hawkdriver Posted February 17, 2009 Share #1 Posted February 17, 2009 This uniform belongs to a friend of mine that was a Navy guy that got stationed with a Marine unit in '63. He was given an issue of equipment to include this uniform set. He wore it once and it was so hot that he never wore it again. Later, a friend asked to borrow the uniform so that he could wear it to his Navy Reserve drills and did so for some time, stencilling his name on the back. When my friend recovered the uniform, it had been worn and faded. It has been in his closet since. I asked today if I could take pictures and he agreed, so here it is. I didn't find any tags. Sewing seemed professional, chain stitched seams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted February 17, 2009 Share #2 Posted February 17, 2009 HD Did your friend give you a time frame for his wearing of this set by chance ? Sorry Your post answered my question . I was looking at the set not your writing . What I meant was .... Was it ok to wear the set State side and during what years ? owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkdriver Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted February 17, 2009 Owen, I don't think I have ever seen you that tongue tied. I am guessing as he didn't really tell me, but my guess is mid 70's based on the Navy unit he was talking about and what I know of his history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted February 17, 2009 Share #4 Posted February 17, 2009 Nice set. Main reason these were hot to wear was they made them out of shelter half material.Not really an issue item but tailor made. I have a shirt from around 1963-or 64 as the guy was an early Marine in Viet Nam in 66.He had been in okinawa also prior to Viet Nam.He didnt remember having the shirt made.It is more the WW2 frog skin pattern of the marines opposed to the Mitchell.I also have a set of Tigers from him and all his dress uniforms and some jungle fatiques too. I do have a USMC cover that is done in Mitchell pattern shelter half material. RON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted February 17, 2009 Share #5 Posted February 17, 2009 The set shown is a typical Okinawa tailor shop made set. Maybe the unit had ordered sets for everyone, but they were not a official issue uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkdriver Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted February 17, 2009 I hope that I didn't lead anyone to believe that this was ever a issued uniform. I should have probably made that statement from the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmiraldi67 Posted February 17, 2009 Share #7 Posted February 17, 2009 I remeber a story of a Okinawan retailer who planned on making it big in the US hunting market and made these uniforms from old shelter halves. Unfortunatley they never sold, so he sold them on Oki to Marines and SF guys, which is where you see most of them other than early Nam advisors, mostley wearing the shirts with OD trousers, but they are really hot and dont breath!!! thats just what I remember There are some great pix of Sgt Duarte, a SF advisor to the ARVN rangers in 1962, wearing one of these jackets with a beret OD trousers and the post WWII brown and green jungle boots with the double buckels, P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earlymb Posted February 17, 2009 Share #8 Posted February 17, 2009 Great uniform! Greetz David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted February 17, 2009 Share #9 Posted February 17, 2009 HD You have an exiting set there . Thanks for the info !!! I was excited !!! owen . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pluto Posted February 17, 2009 Share #10 Posted February 17, 2009 Here is an example cut as a 4-pocket jungle jacket, with epaulettes. Lined with OD parachute nylon. Perfect for a hot climate. Buttons are a mixture of VN cut-edge and US issue. Construction is fairly primitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolman Posted February 17, 2009 Share #11 Posted February 17, 2009 i'v seen one of those mitchell uniforms in athens when i was a little kid around 1982 or 83 & reallly impressed me as i found a fantastic match to my mithell helmet cover...but for some reason...probably luck of money back then i did'nt get it... i remember a tailors civilian style tag on the inside...apparently the material was heavy shelter half but the garment was not military...the shop was full of vietnam staff of any kind...*very common surplus staff back then from the american military bases in greece*...and many jones hats cammo & plain OD Aussie style with snap to rise up the sides up & the patch KORAT...WHAT WAS THAT "KORAT" THING? not KOREA...just KORAT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolman Posted February 17, 2009 Share #12 Posted February 17, 2009 i dont know if these hats were originals but 30 years back & with the hobby of collecting militaria not yet discovered they were probably originals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolman Posted February 17, 2009 Share #13 Posted February 17, 2009 old veterans that sent to the *american force greece* had their previous tour in SE asia so they brought their tropical uniform in greece Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tucker Posted February 17, 2009 Share #14 Posted February 17, 2009 This uniform was worn by an SF White Star/Hot Foot vet in the late 1950's early 1960's. He also had a black French made beret with American jump wings pinned to it. Seeing this thread has helped me with the Mitchell jacket but what are the pants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted February 17, 2009 Share #15 Posted February 17, 2009 i'v seen one of those mitchell uniforms in athens when i was a little kid around 1982 or 83 & reallly impressed me as i found a fantastic match to my mithell helmet cover...but for some reason...probably luck of money back then i did'nt get it... i remember a tailors civilian style tag on the inside...apparently the material was heavy shelter half but the garment was not military...the shop was full of vietnam staff of any kind...