Nice to know there is more of us on here interested in Vietnam

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May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who screws up your day and may their arms be too short to scratch.

GeFoPo

Web site http://vietnamuk.moonfruit.com

Forum http://vietnamreenactors.myfastforum.org/index.php

Cheers for the good advice Kurt, as i say iam a "newbie" to the Nam portrayal
but as far as iam aware the "ALICE" gear came out in 73 so was used to some
extent till the fall of Saigon in 75, and have seen it in use on some late pics.

As for some of the other bits, as you say there are a lot of copies floating about but
two of the flags ive shown (large type) came from the US from an estate sale (ebay)
where in fact i obtained my helmet and Mitchell cover and two maps.

I can only go from what information i was told but these five items belonged to
a "Viet vet" in the US, the smaller flag and lighter was purchased from a different source
someone who had been to Vietnam so am not sure about them, although the lighter is a
genuine Zippo 1960's type although i cannot prove the engraving was done in the Vietnam
War period, thought i would just clarify this.

Regards Pipes

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"Schreite mit stolzer Geringschatzung durch den Pfuhl menschlicher Unzulassigkeit"
"Stride with proud disdain through the swamp of human inadmissibility" Jochen Peiper 1915-1976

SS-Gren/Heinrich Stohler, Second Battle Group

Pipes suggest go to the web site and have a look at the new forum mate.

Regards the Alice gear a quote from
Uniforms and equipment of US infantry, lrrps and Rangers in Vietnam author paul W Miraldi Schiffer military history ISBN 0-7643-0958-7

"Contrary to popular belief or what you hAve heard, A.L.I.C.E gear was not used in Vietnam! Although certain pieces were tested in the late 1960s early 1970s, Alice gear never made it to Vietnam in any large amounts and was no issued out to troops."

Thats what i go by and Paul Miraldi is a much respected writer, collector and researcher.

_________________
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who screws up your day and may their arms be too short to scratch.

GeFoPo

Web site http://vietnamuk.moonfruit.com

Forum http://vietnamreenactors.myfastforum.org/index.php

US troops were out of there by early '73 mate, after the US and N Vietnam signed the Paris Peace Accords, so no US troops (or other US Forces) there '73-'75 (apart from US Marines briefly arriving in Saigon for the evacuation, Op Frequent Wind, in April '75)

Cheers for the good advice Kurt, as i say iam a "newbie" to the Nam portrayal
but as far as iam aware the "ALICE" gear came out in 73 so was used to some
extent till the fall of Saigon in 75, and have seen it in use on some late pics.

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Gliderinf / Luftlande

Look at Wikipedia Gliderinf

Anyway the rest of my webbing is authentic/original pre 1965
stamped gear so getting rid of one rucksack is no big thing lol

_________________
"Schreite mit stolzer Geringschatzung durch den Pfuhl menschlicher Unzulassigkeit"
"Stride with proud disdain through the swamp of human inadmissibility" Jochen Peiper 1915-1976

SS-Gren/Heinrich Stohler, Second Battle Group

I think your getting the Alice ruck confused with the Tropical Ruck.

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Gliderinf / Luftlande

Could well be Pipes they are similar looking. As you say not a problem to bin the ruck but it may be expensive to get a lightweight or a Tropical ruck, they go for silly prices im afraid.

_________________
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who screws up your day and may their arms be too short to scratch.

GeFoPo

Web site http://vietnamuk.moonfruit.com

Forum http://vietnamreenactors.myfastforum.org/index.php

Yep Wikepedia - thats the best place to do your research - what do books know.

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Gliderinf / Luftlande

No need for smarmy comments Gliderinf
As i said ive only just got into the Vietnam scene
and considering it only took 3 months to
get a decent portrayal going i think ive done quite well

Basically i can only go from what ive seen on websites
or ref books, the bag i based mine on was on a veterans
website of equipment he used, it may have been a tropical
rucksack but when looking into equipment used i saw on
Wikipedia that the Alice kit came out in 73 i assumed
these were the same rucksacks, excuse my ignorance as
i have only just started this project, give people a chance
before jumping on them ok

_________________
"Schreite mit stolzer Geringschatzung durch den Pfuhl menschlicher Unzulassigkeit"
"Stride with proud disdain through the swamp of human inadmissibility" Jochen Peiper 1915-1976

SS-Gren/Heinrich Stohler, Second Battle Group

People tell you in a nice way
You argue with them
Then people tell you in a less nice way
You argue with them too
Then when an avalanche of people and facts prove you wrong
You play the "poor little me being picked on card"
Then finally, you pretend you knew it all along.

over and over and over

How about - when you are talking bollocks - and are proved to be talking bollocks - you accept it graciously?

Any hope ?

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Gliderinf / Luftlande

Trust me guys no Alice ever made it to Nam, period. Yes it was first issued in '73/74 from lessons learned during the conflict, but Alice itself is based on the M67 webbing which was the first attempt at issuing nylon webbing for the tropical climate and did make it to Vietnam in limited quantities. Note that the US Army inventory/quartermaster never made a differential between canvas or nylon webbing, it was just webbing to them.

You've got a great impression going Pipies already so well done. Alice is a common mistake with folks new to Vietnam reenactment to make, but an easy one to learn - Don't use Alice for your impression it was to late for the war.

For choice of rucksacks, if cost is a concern that get an ARVN canvas ruck plenty of US ground troops used them. If money is no object then go for a Tropical or Lightweight ruck if your doing Airborne the later is what you need. As a note the Alice medium Ruck is based on the Tropical Ruck, which was found to be wanting for various reasons and the X-frame did little to support the load carried by the trooper.

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Unterwachtmeister. Volker Kempf - Pz.Aufkl.Abt.Großdeutschland

Thanks for the friendly heads up Kurt,
i listen to any advice as long as it is friendly,
and constructive and to help like yours has

Thanks mate, regards Pipes

_________________
"Schreite mit stolzer Geringschatzung durch den Pfuhl menschlicher Unzulassigkeit"
"Stride with proud disdain through the swamp of human inadmissibility" Jochen Peiper 1915-1976

SS-Gren/Heinrich Stohler, Second Battle Group

A couple ive found in my pic files





Pipes

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"After 12yrs in reenacting and im still around, my portrayals speaks for themselves"

Staff-Sgt, British Airborne Pathfinders Unit
ww2airbornegroup.webs.com