37 replies to this topic

[Jason_Hardy]

I recently acquired the collection of Ben Conrad Baker who was the head of the Counter Insurgency Support Office (CISO) during the Vietnam War. The organization supplied specific items to Special Forces, Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MAC V SOG) and other government agency. The veteran managed to hold on to allot of items after the unit was closed in 1975. In the grouping was this prototype Tiger Stripe camouflage fatigue / uniform set that are tagged and dated October 1965. 

[vintageproductions]

Jason's photos:

 

 

 

 

 

[vintageproductions]

Just the fact of the name that is written in the neck makes this even better then it just being from Baker..

[Spike]

Got to see this in person, an amazing set.

[doyler]

Jason

 

Amazing set.

 

Cant imagine whats in the collection.

 

Thanks for sharing

[Allan H.]

A stunner! Are the trousers similarly marked? It just doesn't get any better does it?

 

Allan

[vintageproductions]

Waiting for the pics of the trousers to get to me and I will load them here.

 

This is the first sample that was ever made on Okinawa and then all others, after this point, have an origin in this set.

[doyler]

That tag saying 1 of 3 is classic,name and date,Dont get better than that.

[vintageproductions]

 

 

 

 

 

[vintageproductions]

 

 

 

[doyler]

Your gonna give Owen wet pants with this one.....  

[paul_bish]

very WOW! fantastic stuff Jason

[koreamike]

Those are  beautiful  thanks for showing them

[Beau-Brummel]

Absolutely Incredible, thank you Jason.

[Bryant U.]

Awesome Jason. Thanks for posting.

[warpath]

If you have to have one set of Tiger Stripes, this is it!

[Mike Force]

Thats awesome! Thanks for posting!

[vintageproductions]

I'm with Ed, if there is one set to have this is it.

 

Wait until the rest of the items Jason bought from Baker start getting sorted out. I saw items that I never thought I would see, even in books, but got to hold in my hands.

[kammo-man]

This is mid war.

 

Tigers had already been in the field for 7 years.

 

So its a cut sample.

[vintageproductions]

Well everyone is entitled to their opinion but for the first issue set of tiger stripes to Special Forces / SOG, this set and it's two identical cousins, were the first ones made, and tagged by the manufacturer as samples to be presented to Baker for approval.

[Zirni]

Absolutely superb!!!
It s a real historical evidence which provides a yet unknown fact.
Thanks very much for sharing.

Zirni

[Beau-Brummel]

Yes, I think that's right, the first to be supplied to SOG/SF through CISO contract.  I believe CISO came about In late 63 and I always thought they probably wouldn't be up to speed for some time and probably Initially concerned themselves with weapons acquisition etc.

 

As Owen says tigers had been fielded for several years by that point so I would assume pre 65 acquisitions were made at a small unit and even personal level.  When you look at the 66 photos of MGF there seems to be quite some uniformity so I'm guessing these 65 contracts were well on stream by that point.

Well everyone is entitled to their opinion but for the first issue set of tiger stripes to Special Forces / SOG, this set and it's two identical cousins, were the first ones made, and tagged by the manufacturer as samples to be presented to Baker for approval.

Edited by Beau-Brummel, 12 May 2016 - 12:37 PM.

[Beau-Brummel]

Sorry, forgot to say, Jason, please show us more, PLEASE.

 

I can only make out the contractors name but sadly not his company, are you able to do so in hand Jason.  Are all 3 suits from the same contractor or are these proofs from different companies.  Was there any form of documentation referring to other acquisitions such as headgear etc? 

 

Sorry for all the questions man but WOW!!!!!!!

Edited by Beau-Brummel, 12 May 2016 - 12:49 PM.

[kammo-man]

There is also a beret with the tag.

[wxl155]

Thank you for sharing this set of fantastic tiger and hope to see more from the Ben Baker collection.