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Different Strokes
One thing I got from "The Secret Commandos" by Plaster is that he didn't stereotype the teams. Each team was an extension of its 1-0. There was no TOE or PLL for RTs. We carried what WE felt was best for US. If NY and CA were similar it probably had to do more with the ckloseness of the USSF team members. We used to sit around discussing different weapon loads. I had so much sucess with hand grenades that I once, and only once, carried a satchel full. After an hour I was looking for someone to unload them on. For the most part our teams carried LAWs, claymores with time pencils, WP and M-79. Almost all USSF carried a second weapon. A sawed off M-79 was popular. The stock was reduced to a pistol grip.
Again, personalities came into play. Some went looking for trouble -- and usually found it. Others, like me, considered a successful mission one in which we could go in, accomplish the mission and get out without making contact.
I can think of one specific time that I wouldn't be here to talk about it if I were loaded down like the two teams in question. Somehow we RONed in the middle of an NVA CP. We could hear them coming in by two and threes all night. I could hear the challenge and password as well as their radio transmissions. I had a five man team. We were all huddled together in a small cave made by a fallen tree on the hillside. In the morning one of the suckers walked so close to us I could reach out and grab his foot. Thank god it was raining. We managed to slip out of there without a shot. We made it to a ridge on the other side of the valley and called ARTY on them. This was again an in-country operation for the 4th ID. Thjere is no doubt that if we were loaded down like the two teams mentioned we would never have gotten out of that one.
This is in no way critical of people who see things differently. Don Valentine will tell you that if they would've let him he would have operated as a one man team.
For me, recon means :"Snoopin and Poopin". Maybe not very story worthy but I only had one failed mission. Actually it too was a success but I lost a 1-0.
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