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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

I just realized that I posted this in the wrong place - sorry.

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.  ?

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.

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

Great captured belt set, dont see those canteens to often.

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.

Great stuff.  Rich A. in Pa.

Same  or similar belts fond in Rhodesia supplied by Russia to ZIPRA 

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

  Extremely nice set, Bryan.  To me, the real gem is the blank Soviet export belt and buckle.  Not the easiest thing to find.

I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to find and actually keep these four belts.

 

The top one is very similar to the NVA belt,

 

the second one is similar to the ZIPRA belt,

 

the steel one came from eastern Europe, Serbia I think,

 

the fourth one is on a leather belt with indecipherable stamped markings. 1960's maybe???

I would say more 1970s

12 hours ago, Liebstandarte said:

I would say more 1970s

sounds good to me, thanks!