Army Colors

The Sateen cotton fatigues in use at the time could show a lot of tonal variety once they began to wash and weather. The steel helmet should be Olive Drab and the Fatigues should be a medium to light Olive Green. I would not recommmend the Vallejo US Army Uniform Green for any item as it is way too dark and the wrong shade to match anything I have in my uniform collection or have seen in person.

Don't forget the colors of their stripes.  I think the name tapes back then were black and yellow but that might have come a little into the 60s, not sure.

Stik, you really think that green is too dark to even use as a dark base for the web gear? It's hard enough getting that WWII OD color on the web gear; but the M-56 gear will be a bear to get any contrast out of. Rank stripes will be yellow on black; US ARMY nametape is gold/yellow on black; the nametape is white with black stenciling. The name tape and US ARMY tapes are as wide as the shirt pocket. On the KW side of the 50s (50-53), US Army issued, irregularly, an OD cloth cover for the helmet. It would be in the same OG 105 as the uniforms..

CapnMac82

Stik, you really think that green is too dark to even use as a dark base for the web gear? It's hard enough getting that WWII OD color on the web gear; but the M-56 gear will be a bear to get any contrast out of. Rank stripes will be yellow on black; US ARMY nametape is gold/yellow on black; the nametape is white with black stenciling. The name tape and US ARMY tapes are as wide as the shirt pocket. On the KW side of the 50s (50-53), US Army issued, irregularly, an OD cloth cover for the helmet. It would be in the same OG 105 as the uniforms..

 

Actually thay color would be good for the pistol belt and H harness of the M-56 gear. But something else like green drab 34086 would be a good starting point for the butt pack, ammo, canteen, & first aid pouches.

The 1950s were a time of major uniform transition for the US Army, not too unlike the first decade of this Century. At the timeof the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950s the unforms and gear mostly the same as late WWII: HBT Fatigues, M1943 Field Jackets & Pants, S some units using white chest pocket nametapes, rough side out brown leather M1943 buckle combat boots, rank chevrons were tan or green over a black base, any skill badges (CIB/EIB, Jump or Aviator Wings, etc.) worn were the actual metal pin on badge. As well as M-1944 web gear in OD Green. By the end of the Korean War Sateen Cotton OG-107 fatigues, M1951 Field Jacket & Pants, Body Armor had been introduced. As the decade wore on new dress uniforms (Army Green replacing Olive Drab), new rank chevrons Yellow on Army Green, as well as ranks (Specialists replacing Technicians), sew on enbroidered skill badges, the Gold on Black US Army tape, M-1956 field gear, reversable "Mitchell" Pattern helmet covers, as well as new various headgear, had been introduced. But it was not uncommon to see older unforms such as the HBT fatigues with the new patches used until supplies ran out. It was still a draftee army and lots of gus had to be clothed and equipped.

Here is a nice shot of the cotton OG-107 shirt with Specialist 5 rank and typical nametape, US Army tape and embroidered sew on badges.

and here you have a certain famous tanker in WWII era HBT fatigues (note the ribbing texture of the fabric), black metal buttons, with the new service & name tapes, Specialst ranks

and the early 1950s style seen in Korea with fewer markings. Notice the different types of soft caps- the patrol cap worn by the Lt., and the fatigue cap worn by the Capt. which had a resemblence to the Marine Corps type with its' corners. As well as the brown combat boots introduced to replace the M-1943 boots.

 

Dunno, '68-80 probably as hectic a uniform time--M-56, LC-1 & 2, Marine 782 gear; OG-107, ERDL, even the eventual woodlands. And, all that on the heels of "duck hunter," lizard, and a beastiary of tiger stripes. But, it's good to know my mental color wheel was not too far out of whack.

Vallejo Gray-Green is a good sage green color for faded USMC and other herringbone utilities.

An intersting comparison note is on the picture of Tanker Elvis above. Look at the shade of OD for the intercom switch on his chest, very brownish, compared to his helmet, which is more on the greener side. Both are OD, but far from identical.

Every one of the intercom switches like that I've ever seen were all exactly that color, too.

What name is on his uniform?  It doesn't look like Elvis Presley.

ikar01

What name is on his uniform?  It doesn't look like Elvis Presley.

 

I think that shot is from when he filmed "GI Blues", and is his name in the movie. Of course that movie was made with full DoD help, so they had lots of tech advisors and props straight from the source.

Just like these guys in another film in their 70's era perma press OG-107s

The only part I saw of the movie was at the beginning when the tank smashed through the trees.

I remember when we get those perm. press fatigues in the Air Force.  It sure saved me some ironing time.  It gave me that much more time to polish my shoes, boots, and police gear.

Here is a nice nearly full length photo- late WWII era HBT fatigues with the post Korea patches...

and another nice shot from the film. Black combat boots on the Master Sergeant with an old Brown Leather .45 holster... and Elvis in the TC hatch of an M48A1 to boot