A new addition to the Eastman Combat Collection, our Vietnam era boonie is an exacting reproduction of an incountry made original, this piece is entirely made in Japan and in stock now in the ELC webstore.
Few other pieces of gear are as iconic of the US involvement in South East Asia as the boonie hat. It was both functional in the climate and a custom expression of personality. While being the most practical headwear for jungle insurgency, Tiger Stripe boonie hats were often worn by Special Forces and recon troops to show their elite status. With tailor shops readily available, it was possible to buy or have made a hat to whatever specifications one desired. Brim length, height, camo pattern, fabric weight and unit insignia or airborne wings were all considered when choosing the proper head gear.
The JWD (John Wayne Dense) tiger stripe is an iconic, four colour camo pattern synonymous with the US Special Forces in Vietnam. It features bold black strokes, dark green, and muted brown, all outlined in tan, and is characterised by a tightly packed, heavy-contrast design that was famously worn by John Wayne in the 1968 film The Green Berets. Originally so named and classified by Sgt Richard Dennis Johnson in his book Tiger Patterns, collectors often refer to it as the “Classic” or “Okinawan” pattern, as it was originally manufactured in Japan during the early 1960s for South Vietnamese forces.
www.eastmanleather.com/the-combat-collection/1347-tiger-stripe-short-brim-boonie
