Early BDU Camo Shirt, Real Issue or Aftermarket?

[AndyUSMC]

I recently got this along with a bunch of other uniforms from a retired Navy Chief that taught land survival in Pensacola Fl to flight students. I was wondering if this was an early BDU camo shirt or an aftermarket item. He did wear it while on duty in the early 1980s.

Thanks

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

The "RN" number lets us know it was civilian.

[12A54]

Other keys: exposed pocket buttons, small collar. The first woodland BDUs had very large collars that were later scaled down.

[RustyCanteen]

The first woodland BDUs had very large collars that were later scaled down.

 

 

Ah yes, the 'Elvis' collars! I'm still not sure how that ended up in a field uniform.

 

RC

[MattS]

Hunting shirt.

[Martinjmpr]

Yup the exposed buttons on the pockets and on the front closure are a giveaway. BDUs always had concealed buttons everywhere except the top button on the collar and the two wrist cuff buttons. Also the 2nd gen BDU (I think it was the 2nd - introduced around 1985) had waist adjustment tabs with exposed buttons. But the pocket buttons were ALWAYS hidden. Also the upper pockets are pointed at the bottom and don't have the expansion folds that BDU pockets have.