Reference Guides — Military jacket

An article dedicated to the study and preservation of the innumerable Tigerstripe camouflage patterns of the Vietnam War period and beyond. A wide variety of Tigerstripe patterns were commissioned by US and South East Asian military organisations throughout the Vietnam War and contracts were awarded to numerous manufacturers across East Asia. Loose tolerances, various localised dying practices, and the expectation to meet demand explain the diversity of colourways seen on Tiger patterns. The swatches shown in this article display a range of colourways and fade patterns.

Since its initial development in the mid-60s, numerous minor updates to the design have taken place. While these changes bear little improvement to the practicality or ‘look’ of the M65, they can serve collectors and military hobbyists who wish to identify when their jacket was produced. While contract labels will always offer an exact two digit date code, if the labels are missing, one may use these particular nuances to their advantage.