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ARVN Windproof Camouflage

Dated: 1964

Description: Two large chest pockets, reinforced shoulders-elbows, lightweight 2nd Pattern ARVN Windproof camouflage. This camouflage pattern is referred to by different names: ARVN windproof, pinks, bulletproofs, bloodcake, ARVN Airborne Camo, and others. Its origins date to the Indochina period when British windproof camouflage was supplied to French and Vietnamese units fighting the Viet Minh during the First Indochina War. The Vietnamese were fond of the pattern, and in the early 1960s, they developed a version of it closely following the British design. This design is regarded as First Pattern. A further example of the mix and matching in clothing design, two large pockets - similar to US World War Two vintage herringbone twill fatigue shirts (also supplied to French-Vietnamese forces during the First Indochina War) were added, and unlike British windproofs no hoods were present and these were designed in non-smock fashion.
General Nguyen Van Thieu inspecting arms in ARVN Windproof, mid-1960s.

Due to the costs and difficulty in manufacturing this material, around 1964 a second variation known as Second Pattern began to be produced, which featured somewhat muted colors and other toned-down variations. The shirt shown here is an example of the Second Pattern. By the late 1960s, this camoulfage was seldom seen in use with a few notable exceptions. ARVN windproof was almost exclusively worn by Airborne and Special Forces troops, the latter of which often featured 4-pockets with double exposed buttons on each pocket in early US jungle shirt fashion. Presidential guards in Saigon can be also been seen wearing this pattern on occasion. ARVN 1st and 2nd Pattern windproof camouflage items rank among the rarest and most often faked Republic of Vietnam military pieces, either version of the pattern selling exceptionally higher than other period patterns in collecting markets.

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