Comments by "Shawn R" (@shawnr771) on "History of SAW Use in the US Army" video.

  1. A standard infantry platoon in the late 1980s consisted of 1 LT, 1 Platoon Sergeant and 3 Squads. In the field the line squad consisted of 12 people. A Squad Leader, 2 Team leaders, and 2 each Automatic Rifleman, Grenadier and Rifleman. 1 of each assigned to each team. Depending on your unit, preference of the leadership, sometimes the TL would carry the Grenade Launcher or the SAW. They were very useful in designating targets. The squad also had either an attached 3 person M60 team consisting of a Gunner, Assistant Gunner and Ammo Bearer OR an Anti Tank team which was attached from a higher unit. The M60 team consisted of a Gunner who carried the M60 and was generally issued a pistol as a secondary weapon. and 300 rounds of M60 ammo. The AG would carry an M16 and normal gear plus 300 rounds of ammo for the M60 and the spare barrel. The Ammo Bearer also had normal gear plus 300 rounds of ammo and the tripod. In garrison our M60 crews formed a 4th squad for training purposes.
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  2.  @MandolinMagi  We had 3 3 man M60 teams in my unit. With the addition of the M60 teams we had 12 man squads.
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  3.  @MandolinMagi The AT platoon was ntegral to Battalion HQ and teams were attached as needed. In my second unit we had Humvees in 9th ID. Mk19 mounted. One driver, one TL was the MK19 gunner, Squad Leader and then it was supposed to be 7 other people in the squad. One 2 man M60 team,One 2 man AT (Dragon team), One SAW, Another TL w M16/M203. Our SL carried one of the two M203s. We never had full squads. In Louisuana I was M113 mech and transitioned to M2A1 Bradleys. We never had full squads there either. I was a gunner and have no clue what the dismounts did.
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  4.  @MandolinMagi  9th Infantry Division Motorized( a failed experiment) had AT companies. 2 16 vehicle companys with no dismounts with TOWS on 4 of the 5 vehicles in each platoon. The Platoon Sergeants vehicle either had a .50 or MK19. Plus a line company with 3 platoons with 3 squads, that had 5 vehicles for each platoom each armed with MK19s.
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  5.  @MandolinMagi  The AT was a platoon while in garrison for training purposes. Teams were attach to platoons as needed in the field.
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