HELL'S HALF ACRE: A VIETNAM PAGE-Uniforms
Uniforms
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I have organzed the uniforms section into several pages.
Headgear
 1. This is a second pattern cotton OG 107 Utility Shirt. Second pattern shirts(not to be confused with it's Jungle fatigue counterpart) were manufactured between 1964-1966. Early in the conflict(1965-1966), before the tropical combat uniform saw widespread use, soldiers wore the hot uncomfortable fatigues as their standard combat attire. Regulation stated that the shirt, worn with a white T-shirt, was to be worn tucked into the trousers. A shiny brass roller buckle was worn on the trousers. Black leather combat boots were standard footwear. This particular shirt is typical of early shirts, high visiblity patches are present. However this shirt is missing the white nametape. On this shirt is a gold lettering on black U.S. Army tape, two sergeant's chevrons, and a pre 1968 25th Infantry Division patch.
 2. This is a size medium regular Second Pattern Tropical Combat Shirt. Made from non-ripstop poplin, second pattern shirts were an improved version of the first pattern shirts which had exposed buttons on the pocket flaps. This shirt is not dated so most likely it was manufactured in 1966. Most second pattern shirts were manufactured between 1966 to early 1967 bearing either no date or marking, a DSA-100 mark, or 1967 date. The second pattern shirt featured shoulder loops, waist tabs, and a gas flap. This shirt here has a subdued 25th Infantry Division patch, a U.S. Army and name tape bearing the name "Williams", and subdued sew on jump wings.
 3. In 1967 the 3rd pattern shirts were fielded. Made from cotton poplin, the shirts lacked the shoulder straps, gas flap, and waist tabs of the 2nd pattern shirts. This shirt, size small long, is dated 1967 and has an orignal Vietnam era name tape, "Bailey", and U.S. Army tape.
 4. An unissued(only worn by me a couple of times) third pattern jungle fatigue shirt, size meduim short. It is manufactured in 1968 and is made of poplin ripstop material. The shirt features Vietnam era subdued a 25th ID patch, and subdued Specialist-4 patches. The name tape and U.S. Army tapes are not Vietnam era.
 5. An unissued 3rd pattern shirt dated 1969, size small regular. Although the shirt has late Vietnam War nylon tapes, it was never worn. Third pattern shirts which were manufactured up to the early 1970's are extremely easy to find in brand new condition. First pattern and second pattern shirts are much rarer, being earlier shirts.
 6. For years the United States Army experimented with camoflage uniforms. It wasn't until 1967 that the U.S. Army had a standard camoflage uniform. Jungle fatigues were manufactured in ERDL camoflage specially for special operations units. The camoflage uniforms were so successful, the Army planned to issue them to line infantry units gradually. The infantry units used the ERDL uniforms very limitedly though, mostly in the early 1970's. Here is a rip-stop poplin green dominant ERDL jungle fatigue shirt, size medium regular, dated 1968.
 7. Three Pre 1968 25th Infantry Division Patches. In June 1966, subdued(black and green) patches and insignia became the authorized standard.
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