*very common surplus staff back then from the american military bases in greece*...and many jones hats cammo & plain OD Aussie style with snap to rise up the sides up & the patch KORAT...WHAT WAS THAT "KORAT" THING? not KOREA...just KORAT Thailand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted February 17, 2009 Share #16 Posted February 17, 2009 Pluto . Your jacket is a one of a kind . You ARE the lucky man . Mike Your trousers stump me . It is the first time I have seen this print of this pattern . The cut is of course US WW2 Herring bone camouflage trouser , I wonder if they are a Viet attempt at a copy ,late 50s ?? Are the buttons Viet type .? Great colors on these bad boys . They are rich . Maybee Japanese as they dont look US manufactured . These would benifit from a little inspection . owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tucker Posted February 17, 2009 Share #17 Posted February 17, 2009 Qwen, I will take some close-up photos of the buttons. Anything elase while I am doing photography! The jacket buttons look like the 1st pattern jungle jacket buttons; shiny plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobilestrikeforce Posted February 18, 2009 Share #18 Posted February 18, 2009 Nice jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted February 18, 2009 Share #19 Posted February 18, 2009 This is an earlier version of a tailor made camo uniform. It is made similar to the USMC P42 camo pattern and the material was a WW2 era USMC / USN camo poncho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted February 18, 2009 Share #20 Posted February 18, 2009 This uniform was worn by an SF White Star/Hot Foot vet in the late 1950's early 1960's. He also had a black French made beret with American jump wings pinned to it. Seeing this thread has helped me with the Mitchell jacket but what are the pants? Mike, I have a pair of the trousers that matches your shirt but was never lucky enough to find the shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolman Posted February 18, 2009 Share #21 Posted February 18, 2009 early marine recons in nam 1965-66 period used mitchel tailors made uniforms & mitchell helmet covers as an improvised beret like thing!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolman Posted February 18, 2009 Share #22 Posted February 18, 2009 my opinion is that mitchell pattern is the best jungle cammo ever maded...the colours & the way they blend together is a perfect match for a thick jungle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmiraldi67 Posted February 18, 2009 Share #23 Posted February 18, 2009 early marine recons in nam 1965-66 period used mitchel tailors made uniforms & mitchell helmet covers as an improvised beret like thing!!! I beg to differ!! Ive seen the photos you speak of and thats all on Oki!!! Leroy Thopson, whos books those pix appear in is a complete fraud!! Ive talked with the Marine Historical groups and members of the Force Recon assn and they all say the same thing, never saw outside of Oki. When the Marines got to Nam they obtained Tigerstripe and the Leopard fatigues. And ask any Marine, he'll tell you a beret is a sign of weakness LOL You'll see marines wearing the WWII style rain hats before you see em wearing a helmet cover as a beret in combat!! P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coolman Posted February 18, 2009 Share #24 Posted February 18, 2009 I beg to differ!! Ive seen the photos you speak of and thats all on Oki!!! Leroy Thopson, whos books those pix appear in is a complete fraud!! Ive talked with the Marine Historical groups and members of the Force Recon assn and they all say the same thing, never saw outside of Oki. When the Marines got to Nam they obtained Tigerstripe and the Leopard fatigues.And ask any Marine, he'll tell you a beret is a sign of weakness LOL You'll see marines wearing the WWII style rain hats before you see em wearing a helmet cover as a beret in combat!! P oh ok...i did'nt know that yes i'v seen the leroy thompsons colour plate but i'v seen also a picture with the same staff but i did'nt know that it was okinawa... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwmiraldi67 Posted February 18, 2009 Share #25 Posted February 18, 2009 oh ok...i did'nt know that yes i'v seen the leroy thompsons colour plate but i'v seen also a picture with the same staff but i did'nt know that it was okinawa... Hey No problem I was going go back and edit my post, I didnt want to come across as an jearkhead! , sorry if it sounded that way. Yea I really hate those books he did, puts out alot of bad information for sure!!! The only good part of it was the AFSP since he was one he at least got that part right but I agreee the maple leaf/Mitchel pattern is a pretty cool and under rated camo pattern for sure!!!! thanks, paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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