RDF/Transistional ERDL jacket-1981 dated, Special Forces... display as well!

acquired this RDF jacket at the local shop... yes there are ghosts of the Paratrooper and Helicopter Assault badges, and possibly missing ranks as well, the Special Forces patch was almost torn off, but my guess is that the person transferring the badges to a BDU later on, left the Special Forces patch on due to not wanting to mitigate the damage to the jacket itself... name tapes are cotton; Nkomo believes it legit, I am of the opinion it is legit as well, mirroring my father's older BDUs that he did the same things to...















and here is the display with mix of gear; based on a few photos I've seen in Green Beret books (I didn't buy the books unfortunately...I ought to!)
Belt; M1967 Davis Buckle
1 M1956 Canteen cover
1 M1910 canteen cover
1 M1967 3 day training pack
1 LC compass pouch
1 M1967 20 rd magazine pouch
3x M1956 M14 Magazine pouches
M1956 H harness, Regular

updating this post; cuz I scored an early early LBV,,,,here is the LBV with the display set up!

redid the display, as the LBV is gonna go on a different display when I acquire the proper era SF BDU top;


at the local gun show last weekend; I had a guy come up to me to tell me about how his unit used "Fast Attack vests" before Desert Storm, and how his sgt had an RDF top at the time that he would use for field exercises while keeping his SF BDU top in garrison condition due to some headquarter rule about keeping the BDUs pressed and starched no matter what, and explained to his friend that the Fast Attack Vest design was meant to be used in a vehicle, putting all the mags up front and allowing the canteens to be placed on the sides in order to make it easier to sit in the vehicle, unlike the web gear that everyone had, which made sitting in a HMMWV uncomfortable unless you moved the canteens to the sides and the mags closer together to the front, which also made it more difficult to go prone in some situations, this was an interesting discussion...he did not say which unit, just that he was in Fort Lewis at the time...which jives with where I got the LBvs and RDF tops from...

The display looks much better with correct web gear set up. The strobe pouch is a nice touch. If I were you, I'd use OD green duct tape and tape it.

Also, Strobe pouch is upside down.

what do you mean its upside down? reference photo?

and lol "correct web gear set up"; surely you meant "typical/more commonly seen"....cuz you implied that this SF guy only used LC gear, but we do not know for a fact, we can only estimate..... again, if someone finds a reference photo of Mr. Baty using whatever gear with his RDF top, I would change the set up to match the photo

For one, this period they all were issued 30 rounds mags. They don't fit in M56 Universal pouch. Also, SF being elite unit, they were always the first to get issue latest stuff, LC-1/2 for instance. There are pictures of Rangers from this period use LC-1 stuff. So why not SF?

I will find you a picture of how strobe pouch being worn. I mean the opening of pouch goes down. When soldier need strobe, he would pull it open and strobe comes out easily.

Ok, I take back related to strobe pouch. Guess it is up to individuals.

Picture of Rangers in 1980's

ok, I've only seen the strobes being either sewn onto BDU or RDF tops , with opening on top, or duct taped to belt horizontally with opening to the buckle side; as for M56 pouches...well I was able to get 30 rd AR15 mags to fit the ones I have.... a bit tight though...so apparently these M56 pouches are 2nd generation pattern and taller than the 20 rd versions.... and the SF being elite, that was why I put the undated, unknown manufacture modified LBV on it I've seen photos of RDF being worn up to the 90s, and there is the photo of one guy in the USN wearing a modified RDF top that is dated 94 at the earliest.....again, a SEAL, albeit, a much older guy, Cmdr Gary Stubblefield I think it was? so it all depends on Mr. Baty's story, if we can find out who he was....very slim chance though

It shows the CCT/TACP airman assigned to the 82nd AB. M1 helmet and RDF AND LC-1. Again, this is an evidence that Army has already issued LC-1 gear during the RDF period.