[MikeP]

I was issued an unissued M2 Carbine in 1968-it was in a heavy brown paper wrapped tinfoil envelope-completely dry with a stiff fabric tube of some kind in the barrel-had two 30-rd mags dry sealed in foil. Every other weapon I was ever issued came off a rack and was not new. Corretion: once got a new M 16 wrapped same way. These were recorded within issuing unit. Usually turned in when moving to different outfit. (Ref-unit marked '08s.)

I don't believe soldiers were often given crates of guns to divvie up-they would have been issued through a supply room or arms depot.

Also weapons shipped in cosmoline were generally cleaned by REMF types on a detail similar to KP or support.

They were then issued through channels.

Fortunately a lot of this broke down near the end for the Nazis and there would have been exceptions-but you have to remember how fixated those rats were with order and records.


Mike P on stuff I would like to forget