M-65 Field Jacket from Operation EAGLE CLAW

[Joe Mamma]

Cool video with former Delta Force operator Sgt Major Phil Hanson. A veteran of Operation EAGLE CLAW, he reviews the modified M-65 Field Jacket he wore on the mission. Among other unique features it has pouches to store 10 spare magazines for the suppressed M-3A1 Grease Gun he carried on the mission. Col Charlie Beckwith had everyone turn in their jackets when they got back to Ft Bragg, but Sgt Maj Hansen turned in the spare jacket he had and kept the jacket he actually wore.

I read Col Beckwith’s book “The Delta Force” in the mid 80’s and remember his description of the jackets they wore. Awesome to finally see one.

https://youtu.be/HSqnG5l9wiM


In the second video Sgt Maj Hanson reviews the rest of the gear he wore and gives an in-depth description of how he customized his Grease Gun.


https://youtu.be/sbfRoKWEkQA

Great vids Korgs130. Thank you for letting us know about these.

Joe Mamma

[Sam]

There is also another video of the SGM talking about their homemade assault vests. They looked flimsy, more flimsy than airsoft vests. But I guess those vests were tougher than they look.

[SteyrAUG]

Tiger stripe was never "approved" by the Big Military, and never made for US forces. Those were entirely made in VN (in that time). There were several variations of that uniform.

A lot of the gear was the same: "hey local vendor, I need you to make xxxxx for me."

Re: contemporary gear, there were a couple upholstery shops around Jacksonville/Lejeune where we'd get stuff modified.

Yep, Mamasan brand. With the possible exception of Navy in 1967. I have heard examples exist.

Funny thing is VN is still making authentic, 1967 vintage Tiger Stripe uniforms, just check ebay.

[jsbhike]

For you history buffs, Mike Noell was known for copying gear, especially Eagle. He is also known to do what a poster mentioned, "take" a design, modification, etc. and make it for production. Yeah, I had a nice off side gear pouch made for me in which showed up in his line up. LBT (Doug M) on the other hand would make sure you had sometime of compensation and had a cool gun room to boot!
And yes I can offer a more complete history on these two. A lot of the team guys would know a good Rigger, learn themselves or bring stuff into LBT for mods.

I have read claims from a few places the pics in their first brochure was at least partially photos of Eagle gear.

[CRAMBONE]

I have read claims from a few places the pics in their first brochure was at least partially photos of Eagle gear.

Blackhawk or London Bridge?
J-ville had some shops that would work up custom gear or do alterations but Oceanside had some really good places. Ares Tactical (not the belt company) was really cool, easy to work with and would do whatever you asked them to do.

[jsbhike]

Blackhawk or London Bridge?
J-ville had some shops that would work up custom gear or do alterations but Oceanside had some really good places. Ares Tactical (not the belt company) was really cool, easy to work with and would do whatever you asked them to do.

Oops, I forgot to trim the last half of mark5pt56 post. Blackhawk catalog.

Did LBT or Eagle start up first?

[SteyrAUG]

For you history buffs, Mike Noell was known for copying gear, especially Eagle. He is also known to do what a poster mentioned, "take" a design, modification, etc. and make it for production. Yeah, I had a nice off side gear pouch made for me in which showed up in his line up. LBT (Doug M) on the other hand would make sure you had sometime of compensation and had a cool gun room to boot!
And yes I can offer a more complete history on these two. A lot of the team guys would know a good Rigger, learn themselves or bring stuff into LBT for mods.

So I can understand him going into production with popular modifications, makes it possible for everyone to buy a known quantity. But hijacking Eagle designs is something else entirely, especially if it is very proprietary.

Now when HK made a UTL Mark 23 light, it was known that everyone from Streamlight to SureFire was going to ripoff the idea, especially when mounting options changed to Glock rail and pic rails. So I suppose if certain items from Eagle were common enough, the same thing is gonna happen. I guess it really comes down to what we are talking about.

The only really important thing is I'd probably rather have any of that old school Blackhawk gear compared to the stuff being made in Vietnam by actual commies. Eagle has always been consistent when it comes to quality in my experience.

