Did the soldiers in the Vietnam war wear camo fatigues?

Question

Im doing an act for a talent show to show how much I love my father who faught in the war. I'm singing "Goodnight Saigon" and trying to figure out what else I should wear. I have a Steel helmet that I plan to use, but Im not sure of what else. Thank you very much for your help.
-Wonko

Answer 1

Viet WAR predated camos?
What and the hell did I wear a, loin cloth?
Three types of camos in nam. the standard multi green splotches and what we called Tiger Stripes and later on a variety of the first with some multi colors tan brown greens etc.
The tiger srtipes were favored amoungst my group but in almost all cases we had to buy them from in town.

Most grunts just wore green or od colored pants green t-s and shirts. If you were lucky enough you got to wear a booney hat and not a helmet,
The booney hat was a flop hat you could dunk in a stream or pour some of your pecious water on to keep your head cool. Even if you had to pee on it to do so some times we did. Remember temps almost reached 130 degrees.
Get some pics of viet vets demonstrating and see a booney hat. Don't forget the dog tags, and while they may look good hanging on your neck it was only the REMFs who wore them that way. Most of the REMF Saigon commandos wore just the plain ol military fatigues and if air force some wore the lt blue pants and shirts and navy same.
No one except an oficer or newby wore their dress unis and only in rear areas as charlie, my times, would just love to target an officer.
When with Yards and Hmungs some times we wore native clothes. Night ambushes best wear good ol pajama blacks or dark black green tiger stripes.
Be better off by dressing as a bar girl with their nice tight form fititng pants with over thrown form fitted upper bodices and slit sides of dress botoms.flowing dresses of sheer fabric or shiny silken with slits up to the smell, like they in the citys wore.
That is about the only thing I remember the Saigon commandos fighting over.
You can still find tiger stripes in some old Army surplus stores and try looking at a website called ww.cheaperthandirt.com. Viet Era boots can be found real cheap.
Tuck the od green blouse in at waist if wearing regular fatigues but the most common pants were baggy multi pockets tucked in top of boots and one wore loose fitting blouse of pockets open at throat to almost groin outside of pants. if lucky or stupid they wore neck chains with tiger tooth,dog tags some real some fake or as one unit I knew viper or cobra fangs on a wrist bracelet., wear a dark green od belt with a slip on brass belt buckle in front. dark emblems of rank and units the flashy ones were only at first but shone too much for booney usage.
The other popular head coverig in nam was a wet tee tied around head.
Most grunts tho wore the standard metal with liner helmets and they are cheap but just get a liner cheaper yet.Men wore brush to break up outline stuck in camo cover of cloth. and don't forget the card, to each his own, peace symbol or cuss words written upon it. od bottle of bug juice,

Answer 2

Vietnam Jungle Fatigues

Answer 3

No, not the ones you're thinking of. The camouflage fatigues you see at stores now are the BDUs - those weren't introduced until the 1980s.

Late during the Vietnam war there was a type of camouflaged uniform called ERDL. It's the cut of the green Vietnam era fatigues (the kind with the slanted pockets), in a camouflage pattern that is similar to that of the BDU, but not the same.

This is what the ERDL pattern looks like -
http://www.mooremilitaria.com/ERDL%20001.jpg

Versus the modern BDU pattern -
http://www.militarysupplyhouse.com/images/shirts/us/bdu_woodland_shirt.jpg

The uniform most commonly worn in Vietnam were the olive drab (green) jungle fatigues. Those consisted of a pair of trousers the cut of BDU trousers and a jacket with slanted chest pockets.

You can purchase the OD green pants at most surplus stores. The current made ones have minor differences to the Vietnam era ones, but will work for a stage production. The blouse may be a little more difficult. You can try a surplus store, or you can buy a reproduction one online (but they're expensive).

This is the kind you want, with the slanted pockets -
http://www.mooremilitaria.com/2nd%20Pattern%20Coat%201.JPG

A good place for reproduction Vietnam stuff is www.mooremilitaria.com

Answer 4

There was more than 1. The old OG 107 utilities were around a long time. I think they went thru a few changes from the Korean War up to the BDU's in 81. The big pocket shirt out style seen in photo's on combat units were jungle fagigues. Don't know what the designation was. They came in the same OG 107 (OG is Olive Green, 107 is the shade) We had guys comeing in with a cotton poly version in late 75. The cotton stuff I had needed starch or daily ironing to keep out of trouble in many units. Duffle bag press got me in trouble more than once. When done up with heavy starch they would last all week for guys like me sitting at a work bench. We would starch the Field Jackets too. Am not sure but think the designation was something like Shirt, Field Utility, OG 107. It would be on the collar tag.

Answer 5

Regular Army and Marines wore olive drab solid fatigues. Special forces wore OD greens and tiger stripe fatigues.

Answer 6

They wore olive drag fatigues to be exact. Pockets everywhere just like the camo fatigues.

Answer 7

No. THe Vietnam War pre-dated camouflage fabric.

Answer 8

Green camoflage fatigues so they could blend in with the jungle.

Answer 9

Green fatigues. not camo