Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “M18A1 Claymore Mine: From Vietnam to Today” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/m18a1-claymore-mine/.
M18A1 Claymore Mine: From Vietnam to Today
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Grayfox
Professional
I'll never forget that day in basic when they taught us to use the claymore. They had us in a set of bleachers with about a 30' long table in front. A dummy mine at one end and a clacker at the other. They showed us how to set the mine up, run wire and plug in the clacker. There was a sandbag at the clacker end to show that we needed to secure the wire under it.
What they didn't tell us was that the wire from the dummy mine ended under that sandbag and the clacker was actually connected to a live mine downrange. Yep, the Drill Sergeant hit it and BOOM! I'll bet that whole bleacher jumped 2 feet straight up.
What they didn't tell us was that the wire from the dummy mine ended under that sandbag and the clacker was actually connected to a live mine downrange. Yep, the Drill Sergeant hit it and BOOM! I'll bet that whole bleacher jumped 2 feet straight up.
HayesGreener
Ronin
KillerFord1977
SAINT
Can I have a few for the hogs ? 
KevinJD
Operator
Fortunately, I was never in combat! But in training, war games, maneuvers... We worked with many of these, live and dummies. IF I ever had to sit in a bunker or foxhole in the real situation, this is one of the most powerful defensive tools to have. My favored anti-personnel mine!
HayesGreener
Ronin
I sat in bunkers in SEA with them set up all around us. I was obsessive about checking often to be sure they were pointed in the right direction
The Night Rider
Professional
N
nmedge
Guest
Those things really cleared out an area!
leok53
Operator
right!!
same thing here 30+ years ago out in the sand box 1st gulf war
Cedric
Custom
I've set off more live claymores in training than I can remember and I've also been stationed at NAB Coronado. The caption on the Navy Seal picture I think is wrong. There is nowhere to detonate a live mine at the place or you'd upset the high rise condo dwellers next door. Also, there are no trees ther as shown in the photo.
CaptGuyUSMC
Alpha
Nuff said…
Bemused Berserker
Elite
Every home owner should have a supply.I need a few of these.
Bemused Berserker
Elite
The Claymore was a huge leap forward in AntiPersonnel devices.
Heck, now we could make them wireless if needed.
Heck, now we could make them wireless if needed.
edreed13
Alpha
I served in Vietnam with the 9th ID, in the Delta we worked a lot at night on ambush patrols. When the ambush was sprung illumination was critical, we solved it by placing an ammo can fill with thickened gasoline using laundry soap powder as the thicker. This gave the patrol instant light and enough time to get hand flares up and/or mortar illumination.
Cedric
Custom
Iraqi insurgents were doing that with cell phones a long time ago. Not claymores per se, but IEDs.
Bemused Berserker
Elite
Poor man's Claymores. Not quite as directional, but effective for sure.
Phubar
Alpha
Correct, for live fire we usually went to San Clemente Island or out past Salton Sea, near a place called Niland Kalifornia
breitenpatriot
Alpha
There was a picture in the article of a PFC M Spann placing a claymore in Desert Shield - Can anyone determine if that is Johnny Mike Spann who jumped to CIA and was killed at Qala-I-Jangi? - it would be about right for his career. If so, it would also be a very historic photo.Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “M18A1 Claymore Mine: From Vietnam to Today” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/m18a1-claymore-mine/.
Cedric
Custom
According to Wikipedia Johnny Mike Spann enlisted in the Marine Corps in December of 1991, too late for Desert Shield/Storm.