I made this image for fun, what do y'all think?

 

 

Pretty cool. How about an AK chest rig?

 

The Life Magazine intrigued me to the point that I found a copy and bought it. Hopefully Ill have it in the next week.

To add to your description of the soldier of North Vietnam or NVA, these are my observations from 1970-1971:

 

The average NVA soldier was armed with a Chinese or Soviet made AK-47 assault rifle in 7.62 x 39mm. NVA soldiers armed with the AK carried four 30 round magazines of ammunition; one was loaded in the weapon and three more were carried in chest pockets on a vest. Other NVA soldiers carried the RPG-7, a shoulder fired rocket launcher that delivered a flying shaped charge, which exploded violently and loudly upon impact. Designed as a light antitank weapon, the NVA used this feared weapon against Infantry Troops, helicopters and in attacks on US fighting positions. The RPG gunner usually carried three or four rockets with him while more were distributed amongst other soldiers. A light machine gun, the RPD also in 7.62 x 39mm, was commonly found in squad size elements of NVA. It had a 100 round belt fed drum attached below its receiver. It was also a very effective light automatic weapon.

The typical enemy soldier usually wore a khaki or light green uniform although other styles were observed. On his head he commonly wore a green pith helmet adorned with the NVA star, but sometimes other jungle hats were seen as well. His footgear varied from rubber and canvas boots to the more common Ho Chi Minh sandals made from discarded rubber tires. The NVA soldiers personal gear consisted of a magazine vest, canteen, a home made knife, chicom hand grenades and bits of discarded and prized US equipment all carried in a small canvas rucksack with a rice ball ration, a piece of parachute cloth, a spoon made from a spent aluminum hand flare tube and perhaps an oil lamp made from ammunition shell casings. Not the most well equipped soldier, he was nonetheless a formidable opponent. The average NVA soldiers were little people about 4 foot six inches tall and weighed about 80 pounds. Like soldiers everywhere they ranged in age from 17 to 21 years old. Seldom did you find them much older, but some of their seasoned leaders were older. They smelled like wood smoke and the fish oil they used on their rice. The NVA soldier was well disciplined and skilled in jungle survival. He knew the terrain and he could disappear like smoke in the wind when he chose to. If ordered to fight, he was tenacious.