"Tiger stripes and green faces in Vietnam" Topic

I am seeking help on what US forces in Vietnam wore tiger stripes and/or painted their faces with camo: I have a sneaking suspicion that there may be a number of urban myths on this subject.

I would also welcome advice on painting tiger stipes and camo in 28mm using Vallejo paints.

Alan

Alan, certainly LRRP did, some good photos here:

link

Bob.

This are really fantastic website. Just look up the page for the USA click on it and it will display in color all of our camo patterns. Also if you don't like this website researching Tiger Stripe uniforms look under South vietnamese because they created it.

link

The SEALs were big on painting faces as well as the Austrialian SAS. LRRPs and Force Recon would also do some special uniforms and paint.

The basic line grunt stuck with plain green uniform with some USMC units in tricolor.

Also remember MAC-SOG, who seem to have used whatever they fancied ;)

DANG great link Hibernian Devil Dog

I've heard a number of Vietnam vets say that tiger stripe wasn't as popular in the field as you might think. The pattern is basically horizontal and everything in Vietnam (and everywhere else, for that matter) grows vertically. The VC/NVA quickly learned to scan the jungle for horizontal patterns in the foliage and open fire.

Tiger stripes and face painting are for the most part used (during this period) by special units (arguably more professional ). This is especially important for units that have greater need to use camouflage for concealment. Avoiding detection behind enemy lines,for example. More traditional units,filled with conscripted soldiers with generally less training were far less likely to need or make use of those techniques.

Many thanks for the most helpful replies.

Any suggestions for Vallejo colours?

Alan

On a practical note, from someone who has used face paint on many exercises – it rubs off quick, and any fancy patterns soon blur. If it is hot and/or you sweat a bit, the degredation is increased. A lot of the time we'd just smear a couple of finger-fulls all over, maybe do some highlighting and that's be it.

Also, there is little point in camming up yor face and leaving you wrists, neck, etc bare. They should be done as well.

So I may do a pattern on some figures but I blur the effect deliberately for that 'haven't just got off the chopper' look.

So my cammed faces – a

Yes, I agree with iceaxe … and it had to be reapplied often.

also seen pics of camo`d weapons was that wide spread? rifles in particular

The tigerstripe pattern was actually first used by the VNMC and then made its way to various elite units, US and otherwise (MACV-SOG operators also made a variant pattern by just painting black stripes on regular OD fatigues). The ARVN Rangers (BDQ) and Special Forces (LLDB) actually used more of the old French lizard pattern (which was also popular with the ARVN Airborne units) and US Army ERDL type patterns when they weren't just using regular OD fatigues. Some amount of the commercial "duck hunter" fatigues made their way to ARVN elite unis via US Army Special Forces and other US elite units, which also was how it made it to the Civilian Irregular Defense Group and Provincial Reconnaissance Units. Many of the specialized South Vietnamese units adopted their own patterns or used a collection of patterns. The Strategic Technical Directorate (South Vietnam's counterpart to MACV-SOG) was known for having very lax uniform regulations to help conceal its total numbers and who was actually a part of it. The National Police Field Force also had a unique pattern, which you sometimes see worn by CIDG and PRU types (it was the only camo pattern not banned from sale to the general public in South Vietnam, making it a more readily available option for all sorts of groups).

Few days in the field and just a plain set of greens were stained enough to work as camo anyway.