We were sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, for processing before leaving for Vietnam. About 100 of us were assembled in a room. A senior Sgt asked if everyone had received their "Jungle Training." I replied that I had not had any jungle training. In fact, I had never even fired an M-16. He asked me where I had come from. I replied, “Germany.” He said that was okay and that I'd learn soon enough. [Talk about NCO confidence!]
NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY:
I trained on the M-14, and actually had qualified as Expert. However, the Sgt. in charge did not believe that I could hit so many targets, so he wrote-me-up as qualifying as Sharpshooter.
Anyway, I had never fired an M-16 before I went to Vietnam. However - I loafed at the arms room in Germany and learned how to disassemble (and reassemble!) an M-16, M-60, and an M1911.
Gerald F. Mazur (IGOR)
B Battery 68-69
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