The Vietnam Stopgap: The US M1967 Modernized Load Carrying Equipment 

The history for the ALICE system would be a cool continuation of this

Uniform History uploading a video relating to the Vietnam War? I'm gonna scream without the S

In the early 80's we were issued a mix of M1967 and Alice gear in Marine boot camp. I can remember one of my platoon mates getting an M67 canteen cover with a broken plastic snap. M67ammo pouches were fairly well represented as well. We were also all issued Mitchell pattern helmet covers with big green circles and black numbers on them (that meant nothing to us as they had nothing to do with us). Some of my platoon mates got the belts with the Davis buckles which always seemed to unhook themselves at the worst time, and I distinctly remember having an M56 web belt issued to me, proving that even by 1982 M56 stuff was still around, at least for training. Of course all of our web gear (782 gear in USMC speak) was beat to crap, likely having been handed down from the fleet to the training organizations. My M16A1 was actually marked on the receiver as being an XM16E1 which means it was made between 1964 and 1967...which by 1982 was VERY worn and was a 0% finish remaining lower. (Rifle shot well enough to get me Expert Riflemen out of Boot though) Back then the Marines never threw anything away if there was any life left in it.

In 2007, we were still being issued ALICE gear in basic. When I was handed my M16 pouches, one was the standard ALICE type while the other was a 1967 type. I was surprised since I had assume all vietnam gear had been fully phased out in the late 90s.

I was in the Marine Corps Reserve 1999-2005, when I got there our unit still had lots of the M67 canteen covers mixed in with ALICE ones. Center seam ERDL poncho liners too.

In the army currently. Interesting to see how much of the gear we still use was developed during Vietnam

Thank you for doing the M1956 and M1967 systems. Very informative. I would love to see you do the ALICE system.

In the air guard we still use Alice web gear for training. And I even had an M56 canteen pouch issued to me (this was 2015). Soooo it’s still out there being used

Personally I like the H suspender compared to the Y suspender. More comfortable, in military term. I taped the nylon loops, that hold the excess striping, with electrical tape to keep them in shape because they lost their elasticity over time.

It's will be a Challenge for this Channel but Vietnam Tiger Stripe Uniform needs to be made.

This is great. Would love to see the origin of molle/pals.

As someone who participates in Vietnam reenacting this video is gold. Thanks for making it.

Can't wait for the eventual ALICE gear and LBV-88 video

Having lived in both central European as a kid, and the Philippines (approximately 1000 miles due east of Vietnam) as a young Airman, the only difference between the two is that the former is cold & WET, while the latter is hot & WET.

What a Friday!!! Thanks for all your uploads. Always cheering on your channel as it inspires my everyday uploads on mine. Keep up the great work.

We had a guy ask to exchange a Vietnam era canteen and cover to the local surplus store. The owner a bit confused on the exchange figured it out after being told to have a look inside the pouch and found a small black lacy thong inside with the canteen. The owner of the shop was perplexed as he was told the canteens had been in storage for close to 40 or 45 years when he had acquired the lot from a government supply auction.

Very well researched and excellent video! Also wanted to say thanks as your videos allowed me to find a UCP-D helmet cover in a pile of normal UCP ones at my local surplus store.

Another great video. Over the years I have collected much more load carrying equipment than uniforms. Stuff was plentiful and cheap in the late 80s, everything from WWI to M56 could be easily found. I remember looking at a pallet of the long skinny 1910 packs thinking, "what the hell would I do with that?". I wanted stuff with some purpose, camping or storage, and passed on alot of cool surplus. I was in the reserves in an arctic scout platoon then mechanized infantry in Germany, 1984-1987. During this time alot of equipment was changing. I call myself the last of the oldtimers! I credit the transitional nature of my time in service and the variety of equipment issued as the spark for my interest in this field of military history.

Thumbs up for the M1941 pack system. Minus the M1 cartridge belt, the M1941 pack system was my 782 gear from 1974 -1976. Didn't see an ALICE pack until 1976.

And those small pack that was on the back of the belt can be used for extra food and ammo and medic kits

I would love to see a video on the history of ALICE.

Well this was informative. I got out my LBE kit (made up by late 80s 16 yr. old me) and was comparing it as the video went on. Man I have a hodgepodge of components. Davis belt, canvas butt pack, nylon canteen pouch, late M16 ammo pouches. The thing I don't get is I have "Y" shoulder straps, you didn't touch on those.

what an outstanding video. i remember that much of this gear was still in the Marine supply chain in the 80s.

