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Hawaii Five-0


JCFalkenbergIII
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JCFalkenbergIII

I was just watching an episode of Hawaii Five-0 and there were some characters portraying some soldiers just back from Vietnam. In the show they were wearing the short sleeve Khaki shirts of course. The soldiers were also wearing the standard full color chevrons for Pvt E-2 and PFC E-3 on their sleeves with a 101st SSI on the left above the chevrons. What was odd was that they were all wearing the 25th Inf Div SSI as a pocket patch on the right pocket. Was that just Hollywood fantasy? Or did that happen for real at some point? I did find it funny also that one private had a CIB at one point but it turned into Paratrooper wings the next :lol: Robert

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I was just watching an episode of Hawaii Five-0 and there were some characters portraying some soldiers just back from Vietnam. In the show they were wearing the short sleeve Khaki shirts of course. The soldiers were also wearing the standard full color chevrons for Pvt E-2 and PFC E-3 on their sleeves with a 101st SSI on the left above the chevrons. What was odd was that they were all wearing the 25th Inf Div SSI as a pocket patch on the right pocket. Was that just Hollywood fantasy? Or did that happen for real at some point? I did find it funny also that one private had a CIB at one point but it turned into Paratrooper wings the next :lol: Robert

SSI were not worn on the short-sleeved khaki shirt. They were worn on the long-sleeved one, but that did not carry over to the short-sleeved version. During the Vietnam Era, pocket hangers were often used to show the SSI with the khaki shirt when that uniform was worn, but the SSI were not sewn to the pocket.

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JCFalkenbergIII
SSI were not worn on the short-sleeved khaki shirt. They were worn on the long-sleeved one, but that did not carry over to the short-sleeved version. During the Vietnam Era, pocket hangers were often used to show the SSI with the khaki shirt when that uniform was worn, but the SSI were not sewn to the pocket.

 

Thanks. I was aware of the non wearing of SSI on the short sleeve Khakis and knew about the wearing of SSI as pocket hangers,such as the MACV SSI and others, but the wearing of the 25th SSI sewn on the right pocket is what really caught my eye it being from Hawaii and all. I wonder why they decided to add the 25th SSI to the uniform in that manner. :unsure: Robert

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JCFalkenbergIII
Yes

 

Hmmm..Then maybe they were trying to make a more accurate uniform then and missed it by just sewing them to the pocket? So would they have been worn in Hawaii and/ or just Vietnam? :lol: Robert

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craig_pickrall

The only TV shows from the 60's or 70's that I have seen lately that had correct military uniforms were those that Jack Webb was associated with. I wouldn't waste much time on any thing military shown on any of those other TV shows, especially Hawaii 5-0. Most of the people in power at those shows were anti-military and took gabs at any thing they could get away with.

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Hmmm..Then maybe they were trying to make a more accurate uniform then and missed it by just sewing them to the pocket? So would they have been worn in Hawaii and/ or just Vietnam? :lol: Robert

 

Returning to the world from RVN.

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vostoktrading

Keep in mind that this show was filmed in Hawaii in the late '60's and early '70's when servicemen were passing through back from Vietnam. While often the prop guys got it wrong I think they tried. This was before shows used "military advisers" to get it right. I don't think "Hawaii 5-0" was anti-military. They were trying to create a weekly cop show that was entertaining. They mostly protrayed the military in a good light. I think the episode you are describing was the one when the soldier "wigged-out" with flash backs. I like to watch the show for the location shots to see what places around Honolulu looked like before when I was a kid.

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JCFalkenbergIII
Keep in mind that this show was filmed in Hawaii in the late '60's and early '70's when servicemen were passing through back from Vietnam. While often the prop guys got it wrong I think they tried. This was before shows used "military advisers" to get it right. I don't think "Hawaii 5-0" was anti-military. They were trying to create a weekly cop show that was entertaining. They mostly protrayed the military in a good light. I think the episode you are describing was the one when the soldier "wigged-out" with flash backs. I like to watch the show for the location shots to see what places around Honolulu looked like before when I was a kid.

