American Uniform

1. American Uniform

2. Boonie Jungle Hat -Green Berets started wearing them first in Vietnam. -Replaced the patrol and Baseball caps from WW2. -Usually came with a mosquito net. -Still used in Iraq and Afghanistan.

3. Standard Food Issue -Main meals were usually pork and beans, spaghetti and meatballs, or ham and eggs. -Side dishes were crackers, jelly, candy, or cheese. -Deserts were either pound cake or canned fruit. -Every meal kit came with an accessory pack (pictured)

4. Hey, what smells like used boots?

5. The Jungle Boot • The upper part of the boot was made with cotton canvas duck, while the bottom of the boot was made with leather • Water drains were added near the sole • After many troops were injured by punji stake traps, boots were fitted with a stainless steel plate in the sole • The boots had removable ventilating insoles made of layers of saran plastic

6. Flack Jacket • Weighed approximately nine pounds • Made out of ballistic nylon • First flack jacket to incorporate a ¾ inch collar • Elastic drawstrings on each side to adjust how it fits

7. Dog Tags • Dog Tags were used to identify the dead or wounded. • Also, it provided necessary medical information for specific treatments. • In Vietnam, American soldiers placed rubber silencers around their dog tags so the enemy would not hear the metallic clinging together. Others taped them together or wore one around their neck and the other around their boot. • To honor the fallen comrades, the soldiers would place rifle stood upright on top of the boots, with the helmet over the rifle. Dog tags hung from the rifle's handle.

8. Helmet Changes Earlier Pattern M1 Helmet Liner Later Pattern M1 Helmet Liner • M1 Helmet- used for over 40 years by the U.S. Military and Naval Forces. • "one-size-fits-all" helmet • Outer shell, (“steel pot”)- made of metal and a hard hat liner. Inside the shell contains a suspension system that would be adjusted to fit the soldier's specific head size. • Headband- a leather covered strap with six clips and a buckle for attaching and adjusting the headband to the liner. • The neckband helped hold the helmet at the back of your head, keeping it from moving upward on your nose or your forehead.

9. Standard Jungle Uniform Parts The Americans would have a jacket for the tropical jungles To go along with the jacket were tropical pants As the war went along the Americans realized that regular boots would not work in Vietnam so they made boots for men that would be walking a lot. The ERDL boonie tropical hat was used because of the heat.

10. Standard Issue Things They used leather combat boots. A helmet was used to protect their heads A canteen was very important to stay hydrated in Vietnam An ammo pouch could carry an M 14 and M 16 magazine. A sleeping carrier was needed because when you were sleeping you wanted something comfortable. Either a M 14 or M 16 was used as the standard gun

11. Poncho Ponchos were very useful in Vietnam since it rained a lot. One problem with the ponchos is that they would get heavy when wet If you attach two ponchos together you can make a shelter Even with the poncho you would still end up getting wet.