[CRAMBONE]

Oops, I forgot to trim the last half of mark5pt56 post. Blackhawk catalog.

Did LBT or Eagle start up first?

Makes since. They (BH) were cool for awhile, then the ripping off designs stuff came out, then they started biting off more than they could chew and tried to corner the market, then they sold out and are now made entirely overseas (from what I remember).

And you know I’m not sure. I want to say Eagle started first and LBT was a few years later, maybe about the time TAG started up. But even Eagle and TAG both sold out. Eagle is made overseas now also I believe.

[SteyrAUG]

Makes since. They (BH) were cool for awhile, then the ripping off designs stuff came out, then they started biting off more than they could chew and tried to corner the market, then they sold out and are now made entirely overseas (from what I remember).

And you know I’m not sure. I want to say Eagle started first and LBT was a few years later, maybe about the time TAG started up. But even Eagle and TAG both sold out. Eagle is made overseas now also I believe.

So it looks like...

Eagle Industries goes all the way back to 1974. That is before I even knew I needed their stuff.

London Bridge Trading states they've been in business for over 30 years so that makes them sometime 1990 or so assuming they update that website regularly.

Blackhawk Tactical, founded in 1993 so they seem to be the johnny come lately and it makes sense that they could look around at existing product and do final mods, upgrades kind of like how George Luger looked at the Borchardt handgun and refined it into the Luger and all the other "build upon what exists" success stories out there.

Certainly HK never gets the credit for inventing the first high capacity (18 rounds), polymer frame, striker fired auto with a shitty trigger and they did it way back in 1970. They even had a select fire version before Gaston ever considered the G18.

Pretty sure Eagle is still made in the US so IMO that is a primary motivator. I have some Eagle gear, wish I had more. Problem is late 90s I was a Blackhawk dealer and was buying everything I needed at 40% off. At the time it was a lot harder for an independent to become a Eagle dealer. Now that situation has changed, not only is BH made in Vietnam, they want minimum sales to maintain your dealer status so I just buy BH stuff I need through my wholesalers. Sadly most of my wholesalers don't stock Eagle products and the ones that do hardly have the entire catalog because BH now has the name and people in general assume that's the best.

[chuckman]

So it looks like...

Eagle Industries goes all the way back to 1974. That is before I even knew I needed their stuff.

London Bridge Trading states they've been in business for over 30 years so that makes them sometime 1990 or so assuming they update that website regularly.

Blackhawk Tactical, founded in 1993 so they seem to be the johnny come lately and it makes sense that they could look around at existing product and do final mods, upgrades kind of like how George Luger looked at the Borchardt handgun and refined it into the Luger and all the other "build upon what exists" success stories out there.

Certainly HK never gets the credit for inventing the first high capacity (18 rounds), polymer frame, striker fired auto with a shitty trigger and they did it way back in 1970. They even had a select fire version before Gaston ever considered the G18.

Pretty sure Eagle is still made in the US so IMO that is a primary motivator. I have some Eagle gear, wish I had more. Problem is late 90s I was a Blackhawk dealer and was buying everything I needed at 40% off. At the time it was a lot harder for an independent to become a Eagle dealer. Now that situation has changed, not only is BH made in Vietnam, they want minimum sales to maintain your dealer status so I just buy BH stuff I need through my wholesalers. Sadly most of my wholesalers don't stock Eagle products and the ones that do hardly have the entire catalog because BH now has the name and people in general assume that's the best.

I still have a made-in-USA BH STOMP II med pack. I love it, as impractical as it is.

I also was an 'independent dealer/distributor' for them, late 90s/early 2000s, when you could make a buck and help customers save a buck or two. Then got too big for their britches and I was "peace out."

Eagle Ind., Tactical Tailor, LBT, I really like most all of their stuff. They were really first-gen in the biz.

I really don't have a lot of indigestion of stuff made off-shore (wherever) AS LONG AS IT'S IN SPEC AND BUILT WELL. When that changes I go elsewhere.