 

That's what I thought about it too. I always looked forward to seeing the uniforms when I was a kid. It was the period too where my father spent his R&R in Hawaii .I was surprised to see that there was a marathon going on TV this week. The episode was the one where the young soldier was framed for the murder of a local gang lord. With bad makeup to make the gang lord look Asian :lol: . The military does seem to play a large part in a few of the plots. From What I understand Jack Lord was a bit of a perfectionist. S that might account for some of the uniform wear. Robert

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SSI were not worn on the short-sleeved khaki shirt. They were worn on the long-sleeved one, but that did not carry over to the short-sleeved version. During the Vietnam Era, pocket hangers were often used to show the SSI with the khaki shirt when that uniform was worn, but the SSI were not sewn to the pocket.

 

Sorry, but i have to respectfully disagree.

 

At one time I owned a set of khakis that had been worn by a GI on his trip home. He had a standard issue US Army Vietnam patch sewn to I believe his right pocket. It was complete with all his other insignia including name tape and collar brass, and came with a copy of his ETS orders. (It also had a period dated $1 bill in the pocket as well... first one he picked up back in the world? Who knows?)

 

In reading the description of the Hawaii 5-0 episode, I am wondering if what you were seeing were local troops from the 25th ID on Schofield. This would explain the 25th ID patches on the pockets. Hawaii 5-0 recruited people living in the islands as extras, and I believe favored actual military personnel to fill in as troops and sailors. One advantage is that they could bring their own uniforms as costumes.

 

As far as 101st patches being added to the sleeves, I agree that would be pure fantasy.

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Salvage Sailor
Hawaii 5-0 recruited people living in the islands as extras, and I believe favored actual military personnel to fill in as troops and sailors. One advantage is that they could bring their own uniforms as costumes.

 

Yep,

 

Our salvage ship (USS GRASP) was used as underway prop in one episode. We were filmed off of Honolulu Harbor steaming towards the entrance to Pearl.

 

vostoktrading......

 

I watch the reruns for the same reason. It's pretty cool to see the old termite palace, Pearl City before it was built up, UH sans labs and stadium, etc. I also watch Magnums now and then to check out the old cars, clothes and locales.

 

Aloha

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Yep,

 

Our salvage ship (USS GRASP) was used as underway prop in one episode. We were filmed off of Honolulu Harbor steaming towards the entrance to Pearl.

 

vostoktrading......

 

I watch the reruns for the same reason. It's pretty cool to see the old termite palace, Pearl City before it was built up, UH sans labs and stadium, etc. I also watch Magnums now and then to check out the old cars, clothes and locales.

 

Aloha

 

Magnum was being filmed while we were out there. My brother and his friend stumbled across the red Ferarri being off loaded from a flatbed hauler, complete with Robin 1 plates. The closest I got to it was driving past the house used as "Robin Master's estate". I was shocked to see how small the house and the yard really were, but a house right on the beach is going to tend to be priced through the roof to start with.

 

Tour of Duty was also out there, and also recruiting locals for filming. I remember driving to grad school one day and listening to a radio call for a 6 month old "Asian" baby that was needed for a film shoot. My child did not fit the bill, but I'm not sure I would have wanted my kid out there to begin with.

 

All in all, I always thought that Hawaii 5-0's strength was in recruiting local folks, from cops to lei makers. It not only gave a look of authenticity but also bought a lot of local good will. Years later you heard people talk about the day they were filmed for the show. Magnum did not do this quite as well, more prone to use Hollywood stock actors.

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JCFalkenbergIII
Yep,

 

Our salvage ship (USS GRASP) was used as underway prop in one episode. We were filmed off of Honolulu Harbor steaming towards the entrance to Pearl.

 

vostoktrading......

 

I watch the reruns for the same reason. It's pretty cool to see the old termite palace, Pearl City before it was built up, UH sans labs and stadium, etc. I also watch Magnums now and then to check out the old cars, clothes and locales.

 

Aloha

 

Kinda interesting what we do sometimes to and what do stir the ole memories :lol: . Robert

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