South Vietnamese Beo Gam Bush Hat (1960’s)

September 8, 2021Camouflage, Custom and Tailored Items, Early Cold War (1945 - 1968), Headgear, United States, Vietnam War

“Beo Gam” is Vietnamese for “leopard”, referring to the spots on the pattern. The hat is based on the French Mle 1949 Chapeau de Brousse (Bush Hat) design.

Sample 1:

Made from thin silk (?) fabric printed with duck hunter camouflage. These were popular private purchase items to be used in the field or as souvenirs, particularly early in the Vietnam war.

Inside:

Brim is stiffened with a re-used newspaper with Vietnamese text.

Usage Photos:

Most of these photos were taken early in the Vietnam War, before and including 1968.

South Vietnam, 1966 (from https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/40924-vietnam-beogam-patterns/page/16/&tab=comments#comment-254576).

South Vietnam, 1966 (from https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/40924-vietnam-beogam-patterns/page/16/&tab=comments#comment-254576).

Disclaimer: The objects, images, text, and all other content presented by kommandopost.com are intended purely for informational and historical archival purposes. Objects featured come from the site owner's personal collection unless otherwise stated and no endorsement for ideology, tactics, policies, etc. of their current and former historical users is implied by their inclusion on this website. Sources for information, including primary sources, secondary research, and eyewitness accounts, are provided and cited whenever possible. These must be taken in the context of the historical period they were created in. If you cannot handle this, please discontinue browsing kommandopost.com.