bryang Posted April 24, 2020 Share #1 Posted April 24, 2020 I picked this up at the monthly flea market a few years ago. While I don't know the name of the American Soldier who had brought this back home to the U.S., the date and place of capture had been written on the canteen. "28 Oct 1968 Pho Cat V.N." I like that the canteen has the communist star on it. Another collector had messaged me and claimed that the canteens with the star were harder to find. I'd taken his word for it, as I don't have much Vietnam related items. The belt also has a cloth pouch in which the hammock was very tightly packed. I had to pull it out to see it, but doubt I'll be able to put it back as well as it was originally packed. Also affixed to the belt is a length of white para cord, tightly wound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryang Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share #2 Posted April 24, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryang Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted April 24, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted April 24, 2020 Share #4 Posted April 24, 2020 Very nice. Thank you for sharing. I don't think I have seen a canteen with a star before. A lot of collectors are more familiar with the metal ones. According to Emering's book, the plastic ones came later in the war, but he does not provide a date for the switchover. If you like Communist material, it is a good reference to have. https://www.amazon.com/Weapons-Field-Gear-North-Vietnamese/dp/0764305832/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YK8WVNEGG4AK&dchild=1&keywords=weapons+and+field+gear+of+the+north+vietnamese+army+and+viet+cong&qid=1587768089&sprefix=Weapons+and+field%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryang Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted April 24, 2020 I just realized that I posted this in the wrong place - sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted April 24, 2020 Share #6 Posted April 24, 2020 12 minutes ago, bryang said: I just realized that I posted this in the wrong place - sorry. Not a problem. Moved to VN Field Equipment. If you put something in the wrong category, just contact a Moderator and we can fix it. Besides, you weren't that far off. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted April 25, 2020 Share #7 Posted April 25, 2020 Very nice, those plastic canteens are quite hard to find! From my observation of wartime photographs I would disagree with them being later, i am not sure the earliest I have seen them, but I know they were around by 1967 at the latest. There are two main types of plastic canteens encountered, white plastic ones and green ones. There are also variations in the texture, all of the green ones are textured, but the shapes used vary. I have seen it suggested that the plastic ones were produced in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), and while I havent seen anything to prove this, this does seem plausible to me, and it is supported by them only turning up in Vietnam, Cambodia, and probably Laos. The metal ones were certainly made in the Peoples Republic of China, the most common of those being the Type 65. The rest of the rig is nice too, but I have less info about it other than hammocks were the primary way the QDND and GPQ slept, sometimes they would stretch them between two trees, sometimes they would dig a hole or bunker and hang them in there. I personally dont undo things like the hammock, because as you say it's hard to get back together. I love it when the history of an item is written on it. Anyways great rig. I hope yo own one like it some day. When I fix my computer I will post some photographs of similar items in Vietnam, especially the canteens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted April 25, 2020 Share #8 Posted April 25, 2020 Oh yeah, one last thing, all of the plastic canteens have a stars on them, so he is right that canteens with stars on them are rare, but it seems a little like missing the forest for the trees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAB Posted July 18, 2020 Share #9 Posted July 18, 2020 Great captured belt set, dont see those canteens to often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boy Howdy Posted April 29, 2021 Share #10 Posted April 29, 2021 I have one of those Soviet Russian made belts that I was told it was used by the NVA. This is the first actual proof I've seen, Thank you for the post bryang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RRA227 Posted April 29, 2021 Share #11 Posted April 29, 2021 Great stuff. Rich A. in Pa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kia kaha Posted April 30, 2021 Share #12 Posted April 30, 2021 Same or similar belts fond in Rhodesia supplied by Russia to ZIPRA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted May 6, 2021 Share #13 Posted May 6, 2021 On 4/29/2021 at 9:58 PM, Kia kaha said: Same or similar belts fond in Rhodesia supplied by Russia to ZIPRA Very interesting, might have been a standard Soviet export pattern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo Posted May 7, 2021 Share #14 Posted May 7, 2021 Extremely nice set, Bryan. To me, the real gem is the blank Soviet export belt and buckle. Not the easiest thing to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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