With historical roots based in the “Lizard” camouflage patterns worn by French colonial troops in Indochina in the years following the Second World War, “Tiger Stripe” has become an icon of the Vietnam War. Most commonly associated today with US Special Forces advisors, Tiger Stripe camouflage saw surprisingly wide usage across an array of forces in South Vietnam – with South Vietnamese Special Forces (LLDB), South Vietnamese Marines (VNMC), South Vietnamese Rangers, Civilian Irregular Defense Groups (CIDG), Mike Force, MACV-SOG, and more. The reputation of Tiger Stripe is such that even the most disinterested person today instinctively associates the camouflage with Special Forces. Tiger Stripe: The Vietnam Camouflage Story is the most visually comprehensive book to ever dive specifically into this topic, covering its development and usage leading up to and during the Vietnam War.

Authored by film producer and long-time camouflage collector and dealer, Owen Thornton, Tiger Stripe: The Vietnam Camouflage Story will transport you back to the early days of the conflict in Southeast Asia to tell a story through an almost unimaginably diverse gathering of authentic vintage uniforms, original never-before-seen photographs, government documents, and historically significant (but largely forgotten) magazine articles. All told, this book contains in excess of 1,250 images.

Tiger Stripe covers the following topics as it works its way through the history of this camouflage pattern:

• Windproof Pattern

• Lizard Pattern

• Sea Wave Tiger

• Bulletproof Pattern

• Fat Tiger

• Silver Tiger

• Okinawa Tiger

• ARVN Tiger

• Gold Tiger

• 1969 Pattern Tiger

• Other Miscellaneous Patterns and Variants

• Hollywood Usage

• Women and Kids Clothing

• Reproduction Clothing

• Modern Tiger Usage

Additionally, in order to provide a more complete context for the use of camouflage by special operations units in Southeast Asia, we offer vignettes into these additional topics:

• Beogam

• Mitchell Pattern

• ERDL

• Colors of War

• VC/NVA Camouflage

• Journalists in Vietnam

• Waterproof Jackets

• Monster Pattern

• Police Tiger

• Calling Cards and Death Cards

• Black Tiger and ARPA ERDL

• Unit Patches and Pins

• Blazers

• Propaganda

• Unit Scarves

• Lighters

• Bags

• Tour Hats

• R&R

Photographed by celebrated photographer James Rupley, Tiger Stripe: The Vietnam Camouflage Story presents this highly curated collection of camouflage and relevant accessories in never-before-seen detail on large format, full-color prints in a premium hardback form. Tiger Stripe is the next best thing to having these exceptional collector’s grade items in your own personal collection.