Solid color jungle fatigues were available in three primary “patterns” and in non-ripstop poplin (earlier) and ripstop poplin (later) fabrics. Although all items were supposed to be OG-107 like the sateen uniforms in use at the time, shades often varied depending on fabric batch and wear in the field.
First Pattern:
This was the earliest version of the jungle fatigue. It is characterized by shiny exposed pocket buttons which had a tendency to snag onto brush and were excessively visible. In spite of these flaws, some soldiers retained them as a fashionable dress item to denote seniority. The example shown here is a high quality reproduction made by Real McCoys since I do not have an actual example to show as of time of writing (July 2, 2024).
Real McCoys Repro Jacket:
Real McCoys Repro Trousers:
Tags:
Leg Ties:
There are leg tie webbing straps inside the thigh pockets. This feature originally appeared in WW2 M42 jump trousers and was removed in later iterations of jungle fatigues.
Second Pattern:
The second pattern was largely the same as the first pattern, but with covered pocket buttons. These were produced from 1965 – 1966. There were several transitional examples between the second and third pattern, though no examples are currently on hand to display here (as of July 2, 2024).
Third Pattern:
This was the most common version of jungle fatigue and was produced from 1967 until the end of production in 1970 or 1971. The 3rd pattern simplified the second pattern by removing the internal gas flap, waist adjuster, and epaulets. Most third pattern uniforms were made in ripstop fabric (majority after 1968), though some earlier dated examples were made from previously-produced non-ripstop poplin (some collectors classify these non-ripstop items as transitional second pattern items).
Non-Ripstop Jacket:
Tags:
Pockets:
Cuffs:
Non-Ripstop Trousers:
Tags:
1967 date.
Cargo Pockets:
There is an internal pocket, possibly for a bandage, inside the cargo pocket:
Waist Adjustment:
Back Pockets:
Fly:
Button fly. This example was probably among the last jungle fatigue pants to be made with a button fly since it was replaced by a zipper starting in late 1967 or early 1968. This coincided with ripstop fabric replacing non-ripstop poplin.
Inside:
Ankles:
Ripstop Jacket #1: Army Ranger
Note different fabric lot used for upper chest pocket sides.
Tags:
1968 date.
Chest Patch Ghosts:
Right outside.Right inside. Left outside. Left inside.“Left” and “Right” are as worn.
Arm Patch Ghosts:
Arm, outside.Arm, inside.On left arm (as worn). No evidence of insignia on other arm.
Ranger scroll insignia is from after the Vietnam War since it has the post-1983 shape.
Ripstop Trousers:
Tags:
1969 date.
Cargo Pockets:
The internal pocket is still present in ripstop examples.
Waist Adjustment:
Fly:
Most ripstop jungle fatigue pants have a zipper fly.
Inside:
Usage Photos:
Vietnam War:
Jungle fatigues are commonly seen in Vietnam War photographs.
US Military:
1969-1970: 194th Military Police Company in Qui Nhơn, Vietnam. Ammons frequently stated in his letters that his squad was never fully manned [1].1969 or 1970: Members of the 1st Signal brigade in Qui Nhơn, Vietnam [1].Early 1968: USMC 1st Force Recon Diving Team at the MACV compound in Hue [2].
MAC V SOG:
1968 – 1972: Recon Team Maryland member [3][4].1969 – 1970: Recon Team Fer de Lance [5].1969 – 1970: Recon Team Fer de Lance. Note straightened upper pockets on second person from the left in the front row [5].
Around March 26, 1984: US advisors from the ODA-7, 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group posse with a FMLN armband after direct combat against FMLN guerrillas in the El Bosque garrison of San Miguel, El Salvador [6][7].1984: First official photo of 1st Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Some Rangers are wearing the later RDF fatigues[8].
Although primarily associated with the Vietnam War, jungle fatigues were used well after BDU uniforms became standard issue, well into the 1980’s, since they were often the only jungle uniform available.
Rhodesian SAS:
Third from the left is wearing an OD jungle fatigue uniform [9].
Some members of the Rhodesian SAS have been photographed wearing olive drab jungle fatigues, which would have been useful for cross-border operations.
ERDL Camouflage:
Jungle fatigues were also produced in ERDL camouflage, usually on ripstop fabric. There are early non-ripstop poplin examples, mostly second pattern, but these are rarely encountered.
