“300 rounds, rifle, entrenching tool, poncho, poncho liner, grenades 3, helmet, cigarettes, c rats 6, clothes, two gallons of water, 200 for the pig, 1966.”
Like an idiot, I carried 500 rounds for the longest time. “Better to have it and not need it...”
Drop the cigarettes, add a radio, spare battery & handset, make it a case of C’s, soap, towel & shaving gear.. Since I had the radio I could usually con one of the other FO team members into carrying the e-tool. Of course, once the shooting started, EVERYBODY wanted the e-tool.
I tried carrying an air mattress, but after nursing one like a baby for weeks, it was blown away during a night medevac. 12” slit in it when I found it next morning. Oh, the weeping & wailing & gnashing of teeth!
Oh, you forgot the steel pot & flak jacket. That’s another 15#.
Up in the mountains we’d drop the helmet, go with 5 canteens and 8 C’s for a week long patrol. I swapped the M-16 for a Model 12 pump shotgun. Mow down that bush!