Korea and Vietnam camo

The Camo Guide › Korea and Vietnam camo

1950 – 1975. From the archive photographs of Korea to tigerstripe and ERDL in the jungles of Vietnam. Tiger is our favourite camo in the shop, so this page is close to our hearts. Here’s what we’ve checked so far, and how sure the sources are.

Shop camo The Camo Guide Cold War

Korea 1950 – 1953 Vietnam 1955 – 1975 For collectors

How to read this page. We label every entry so you know how far to trust it. Confirmed: two or more independent sources agree. Official source: a museum, archive or armed forces. Single source: only one source says it, so we write “according to”. Disputed: sources disagree, and we show both.

Korea 1950 - 1953

1st Marine Division Marines return fire during the breakout from Chosin, 7 Dec 1950; one Marine wears a spotted camouflage garment

What the photographs show

We have not yet found a source we can link to for any camouflage pattern issued for the Korean War, on either side. So for now this section is photographs only, each with the archive’s own caption.

24th Medical Battalion corpsman camouflaging his ambulance with mud, Korea, 13 July 1950

Well-camouflaged 105mm howitzer of 15th Regt, 1st ROK Division, north of Taegu, 18 Sep 1950

ROK soldier of 15th Regt, 1st ROK Division, sighting a camouflaged .50 cal machine gun north of Taegu, 18 Sep 1950

Camouflaged USAF Sikorsky YH-19 (s/n 49-2014) picking up a stretcher during the Korean War

Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldier aiming a light machine gun, from People's Pictorial, March 1951 — Chinese People’s Volunteer Army soldier aiming a light machine gun, from People’s Pictorial, March 1951

3rd Bn Royal Australian Regiment patrol crossing mountains in cold-weather uniforms, Korea, March 1951

Not proven: the “Mitchell” pattern in Korea. The US Mitchell pattern is sometimes linked to the Korean War. Our research dates it to about 1953, and we have not found a source showing it was worn in Korea, so we don’t claim it.

Vietnam 1955 - 1975

The jungle patterns

Tigerstripe and ERDL, the two patterns most collectors think of first, plus what we know of the other side.

Close-up of a tigerstripe-pattern hat (file says 'Post-Vietnam Era'). — Close-up of a tigerstripe-pattern hat (file says ‘Post-Vietnam Era’).

US Army LRRP team briefing before a mission, Operation Harrison near Tuy Hoa, Vietnam, 27 Feb 1966.

1959Tigerstripe

South Vietnam · In use: From 1959 · Also called: John Wayne tigerstripe

Official source

The Imperial War Museum says tigerstripe was made for close-range concealment in dense jungle, worn by South Vietnamese Marines from 1959, and adopted by US Special Forces in 1962–63.

Stars and Stripes says the “John Wayne” name comes from his film The Green Berets (1968), whose uniforms were reportedly made from cloth bought in Vietnam.

Disputed: collectors split tigerstripe into more than 25 variants. According to International Military Antiques, the gold “Advisor Sparse” and “John Wayne Dense” are “the most sought patterns”. The nicknames collectors use (Gold, Silver, Tadpole and others) differ from one source to the next.

On screen: according to BAMF Style, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) wears tigerstripe in Apocalypse Now (1979), while Kilgore wears plain olive. Sources disagree on which variant Willard wears, so we just say tigerstripe.

In streetwear, according to Grailed, it is “the most beloved” camo of all.

Sources: Imperial War Museum, Stars and Stripes, International Military Antiques, BAMF Style, Grailed

Close-up photo of ERDL-pattern Vietnam-era trousers.

7th Marines radio operators during Operation Oklahoma Hills, Vietnam, 1969.

1948 / 1967ERDL

United States · In use: Designed 1948, issued 1967 · Also called: leaf pattern; lowlands and highlands versions

Confirmed

A general-purpose jungle pattern, designed in 1948 and issued from 1967, in a green “lowlands” version and a brown “highlands” version. It became standard for US Marines in Vietnam from 1968.

Sources: Wikipedia, Camopedia

Vietnam WarThe other side: North Vietnam

North Vietnam · Also called: đặc công (sapper) leaf camouflage

Single source

According to Camopedia, North Vietnamese Army soldiers wore olive green, while sapper (đặc công) units had a leaf-type camouflage. We have not found a second source, and we have no photograph we can use.

Sources: Camopedia

More from the archives

Two Civilian Irregular Defense Group soldiers aboard USCGC Point Grey, 27 Sep 1965.

Colour photo of a South Vietnamese sergeant ('Sgt Phat') in a camouflage uniform and beret beside a helicopter, c.1964. — Colour photo of a South Vietnamese sergeant (‘Sgt Phat’) in a camouflage uniform and beret beside a helicopter, c.1964.

Australian Army Training Team Vietnam adviser WO2 Tom Hollihan training Montagnard troops, Pleiku, 1969.

