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"Woodland" reenactors?


Sabrejet
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I'm just curious as to whether there are any groups out there who re-enact the late Cold War era when the US Army wore Woodland BDUs? I don't recall ever seeing such a group. This of course would include the operations in Lebanon, Panama and Grenada etc. Thank you. :think:

 

( BTW, if you belong to such a group, please feel free to add some pics of your impressions...thanks!)

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Also dont forget that not all of those who went to desert shield and desert storm also wore woodlands as we were only issued one set of choc chips.

Mack

meon50cal.jpg

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Also dont forget that not all of those who went to desert shield and desert storm also wore woodlands as we were only issued one set of choc chips.

Mack

meon50cal.jpg

 

That's the thing...I've seen reeancters in desert camo gear, Gulf War style, but not in woodland! Maybe it's not regarded as being "cool" enough? :think:

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Yeah man - 2 sets of DCUs for the 8 months I was there w/ 3/505 - we did pack one set of BDUs in out A-Bags, only thime we used them was once for an OPFOR detail while training in Saudi in Sept '90

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HGButtentee

Actually I have seen the woodland era becoming more common with the airsoft /reenactors ( if you want to call them that).

 

I have seen some very nice "Impressions", not only SF but standard "TA50 Reenactment".

 

I think it is getting more and more popular and if we start to consider the PASGT Helmet to be an "old" one this era is starting to become collectable.

 

For me it has been already for a while...

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Actually I have seen the woodland era becoming more common with the airsoft /reenactors ( if you want to call them that).

 

I have seen some very nice "Impressions", not only SF but standard "TA50 Reenactment".

 

I think it is getting more and more popular and if we start to consider the PASGT Helmet to be an "old" one this era is starting to become collectable.

 

For me it has been already for a while...

 

Thanks for that info.

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YES!

 

I'm working on a project to do this, as I also currently put on an annual display at Beltring. First year we did USMC in Saipan (1944), last year we did Operation Gothic Serpent and we will be expanding it this year to do more of the same. Have most of the gear gear for Panama, Grenada etc and plan to do that sometime as well.

 

We try and educate people about the REAL story behind some of the more unknown recent conflicts the US has been involved in. Save for a basic knowledge through a handful of films, much of the public have no idea about the more recent history between Vietnam and the current conflicts. We hope to change this.

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YES!

 

I'm working on a project to do this, as I also currently put on an annual display at Beltring. First year we did USMC in Saipan (1944), last year we did Operation Gothic Serpent and we will be expanding it this year to do more of the same. Have most of the gear gear for Panama, Grenada etc and plan to do that sometime as well.

 

We try and educate people about the REAL story behind some of the more unknown recent conflicts the US has been involved in. Save for a basic knowledge through a handful of films, much of the public have no idea about the more recent history between Vietnam and the current conflicts. We hope to change this.

 

Hey Possum...no kidding? Right on my own doorstep, so to speak! You must PM me your pitch number nearer the time so I can stop by and look you up in June!

 

Ian :thumbsup:

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willysmb44

As you said, there are a few folks into the first Gulf War (like my Desert Storm group which was formed mostly for 2011). Airsoft people do that timeframe from time to time, I took part in a Panama scenario once, but it was very cheesy. Seeing that woodland just got phased out completely within the US military very recently, I don’t see an interest level taking place for quite a while yet. The WW2 display group I belong to sometimes does timeline events and several of us have good impressions other than WW2. I’ve made it known that I can easily do DS or pre-9/11 Army. I still have all my issued gear from my active duty days and have a AR that looks exactly like my issued M-16A2. I could re-create this photo any time I want as I still have all this gear and equipment, the only difference is I’d be a little more than 10 years older:

MeM16sA.jpg

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I hear what you say about woodland being too recent...but DCU is at least as recent but, as your group attests, there are people out there already doing Gulf War impressions/displays. Operation "Urgent Fury" (Grenada) is already 29 years ago (and how scary is that!? :o ) so there's some scope for historical impressions I suppose....after all, it marked the combat debut of the K-Pot! There'll come a time when future collectors will covet woodland BDUs just as we do WW2 camo HBTs today! :lol:

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msgt norway

i do woodland reenact :thumbsup:

 

but im in norway and pretty alone with my us military hobby at my place :(

 

now im in the start of a lebanon photo shoot.

 

cheers ken,norway

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i do woodland reenact :thumbsup:

 

but im in norway and pretty alone with my us military hobby at my place :(

 

now im in the start of a lebanon photo shoot.

 

cheers ken,norway

 

Feel free to post your pics here Ken! :thumbsup:

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ASMIC2971

One reason we dont see these groups is because unlike the current ACU pattern, BDU's actually blend into the backround foilage :D

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  • 3 weeks later...
Also dont forget that not all of those who went to desert shield and desert storm also wore woodlands as we were only issued one set of choc chips.

Mack

Yeah man - 2 sets of DCUs for the 8 months I was there w/ 3/505 - we did pack one set of BDUs in out A-Bags, only thime we used them was once for an OPFOR detail while training in Saudi in Sept '90

Our unit deployed from Germany in 1990 with 4 sets of woodland BDUs. We were told we'd get issued desert uniforms when we got to Saudi Arabia.

 

I think everybody had one set by the time we left, but they were issued piecemeal (a couple soldiers here, a few more later, some 6-color desert BDUs, some 3-color desert BDUs, etc)

 

That being said, some of my peers wore woodland BDUs the whole time over there . .

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Since we were only issued one set of the Desert 6 color it would have been much more common to see woodlands. No 6 color desert helmet covers were issued to us and some got Flak vest covers. It was actually funny to see someone in 6 color bdu's and flak vest cover topped off with a woodland helmet. We also were not issued Desert boots till the last week before we deployed home and were ordered not to wear them until the flight home.

Mack

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willysmb44

Mack's post is an excellent example of how in Desert Storm, each unit almost got their own individual uniform or supply. While researching DS uniforms for the anniversary last year, I found that uniforms and equipment varied almost down to the company level. My living history group decided to go with all desert camo so the public had a chance of recognizing it. And there was ample evidence to support that many units got all the 'chocolate chip' stuff, but that very few had desert boots until the very end (if then). DS was very well covered at the time and many books geared to modelers came out during the Desert Shield buildup. These books and newspaper photos prior to the actual invasion proved this point out.

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Also it would seem to be that the units that were scrambled and arrived over there first were not as well equipped as units that arrived later. My Unit arrived at King Fahd airport on August 21st 1991 and it was chaos. We didnt know where we going. Didnt know if we were going to an airfield or on the line to serve a light Marine company. Luckily for us we went to Bahrain, if Saddam had rolled across the Saudi border we would have been a speed bump. We did not have tents with us and lived on the A/C wash rack for a couple of days then the car port for a couple more before MWSS-373 started to show up with equipment. It was almost 2 weeks without a shower in 100 plus temps 90% humidity. So if you are doing early Desert Shield than salt stained uniforms should be the norm. As things leveled out we got more comforts regular showers and a laundry setup. I cannot speak to others as this was my little slice of the time.

Mack

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Interesting topic. I missed out on DS as I was trapped stateside at Fort Rucker during the transfer freeze that went into place, but I would like to see a DS group. Just for old times sake if nothing else.

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  • 5 weeks later...

As i said before... REMEMBER will do a reenactment for the Operation JUST CAUSE and the drop of the 2nd Battalion at

RIO HATO on the 20th of December 1989 H-hour 0103

here you can see teh typical loadout of a RANGER "Maggot" all explosives/weapon and ammo are neutralised-demilitarised or dummy

post-64352-1340358776.jpg

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