The Air Force still uses the suspenders and belts and a few other parts of the ALICE system as part of its CBRN equipment gear

this is a nice update about the gear relating vietnam war! well may i request next video to you about OG-107 history from 1st pattern until fatigue jungle pattern

Oh yeah in the late 70s the gear was created in desert tan for issue with the new desert uniform and night desert parka. 20 round mag pouches and e tool tan covers are great.

Great content as always.

Nice explanation. I thought that the Tropical Rucksack was part of the "67" system and also the 2 qrt canteen with white label and "scalloped" lid/cover as it took over from the larger square canteen cover. I have never seen the M14 pouches so they must be the "Holy Grail" to collectors.

I love how specific this video's are. So much passion.

Good stuff ! Love the Vietnam era gear

Love ur videos and appreciate the detail on such a niche topic

Good video. It would be fun to see ALICE LBE next.

Awesome video. Highly researched I love it

Very helpful stuff!

Very neat

NICE

The old canvas stuff was around and still being issued by CIF as late as 1977. If you were combat arms you got the new stuff. Support Troops got the old stuff in a "modified" TA-50 issue. There was vast quantities of the old canvas items in stock at the Depots through the 70's. Somewhere along the line LCE changed LBE.

Thanks for the information...., I remember getting the yoke was difficult to get here in the UK when I collected by pieces in the Noughties.... now I have a clear id of the Sleeping bag carrier that is on the list.

It would be cool if you could do a video on the German KTS 95 web system

Q buen video 😃😃

USMC 84-88 We transitioned from the M1 Steel Pots to the Kevlar Helmets, from Jeeps to HUMVEES, & M16A1s to the A2s. Along the way, there was also a mix of canvas 4-strap & nylon 3-strap Suspenders, and Korean War Sleeping Bags. GOOD TIMES !

Very informative. Can't wait to see your Alice video. I still use Alice today and prefer it over the modern equipment.

The suspenders were still being used by a lot of Ranger NCOs in 3/75 when I got there in 1997. They held up better than the current one at that time...however we modified everything for a specific reason. RLTW! C/3/75 1997-2001; 75th RHQ GWOT (Afghanistan)

When I was in the Army, we were issued the M-1956 LCE in basic training and permanent duty. 82nd Abn. Div 1972-75

The old school shovel can be used as a backup weapon and you don't have to be close to your enemies during a hand to hand fight

I have a few surplus LBE sets. One of them is a mix of M1956 and M1967 gear. Of the M1967 gear, I have the suspenders, E-Tool cover, a canteen cover (later style with both vertical and horizontal stitching), and First Aid Case (IFAK, not compass/1st aid). Kinda want the whole set, minus field pack. Vietnam was the cause of massive change at a relative drop of a dime by military standards. Within 10 years we changed the uniform, LBE, main infantry rifle, and even the materials used in warfare. No more wooden stocks or canvas gear. Even cotton uniforms mainly went goodbye. Camo prints were introduced, ending single color uniforms.

I think you should do a video on Tiger stripe, I think it would be a really interesting camo to cover

The Davis buckles were called "suicide buckles" and were avoided when I was in the US Army in the 1970s. The first aid pouch fit the bandage and C rat accessory packet. Good Luck, Rick

This topic reminds me rummaging through the Military Surplus store harness supply bin, and being confused why nothing fit together. Now I see why. Very confusing. Only a military bureaucracy can create such stupidity.

The DOD should be giving you a grant for documenting all this history for them.

Every unit I was in during my 20 years in the army issued spaghetti straps. No one used them and many lost them. Never issued the buttpack and bought a canvas one I still have.

We used the same stuff in the late 90s and early 2000s in the regular Army.Then the LBV replacement for suspenders

Also known as your LC-1 gear or Deuce gear, when I was in. Semper fi '79-'85

i was able to get a 67 field pack suspenders brand new in a El paso surplus store just a row of them new

I joined the Australian army Reserve in 1978 and was issued everything from WW2 pattern equipment throught to all the American gear. They even gave me two 20round M16 pouches and issued me with a submachine gun. However on joining the Regular army in late 1978 we were issued all brand new M1956 gear including ammo pouches for our L1A1 SLR,s I did during my 16 years get issued a lot of US made gear. In those days our army was still fighting a jungle war. How things have changed.

i like this video very much very interesting ! like the comment below i would really like to see a video about the ALICE system or even load bearing vests wich would eventually transition into molle vests/body armor etc

When I was in, I still perferd the M1956 LBE over the 67 gear.

Funny enough, I watched the previous video right before this one was uploaded yesterday

What vest were the marines wearing in the Operation Frequent Winds photos near the end?