Green Dominant:
Tags:
1969 date.
Cuffs:
Upper Pockets:
Lower Pockets:
Mixed Green/Brown Dominant:
Some camouflage jungle fatigues used material from different fabric runs since “green dominant” and “brown dominant” were never any officially specified variations. This jacket is no longer in my collection.
Tags:
1969 date.
Color Balanced Swatch:
Taken from mixed example. This shows the difference between the green (top panel) and brown dominant colorways.
Usage Photos:
Vietnam War:
Camouflage jungle fatigues are associated with combat troops towards the end of the Vietnam War, such as Special Forces, the Army Airborne Divisions, Air Force Security Troops, as as well as Marines (this list is not all-inclusive).
US Air Force:
October 17, 1969: At the Ready: Phan Rang, AB- Republic of Vietnam (7AF)- Hold it Satan- USAF security policemen Airman First Class Richard C Morley Jr., Ogdensburg, NY, restrains his sentry dog “Satan,” as they check out movement near the base perimeter. Security policemen and their sentry dogs beef up perimeter defense teams at AF bases throughout the Republic of Vietnam. (USAF photo by A1C Oswald Gooden) [10].February 25, 1970: As a C-130 makes it landing approach overhead, A1C David B Shark and his sentry dog Heino of the 12th Security Police Squadron stand guard at Cam Ranh Bay AB, South Vietnam (USAF Photo KE 31793 by A1C Michael Karibian) [10].January 1967: – Members of the 1041st Security Police Squadron study a map during an early morning reconnaissance patrol near Phu Cat AB, Sout Vietnam. Note Beo Gam bush hat worn by fourth airman from the left (USAF Photo K 24875) [10].
US Marine Corps:
1969: Robert Mueller receives an award from his regimental commander Col. Martin “Stormy” Sexton in Dong Ha, South Vietnam. Robert Mueller was the 6th director of the FBI from 2001 – 2013. He was also the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election between May 17, 2017 and March 22, 2019 [11].1968 – 1969: Jim Thompson (left) and the Marines of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines spent weeks at a time “out in the bush” searching for the enemy, the North Vietnamese Army. [12].1969: 1st Force Recon with captured POW’s at An Hoa, South Vietnam [13].April 23, 1971: U.S. Marines board a transport ship bound for the United States in Da Nang, South Vietnam. Military sources say all Marine ground troops will be home by the end of the summer [1971], ending an era of nearly six years of Marine Corps presence in Vietnam [14].
US Army:
Vietnam 1971: Lt. Sloan, leader of the 3/187 Infantry (“Rakkasans”), 101st Airborne Recon Platoon on an operation in Vietnam. Note suppressor on his M16A1 rifle and bandoleer of magazines slung around his neck from right shoulder to left waist [15].1967: Bill Green carrying a 9mm Swedish K submachine gun with folding stock, likely at the MACV Recondo School. Given the date, he is likely wearing the non-ripstop poplin version of the ERDL uniform [16].11th ACR LRRP. Note reused captured Chicom chest rig[17].1970: John “Lenny” Mannerberger ready for insertion as a Part of 5-man LRRP (Long Range reconnaissance Patrol) team, I Corps tactical zone. He was a member of L company 75th Rangers, at that time attached to the 101st Airborne Division. He carries the XM177E1 CAR-15 rifle [18].
US Navy:
1968: US Navy medic attached to a reconnaisance battalion [19].1970 – 1971: SEAL Team 2 in Vietnam [20].1971: 7th Platoon of SEAL Team 2 in Vietnam [21].
USMC 1st Reconnaissance Battalion in a late 1970’s/early 1980’s recruitment photo. This image is often incorrectly captioned as “Vietnam War” even though the Marines are clearly using post-Vietnam ALICE or LINCLOE webbing pouches and 30-round magazines, which were extremely uncommon in Vietnam [23].December 25, 1989: An American soldier from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division armed with an M16 talks on a radiotelephone outside a Panamanian home. The United States invaded Panama in 1989 to bring leader Manuel Noriega back to the U.S. to face charges of racketeering, drug trafficking, and money laundering. This is probably the latest historical US usage photo for ERDL jungle fatigues (Photo by Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) [24][25].
Like the solid colored examples, ERDL jungle fatigues continued to be used after the Vietnam War since they were often the only practical hot weather camouflaged uniform available.
References
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