Unique Vietnam War ERDL Jungle Fatigue Jacket w/ Shoulder Pocket Size: Medium - Regular

This is a Vietnam War issue Highland (brown) ERDL Jungle Fatigue jacket. It is a size Medium/Regular. This jacket is in used, very good condition. It is faded and there are no major holes or tears. There is a frayed spot on the pocket flap on the shoulder (pictured). The lower pockets were removed and one of them was placed on the left arm.

This is a very unique jacket showing a mixture of green dominant and brown dominant fabric! On the whole, the jacket is the early brown dominant color but it has green dominant left cuff. The left sleeve and the back panel have different shades of brown dominant fabric than the front panels, the pockets and the right sleeve. This demonstrates that the patterns were considered interchangeable

The ERDL pattern was invented shortly after WWII in 1948. They U.S. Army's experience with camouflage uniforms during the war was neutral to negative, so the pattern was shelved as the U.S. Army, and even the Marine Corps, returned to solid Olive Green uniforms that presented well in garrison duties as well as being acceptable field uniforms. Although the Army deliberately decided to retain solid OG-107 uniforms for Vietnam, the ERDL pattern was thoroughly tested in the mid-1960's. ERDL uniforms were initially issued as experimental uniforms to reconnaissance and special operations units where they quickly gained acceptance. The ERDL uniform was mass produced in 1968 in the new cotton rip-stop material. The USMC adopted ERDL jungle fatigues as their standard combat uniform in Vietnam starting in 1969. The Army continued to provide them on a limited basis, especially to LRRP/Ranger units. Nonetheless, they could be obtained by line grunts and late in the war it was not uncommon to see a handful of men in a platoon wearing ERDL uniforms.

The Lowland "Lime" variant was by far the most common in Vietnam and alongside the tiger stripe pattern, it is the iconic jungle camouflage. The Lowland variant was issued alongside the Highland "Brown" variant without regard to color differentiation as they shared the same stock number. You can even find Lowland uniforms in which Highland was used as a trim on the hems or in the bellows of the pockets. The Lowland variant soldiered on with the 1970's RDF uniforms, but by then the Highland pattern was by far the most common variation until it was magnified and deemed the "Woodland Camouflage" pattern.

Measurements:

Sleeve (Shoulder to Cuff): 24.5"
Chest (Armpit to Armpit): 24"
Length (Bottom of Collar to Hem): 32"