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Interesting Non Rip-Stop Jungle Jacket


TrenchfootJoe66
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TrenchfootJoe66

I was going through my stuff today (as we are all prone to do) and pulled this out. Ive always thought this was interesting so I figured I would post some pics. The first thing you notice are what seems to be USGI full color rank insignia that have been colored or dyed to make them more subdued. On the left shoulder we see a merrowed edge Ranger tab. Below that is the "ghost" of some sort of scroll and another ghost from another SSI 101st perhaps?? The scroll looks like it could have been an early 2nd Ranger Battalion scroll (1980's??) I placed several different Ranger scrolls over the sticth lines and they dont quite match up. It could just have been a poor sewing job though. On the right chest the name tape is gone (of course!!) It looks like two different name tapes were used. Above that we see what would appear to have been some sort of foriegn jump wing. A bit small for the standard woven RVN jumpwing and definately too small for the US/post-war version of the RVN wings. Maybe it was ARVN Ranger badge?? The US Army tape is still there as are a C.I.B. and U.S. jumpwings So anyone want to take a stab at what the story is behind this uniform? Its always fun to postulate. Anyway, take a look and feel free to make a W.A.G.

 

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My first take on the "shield" shaped shadow is that it is more likely a 23rd ID patch.

 

That might also explain the presence of an ARVN Ranger badge on the right side above the name... the 23rd had ARVN Rangers that they worked with as counterpart units.

 

As for matching up the Ranger scroll, keep in mind that the local made patches varied quite a bit. One of the owners may have been attached as an Advisor to an ARVN unit, or it could have been one of our own LRRP units.

 

It looks like the rank chevrons have been changed out at some point as well. I suggest you turn the sleeves inside out and you may find signs of a previous rank.

 

It's interesting that you are seeing two outlines for name tapes... two different owners?

 

Are there any laundry marks, like an Alpha character and four numbers (A1234)? If so, is there more than one set?

 

If only these things could talk and tell us where they had been.

 

By the way, the sun fading of the shirt as well as the red dirt stains looks typical for ones I've had that were worn in Vietnam.

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TrenchfootJoe66
My first take on the "shield" shaped shadow is that it is more likely a 23rd ID patch.

 

That might also explain the presence of an ARVN Ranger badge on the right side above the name... the 23rd had ARVN Rangers that they worked with as counterpart units.

 

As for matching up the Ranger scroll, keep in mind that the local made patches varied quite a bit. One of the owners may have been attached as an Advisor to an ARVN unit, or it could have been one of our own LRRP units.

 

It looks like the rank chevrons have been changed out at some point as well. I suggest you turn the sleeves inside out and you may find signs of a previous rank.

 

It's interesting that you are seeing two outlines for name tapes... two different owners?

 

Are there any laundry marks, like an Alpha character and four numbers (A1234)? If so, is there more than one set?

 

If only these things could talk and tell us where they had been.

 

By the way, the sun fading of the shirt as well as the red dirt stains looks typical for ones I've had that were worn in Vietnam.

I had not considered the Americal Division, very interesting and quite possible. My consideration of the scrolls being a later Ranger type stemmed more from the merrowed edge Ranger tab than anything else. It seemed out of place to me for some reason. Of course if we go ahead and assume that some sort of exotic theatre made scroll was there instead, than the possibilities really open up.

That's why Ive hung onto this one for so long. I found it years ago in a local Thrift store and almost put it up for sale once. But then I thought, how much could I really get for it? In the end it was worth more to me to keep it.

Anyway, there are no laundry tags or other similiar marks present.

You are dead on about the rank insignia. I forgot to mention in my first post that you can see what appears to be three seperate stitch lines. One is a little shorter, almost as if an E-5 stripe was there. here are some pics of the sleeve interior There is one set of stitches in black, another in what may have been white and a needle holes from a third.

 

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