DESERT STORM DCU'S

[atb]

atb, excuse my ignorance, but how come I noticed some armored divisions like to apply patch above Army tape instead of left arm like most of divisions do? I've seen some of BDUs like that.

 

Here is an extract from this forum written by CaptCav. The old thread has some other information, too.

CaptCavApr 13 2008, 01:51 PM

Wellll, the "Old Army Legend" that went around the Army in the 1950s....... when Patton commanded the 2d Armd Div at Fort Benning at the beginning of WWII: he required that everyone in the 2AD wear the 2AD triangle on their left breast (over their heart). Supposedly, this was to instill loyalty to the division. I know the 2AD continued this practice well into the early 1980s.

Tank battalions, on the other hand were a different matter. After WWII, separate tk bns became a thing of the past. From then on, they were usually a subordinate unit of a major command ( ie a div). Hence, the div SSI was worn on the left sleeve; and the tank battalions (which were no longer authorized a triangle), wore them over the left or right breast pocket.

[316th FS 324th FG]

Here's one of me at SOCCENT HQ, King Fahd Airfield in about Oct 90.

 

Bill, nice shot! Like the Mark II knife as well. How well did it stay in the sheath inverted?

[USMCRECON]

Bill, nice shot! Like the Mark II knife as well. How well did it stay in the sheath inverted?

It has a leather safety strap that goes over the hand guard and snaps on the sheath. I put the leather lanyard under the strap and when the strap was snapped down, it held the knife in securely but still allowed quick removal in the event I needed to do so. It would not have held it in the event of a parachute jump, though, and I would have had to relocate it.

[USMCRECON]

I think I may have posted on another thread some time ago. This is a chocolate chip anorak that I was given when I went to join the Kuwaitis. I believe they got a bunch of these from a US supplier. I had the parachute riggers add a Velcro patch to the chest for my name tag and two squared to the wrists (black Vencro) because the original adjusters made the wrist too tight. It has a tie string around the hood and elastic string adjusters at the waist and bottom of the skirt.

 

 

 

[panzerwerk]

My only patched 6 color was given to me by my friend , its completley stripped except for the unit patch .

 

[316th FS 324th FG]

Adding a couple to the thread - 1st Cav

[316th FS 324th FG]

1st Armored

[316th FS 324th FG]

1st AD Chaplain

[BEAST]

I just picked these up last week in Georgia. Thought it was unusual to see the same person issued the 6 color and the DCU. BTW the DCU has the waist tabs.

 

 

[BEAST]

His DCU:

 

 

[TrenchfootJoe66]

A lot of the units sent to Desert Storm from Germany never received DBDU's in theater. One friend of mine was issued a pair as he was leaving to wear to the homecoming ceremony. There were a lot of bad feelings about the headquarters types in Riyadh all being outfitted in desert camouflage while troops on the front lines were still in woodland BDU's!

 

Bill

Spot on Bill. My unit didnt get DBDU's until they got back. Spent the time in theatre in woodland MOPP suits and BDU's.

[HoovieDude]

Spot on Bill. My unit didnt get DBDU's until they got back. Spent the time in theatre in woodland MOPP suits and BDU's.

 

We had a three sets issued in CONUS before we shipped. I think being one of the early units to go was on our side in that regard. So we also had BDU's aplenty being worn. Really got bad after a couple months though, with the friggin QM loosing everyones laundry, and the troop was to the point of looking like a real motley crew. One of my buddies was down to the night camo overtrousers, a BDU top, and his Nomex "Tankers" jacket before the supply chain could catch up and re-issue some items in a limited "oh snap" basis!! We didn't get the boots until we pulled back into Saudi, or until back in Conus for the parades. Like you said though, all the REMFS back in Saudi were dressed to the T's.

 

Most of us wisened up though, a did our own laundry the old fashioned way.

[airborne1968]

My only patched 6 color was given to me by my friend , its completley stripped except for the unit patch .

 

 

Contrary to popular belief, true Army Desert Shield/Desert Storm desert Battle Dress Uniforms (DBDU not DCU) will look stripped because the AR 670-1 of the time states only pin on badges and rank were permitted for wear. There were very few exceptions to this rule, one being uniforms for soldiers in the 82nd Airborne Division. Additionally, non subdued US flags were not worn on DS/DS DBDUs.

[snake36bravo]

Got this one this weekend. First time I've seen a Navy stenciled one. Usually I encounter USMC or Army.

[snake36bravo]

Good strong stencil.

[HoovieDude]

Contrary to popular belief, true Army Desert Shield/Desert Storm desert Battle Dress Uniforms (DBDU not DCU) will look stripped because the AR 670-1 of the time states only pin on badges and rank were permitted for wear. There were very few exceptions to this rule, one being uniforms for soldiers in the 82nd Airborne Division. Additionally, non subdued US flags were not worn on DS/DS DBDUs.

 

 

True that. But these that Steve mention are stripped minus the SSI. No name or BOS tapes. Thats what he is inferring. They were used post deployment on some used BDU's that were picked up from DRMO for the "field" sets

 

And you bring up a good point too, on these getting called DCU's all the time. Never heard the term back then and DBDU was a mouthful to say, lol. We just called them "deserts" or "chocolate chips".

[HoovieDude]

Sorry, triple post. Gotta love MWR internet!

[HoovieDude]

Ditto

[Philip]

And you bring up a good point too, on these getting called DCU's all the time. Never heard the term back then and DBDU was a mouthful to say, lol. We just called them "deserts" or "chocolate chips".

True, common mistake.

 

I think the 10th mountain shirt was used in Somalia.

[luft]

Here it's my reinforced 6 color jacket, possibly used by a marine, because no patches was sewn on it. Have too matching type trousers (dated 1983) with reinforcements on the butt and on knees, in nice condition (surely worn 1 or twice only)

 

 

 

 

Thierry

[paulyp99]

My first six color desert storm uniform. It's FORSCOM it never had a name tape, it's date 1981

[mayralphie]

Desert storm uniform shirts.

[airborne1968]

Desert storm uniform shirts.

 

The 8th ID was deactivated in long ago and wasn't around for Desert Storm and was definitely not around when we started wearing flags under our former combat unit SSI. Likely a throw together.

 

Does anyone have a set of the choclate chips (DBDU) made in the RDF uniform cut? I've know of two examples.

 

I would also like to know if any Desert Storm vet was actually issued the DBDU without the reinforced elbow patches? If so when was is issued, where was it issued to you, when was it issued/when did you ship over to Saudi Arabia, and what type of unit were you in?

[mayralphie]

8th Infantry Div. was around and did not deactivate till after desert Storm. I will send pictures of 8th I.D. in Chocolate chip uniforms in Iraq during Desert Storm. They were assigned to other Armored and Artillery units in Desert Storm.

[mayralphie]