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Vietnam era Army Class C's


ReverendJake
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I have always felt like the short sleeve class C uniform has been a very overlooked uniform. They're a very cheap way to display Vietnam era insignia nicely. I was wondering if maybe any of you guys have any particularly interesting examples or period photos of interesting examples, perhaps thai or vietnamese made or just U.S. made with interesting insignia. I would love to see

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The khakis were a Class B uniform, not Class C. I do not remember calling any uniform a Class C.

Class C was an old WWII catagory, it's also in place today, but in my day, like you, we never said Class C, or B for that matter, it was simply Class As or Khakis, never heard of Khakis called Class Cs or Bs. Do believe this might of come out after I got out, in December 82, when the new Pale Green shirts came more more standard, and were to be worn with the Class A trousers instead of the Khakis.

 

Now @ ReverendJake, what exactly do you plan on putting on this shirt? if that's what you plan to do. The short sleeve Khaki shirt had no shoulder patches, though I do have a photo in an early 60s book of an officer with shoulder patches on his short sleeve shirt, first and only time I ever seen that, love to make a scan to post of that one. In short EM sleeve insignia and or officers ranks and BOS, and what ever DIs or ribbons and special distinctions, like Infantry Rope, French or Belgian Ropes etc, RANGER tab etc.

 

Those worn in Southeast Asia, might have the addition of shoulder patches in the form of a fob/pocket hanger hung from the pocket flap, usually the right side, sometimes a metal facsimile was worn center on the pocket, a Patch Type Crest or a Vietnamese made one of varying sizes and materials, like a flimsly beer can type or a stout steel or one of similar good metal.

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Class C was an old WWII catagory, it's also in place today, but in my day, like you, we never said Class C, or B for that matter, it was simply Class As or Khakis, never heard of Khakis called Class Cs or Bs. Do believe this might of come out after I got out, in December 82, when the new Pale Green shirts came more more standard, and were to be worn with the Class A trousers instead of the Khakis.

 

Now @ ReverendJake, what exactly do you plan on putting on this shirt? if that's what you plan to do. The short sleeve Khaki shirt had no shoulder patches, though I do have a photo in an early 60s book of an officer with shoulder patches on his short sleeve shirt, first and only time I ever seen that, love to make a scan to post of that one. In short EM sleeve insignia and or officers ranks and BOS, and what ever DIs or ribbons and special distinctions, like Infantry Rope, French or Belgian Ropes etc, RANGER tab etc.

 

Those worn in Southeast Asia, might have the addition of shoulder patches in the form of a fob/pocket hanger hung from the pocket flap, usually the right side, sometimes a metal facsimile was worn center on the pocket, a Patch Type Crest or a Vietnamese made one of varying sizes and materials, like a flimsly beer can type or a stout steel or one of similar good metal.

 

Sorry about my mistake, I've always tended to specialize more in WWII than Vietnam. I'm not entirely sure how I want to set up the shirt exactly, but I do know that I would like to make it representative of an officer in the very early 60's in a more obscure MAAG group. Perhaps MAAG Ethiopia, MAAG Iran, or MAAG Taiwan.

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Sorry about my mistake, I've always tended to specialize more in WWII than Vietnam. I'm not entirely sure how I want to set up the shirt exactly, but I do know that I would like to make it representative of an officer in the very early 60's in a more obscure MAAG group. Perhaps MAAG Ethiopia, MAAG Iran, or MAAG Taiwan.

Yeah but on this type of shirt no patches were worn only rank branch of service, DI's if any, and ribbons,qualication/skill badges.Not sure in the MAAGs had pocket hangers in the very early 60s, on the long sleeve shirt yes, shoulder patches were worn.

 

Then there is the correct short sleeve shirt, this one was differant from the ones that came out in 1965.

 

See link below, the pointed pocket flap with pleated pocket would be the type worn by officers in the late 50s early 60s, it was a private purchase, an GI made one avaliable at clothing sales stores, the one below it is the post 1965 type, it's explained more in the topic.

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/122187-when-did-the-army-switch-the-khaki-short-sleeve-shirt/

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post-32632-0-89993700-1414973427.jpg I think I remember them being called class 'B's. Anyway lets give the man what he wants. I'll start at the bottom. I must have worn these once or twice, at least I had a set. Germany, late '70s.
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They were known officially as the Class B uniform. On training schedules they would always tell what class of uniform to wear. As I remember class b was khakis. When I went to Vietnam in May 1968 we traveled in our Class B khakis coming back in 1969 we wear jungle fatiques.

 

sfcmac

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Thank you 12eng and sfcmac for your personal recollections. For me, If I,m lying I,m Dying, I never heard of Khakis as Class B uniform, did wear them a few times in the summer of 1980 at Hood, just told Khakis are to be worn, maybe it was just a Cav thing, Ach Who Knows? :lol::D

 

Any hoo, found this great illustration on the WWII uniform classes. Remember seeing in an old Osprey Men At Arms, the first print of U.S. Army Uniforms WWII from the 70s, that the C in Class C was supposedly to stand for Chinos.

 

post-34986-0-31829000-1414985137.gif

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have always felt like the short sleeve class C uniform has been a very overlooked uniform. They're a very cheap way to display Vietnam era insignia nicely. I was wondering if maybe any of you guys have any particularly interesting examples or period photos of interesting examples, perhaps thai or vietnamese made or just U.S. made with interesting insignia. I would love to see

I'm not sure if this is what you mean, but here is a pic of my uncle's shirt. Next time I see him I will get details and put on the proper insignia.

post-153851-0-02670500-1407366506.jpg
post-153851-0-05585200-1407366507.jpg

Sorry for the small pics! Also a member referred to these as "suntans", for you people arguing on what they are called!

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Any hoo, found this great illustration on the WWII uniform classes. Remember seeing in an old Osprey Men At Arms, the first print of U.S. Army Uniforms WWII from the 70s, that the C in Class C was supposedly to stand for Chinos.

 

Yeah, those old Osprey books are pretty hit or miss when it comes to US uniforms. The C in Class C just stands for the letter of the alphabet that falls between B and D.

 

The uniform classification system has nothing to do with the specific uniforms, but rather the intended function of the uniforms. Class A is the full Service Uniform worn with the Coat. Class B is the Service Uniform worn without the Coat. Class C is basically the summer Service Uniform without Coat, which is either khaki's or the short sleeve AG 415 shirt. Class D is the fatigue/work/field uniform depending on time period, which can be a variety of things from HBT's to BDU's.

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