Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “The Thumper: History of the M79 40mm Grenade Launcher” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/m79-40mm-grenade-launcher/.
The Thumper: History of the M79 40mm Grenade Launcher
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
KillerFord1977
SAINT
I soo want one, or an M203 undermount.
50+ hogs destroying a farm crop = payback
50+ hogs destroying a farm crop = payback
Interesting this article came up today. We were just discussing this very weapon and it's relationship to my wife's family.
In February 1967 my wife's Uncle Michael was on patrol with his squad crossing a rice paddy. Suddenly they came under heavy fire from the nearby treeline. Several men were hit and their bloop gunner was down. While under fire Michael made his way over to the M79 and retrieved it dropping several rounds into the treeline killing all 5 snipers that were attacking saving his squad.
Michael received the bronze star for bravery in action and had a full page write up of his exploits in the NY Daily News as well as our local town newspaper. We have the newspaper articles with the pertinent facts filed away somewhere unknown to me. I'm going to have to find them.
Michael returned home in November 1967 and lived with my wife's family for a few months. My wife's mother was Michael's sister. Sadly he also returned with an undiagnosed severe case of PTSD. For reasons unknown he took his own life in March of 1968. Michael was 22 years old at the time.
The effect of this was telling on my wife's family. To this day her first cousin himself a Marine First Gulf War veteran has been a trauma counselor for the VA hoping that no other family will ever have to go through what they did. All this seems to revolve around the M79 whenever one is seen or heard about. Thank you for your time.
In February 1967 my wife's Uncle Michael was on patrol with his squad crossing a rice paddy. Suddenly they came under heavy fire from the nearby treeline. Several men were hit and their bloop gunner was down. While under fire Michael made his way over to the M79 and retrieved it dropping several rounds into the treeline killing all 5 snipers that were attacking saving his squad.
Michael received the bronze star for bravery in action and had a full page write up of his exploits in the NY Daily News as well as our local town newspaper. We have the newspaper articles with the pertinent facts filed away somewhere unknown to me. I'm going to have to find them.
Michael returned home in November 1967 and lived with my wife's family for a few months. My wife's mother was Michael's sister. Sadly he also returned with an undiagnosed severe case of PTSD. For reasons unknown he took his own life in March of 1968. Michael was 22 years old at the time.
The effect of this was telling on my wife's family. To this day her first cousin himself a Marine First Gulf War veteran has been a trauma counselor for the VA hoping that no other family will ever have to go through what they did. All this seems to revolve around the M79 whenever one is seen or heard about. Thank you for your time.
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HayesGreener
Hellcat
Good article. The M79 was a great weapon in the right hands. I fired many rounds with the blooper in training in Vietnam and Thailand but never had to fire it in anger. It was great fun to shoot with smoke rounds, but HE made a great thump. The projectiles moved slow enough that you could see them traveling toward the target. Not an easy piece to shoot accurately but some guys had a knack for it and could put a round in your pocket. We also had the under-barrel version that fit under the M16, but my favorite was the select fire version that was pintle or T&E mounted that had a 12-round magazine on top. It was so cool to see 10-12 of those little deadly baseballs heading downrange in a string all at once. There were fleshette rounds but I never fired one of those.
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Bemused Berserker
Elite
I lost an older cousin in 1971, to that same undiagnosed PTSD. Sincere condolences to your family. That little War's impact still haunts us today.
Bemused Berserker
Elite
An arm I would very much love to own (even if it was only the 37mm Civilian Flare version). Simple, effective and though it wasn't referenced, I imagine it was very economical to build too.
gordie
Operator
In 1966 I was introduced to the M-79 by driving on the interior road in our ammo depot and witnessed a tree limb explode at a distance to my left, followed by several more explosions with the tree being reduced to a stump, I observed a M151 with two figures enjoying firing the bloop gun. It seems like the battalion commander really enjoyed the M-79 also. After leaving the Army and joining a So.Calif police department I was again introduced to the M79 by a FBI agent while we were training with the 37mm "Gas Gun"- he took it out of the trunk of his vehicle and stated " this is something we at the FBI can shoot- but you can't " and again a few rounds were fired from it with pretty dramatic effect.
HayesGreener
Hellcat
We had two of them in my SWAT teams. They are usually used for gas but there is also a nerf round that is used for less lethal. We learned the hard way that if you drop a loaded gas gun muzzle down, there is no inertial trigger block and it will fire. It is embarrassing when the gas man drops the gun (the sling broke) and gasses the command post and especially the civilian psychologist who was in there with the negotiators.
gordie
Operator
What an "Oops" moment, the armorer should have checked such an item.
Was a helicopter pilot with the 1st Cav in the Nam. We knew the M79s asHello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “The Thumper: History of the M79 40mm Grenade Launcher” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/m79-40mm-grenade-launcher/.
“Chunkers” - because of the sound made when fired: chunk
We pilots would sometimes have one with us when flying, and one of my buddies actually blew up an NVA sampan - got several secondary explosions with the one shot he hit it with. Mind you, he was flying a huey when he did it. Great weapon - simple, easy to use, accurate and effective.
HayesGreener
Hellcat
Yes but it was almost worth it to see the shrink get gassed. The gas man had to carry everyone elses gear at the next training day.
wolfpack076
Professional
Wish we could own one. Greetings from Pennsylvania
Very enjoyable and well-written article on the "Thumper".
Most may not know that US Army Ordnance at Picatinny Arsenal in NJ developed a 12-gauge shotgun insert for the M-79. It was intended to provide a close-in capability for the M-79 when in thick foliage where the soldier could only see a few feet in front of him since the arming distance of the 40mm grenade was 90 feet.
The insert consisted of a 40mm shell casing threaded to receive a 6-inch long 12-gauge shotgun barrel. Notches were machined into the shell casing to make removal of a spent shot shell easier. It was very light in weight.
I have no idea whether it ever saw service as I left Picatinny to join the USAF in 1964.
Warhawk.
Most may not know that US Army Ordnance at Picatinny Arsenal in NJ developed a 12-gauge shotgun insert for the M-79. It was intended to provide a close-in capability for the M-79 when in thick foliage where the soldier could only see a few feet in front of him since the arming distance of the 40mm grenade was 90 feet.
The insert consisted of a 40mm shell casing threaded to receive a 6-inch long 12-gauge shotgun barrel. Notches were machined into the shell casing to make removal of a spent shot shell easier. It was very light in weight.
I have no idea whether it ever saw service as I left Picatinny to join the USAF in 1964.
Warhawk.
Talyn
SAINT
That's exactly why I wish the M79 itself was legal, but only non-NFA ammo could be used.
That example of the 12ga./40mm shell casing adapter is exactly something that's non-NFA.
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Pitdogg2
Professional
New Turkey gun
