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The use of foliage as additional helmet camo.


Sabrejet
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Is it a sojer or a walkin talkin alder bush?

Charlie Airborne, 4th/ 23rd Inf., 172nd Arctic Light Infantry Brigade, Eklutna Glacier, Alaska 1973

 

 

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flashesandovals

The use of cloth helmet covers reduces the shiny/glossy appearance of the helmet.

Adding foliage or scrim is supposed to "break" the distinct round shape and the lower edge of the lid.

Too little will not do that, too much will reveal your presence while moving - often referred to as "a walking bush" (and I do not mean a president).

A lot of present day conflicts are fought in urban terrain, think of MOUT or FIBUA (or whatever it is called today).

While I served as an instructor in these techniques we had the troops make a removable scrim (like a whig) and during urban training they were removed in order not to get caught in barbed wire etc. Your helmet being caught during these operations not only could injure you, but it sure could cause delays and thus casualties in these operations where you often move in single columns and where speed in advance are sometimes priceless.

In any case, one should always adapt to the terrain...

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A colorized photo of a 4th Div Sgt 1953 Germany with Scrim, it's wraped horizontally around the dome with some strips applied vertically. An old timer despite the lower NCO Grade, looks like he's been in a lotta years right! That DI on the pocket flap of his OG Wool shirt may be for the 12th Infantry.

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As for the art and effectiveness of camouflage, ain't nothin' new under the sun! These lines are from Shakespeare's "Macbeth", circa 1599.

 

Messenger: As I was standing watch on the hill, I looked toward Birnam, and I thought I saw the forest begin to move.

 

Macbeth: Liar and slave!

 

Messenger: Punish me if it’s not true. Three miles from here you can see it coming, a moving forest!

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Looks like the actor, Spencer Tracy!

 

 

 

he does look like the actor Spencer Tracy? but the caption from the Life Magazine photo says:

 

Out of a Spider Hole comes Private Robert R. Jones of Fort Ord , This replacement for a trench is an adaptation of a Chinese Army device, plus immitation door of a big California Spider.

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I read a quote by an unknown soldier somewhere sometime which said something like this: " Camouflage is great....until you move!"

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flashesandovals

What is that??? It looks like a segmented burlap cover?

It is made of cut burlap strips that comes in rolls of material. These were intended for the repair of WWII style vehicle cammo nets that were still in use in the 50's and 60's.

I have two 11th ABN yearbooks from that era, one for the 188th Inf and one for the 511th.

It seems to have been a standard procedure since there are several pictures of it.

In some cases the burlap was secured between the shell and the liner, in other cases the were just folded under the elastic cammo band.

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flashesandovals

The roll came both in green and brown. As these pictures are B&W, it is hard to tell which color is being used here.

I have fitted one of my 50's Abn helmets with green strips and it looks really sharp!

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I love the way the 11AB used the burlap covering except for one thing....it covers up their tac marks that i love seeing photos of!... :lol: ...mike

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11TH ABN DIV in Germany, 1956 during Gyroscope

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Here's another similar burlap cover, one worn by SETAF troops in Italy, date and unit unknown, has to be before the SETAF tab was done away with in early February 1962, maybe given the same covers, this Bar man and the others in the photos are actually from the 11th Abn Div up in Germany and was on a TDY unit type thing with SETAF? Or maybe from the 52nd Armored Infantry Battalion, this unit was in Vincenza as a separate unit from August 1956 till June 1958.

 

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Photo from Patch Tabs topic by Seanmc114

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here are two members of the Florida National Guard's 53rd Infantry Brigade during annual training at Camp Blanding in 1975 utilizing local foliage.

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That top GI of the FLANG looks quite wild with those long leaves, from a palm tree it looks :lol:

 

Here's another Florida/Caribbean Camo job

 

Carmen Miranda :D

 

post-34986-0-34187200-1406861521.jpg

 

 

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Here's another one I found....kinda tall and spiky to be of any use in my opinion....unless you're hiding in a pineapple plantation :)

 

Rick

 

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flashesandovals

Here are two members of the Florida National Guard's 53rd Infantry Brigade during annual training at Camp Blanding in 1975 utilizing local foliage.

Just love that 70's Army look!

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