Tiger stripe
Sample tiger stripe fabric
TypeMilitary camouflage pattern
Place of originUnknown (Likely South Vietnam or United States)
Service history
In service1962 c. - present
Used bySee Users
WarsVietnam War
Gulf War
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Production history
DesignerNumerous
ManufacturerNumerous

Tiger stripe is the name of a group of camouflage patterns developed for close-range use in dense jungle during jungle warfare by the South Vietnamese Armed Forces and adopted in late 1962 to early 1963 by US Special Forces during the Vietnam War. During and after the Vietnam War, the pattern was adopted by several other Asian countries. It derives its name from its resemblance to a tiger's stripes and were simply called "tigers." It features narrow stripes that look like brush-strokes of green and brown, and broader brush-strokes of black printed over a lighter shade of olive or khaki. The brush-strokes interlock rather than overlap, as in French Lizard pattern (TAP47) from which it apparently derives.

History

Sergeant Billy H. Faulks calls for air support, Co D, 151st (Ranger) Inf., Vietnam War, 1969
Philippine Navy NAVSOCOM at the SEACAT 2018 Exercise 002

It is unclear who developed the first tiger stripe pattern, consisting of 64 stripes. The French used a similar pattern (Lizard) in their war in Vietnam. After the French left Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam Marine Division continued using the pattern,[1] a variant of which was later adopted by Vietnamese Rangers (Biệt Động Quân)[1] and Special Forces (Lực Lượng Đặc Biệt). When the United States began sending advisors to South Vietnam, USMAAG advisors attached to the ARVN were authorized to wear their Vietnamese unit's combat uniform with US insignia.[1] Soon, many American special operations forces in the Vietnamese theater of operations wore the pattern, despite not always being attached to ARVN units: it became the visible trademark of Marine Corps Recon, Green Berets, LRRPs, SEALs, and other elite forces.

Tiger stripe was never an official US-issue item. Personnel permitted to wear it at first had their camo fatigues custom-made by local tailors, with ARVN uniforms being too small for most Americans; for this reason there were many variations of the basic tiger stripe pattern. In 1963, Marine Corps Advisors and from 1964, 5th Special Forces Group of the Green Berets contracted with Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian producers to make fatigues and other items such as boonie hats using tiger stripe fabric. Being manufactured by different producers in places like Thailand, Korea and Okinawa, Japan, there was a wide variety of patterns and color shade variations.[1][2] They were made in both Asian and US sizes.[1]

During the latter stages of the war, tiger stripe was gradually replaced in American reconnaissance units by the then-new ERDL pattern,[3] a predecessor of the US four-color woodland pattern. The Special Forces-advised Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) used tiger stripe from 1963 until disbanded in 1971. Special Forces personnel wore tiger stripe when conducting operations with the CIDG.[2]

Besides American and ARVN forces, Australian and New Zealand military personnel used tiger stripe uniforms while on advisory duty with the ARVN units.[4] Personnel from the Australian Special Air Service Regiment and the New Zealand Special Air Service were the principal wearers of tigerstripe uniforms[3] (and ERDL uniforms) in theater, while regular Australian and New Zealand troops wore the standard-issue olive drab green uniforms.

Outside of Vietnam, Thailand and Philippines have been the most prolific manufacturers of tiger stripe designs since the Vietnam War. The pattern became popular throughout the Middle East and South America as well.

The pattern was tested by the USMC prior to the adoption of MARPAT through the Scout Sniper Instructor School.[5]

Users

F/A-18 Hornet of VMFA(AW)-224 in tigerstripe decorative livery

Current

Former

Non-state actors

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Trousers, Camouflage, 'Tiger Stripe': ARVN / US Special Forces". Imperial War Museums.
  2. 1 2 Rottman (2008), p. 20.
  3. 1 2 3 Dougherty (2017), p. 64.
  4. ↑ McNab, Chris (2002). 20th Century Military Uniforms (2nd ed.). Kent, UK: Grange Books. pp. 278, 308. ISBN 1-84013-476-3.
  5. ↑ "Combat Utility Uniform Camouflage Considerations". September 20, 2001. Archived from the original on 2001-09-20.
  6. ↑ "Inside the CIA's secret Kabul base, burned out and abandoned in haste". TheGuardian.com. 3 October 2021.
  7. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 127.
  8. ↑ Larson (2021), pp. 384.
  9. ↑ "Camouflage: Form or Function?". 11 June 2013.
  10. ↑ Larson (2021), pp. 298–299.
  11. 1 2 "Russian Camo: What Camouflage Does Russia Use ?". April 2020.
  12. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 433.
  13. ↑ https://www.camopedia.org/index.php/Russia#Camouflage_of_Other_Federal_Services
  14. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 434.
  15. ↑ "The Pic of the Day: Nothing screams Pipe-Hitter more than Tiger Stripes camo". 5 September 2019.
  16. 1 2 "Throwback tiger stripes could get more use among Green Berets". Stars and Stripes.
  17. ↑ "Afghan NDS continues crackdown on counterfeit uniforms". Long War Journal. 2011-09-05. Archived from the original on 2019-10-09. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  18. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 368.
  19. 1 2 Larson (2021), p. 207.
  20. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 172.
  21. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 173.
  22. ↑ Conboy (1991), p. 60.
  23. 1 2 "The Complex Guide to Camo". Complex Networks. Archived from the original on 2018-08-10. Retrieved 2018-08-10.
  24. ↑ "The Vietnamese Marine Corps". msuweb.montclair.edu.
  25. ↑ Conboy (1991), p. 58.
  26. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 330.
  27. ↑ Galeotti (2019), p. 5.
  28. ↑ Larson (2021), p. 282.

Sources

  • Conboy, Kenneth (1991). South-East Asian Special Forces. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855321069.
  • Dougherty, Martin (2017). Camouflage at War: An Illustrated Guide from 1914 to the Present Day. Amber Books. ISBN 978-1782744986.
  • Galeotti, Mark (2019). Armies of Russia's War in Ukraine. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1472833440.
  • Johnson, Richard Denis (1999). Tiger Patterns: A Guide to the Vietnam War's Tigerstripe Combat Fatigue Patterns and Uniforms. Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-0756-0.
  • Larson, Eric H. (2021). Camouflage: International Ground Force Patterns, 1946–2017. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 9781526739537.
  • Rottman, Gordon L. (2008). US Army Long-Range Patrol Scout in Vietnam 1965-71. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1846032509.
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