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Vietnam US NAVY Jungle Top. Desirable?


mds308
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I found a late Vietnam jungle top with mamason shortened sleeves. As is, does this USN jungle top have any increased desirability? Also, there is a separate inside flap that has two buttons securing it in place. I don't think I've ever seen a jungle top with a flap like this. Then again, I havn't seen all jungle tops. I could not get any history on the original owner. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

 

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Definitely much harder to find that the Army ones, nice top with theater made name tapes

I agree. A USN collector will want this. This is one of the harder to find patterns.

 

It would have been originally issued with long sleeves. The USN and USAF tended to cut them down to short sleeves.

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That is a nice find for Vietnam collectors. Not rare, but not all that common anymore.

 

Speaking of shortened sleeves on USN and USAF uniforms at the time, several years ago I found a shirt with cut down sleeves like this that still have a 1970s dated resale shop price tag on it. Someone coming home probably sold what they did not want, and it took 40 years for a collector to recognize it. It was like a time capsule.

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Thanks to all for your comments. As for the altered sleeves, it would be hard to miss unless you are Stevie Wonder. Not only were they shortened but the work was sub par. Maybe mamason was having a bad day.

 

 

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Thanks to all for your comments. As for the altered sleeves, it would be hard to miss unless you are Stevie Wonder. Not only were they shortened but the work was sub par. Maybe mamason was having a bad day.

 

 

 

More likely the work of an individual sailor.

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I apologize for the possible slur to all mamason's and any 'in theater' worker. I have seen some incredible stuff. I'm with you Gil. Probably a first timer on a machine. It looks like something I would produce given a Singer and a few bourbon & gingerales. The only difference is my work would come with blood stains.

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Years ago, I had a buddy who was one of the original USN Riverine Forces in VN. He told me that when they went in, they were wearing dungarees and Boon Dockers, like every other Sailor if the day. They quickly started acquiring Army uniforms and boots, as they were receiving support from the Army. The Navy has no regs about Greens, so they made stuff up as they went along (after all, what are they gonna do, send them to Vietnam ??). Mamma sans cranked out name tapes. He told me they wore Army Rank insignia as the Navy insignia was hard for the Army guys to figure out. Especially with the first 3 grades not wearing anything.

 

Anyway, looks like this guy did this on the unit sewing machine. Most units had them, usually Singers from the 1940s one ship I was on, our machine was dated 1942. This was late 1970s. They were heavy industrial machines, intended to repair canvas and light leather. Setting the tension on them for sewing clothing was an acquired skill. Also, learning how to properly fell seams ?? Then again, to this Sailor, this shirt was Issue, most likely was not going to last all that long in the heat and damp anyway, and be tossed when he rotated out.

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As someone who recently shortened sleeves on a jungle jacket it's a pain in the arse to hem and sew so that it looks good because of the ways the sleeves are made.

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