Mystery pocket in jungle fatigue pants

[shuredgefan]

In the late 80s, a procurement screw-up caused a shortage of ripstop (summer weight) BDUs in the US Army forcing some units to allow the wearing of Viet Nam era jungle fatigues as an optional duty uniform. I was checking them out at the Clothing Sales store and saw that they had ZIPPERED FLIES!!!. I really hate button flies and as they were only 7 or 8 bucks a set, I bought a bunch. They were super comfortable and cool in Ft. Hood's summer heat.

The thing is they all had this nifty wallet-sized (that's what I used it for) button flap pocket inside the left leg cargo pocket. No one, even some old-timers, could tell me what the pocket was "offically" for.

I know this is pretty picayune but it's bugged me for a while. So, I'd appriciate it if anyone knows anything about this niggling little mystery.

[James]

My guess is a field dressing.

[Paveway]

A tourniquet?

[dave81]

Pistaschios. Back then there wasn't a salmonella scare like there is now, so they were safe to carry around.

[California Joe]

Copenhagen.

[click]

My guess is a field dressing.

My guess too. Or a wallet pocket?

[KEEPER0311]

Copenhagen.

That's my bet.

[Rynnäkkökivääri]

Wasn't it a compass pocket?

[shuredgefan]

Wasn't it a compass pocket?

I thought the same at first, but when I tried it out with the standard Lensatic Compass it banged into my leg in a most uncomfortable way when walking, let alone running.

I don't think it was for first aid use either as it was kind of hard to get to. At the time, they carried the field dressing pouch right there on the left shoulder, so an assisting troop could grab it quickly.

[James]

I'm not an expert on gear, but I think we can figure this out... Are you talking about the OD green jungle fatigues? Or the early camo ERDL pattern fatigues? If we know when these uniforms were designed, and compare that to all the little bits of equipment that were standard issue at the time, we might narrow it down.

Or, it really could just be for a wallet or Copenhagen. Hell, it could be for a pack of smokes - they used to get issued. :)

[shuredgefan]

I'm talking about the OD ripstop cotton jungle fatigues that had the slanted top pockets in the blouse (a superior design IMHO) and the really wide (~3"-75mm) pocket flaps.

[wildcat]

you can put your weed in there

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kqmCIrq9Jw

[kutter]

According to this site it's for a survival kit:
http://www.vietnamgear.com/kit.aspx?kit=579

[Laworkerbee]

you can put your weed in there

Damn, stole my line. :)

[Aldo Penniconi]

http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s111/cupra_4/Cammouniformset5tigerstripe.jpg

[shuredgefan]

According to this site it's for a survival kit:
http://www.vietnamgear.com/kit.aspx?kit=579

Thanks for the info!

I'm a bit chagrined as I think I've actually seen the kit they talk about. I saw some at a gun show, at one of the mil surplus tables, a long time ago. I remember it because it was this little, teeny cigarette pack-sized, OD zippered pouch with "Kit, Jungle Survival" stamped on the front and I thought "Damn, if that's all you have to survive with in a jungle, you are definitely sucking wind."

[ARGAR FORKBEARD]

According to this site it's for a survival kit:
http://www.vietnamgear.com/kit.aspx?kit=579


The trousers also boasted a gas flap behind the button fly,

what the hell is a gas flap???

surely that should go at the back!!! ha ha ha ha roflroflrofl

[Ichhabe]

In the late 80s, a procurement screw-up caused a shortage of ripstop (summer weight) BDUs in the US Army forcing some units to allow the wearing of Viet Nam era jungle fatigues as an optional duty uniform.

I say! My platoon got that uniform issued in Lebanon in 1986 due to the fact that the UN-issued uniform Indian Bush was not as durable because our work with concrete and barbed wire.

[LineDoggie]

I thought the same at first, but when I tried it out with the standard Lensatic Compass it banged into my leg in a most uncomfortable way when walking, let alone running.

I don't think it was for first aid use either as it was kind of hard to get to. At the time, they carried the field dressing pouch right there on the left shoulder, so an assisting troop could grab it quickly.I remember the day they went on sale at Hoods MCSS. 8$ American a set and it was Early 1984. Before that they only had Temperate weight BDU's, OG-507's, and If you were Lucky and sneaky, ERDL from CIF for Field Wear prior to the BDU's coming into general use.

The pockets for a Survival kit, I used it for my Wallet.

Side note, the Fatigues were designed by LTG. William Yarborough

He also designed the Army Jump Boots, Aerial Delivery Containers A-5 Army Parachute Wings, and the M1942 Parachutists Uniform as a Member of the 501st PIR.

