When did USMC receive the M14 ??

[2111]

Does any know just when the M14 was issued to the Marines ? Date and Units.
A friend of mine turned in his M1 rifle at MCAS Beaufort in Jan. 1962 and was issued the M14 on that date. I would have suspected that Marine infantry units would have received the M14 earlier.
I am aware that the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Div. started receiving the M14 in Jan. 1960 and the Berlin Garrison in early Sept. 1961. All combat units in Western Europe were equipped with the M14 by Oct 1, 1961.
Based on the above, I would guess the Marine Corps transitioned to the M14 between Oct. 1961 and Jan. 1962, but I can not find anything that gives the exact date the transition started and which units had priority. I was going to write to Leatherneck Magazine but thought one of you might have the answer.

Semper Fi

[cplnorton]

I do not know the exact date, but I was thinking the same thing as you, late 61, early 62.

[Dan Shapiro]

My Dad was still qualifying with the M1 in June 1962 - FMF, Oahu, Hawaii.

[nf1e]

I don't know about anyone else, but I got my first one Jan of '66 in boot camp. We went back to the M1 for ITR.
Semper Fi
Art

[Art]

I don't know about anyone else, but I got my first one Jan of '66 in boot camp. We went back to the M1 for ITR.
Semper Fi
Art

I have a buddy who went into the Corps in 1965 who says exactly the same thing, M14 in boot camp, M1 in ITR.

[BEAR]

My father was stationed in Orleans, France from 58 to 62. I remember him talking about the M14 when he got back from range orientation some time in 1961.
BEAR
Sorry, he was Army.

[2111]

[QUOTE] My Dad was still qualifying with the M1 in June 1962 - FMF, Oahu, Hawaii.[QUOTE]

Thanks Dan. It was not until Sept. 1, 1962 that the Marines on Hawaii traded the M1 Garand for the M14.

[2111]

My father was stationed in Orleans, France from 58 to 62. I remember him talking about the M14 when he got back from range orientation some time in 1961.
BEAR
Sorry, he was Army.

Thanks Bear, All combat units in Western Europe were equipped with the M14 by Oct 1, 1961

[Griff Murphey]

Slightly OT but at the other end of the spectrum, Marine Barracks Subic Bay had to be one of the last USMC combat units to use the M-14. They were on the range with us at Boton Valley in Subic Bay in the summer of 1975. I have pictures somewhere including one of the Subic Bay Marine who shot a sitting so low he had his elbows on the ground. I was out there with my unit BLT 1-4 zeroing a Navy 7.62 M-1 which freaked a few out.

[Major Tom]

We got our new M-14s in Oct. 1965.