DCUs and BDUs

Happy New Year..


                                                                                                   


                                                                                                    





S

Thank you Andrew..

As far as I understand, this type of flag was Italian made and supposedly sown onto DCUs at a small shop near the Ederle base. This was done pre and post their jump into Iraq..

Normal sized US made flags were sometimes worn on left side of early DBDUs and DCUs of US Army and other US services during that period.

I am fairly certain the 173rd. would not start using modified DCU blouses until around 2005.


S

Nice pieces all..

SETAF BDU is very interesting..


                                                                               







S

It's a good one for sure..

These are not bad either..


                                                                                                 

                                                                                                  
                                                                                                  

                                                                                                    

                     




S

This one is my new favorite..

Always happy to find anything 25th. Infantry , and especially  LRS related.

This one is an early modification.    2 top blouse buttons were removed in favor of a velcro strip; top pockets also secure with velcro.  At some point it was  modified with added sleeve pockets, which were later removed.
The added sleeve pockets were the smaller chest pockets of another DCU blouse.   Basic para wings were also removed but found in one of the pockets.  

 
                                                                                                             


                                                                                                              


                                                                                                             

                                                                                                             



This one will be restored..

S

Thank you Guilhaume ,I really like it.  Early mod and one I've not seen before..

Here is another modified; I think it's an SF type.


                                                                           



S

When something sounds too good, it usually is not good..


This decent original has been embellished to make it look like something it is not.  





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
         






S

Whenever buying things like this, one must be  aware that some things are faked more than others.
173rd pieces are among the most faked, so I looked around and was disappointed to discover my fears were well founded.

Here is an example .   This was a named BDU that either had no SSIs, or had them removed to  be replaced with  173rd SSIs and a basic para wings.  Instant 173rd. combat vet.

Considering the choice of thread color, whomever did this was not as competent as the person who embellished the 173rd. DCU. blouse.





                                                                    


                                                                   




S

Sure, genuine named pieces are drying up and have become more valuable,especially pieces connected with " elite " formations.

It is too easy to fake these uniforms, but also not that difficult to spot them .

I tend to be very careful.

S

Sad but true.   Fortunately, put togethers are usually fairly easy to detect, if you have the patience to do a bit of research.




                                                                   


                                                                    






S

Thank you Andrew,

Good eye..Indeed it is..


S

The easy answer is a DCU that has been modified can be consider a raid mod.



S

A few recent additions.


                                                                           


                                                                 


                                                                  


                                                                 



First one and the 2 modified blouses have been identified as  owned by soldiers who are on the 2003 Iraq combat jump manifest.


S