As Commander of the USASWC he had a hand in getting JFK to give his blessing on the Green Beret as an Official item of Headgear.

[ARGAR FORKBEARD]

I remember the day they went on sale at Hoods MCSS. 8$ American a set and it was Early 1984. Before that they only had Temperate weight BDU's, OG-507's, and If you were Lucky and sneaky, ERDL from CIF for Field Wear prior to the BDU's coming into general use.

The pockets for a Survival kit, I used it for my Wallet.

Side note, the Fatigues were designed by LTG. William Yarborough

He also designed the Army Jump Boots, Aerial Delivery Containers A-5 Army Parachute Wings, and the M1942 Parachutists Uniform as a Member of the 501st PIR.

As Commander of the USASWC he had a hand in getting JFK to give his blessing on the Green Beret as an Official item of Headgear.


good info!!!!

[LineDoggie]

The trousers also boasted a gas flap behind the button fly,

what the hell is a gas flap???

surely that should go at the back!!! ha ha ha ha roflroflrofl
Gas Flaps were Common on Fatigues beofre the use of Chemical Suits.
Just an extra flap on the inside to help an impregnated uniform from allowing in Vesicant gases. Before Normandy all US Troops in the Invasion turned in either a Jumpsuit or set of Fatigues to CWS for treatment. Boots were coated in antigas dubbing and a wool hood was worn in conjunction with the Mask

[BlackJack22]

In the late 80s, a procurement screw-up caused a shortage of ripstop (summer weight) BDUs in the US Army forcing some units to allow the wearing of Viet Nam era jungle fatigues as an optional duty uniform. I was checking them out at the Clothing Sales store and saw that they had ZIPPERED FLIES!!!. I really hate button flies and as they were only 7 or 8 bucks a set, I bought a bunch. They were super comfortable and cool in Ft. Hood's summer heat.

The thing is they all had this nifty wallet-sized (that's what I used it for) button flap pocket inside the left leg cargo pocket. No one, even some old-timers, could tell me what the pocket was "offically" for.

I know this is pretty picayune but it's bugged me for a while. So, I'd appriciate it if anyone knows anything about this niggling little mystery.
I had a pair of those given to me by my neighbor. He was a Navy SeaWolf pilot in Vietnam. Had the fly zipper and the little pocket inside the cargo pocket.I fricken cut them into shorts , what an idiot thing to do looking back.

[docclem]

i bought four sets at ft.sam while i was in medic school $8 bucks a set! we wore them in the 82nd untill the light weight bdu's showed up. they made us payroll deduct for the new ones i was pissed because i was short and had to buy bdu's

[shuredgefan]

I really liked them and wore them until I ETSed.

Pros:
Light weight.
Dried out faster than ripstop BDUs, much much faster than temperate BDUs.
Quickly faded to a light green that seemed to reflect the sun's heat.
Zipper fly!
Distinctiveness, in my Company, only 3 or 4 other guys chose to buy them even though they were cheaper than BDUs. (I know it's silly, but so is giving berets to REMFs.)
Pocket and cover flap design superior to BDUs.
Quality manufacture that put the BDU's to shame, I don't think a button or seam ever unraveled on its own.

Cons:
Poor camo qualities.
Material not very abrasion resistant. (NTC rotations tore up most of my sets.)
Single layer knees, not good for crawling around.
Not very warm

[DocFrench]

I was in Panama in Aug/Sep 88 and you could still buy the OD ones at Cash Sales. I bought 2 pair, should've bought 10. They were $13 a set then!

[RGRBOX]

According to this site it's for a survival kit:
http://www.vietnamgear.com/kit.aspx?kit=579

Correct!! I've always been told this, and everything I've ever read says the same.. I did wear these wonderful uniforms for several years before =ct 16th 1989 came around and the DoD made us start wearing Woodland BDUs...:-(

[RGRBOX]

I was in Panama in Aug/Sep 88 and you could still buy the OD ones at Cash Sales. I bought 2 pair, should've bought 10. They were $13 a set then!

At Lewis we were issued 9 sets of them.. and you could still walk into Clothing and Sales and pick them up for 10 bucks a set.. sadly I was just a poor soldier and wasn't thinking that I should buy everything, and then get rich someday with them..

[James]

Hey RGRBOX, haven't seen you around for a while. I hope all is well.

[RGRBOX]

Hey James.. I stick my head in here from tiem to time.. I just stay off of any threads with special education people running around..

Thanks for the welcome...