Thread: Field modifying service weapons

Originally Posted by bunji

Interesting timing for me with this post,I have had a rough couple of weeks & have just got back from taking time out in the hills hunting to gather my thoughts & just get away from shit.

While l was guiding in the US l worked a number of years for one of the original members of The Phoenix Program with Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) “SPIKE TEAMS" that operated “Over the Fence” ,a really just outstanding bloke & through him l became close friends with a number of MACV-SOG & guys who were among the first ever SEALs from the UDT group & who were the first ever SEALs to go into combat (SEAL Team 2 the infamous "The Men With Green Faces") .

One of these original SEALs became a close friend & mentor, Captain Ronald Everest Yeaw, who was a huge support during the time my wife battled Cancer.Unfortunately he passed a few days ago after his own long battle & with the Chyna Flu, Cluster-Fuck , l will not be able to be with his family or most likely the planned ceremony being held by the UDT/SEAL Assoc in his honor, later in the year.

This great Man & Warrior Captain Ron was a weapons expert who many SEALs accredit as the man who forged the reputation of the Stoner 63 LMG,as he used it with deadly efficiency from the first days the SEALs actually used them in combat.

The Stoner 63 which was his favorite weapon he used at any stage of his 30 years at the pointy end of the spear,was quickly found to need modifications to suit the extreme conditions the SEAL Team 2, 7th Platoon, Capt Ron led & faced in the Rung Sat Special Zone Mangrove Swamps.Stoner invited Capt Ron to work directly with the Stoner team & Capt Ron spent a lot of time back Stateside before & between tours working on various weapons systems at the Special Forces Weapons Testing Centers,where he also worked with Colt on the CAR-15,its "Flash hider"& very importantly for the SEALs the larger 30 round magazine reliability & the interim fix of dual magazines clipped together .

Modifications on the Stoner 63 included various grips front & rear,enlarging gas ports ,Stock design,Sling fastening options & Ammunition feed & magazines as Capt Ron was a great believer in having a balanced weapon with proper weight distribution as a lot of their CQB in the thick swamp was off hand & kills at 100 yards were long shots,most were not much more than 10 yards.

Capt Ron was a weapons aficionado & while they were being ferried back to base by the Brown Water Navy, after long days of combat,the other SEALs would be enjoying a cold beer ,Capt Ron would use up any unused ammo trying various modifications he would have stashed in the pick up boats ,while using filthy & carbon coked/leaded weapons from long use in combat to prove or expose reliability issues with the mods.Capt Ron was continually looking at ways of having weapons & Kit modified for multi/efficient use ,including his infamous huge Bandanna ,that was big enough to be used as a tourniquet,tie prisoners snatched in the fields Hands/ arms,gag them,use as a sling etc .

Capt Ron also was part of the group who worked on the mods to the M60 7.62mm Machine Guns carried by the SeaWolves helicopter crews the SEALs would use for in land operations .The door gunners hated the fixed pintle mounts & so in country on the floating Airport/landing bases they designed the weird looking long stocks that you tucked under your are arm & many fired while holding the M60 on its side,giving them a much wider ark of fire & enabling them to step on to the skid to give covering fire while doing Dust Offs & pick ups while under fire .Capt Ron wanted a M60 or SEAL use that could be carried much easier & suited to firing from the hip where a lot of the Ambushes /engagements were fought at extreme close range .

The modified Stoner 63 LMG worked much as the SLR "Bitch" did but with more fire power ie extreme muzzle blast & flash combined with the added advantage of a 150 round Drum Magazine that centered the balance of the LMG making it very easy to fire even one handed ,A fact that saved many wounded operators .

Capt Ron was part of what is still seen one of the greatest battles the SEALs have ever fought,on a operation to save 1 confirmed & 3 possible US POW's as well as local elders,unbeknownst to the SEAls in between them getting the intel from a spy high up in the local NVC,2 other local NVC forces joined where the POW's were being held to hold a sort of auction for the prized captures.

The "POW HUNT " fire fight is known as one of the greatest SEAL battles of all time .14 SEALS surrounded by around 650 North Vietcong. NVC guys should have brought more men. Estimated 135 NVC killed, and 0 SEALs died.They accredited the noise & fire power the Stoner 63's gave,with them using Shoot & Scoot tactics ,to helping confuse the NVC battalion they had dropped into.The helicopter crews that flew in for BDA & local forces on the ground reported the Stoner 63 positions were surrounded by half circles of NVC bodies piled on top of each other.North Vietcong leadership in the years after confirmed there was actually 800 fighters at the POW camp & only 50 were tasked with removing the POW's once the fire fight began so in reality they faced 750 NVC ,but using the Stoners & Shoot & Scoot tactics the Seals actually had the NVC shooting at each other.The Stoner op's had the NVC targeting the glowing barrels in the dark, they were throwing out that much lead

These guys had weapons collections worth big bucks, that would fill standard kiwi home lounge rooms from floor to ceiling & l was very lucky to get to shoot a lot of them when invited to stay with them .IMO The Stoner 63 is one of the easiest to control as its recoil pulse/rate of fire combined with balance makes it very controllable & accurate.

Well this went on longer than planned if you want any other info let me know.

Here is some info on Capt Ron, IMO he is the greatest unknown Warrior in recent American military history who among other things ,was among first SEALs to ever enter & fight in Combat,among first ever to deploy on a mission from a Nuclear Submarine ,completed one of the deepest dive deployments for concealment ever from a Submarines torpedo tubes,while actively being hunted & just a little thing of developing the rig & tactics & for parachuting while having a Nuclear Bomb strapped to them .

Largely unheard of by the public because he was Old School from a Era when Loose Lips ,Sink Ships meant something not serving as a means to get a book/movie deal & l met a few of them celebry-seals as well .Capt Ron was one hell of a intelligent & caring man .

Here is a brief run down on his "official on the books "service record -


https://imgur.com/lYvzw7p

Captain Ronald Everest Yeaw, -




30 distinguished years of military service in the US Navy included, but certainly were not limited to; U.S. Navy Captain in Naval Special Warfare Operations where he served in a variety of high level Navy and joint service operational, command, and staff positions. He was an Underwater Demolition Team Frogman (UDT) and Navy SEAL, participating in 3 SEAL combat tours to the Republic of Vietnam with SEAL Team 2, “The Men with Green Faces”, where he earned 9 medals with a combat V indicating valor in combat including 4 bronze stars, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, 7 Campaign Medals, and the Purple Heart. He also served as the Commanding Officer of both Underwater Demolition Team 21 and SEAL Team 6. During his illustrious career he was awarded a total of 45 individual medals and ribbons including the Superior Service Medal, the Navy Legion of Merit, and 5 Defense and Navy Meritorious Service Medals.

What an amazing story, thank you for sharing. I’m somewhat familiar with the stories of SOG and some of the incredible individuals involved, I’d love to do some more reading on the role SEALs played during the conflict, are there any books you can recommend?

That’s super interesting about the Stoner 63 and it’s wartime development, I don’t know a hell of a lot about the weapon so I’ll do some more research. At the end of the day combat is the most effective test of any weapon so it’s cool to hear about those modifications and how the manufacturer worked with CPT Yeaw to improve the design.

I’m sad to hear about the passing of CPT Ron Yeaw, he sounds like an incredible man and leader, the way you speak of him must be a true testament to his character. Loosing a friend is hard, particularly a man of such caliber. I too, as many on here, find solace in the hills and I hope they help you as much as they have helped me in the past.

Hamish