South Vietnamese Ao Bốn Túi Civilian Walking Shirt (1960’s – 1975)

Custom and Tailored Items, Early Cold War (1945 - 1968), Later Cold War (1969 - 1989), Other Uniforms, United States, Vietnam War

French style 4-pocket shirts like the one on this page were intended for upper class South Vietnamese civilians (source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1726441960963865/posts/3214510792156967/). However, some were made and worn by western news media correspondents (sources: https://www.voanews.com/a/former-correspondents-recall-end-of-vietnam-war/2742485.html, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1726441960963865/posts/3214510792156967/) as well as covert operatives (source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/142188539@N06/48787777783/in/photostream/).

Material is a thin cotton.

Upper Pockets:

Has patch ghosts of tapes sewn above pockets.

Lower Pockets:

External “accordion” style (source: https://www.thecreativecurator.com/types-of-pockets/).

Arm Pocket:

Used for holding pens and other writing utensils.

Epaulettes:

Buttons:

Pink plastic buttons.

Inside:

Tag:

Tu Do Street is a long street in Saigon, South Vietnam. “Tu Do” is Vietnamese for “Liberty”. After 1975, the communist government renamed it “Dông Khoï” (source http://saigon-vietnam.fr/tu-do-street.php).

Usage Photos:

News Correspondent:

Early to Mid 1960’s: In this undated photo, from L to R, reporters David Halberstam (New York Times), Malcolm Brown (Associated Press), and Neil Sheehan (UPI) chat beside a helicopter in Vietnam (from https://www.voanews.com/a/former-correspondents-recall-end-of-vietnam-war/2742485.html).

USAF CCT Advisor (Thai Unity Program):

Left to Right: John Koren, Forward Air Guide Mousetrap, Clyde Howard (appears to be wearing this type of shirt), Forward Air Guide Smallman (from https://www.flickr.com/photos/142188539@N06/48787777783/in/photostream/).