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Admin1: /* USA Camouflage Patterns */

2025-12-13T05:42:48Z

USA Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by US Military Personnel */

2025-06-05T02:57:23Z

Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by US Military Personnel

Admin1: /* Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by US Military Personnel */

2025-06-05T02:55:02Z

Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by US Military Personnel

Admin1: /* Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by US Military Personnel */

2024-10-18T21:28:11Z

Other Camouflage Patterns Worn by US Military Personnel

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2023-08-06T14:07:29Z

Admin1: /* USA Camouflage Patterns */

2020-10-03T20:25:22Z

USA Camouflage Patterns

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Admin1: /* USA Camouflage Patterns */

2020-10-03T20:16:26Z

USA Camouflage Patterns

Admin1 at 20:09, 3 October 2020

2020-10-03T20:09:30Z

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2020-10-03T20:03:00Z

USA Camouflage Patterns

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2020-08-06T02:22:10Z

USA Camouflage Patterns

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	* Commercial tiger stripe patterns such as those seen here (taken from sample uniforms) have been employed by US military personnel in a variety of situations, from operational deployments to training scenarios. OPFOR (Opposing Forces) units within some Infantry Divisions and special operations units, given a degree of flexibility in outfitting themselves with standardized uniforms not recognizable as American in appearance, have been documented making frequent use of these designs. This has been especially true since the end of the Cold War, with subsequent de-emphasis on traditional Soviet OPFOR models. Additionally, special operations units deploying to both Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF), were issued the same uniforms as their partner units, quite frequently commercially procured uniforms in tiger stripe designs (among others).		* Commercial tiger stripe patterns such as those seen here (taken from sample uniforms) have been employed by US military personnel in a variety of situations, from operational deployments to training scenarios. OPFOR (Opposing Forces) units within some Infantry Divisions and special operations units, given a degree of flexibility in outfitting themselves with standardized uniforms not recognizable as American in appearance, have been documented making frequent use of these designs. This has been especially true since the end of the Cold War, with subsequent de-emphasis on traditional Soviet OPFOR models. Additionally, special operations units deploying to both Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF), were issued the same uniforms as their partner units, quite frequently commercially procured uniforms in tiger stripe designs (among others).

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 * Commercial tiger stripe patterns such as those seen here (taken from sample uniforms) have been employed by US military personnel in a variety of situations, from operational deployments to training scenarios. OPFOR (Opposing Forces) units within some Infantry Divisions and special operations units, given a degree of flexibility in outfitting themselves with standardized uniforms not recognizable as American in appearance, have been documented making frequent use of these designs. This has been especially true since the end of the Cold War, with subsequent de-emphasis on traditional Soviet OPFOR models. Additionally, special operations units deploying to both Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF), were issued the same uniforms as their partner units, quite frequently commercially procured uniforms in tiger stripe designs (among others).

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		+	* Circa 1964, a unique variation of the commercial [[duck hunter]] patterns originally introduced by American military advisors in 1961 began production in Japan as part of the Counter-Insurgency Support Office (CISO) program to supply US Army Special Forces and indigenous Vietnamese personnel. The Vietnamese nickname for this pattern was ''beo gam'' (leopard) as the spots in the design had some similarity to those of a leopard. Although a number of variations existed, the Vietnamese issued ''beo gam'' patterns can be differentiated from those obtained through commercial sources in the USA or elsewhere in Asia by the denser concentration of spots, as well as the notable purple or mauve tones of some of the spots. The typical ''beo gam'' pattern is a multi-colored design with dark blue-green, mauve, maroon, dark pink & olive green spots on a khaki background. This was not a standard issue uniform for any ARVN units, instead being sourced primarily for wear by the Montagnard CIDG (Civilian Irregular Defense Group) units.
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	* South Vietnamese tiger stripe camouflage patterns were very popular with US military personnel during the war, both as operational clothing (employed primarily by elite units such as US Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and Marine Recon) and as status symbols or off-duty party garments worn by rear echelon personnel. Based on the French ''tenue du leopard'' or lizard design, a majority of the tiger patterns worn by US military personnel were made in South Vietnam. Many different styles of tiger stripe emerged between 1964 and 1975 and have been exhaustively documented by author Richard D. Johnson in his excellent book ''Tiger Patterns.'' Presented here are a handful of samples from original garments that were produced during this time period.		* South Vietnamese tiger stripe camouflage patterns were very popular with US military personnel during the war, both as operational clothing (employed primarily by elite units such as US Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, and Marine Recon) and as status symbols or off-duty party garments worn by rear echelon personnel. Based on the French ''tenue du leopard'' or lizard design, a majority of the tiger patterns worn by US military personnel were made in South Vietnam. Many different styles of tiger stripe emerged between 1964 and 1975 and have been exhaustively documented by author Richard D. Johnson in his excellent book ''Tiger Patterns.'' Presented here are a handful of samples from original garments that were produced during this time period.

