Click on most photos to see enlarged version!

This is a brief study of US camouflaged
operational uniforms and equipment.

"Click on small images to see larger version"

"Duck Hunter" or "Beo Gam" Uniform

Members of A-113 in Gia Vuc wearing a mixture of uniform, 
(duck hunter, tiger stripes, black pyjamas) 1965

Vietnam War display at the 1996 R.A.F.A. Air show
Description of the mannequin

This NCO wears one of the "typical" early 60's field uniform, privately purchased "Duck Hunter" uniform made in South Asia, (I  believe that A-725 also wore Tiger Stripes uniforms in the field) an M1951 cap, knowed as "patrol cap" (virtually anything was worn in the field from bandanas to Stetsons!), black leather combat boots ,(jungle boots were also worn)  M1936 belt, M1945 suspenders, M1942 1st aid pouch, M1943 canteen and cover, twin cell magazine pouch for his M1 Carbine, an AN/PRC6 radio/transmitter in a M1945 haversack and as personnel weapons, a WWII M1 carbine, K-bar knife, a MKIIA1 Fragmentation Grenade (know as a pineapple grenade) and M18 smoke grenade for marking targets in an Air Strike or for Helicopter extraction (rare in those early days). Note: a map in plastic sleeve sticking out of his shirt and a MONTAGNARDS bracelet (given to the US Advisors as a sign of friendship and trust by the hill tribesmen, the MONTAGNARDS). (all original except for weapons and bracelet)

Please note the Duck Hunter Uniform existed in many different shade of colors as well as different cuts, the way the equipment is portrayed is only one of the many combination used  by SF in Vietnam.

This type is referred by collectors as the 
JWD: John Wayne Dense pattern 

 
(reference to the uniform  worn by John Wayne during the film:  Green Beret)

This has two bellow  pockets closed by two button each, a 1st aid/cigarette pocket on the left sleeve 
and shirt is closed by 6 buttons, the sleeves have cuffs closed by 2 buttons

The trousers are the 7 pockets type, ie two rear pockets, two side slash , two leg cargo all closed by 2 buttons and one cigarette pocket on the  left leg, this could either have a zip or  button fly closure

Genuine items in my collection

This Type is referred by collectors as the 
TPD: Tadpole dense pattern,

 
 it owns its name to a characteristic of the black on the tiger: ie in a form of a tadpole, this came in the same cut as the JWD, but also in  a slightly different variation having only one button per pocket (below).

You can see the tadpole under the left hand lower section of the collar and on the repeat on the left lower section of the jacket.

The jacket above is genuine 
but 
the one below is a fake done in the 90's by Mash Co a Japanese firm, it is virtually identical to the original, and  unfortunately I got rip off by buying what I thought was a genuine jacket, so beware, they are some really good copies!

Unfortunately got also a pair of those fake trousers, 
beware there is a lot of copies being sold as genuine ones!

my collection

A very bizarre characteristic of this pattern is the "Erected Penis" being part of the black striping.

It has been stated  that this inclusion was performed by the Vietnamese makers 
as a repudiation of the Indigenous troops and of their abilities and status as participating  members of the Vietnamese army!

This pattern as a standard issue will only be found in the two pocket one button cut, no cuffs and no cig pocket.

You can actually see the "penis" pointing down due to the material cut, on the right hand shoulder, left top 
of arm and under the right hand pocket.

Beltring 2001 Tribute display showing three members of A-113, I CORPS Mike Force.

You can see the difference in shade of the three Tiger Stripes uniforms. The one on the right is the early war Vietnamese type often referred as the "Golden pattern" with a predominance of very light green being further bleached by the sun. 
The black often faded to gray or blue or both as in this uniform. 

A lot of those early uniforms suffered from dye fixative problems showing different color fading on the same piece of material. (see  enlarged photos).

The Tiger Stripes on the left is the most common type used during the war this one is of Vietnamese manufacture, but similar uniforms were produce in Thailand, Okinawa, Taiwan and Korea with military assistance dollars under MDAP  contracts. (Mutual Defense Assistance Program)

Please note the Tiger Stripes Uniform existed in many different shades of colours/pattern as well as different cuts.  The way the equipment is portrayed is only one of the many combinations used  by SF in Vietnam.