Tigerstripe

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Tigerstripe is the name of a group of camouflage patterns developed for close-range use in dense jungle during jungle warfare. It derives its name from its resemblance to a tiger's stripes. 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 overlapping, as in French Lizard pattern from which it apparently derives. There are many variations: R.D. Johnson counted at least 19 different versions in early drafts of Tiger Patterns, his definitive work on the subject, although it is unclear if these are all different print patterns, or if they include color variations of a few different print patterns.

A commercial tigerstripe pattern
A commercial tigerstripe pattern
Vietnam era tigerstripe pattern hat
Vietnam era tigerstripe pattern hat

Contents

[edit] History

It is unclear who developed the first tigerstripe pattern, consisting of sixty-four (64) stripes. The French used a similar pattern in their war in Vietnam [1], while simultaneously, the British used a similar pattern in Burma [2]. After the French left Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps continued using the pattern. When the United States began sending advisors to South Vietnam, the USMAAG advisors attached to the ARVN, adopted the pattern. Soon, many American special operations forces in the Vietnamese theaters of operations wore the pattern, despite not always being attached to ARVN units. During the latter stages of the war, tigerstripe was gradually replaced by the then new ERDL pattern, a predecessor of the woodland BDU pattern. [3]

Besides American and ARVN forces, Australian and New Zealand military forces also used tigerstripe camouflage combat uniforms while on advisory duty in Vietnam, with Australian and New Zealand advisors to the ARVN, and Australian and New Zealand Special Air Service soldiers being the principal wearers of tigerstripe uniforms, while regular Australian and New Zealand ground forces continued wearing standard olive drab green combat uniforms.

[edit] Military Units users

[edit] Current use

The Tamil Tigers also use a tiger stripe camouflage pattern in their uniforms, but it is graphically very different from the family of patterns famous as Tigerstripes from the Vietnam War. The Tamil Tigers' pattern lacks black, and is small and overwhelmingly horizontal. Some private companies, such as Tiger Stripes Products, [4] manufacture variants of tigerstripe for the civilian market. The United States Air Force has developed a digital tigerstripe pattern using various greens, greys, and blues for use with its new Airman Battle Uniform.

[edit] In Movies, Television, and Video Games

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Tigerstripe clothing is often seen in films and TV shows set during the Vietnam War, but the Russian and Cuban variations can also be seen. The following is a list of films, television shows, and video games in which characters are seen wearing tigerstripe.

  • The Deer Hunter - Special Forces soldier Michael Vronsky (Robert DeNiro) wears tigerstripe fatigues throughout the Vietnam War scenes of the film.
  • Apocalypse Now - U.S.A. Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) wears tigerstripe fatigues in most scenes; standard solid olive green jungle fatigues in others.
  • Flight of the Intruder - The tigerstripe pattern is used on the flight suit worn by Lt. Cmdr. Virgil 'Tiger' Cole (Willem Dafoe)
  • The Green Berets - Once they arrive in Vietnam, all of the main characters except for the young orphan, Hamchunk.
  • High Velocity (1976 film) -Vietnam veteran now mercenaries Ben Gazzara and Paul Winfield nostalgically sniff the tigerstripes they are about to wear on their mission.
  • Harsh Realm - Republican Guard special forces troops wore Tiger Stripe camouflage uniforms while regular Republican Guard troops wore olive-drab uniforms.
  • Terminator 2: Judgment Day - A young John Connor wears a Tiger Stripe camouflage jacket throughout much of the film.
  • Tour of Duty - Tiger Stripe camouflage uniforms were worn by both US and South Vietnamese soldiers in the TV series.
  • Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - The main character, Naked Snake, can choose to wear Tiger Stripe camouflage if he is in a situation that calls for it.
  • ShellShock: Nam '67 - The main player character wears Tiger Stripe uniform after he becomes a Special Forces operative.
  • Magnum PI - In the TV Series Magnum PI Thomas Sullivan Magnum (Tom Selleck) repeatedly wears the Tiger Stripe pattern BDUs as a Navy SEAL/ Naval Intelligence Officer in Vietnam and as a Private Investigator in Hawaii.
  • We Were Soldiers - In the scene where a helicopter flies over a group of soldiers playing cards, the ARVN soldier can be seen wearing tigerstripe.
  • The Unit - In several episodes different unit team members have worn variations of the tiger stripe camouflage BDUs: Sergeant Major Jonas Blane can be seen in tiger stripe BDU jacket in several episodes, Master Sergeant Mack Gerhardt wears tiger camo BDU pants in combat operations in Afghanistan, Colonel Tom Ryan wears full tiger stripe BDUs in Panama, and Sergeant Hector Williams wears Desert tiger stripe in Afghanistan and again in Papa New Guinea.
  • 84 Charlie Mopic - Movie. All characters of the LRRP team are wearing Tigerstripe camo except for the cameraman and the lieutenant.
  • Vietcong - Game. Various characters in the game are wearing Tigerstripe camo.
  • Spy Game - The Tiger Stripe camouflage uniforms were worn by both US Marines and ARVN troops.
  • Battlefield Vietnam - On a map where U.S. Special Forces are available soldiers can be seen wearing Tiger Stripe Camouflage.
  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Tiger Stripe uniforms were worn by US Special Forces troops.
  • Blood Diamond - Tigerstripe clothing was worn by both the mercenaries and RUF fighters.
  • Stargate SG-1 - In the episode "Ripple Effect" one of the alternate SG-1 teams has a Cameron Mitchell wearing Tiger Stripe Camouflage.

[edit] See also

[edit] Further reading

Johnson, Richard Denis (1999). Tiger Patterns: A Guide to the Vietnam War's Tigerstripe Combat Fatigue Patterns and Uniforms. Schiffer Pub Ltd. ISBN 9780764307560. 

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