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-* OPFOR (Opposing Forces) units within some Infantry Divisions are often given a certain amount of flexibility in outfitting themselves with standardized uniforms not recognizable as American in appearance. This has been especially true since the end of the Cold War, with subsequent de-emphasis on traditional Soviet OPFOR models. Commercial tiger stripe patterns such as those seen here (taken from sample uniforms) are often popular in this role.
+* Commercial tiger stripe patterns such as those seen here (taken from sample uniforms) have been employed by US military personnel in a variety of situations, from operational deployments to training scenarios. OPFOR (Opposing Forces) units within some Infantry Divisions and special operations units, given a degree of flexibility in outfitting themselves with standardized uniforms not recognizable as American in appearance, have been documented making frequent use of these designs. This has been especially true since the end of the Cold War, with subsequent de-emphasis on traditional Soviet OPFOR models. Additionally, special operations units deploying to both Afghanistan (OEF) and Iraq (OIF), were issued the same uniforms as their partner units, quite frequently commercially procured uniforms in tiger stripe designs (among others).
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-* American Special Forces personnel operating in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) have been documented as wearing commercially available Desert Tiger Stripe pattern camouflage uniforms. The pattern, originally developed by Tiger Stripe Products in the USA, features horizontal stripes of dark brown, golden brown & beige on a sandy background.
+* American special operations forces operating in Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom) were documented wearing commercially available Desert Tiger Stripe pattern camouflage uniforms, many of which were also provided to partner units in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The pattern, originally developed by Tiger Stripe Products in the USA, features horizontal stripes of dark brown, golden brown & beige on a sandy background.
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-* US Army trials of 1953 produced two additional camouflage patterns that were adopted for limited use by military personnel. Both patterns saw widespread distribution only as a reversible shelter half (1953) and reversible helmet cover (1959), with one pattern printed on each side. The USMC standard or “wine leaf” pattern (sometimes called "vine leaf" or even "maple leaf" despite the shapes bearing little resemblance to actual maple leaves), consists of large overlapping dark green, lime green & ochre leaf shapes with brown twigs on a pale green background. This design was produced in at least two distinctive color variations (employing the same printing screens) - one version with a pale green background, darker green leaf shapes and highly contrasting bright yellow and russet features, and a second version with far less contrast between the colors. Some tailor made clothing in this pattern did appear during the Vietnam War, made in Japan or South Vietnam from cannibalized shelters or even Asian-made fabric copied from the US design.
+* US Army trials of 1953 produced two additional camouflage patterns that were adopted for limited use by military personnel. Both patterns saw widespread distribution only as a reversible shelter half (1953) and reversible helmet cover (1959), with one pattern printed on each side. The '''USMC standard''' or “wine leaf” pattern (sometimes called "vine leaf" or even "maple leaf" despite the shapes bearing little resemblance to actual maple leaves), consists of large overlapping dark green, lime green & ochre leaf shapes with brown twigs on a pale green background. This design was produced in at least two distinctive color variations (employing the same printing screens) - one version with a pale green background, darker green leaf shapes and highly contrasting bright yellow and russet features, and a second version with far less contrast between the colors. Some tailor made clothing in this pattern did appear during the Vietnam War, made in Japan or South Vietnam from cannibalized shelters or even Asian-made fabric copied from the US design.
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-* The USMC Mitchell or “clouds” pattern, consists of overlapping dark brown, russet, beige, light brown & ochre "cloud" shapes on a tan background, was printed on the reverse side of the shelter half and helmet cover. A variation of this pattern was adopted by the Police Field Force of South Vietnam.
+* The '''USMC Mitchell''' or “clouds” pattern was printed on the reverse side of the above green "leaf" design shelter halves and helmet covers. The pattern consists of overlapping dark brown, russet, beige, light brown & ochre "cloud" shapes on a tan background. Like USMC Standard design, the "Mitchell" pattern can be found in two distinctive variations, a lighter-version having slightly broader contrast overall between the colors, and a more muted version employing darker dyes. A variation of this pattern was adopted by the Police Field Force of South Vietnam.
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 * The US Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory (ERDL) designed a general purpose jungle camouflage consisting of mid-brown & grass green organic shapes with black "branches" on a lime green background in 1948.<ref>Shelby Stanton, ''US Army Uniforms of the Vietnam War'' (Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA, 1989), p. 8</ref> This pattern, often copied and still in usage today by other nations, is generally referred to as the ERDL camouflage pattern. Although initially shelved, the pattern was revived for testing in 1962, and several hundred ERDL tropical combat uniforms were sent to Vietnam for evaluation by USARV in 1966. The fabric was given full infared control treatment. <ref>Shelby Stanton, ''US Army Uniforms of the Vietnam War'' (Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA, 1989), p 8-9</ref>. Beginning in 1967, ERDL camouflage tropical uniforms began seeing service with reconnaissance and Special Forces personnel deployed to Vietnam. The uniforms were also highly favored by the US Marines, and were obtained in limited quantities by [[Australia|Australian]] and [[New Zealand]] special forces teams deployed there. Personal accounts from veterans and personnel from the postwar period suggest the uniforms were often referred to as "[[leaf]]" pattern and even as "flower power" jungle fatigues. The original ERDL pattern was predominantly green printed on a cotton poplin fabric; later versions were printed in a new "ripstop" poplin fabric. The green dominant design has often been labeled a "lowlands" pattern, referring to its suitability as camouflage in the lush, lowland regions of Southest Asia. Notable to the original ERDL camouflage is the fact that printing was often inconsistent, with rollers frequently experiencing slippages that resulted in overprinting of one or more colors in the pattern, leaving a shadow-like outline to many of the shapes in the design. As a result, several variations can be observed in fabric batches produced over the years.

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