UDT life jackets in Vietnam

[Vucijak]

Hi folks

Can somebody tell me why did Navy Seals use udt life jackets in Vietnam?

I mean, we are talking here about jungle operations! Were they maybe used as kind of improvised/primitive hydration pack?

Cheers

Vucijak

[PaulClift]

They conducted alot of operations in the Mekong Delta, plenty of water there.

[Vucijak]

thanks mate. didnt know that. I am not so much of historian, more kind of practical guy.

Can you tell me why some of em did use blue jeans instead of normal bdu pants. I read something here about the jeans not producing too loud tones while moving around. But what about color?

[PaulClift]

No idea there, I'd be interested to know why also.

To expand my last post abit though, alot of viet cong supplies were moved by river, and the Mekong delta was important to both the communists and the south Vietnamese as its a very fertile area, kind of like a bread basket of Vietnam, but rice.

You can see how vast it is by the picture below.

http://www.esa.int/images/Vietnam_MekongDelta_MER_FR_Orbit25809_20070206_L.jpg

Some pretty cool seal Vietnam pics.

http://www.vietnamgear.com/gallery.aspx?GalleryID=6

[silveykyle]

Jeans were a lot more rugged then the BDU's.

[Vucijak]

mate, lets be honest, I'd rather run around with a bdu full of wholes than with a blue jeans in middle of the green jungle.

[Vucijak]

thank you very much for the link. website is great. Ive been looking for something like this for a long time.

do you know any similar pages? or maybe some detailed description of the survival kit and its content, that was issued for Special forces in Viet?

[silveykyle]

mate, lets be honest, I'd rather run around with a bdu full of wholes than with a blue jeans in middle of the green jungle.
If your running around the jungle your jeans are going to get dirty and darker. If wearing jeans was going to get you killed then I'm sure they wouldn't have worn them.

[silveykyle]

http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/6476/darryl1wx2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/699/navy1liws9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img382.imageshack.us/img382/8072/tho0008pb7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Vucijak]

I am just wondering who came up with that idea and how. Maybe it was one of those camp/whiskey nights where some of the guys risk it and tried it out.

[digrar]

mate, lets be honest, I'd rather run around with a bdu full of wholes than with a blue jeans in middle of the green jungle.

Ever ran around the jungle with your pants ripped from arsehole to breakfast?

[KalleBalleSvartSk@lle]

Undergrowth makes camouflaged pants less important, my guess is that Vietnam and the Mekong delta has lots of tall grass and shrubs.

[California Joe]

I know a Chief from Team 2 that served there, he's the first one that told me they wore Levis. He has tons of personal pics in every conceivable kit but he's usually wearing jeans. As has already been stated it was done because jeans simply wore better under combat conditions. Most of their work was also done at night, so the color wasn't exactly a huge factor. I don't know what your interest is but your question has been answered. If you don't want to accept that, because your "loadout" won't look as sexy then you're a knob.

[Baboonass]

It was a marketing/advertising agreement with Levi Jeans, same one we had with Rolex.

Have pictures published wearing jeans or showing a Rolex, we made out like bandits.

The UDT life jacket was used for storing poo.

[California Joe]

^ Um hello? OPSEC?

[playtym]

^ Um hello? OPSEC?

Yeah, you're meant to keep that sort of stuff in the invite section where it's not accessible to everyone. :bash:

[Baboonass]

^ Um hello? OPSEC?

DAMN!


Okay, everyone pretend you never saw that last post, forget it ever happened.

[Critter]

They wore blue jeans, as they were more rugged, and also kept some of the biting insects from penetrating the fabric...normal BDU clothing is rather lightweight and most insects bit/stung through them easily...

[Baboonass]

I usually wear Mariachi pants and a big ass sombrero into combat.

Or a burlap sack that has some potato company logo on it.

[RAF]

It was a marketing/advertising agreement with Levi Jeans, same one we had with Rolex.

Have pictures published wearing jeans or showing a Rolex, we made out like bandits.

The UDT life jacket was used for storing poo.

I knew it!!

It had to be an advertising ploy.

This is way deep stuff...Plus it saved time, instead of wearing their Levis in the bath, just wear them in the Rung Sat zone, shrink to fit, stylish but then ready for anything, and deadly, you cant get Levis ST2 anymore.

[foxtrot023]

I usually wear Mariachi pants and a big ass sombrero into combat.

Or a burlap sack that has some potato company logo on it.

ah yes the classic Mariachi and sombrero BDUs.
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=33225&d=1187895060
33225

[Mountain Man]

I usually wear Mariachi pants and a big ass sombrero into combat.

Or a burlap sack that has some potato company logo on it.

Could you tell me what company the sack was made by,.....trying to recreate a look here...p-)

[digrar]

I usually wear Mariachi pants and a big ass sombrero into combat.

Or a burlap sack that has some potato company logo on it.

I have some mates who contacted some militia, apparently the sight of their plastic bags bobbing up and down during their break contact was enough to keep the patrol commander giggling well into the night. :)