The Missing M-16
Pete (Torch) La Count
Artillery FO - Red Dagger 42
Company D, 1/12th Cavalry, 1967

I normally stayed up front with the company command group and let my recon sergeant and RTO stay with the last platoon.  This way we had two locations in the company that could adjust artillery fires (I could use a radio from the command group, if needed). 

One time, while taking a rest/meal stop in a village, the company command group stopped to fill canteen's at one of the village wells.  After this, we moved about 50 feet to set down and have C-ration meals.  All at once the CO's RTO said "I left my weapon back at the well."  We rushed back to the well and his M-16 was gone.  The villagers pointed in the direction taken by who ever had grabbed the weapon, but as fast as we moved never got the weapon back.  The CO called in for chopper support, and a pilot said he saw a youngster running down a dry wash just outside the village before he got the full story.  

After the loss of the weapon the CO chased his RTO all over the place swinging his boot at the troop's bottom (he connected 3-4 times by my count).  All the troop said later was "I really deserved that."