USMC 1974-94. When I first went in almost everything we used in the continental US was WW2/Korean vintage (in fact I once had a C-Rat dated 1943). It wasn't until about 1976 we started seeing the nylon 1967 gear. Personally I hated the nylon web belt and always got a canvas one when possible. And I never used the suspenders of either type. Tho if I'd been forced to use a nylon web belt I may have as it would dig into your hips rather then conforming like the canvas ones. I don't recall ever seeing the sleeping bag straps/harness.

Will you be able to talk about the tiger stripes you know forms that was worn by U.S. special forces🇺🇸 units in Vietnam 🇻🇳.

20:30 What is that in the muzzle of the M79? A 40mm case? Why? To stop crap from getting in the barrel?

Funny how from 1983-88 I was issued and used web gear and equipment from WW2 to the current early 80s, we had 67 dated h harness suspenders, cotton 56 butt packs,nylon and some cotton canteen covers and other accessories. Military didn't care you got issued what you were supposed to to get the job done. Lol

And from a guy who has family members who have served in the military and I worked in a surplus store I have to say canvas load carrying equipment lasted longer than nylon because hemp can last longer than nylon because of weight and whear and tare

Any chance of covering Australian combat uniforms and peronal equipment?

Hey guys, so off topic, are you planning to do a video on the Soldier 2000 camo from South Africa

Thank you for the Video Sir. I got something out of it. It's hard to find that Sleeping Bag containment system. It will be even harder to find the E-Tool Cover in Nylon with the Artic Clip not the Snaps and having a Bayonet Attachment. Army & Navy Stores are all turning into Prepper Shop's. All the Good Ole Military Gear and Surplus are long gone now it's just state of the are high dollar cheap un battle worthy bullshit.

Finding that M-1967 Light Weight Sleeping Bag Containment System will be very hard but even harder will be finding that M-1967 Light Weight E-Tool Cover with Artic Closer & Bayonet Retainer.

And why did they cut off the grenade pouches? Mine never were. But I only had grenades in parades and combat of course parades where without fuses when we used them. Just like during parades magazines had no ammo.

Great video, please do ALICE webbing : )

Is it just me or the background music and intro are weird? They sound a bit off

O by the way nylon doesn't last long in tropical environments

I guess next on the list is ALICE

Holy s--t! What a mess. Looks like the bureaucracy at it's best.

Next time evolution thai army uniform

First

I got to get a job.

new a taps suck.

Ugh. Unsubed again.

I spent 21 years in the U.S. Army Infantry. 1987-2008. I have used ALICE the LBV and the MOLLE gear. ALICE gear dug in to your hips and back unless the metal clips were cut and replaced with 550 chord. The LBV although comfortable to wear was hot. The MOLLE attachment system; ammo pouches, grenade, radio, IFAK etc. is pretty well made. The ability to tailor an Infantryman's load carrying gear according to his duty position is probably its greatest feature. I still prefer the large ALICE rucksack to anything made however. The issuing of hydration systems (Camel Bak etc) is one of the greatest innovations ever for ground troops.

Hello suggestion for a future Uniforms of the Screen episode: I’d like to see you cover the various uniforms and gear used by Metal Gear protagonists Solid Snake, Big Boss, and Venom Snake.

soldiers in the army were still using these until the late 1990s when the LCE was issued. I'm guessing the 1970 is the one with one strap in the back that split to connect to the belt. Is so I used the 1970s, LBE, from mid 80s to late 90s when I was issued the LCE. I still have a complete LBE. And Cantees, I had canteens from 1964 and 65. Which I still have. I've seen the solid caps, that black caps with NBC, and the green caps with NBC. Which goes with the M17 protective mask ( gas mask) I have the 1st aid pouch, the magazine holders, canteen holders, Canteen cups. one is the older single handle and the other is the wire handles. And the fanny pack. Though I was never issued a fanny pack. But except for parades stuff, I always had it on my LBE. And when. we changed to the LCE I still used it. And when the LBE was uses people were still using the 1967. CIF even issued a few, but wouldn't take them back. So the soldier would have to buy the single strap to turn in. CIF liked doing things like this. Issuing outdated and not taking back on ETS, or PCS. This happened to me with my sleeping bag. They started issuing the gotten during Desert storm. When I got back and ETS shortly after. I had to buy a Gortex sleeping bag, which was quite expensive at the time, to turn in. Even though I was never issued it. But I kept my old sleeping bag for some time. And always used it when I deployed or field. And would bring the gotten putter piece just incase some had a hair up their tail pipe. And I used it until I got out in the early 2000s. I pretty much owned had all my CIF issue by 1992. And I preferred the old LBE to the LCE. And I still used it when I could until I got out. But there where tines I had to use the LCE. Rather have my magazine on my belt then on my chest. Never did understand the though behind the LCE.