Ah, yes, yet another politically motivated defense purchase. It was the same with the M16 rifle. An unfinished product got huddled to the front lines and failed miserably. Fortunately they improved both the rifle and it's ammunition's powder and made it the excellent weapon that we all know starting with the M16A1, becoming general issue for the U.S. Army in 1968. In my opinion, the forward assist was not really needed though. It was used as yet another political tool; officials could now blame the lack of the forward assist for all of the casualties that the Black Rifle produced amongst it's own troops at the beginning of it's service life.