Swatch/close-up of a duck-hunter camouflage described as formerly issued to Vietnamese Special Forces.

For collectors

First-pattern jungle jackets

According to Rare Gear USA, first-pattern US jungle jackets from 1963–64 are “scarce and highly valued” (Rare Gear USA).

US labels and dates

According to Rare Gear USA, contract codes on US labels date a garment: DA 1953–62, DSA 1962–77, DLA 1978–93, SPO/SPM from 1994. No code at all usually means pre-1953 (Rare Gear USA).

Tigerstripe variants

Over 25 variants, with nicknames that differ between sources. According to International Military Antiques, the gold “Advisor Sparse” and “John Wayne Dense” are “the most sought patterns” (IMA).

Keep exploring

Shop camo The Camo Guide Second World War Cold War

More from the Camo Guide

Every era in date order, plus the country index and the FAQ. Back to the Camo Guide.

First World War Second World WarKorea and VietnamCold War Middle East and Desert Storm Modern Fashion and film Army surplus Camo by country Camo FAQ

Image credits

1st Marine Division Marines return fire during the breakout from Chosin, 7 Dec 1950; one Marine wears a spotted camouflage garment: National Archives 5891315, official USMC photo 127-N-A5434, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:127-N-A5434.jpg)

24th Medical Battalion corpsman camouflaging his ambulance with mud, Korea, 13 July 1950: National Museum of Health and Medicine, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Corpsman_camouflaging_an_ambulance_(SC_343446),_National_Museum_of_Health_and_Medicine_(4668962566).jpg) Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.

Well-camouflaged 105mm howitzer of 15th Regt, 1st ROK Division, north of Taegu, 18 Sep 1950: Sfc. Albert E. Guyette (U.S. Army Signal Corps); uploaded by Signal Corps Archive, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SC_348630_-_A_well-camouflaged_105mm_howitzer_of_the_15th_Regt.,_1st_ROK_Div.,_in_readiness_for_action_against_the_North_Korean_forces_north_of_Taegu._18_September,_1950._(52514890825).jpg)

ROK soldier of 15th Regt, 1st ROK Division, sighting a camouflaged .50 cal machine gun north of Taegu, 18 Sep 1950: Sfc. Albert E. Guyette (U.S. Army Signal Corps); uploaded by Signal Corps Archive, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SC_348634_-_An_ROK_soldier_of_the_15th_Regt.,_1st_ROK_Div.,_sights_through_his_well-camouflaged_.50_cal._machine_gun_at_the_North_Korean_enemy,_north_of_Taegu._18_September,_1950._(52514953265).jpg)

Camouflaged USAF Sikorsky YH-19 (s/n 49-2014) picking up a stretcher during the Korean War: USAF, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:H-19_USAF_picking_up_stretcher_in_Korea.jpg)

Chinese People’s Volunteer Army soldier aiming a light machine gun, from People’s Pictorial, March 1951: 《人民画报》 (People’s Pictorial), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:195103_1950%E5%B9%B4%E6%9C%9D%E9%B2%9C%E6%88%98%E4%BA%89%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E5%BF%97%E6%84%BF%E5%86%9B%E5%A3%AB%E5%85%B5.png)

3rd Bn Royal Australian Regiment patrol crossing mountains in cold-weather uniforms, Korea, March 1951: Hobson, Phillip Oliver, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3RAR_soldiers_in_winter_gear_on_patrol.jpg)

Close-up of a tigerstripe-pattern hat (file says ‘Post-Vietnam Era’).: Trios2007 — public domain (PD-self), via Wikimedia Commons

US Army LRRP team briefing before a mission, Operation Harrison near Tuy Hoa, Vietnam, 27 Feb 1966.: SP4 Robert C. Lafoon, DASPO — public domain (PD-USGov-Military-Army), via Wikimedia Commons

Close-up photo of ERDL-pattern Vietnam-era trousers.: Rafael Esparza, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.

7th Marines radio operators during Operation Oklahoma Hills, Vietnam, 1969.: Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections (Jonathan F. Abel Collection), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.

Two Civilian Irregular Defense Group soldiers aboard USCGC Point Grey, 27 Sep 1965.: R. T. Douville, JO3, USCG — public domain (PD-USCG), via Wikimedia Commons

Colour photo of a South Vietnamese sergeant (‘Sgt Phat’) in a camouflage uniform and beret beside a helicopter, c.1964.: Archives Branch, USMC History Division (Warren Smith Collection), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.

Australian Army Training Team Vietnam adviser WO2 Tom Hollihan training Montagnard troops, Pleiku, 1969.: Australian War Memorial (C290315), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Swatch/close-up of a duck-hunter camouflage described as formerly issued to Vietnamese Special Forces.: Hủ Tíu Mỳ Khô, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.

Last checked September 2026. Found a mistake or know something we don’t? Tell us in the shop at 81 Queen Street, Glasgow.