback Thursday video from our friends at American Rifleman, you'll learn all about the controversial M16 and its place against the backdrop of a very controversial war.
