First pattern jungle jacket Vietnam

[McLenn2025]

Hi to you all :))

 

I found this jacket online and the seller seems to be willing to part with it for 340 USD (it is best offer only). Howevef, I wanted to check if it is really genuine... Especially the Special Forces SSI and the probability of a 101st combat SSI without a second award CIB. What are your thoughts? And is it worth the 340 (I live in Germany)?

 

Cheers,

Jules

[KurtA]

I don’t see anything to suggest it’s not original.  The 101st combat patch is most probably for Vietnam (based on the lower  rank, I doubt it was for WW2 service) so a single award of the CIB is correct (one award per war)

That missing name tape really hurts the value.  Based on that, the price is too high.  

[McLenn2025]

32 minutes ago, KurtA said:

I don’t see anything to suggest it’s not original.  The 101st combat patch is most probably for Vietnam (based on the lower  rank, I doubt it was for WW2 service) so a single award of the CIB is correct (one award per war)

That missing name tape really hurts the value.  Based on that, the price is too high.  

Thank you so much for your response and evaluation :)) I was unsure if the 101st SSI was for Vietnam as the jungle jacket is the early war version, but I thought, that the 101st only got to Vietnam in about 1966 or so, but especially with Vietnam anything is possible with the gear and uniforms.

Thanks for the heads up with the price. I wasn't sure as, living in Germany, even the most basic stuff is kinda expesive if it is from the US, but I will keep that in mind :))

 

Jules

[KurtA]

With so many fakes (and original components being easily available to create put together fakes), it’s best to have credible provenance provided.  

[McLenn2025]

Yeah, I think so, too... Even though the pressing through looks good, one can never now, what techniques there are to alter something (or sew on replacement patches where the ghosting of the original one was)

 

Thank you so much for the input :)

 

Jules

[Jcoll84]

The last two 1st pattern jackets that I have seen sell at auction this year both went for over $500. If it is real, which it appears it is, that is a good price.

[McLenn2025]

18 minutes ago, Jcoll84 said:

The last two 1st pattern jackets that I have seen sell at auction this year both went for over $500. If it is real, which it appears it is, that is a good price.

Thank you for your take on this :)) However, it seems, the seller changed his mind and wants more than 300 anyways now haha

[Blacksmith]

Patches or no patches, a stripped 1st-pattern JJ is super-pricey nowadays.  
 

It is wild what they are bringing.

[McLenn2025]

33 minutes ago, Blacksmith said:

Patches or no patches, a stripped 1st-pattern JJ is super-pricey nowadays.  
 

It is wild what they are bringing.

Yeah, it is unbelievable... It has become an expensive hobby. However, I think, I will pass on this one. I just found a pretty rough looking second pattern this year for a decent price in my opinion (about 110 USD shipping included, but I live in Germany, so it isn't that expensive). I have to keep a spot in my collection unoccupied I think. This way, the hunt doesn't end and I might get a bargain some day :))

 

Jules

[McLenn2025]

So, after some back and forth, I got the jacket for 317 USD including shipping. It arrived today and it looks good in person. HOWEVER, I have a few questions concerning the SSIs:

 

Both the Special Forces and the 101ST look kind of... New? And there isn't really any pressing through. The Airborne tab above the SF SSI does press through and the SF does, too, but I suspect, that they were added onto the jacket later, but that there were ones on there originally.

 

The 101st, however, has NO signs of pressing through. On top of that, the Airborne tab seems wrong... Because there are marks of a Ranger scroll, where now the 101st's Airborne tab is...

 

So: What Are your thoughts? Are the SSI originals, that were added later? Or repros? Or modern SSI? AND SHOULD I carefully strip them off the sleeves? And can someone maybe make out the ghosting of the name?

 

Kind regards and thanks for all your help,

Jules

[McLenn2025]

2 hours ago, McLenn2025 said:

So, after some back and forth, I got the jacket for 317 USD including shipping. It arrived today and it looks good in person. HOWEVER, I have a few questions concerning the SSIs:

 

Both the Special Forces and the 101ST look kind of... New? And there isn't really any pressing through. The Airborne tab above the SF SSI does press through and the SF does, too, but I suspect, that they were added onto the jacket later, but that there were ones on there originally.

 

The 101st, however, has NO signs of pressing through. On top of that, the Airborne tab seems wrong... Because there are marks of a Ranger scroll, where now the 101st's Airborne tab is...

 

So: What Are your thoughts? Are the SSI originals, that were added later? Or repros? Or modern SSI? AND SHOULD I carefully strip them off the sleeves? And can someone maybe make out the ghosting of the name?

 

Kind regards and thanks for all your help,

Jules

I looked at the jacket a bit closer and I can clearly see, that there was a Special Forces SSI sewn on at some point prior to the on, that is on the jacket now...