Vietnam EDRL Uniform Find

[MinorInHistory]

Hello everyone,

 

I got this at a sale, and I thought it was pretty cool. What types of units used these patterns and when were they adopted? The estate I got this one from was of a Vietnam era Marine I believe. This one’s from 1968 right? Any comments are appreciated.

 

Anyway, enjoy! 
 

MinorInHistory

[gwb123]

A nice, clean example. The USMC used these very widely.  For the Army, they were used on a more limited basis: Rangers, Recon or LRRP, Special Forces.  Navy SEALs wore them, as did USAF Security Police.

[jsalberry92]

Yup, 1968. Nice clean early set!

[MinorInHistory]

Thanks! It’s my first camo uniform so I’m really enjoying it! 

[doyler]

By 1970 some of the ERDLs were floating to the more conventional units. I have  a pair of shirts from a 1st Ca vet who served 69-70 I recall.

 

Also have a couple from a Navy vet. 

 

Marines were also getting them but the ega stencil wasnt seen on the pockets or as common until post war. Have a 73 dated erdl shirt from a high school buddy who was issued it in boot camp from stock. He applied the ega on it in boot camp.

[marineflyer]

I arrived in Okinawa in March 69 and was issued 3 sets of GREEN slant pocket utilities without emblems. We applied our own that we got at cash sales. In the early summer all the aviation personnel of the 1st MAW in DaNang were issued erdl utilities like the one pictured none came with emblems. I was sent to 1st Bn 1stMarines ( 1/1) in Sep and all the Regiment had erdl camo slant pocket dungarees. The Marine Corps did not authorize the wear of these in CONUS and were suppose to be turned in on leaving country. I brought home in my footlocker 3 sets of unused erdl utilities. Only woodland utilities straight pocket could be worn in CONUS as the same with the Army and Air Force, all straight pockets. Some A/B and Special Forces Units at FT.Bragg did wear SLANT pocket woodland BDU's.  Marine Air units were still wering erdl utilities slant pocket as late as 73 at the RoseGarden in Thailand. Deployed Marines on ships in the Pacific Theatre wore erdl slant pockets and those deployed in the Atlantic wore woodland. Slant pocket woodland seem to be the hardest to find. Richard

[pwcosol]

Interesting. By the time I got out of boot camp/MOS training, it was late November, 1971 and I headed for HQ Btry 4/10 2nd MD at "Swamps" Lejeune. Was a "cotton sateen Marine" for my entire three year tour and only got to wear ERDLs for about two weeks. That was when I volunteered to go TAD w/6th Marines to 29 Palms, Ca. on a two week exercise in the Mojave desert. We were issued basically used (often ratty) ERDLS for the duration. However, upon completion and before a weekend of liberty was granted, every set of ERDLs had to be turned in and accounted for or no one was going anyplace... like they were royal garments or something!

[doyler]

As I mentioned above I have a set of camos issued to a friend of mine who I went to school with. He was a couple grades senior to me. He went into the Marines when he graduated in 1979. When he came home on leave he knew I was into military stuff and asked if I needed anything for my collection. I said a set of camos you wore. He gave me a jacket and trouser. The jacket was ERDL and dated 1973 with slant pockets. It was what collectors call  "brown dominant"  the trousers were dated 78 or  79. I mentioned to him the date of 1973 and the jacket was Vietnam era. He just smiled and said thats what they gave me. I still have the set. I will post the jacket. 

 

Fellow collector I travel with served with the Marines in 70-71 with HMM 262. He was also issued ERDLs and sent home a couple unused sets.

[pwcosol]

Nice discussion on the ERDL fatigues. Forgot to add, I never heard this reference [ERDL] until joining this forum. The only names I ever heard these referred to were either "cammies" or "jungle fatigues"...

[MinorInHistory]

On 9/7/2021 at 3:03 PM, marineflyer said:

I arrived in Okinawa in March 69 and was issued 3 sets of GREEN slant pocket utilities without emblems.

 

On 9/7/2021 at 6:23 PM, pwcosol said:

Was a "cotton sateen Marine" for my entire three year tour and only got to wear ERDLs for about two weeks.

Very interesting details from y’all who had them in the service. Out of curiosity, did you prefer them to the standard olive jungle fatigues? 

[marineflyer]

As to your question about preference. Anything clean was fine. But seriously the leaf pattern did make you a little more obscure in the area I was in but the GREEN flak jacket messed that up if you wore it. For every day marines I don't think it mattered afterall in the Wing we were in flight suits and gear all the time. Special ops people I think it mattered.