Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “M72 LAW: American Light Anti-Tank Weapon in Vietnam and Beyond” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/m72-law/.
M72 LAW: American Light Anti-Tank Weapon in Vietnam and Beyond
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Just like the Huey, M-14, .45 ACP, and even the ole OH-58 (which they did kill with a less efficient helo at 3 times the cost), them 1950 designers had their act together. Hell even the AH Cobra is soldiering on with the Marines as some weapons systems are just that good. With the Battle Field become more digital, there is still a place for the old analog system due to it's simplicity. No wonder there are couple vehicles in the stable with antique tags on them. Just the ramblings of an old fart not liking change for change sake, no matter what the next wiz-bang comes out. Hell the writing of this is on a Windows 7 computer and there is a Colt 1911 near by...
Talyn
SAINT
Turkey makes a basic version with some improvements, but Nammo Raufoss AS in Norway, and their subsidiary, Nammo Talley, Inc. in Arizona has been the primary producer of the M72 and has developed advanced versions,
www.nammo.com
M72-series - Nammo
www.nammo.com
kenpomaniac1958
Master Class
I joined the Marine Corps right after Vietnam in 1976. Me and lots of fellow young grunts got mentored by Vietnam Vets. I've ridden in Hueys(UH's and 46's mostly...
). I guarded Cobra Helicopters a few times when I was on guard duty. I was amazed how narrow those helicopters were. I thought they were the coolest helicopters ever invented. I still feel that way...
Law Anti-tank and 106 recoil-less rifles were very common tools. We carried M16-A1s and 1911s. Some of the M16-A1s had the grenade launcher modification...
The old flack jackets(vests) were hot and heavy. Especially when we did training exercises in the Philippines and Okinawa. I've also worn Mickey Mouse boots and other gear for cold weather training. Good memories of good gear....
HayesGreener
Ronin
We had them, and the 90mm recoilless rifle in SEA for air base defense. We used them as a means of getting the enemy out of our bunkers or other hardened structures if they were able to take them. I don't know of any instance where we used them for that purpose but it sure was fun blowing things up in training on the range.
KillerFord1977
SAINT
LAW’s and Claymores.
Man, I could have a field day with feral hogs
Man, I could have a field day with feral hogs
Cedric
Custom
And then there was the M72 range NCOIC in the 82d Airborne during Desert Shield who noticed a camel had wondered into the downrange area. As the saying goes, never underestimate the power of a demonstration. One LAW and one blown up camel was pretty impressive. Unfortunately, that would be like blowing up a cow from some ranch in Texas. Some Bedouin tribesman got his reimbursement and an official apology.
Bemused Berserker
Elite
Excellent article as per usual. Dr. Dobbs. Even though I've studied many of the weapons you cover, I always pick up a few bits I didn't know about.
HayesGreener
Ronin
Regulars1968
Alpha
Thanks for the article. The M72 was extensively used in IDF (Isreali Defense Force, the Yom Kippur war). They just didn’t have enough of them. The Arab Coalition had the RPG and in many greater numbers. The law was well used and well respected.Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “M72 LAW: American Light Anti-Tank Weapon in Vietnam and Beyond” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/m72-law/.
Icepick Mike
Operator
We where in Morocco training a Moroccain Airborne unit and had a flat bed trailer loaded with LAW for live fire exercises. We also had a a ton of RPGs'. Needless to say we fired all of it up while comparing the RPG to the LAW. The biggest discovery was in high winds the RPG climbed into the wind due to the tail fins being pushed down wind as the rocket flew towards the target. So firing at a stationary target in high cross wind you had to make the adjustment for the rocket moving up wind. The LAW did not have that problem. As far as the AT4 it was a pain to HALO as it was awkward during freefall but the LAW you could just strap to your ruck and it just flew with you. The AT4 was also a pain to hump. We also found a ton of RPGs in the desert right after the Storm and fired many at Iraqi destroyed tanks, then checking the results. There where also the RPG rounds that have a parachute deploy when you fired them high and the round would come down nose first as a AT round hopefully landing on the softer armor on the tank's upper surfaces. I thought that pretty useless as it was impoissible to determine if you could even land one on a tank. But If it missed it turned into an AP weapon, like a Bouncing Betty. The LAW doesn't have great range but is very effective as noted in the article. Plus it is easy to hump more than one without breaking your back or being awkward like the RPG or AT4. For a grunt the LAW is the best option IMO. As someone else posted, some old school stuff is much better than all the high tech gadgets that can be overly sensitive. It's the new military, you know, when the batteries die everybody gets lost.
In 1969, the Marine company I was attached to as a FO, (F/2/1), had a weapons platoon , which consisted of a 60mm mortar section, a 3.5” rocket section and a flame section. We also carried the LAAW, everyone carrying either a LAAW, a belt of M-60 ammo or a 60mm mortar round. Anyway, the 3.5 rounds were about 50% effective, and the LAAW notalot better. It went off when it impacted a wall, more so than the 3.5, but was not as effective. It is interesting that the 2.76 rocket launcher was upgraded to 3.5 inch because it was ineffective, but the LAAW was brought down to 66mm, about the same as 2.76. From my experience, I would not have been interested, or excited, to try and stop a Tiger with the 2.76. The Poles, wh8,e under the Warsaw Pac5, upped it back to 88 mm as the RPG-18. Small, but ineffective, is not a good idea in combat, no matter how much the Ivory Tower inhabitants think it is.
ex13F
Master Class
I fired one a couple times on the range. The only thing that Uncle Sugar ever let me play with that I was absolutely terrible with. I was better with an M-79 or even the later M-203 but armored vehicles were pretty safe if I had an M-72.
rcurtner
Professional
The M-79 was a very good friend. While in NDP's, night defensive positions away from our firebase we almost always fired machine guns & M-79's in H & I. (harassment & interdiction fire) As you probably know the,M-79 kicked like a mule. Although not very accurate I placed the butt on top of my turret to fire. We were shooting into darkness hoping to keep Charlie from attacking.