"Tiger-Stripe” camouflage uniforms were developed in Southeast Asia in the early 1960’s and issued to military forces, most notably, special forces of the Army of the Republic of Viet-Nam (ARVN). When the U. S. Army began sending military advisors to assist the ARVN and its related government and other military forces, the U. S. Army had no camouflage uniforms of their own, thus they were given permission to wear the camouflage uniforms of the ARVN units to which they were attached or assigned.  The style of trousers seen here became known as the "Advisor" pattern, due to its early association with these personnel.  

This “Advisor” pattern became the typical tiger-stripe camouflage uniform worn by U. S. forces, though the coloring of the camouflage and the shape and density of the camouflage pattern itself led to a multitude of varieties as identified by collectors today, one of the rarest and most desirable being this specific bright-shade of golden-hued pattern now called “Golden Tiger.”

“Advisor” jackets and trousers have been prominently featured in films depicting the war in Viet-Nam, the most notable include: “The Green Berets” with John Wayne, “The Deer Hunter” with Robert De Niro, and “Apocalypse Now” with Martin Sheen,” naming but a few.  Eventually, the exotic nature of the “Tiger” camouflage and its association with elite Special Forces and personnel of authority, power, and those having seen combat, spawned a huge demand for even more tiger-stripe camo. uniforms, as anyone seen wearing this camo. pattern in “Nam” was considered “hot stuff."  Today, vintage tiger-stripe camo. from the Viet-Nam war is very rare, highly collectible, and very costly to purchase, as well as being just plain cool looking, making a perfect summer-weight trouser for wear with tee shirts and sneakers.

Buzz Rickson’s, a brand highly respected worldwide for its pursuit of fanatical, penultimate authenticity, has recreated the “Advisor” trousers in this new color shade of “Golden Tiger” coloring that is commonly associated with ARVN use. Never before has this camo. pattern been recreated to such an amazing degree of authenticity, including the employment of vintage shuttle looms to generate true selvage fabric as was used to fabricate the vintage sets in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, vintage-type dyes to craft the screen-printed colors and patterns of the camo. pattern, and vintage button dies to make genuine urea buttons that precisely match those typically encountered on the “Advisor” sets.  And to preclude you from looking like some “FNG” who just purchased a set of “Tiger” camo. while in Ben Hoa, Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” comes in a one-wash finish, giving it a very slightly faded vintage appearance that deftly matches the coloring and overall “been-there” look observed on vintage sets.

Please note these authentic features and details found only on a genuine Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” “Advisor” trousers of this pedigree:

• Two two-button bellows butt and leg pockets
• Compass/lighter pocket on leg
• Bar tack reinforcements on all major stress points
• Double-stitched seams throughout
• Two-button tab at waist to allow for decreasing the waist size 
• Custom manufacturing of genuine urea buttons (not cheap plastic) produced on vintage dies that precisely match the size and shape of those observed on vintage ARVN “Advisor” trousers 
• Custom manufacturing of all-cotton twill selvage fabric produced on the original, narrow shuttle looms of the type employed to produce this fabric in the 1960’s and 1970’s
• Precise matching to vintage examples of ARVN bright “Golden Tiger”
• Screen printing of one of the most typical tiger-stripe patterns to a high level of precision using vintage-type dyes to re-create the rare, highly desired “Golden Tiger” bright color shade, then washed once for a “been-there” look of an “In-Country” veteran
• Exact copy of the original-style printed-on-cotton size label 
• Asian“A” prefix ink stamping with the size, thus denoting a distinction between trousers of the same size but in a different size grade from those for U. S. forces.  This is a cosmetic feature ONLY for the purpose of authentic appearance, and the fit of these trousers does NOT at all correspond with the original diminutive sizing found on the trousers actually made in Asian sizes. 

Sizes available: Sm. - XL, fitting up to 38" waist measure. Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s products are imported from Japan

"Tiger-Stripe” camouflage uniforms were developed in Southeast Asia in the early 1960’s and issued to military forces, most notably, special forces of the Army of the Republic of Viet-Nam (ARVN). When the U. S. Army began sending military advisors to assist the ARVN and its related government and other military forces, the U. S. Army had no camouflage uniforms of their own, thus they were given permission to wear the camouflage uniforms of the ARVN units they were attached or assigned to but with U. S. insignia attached when deemed necessary.

The style of jacket seen here became known as the "Advisor" pattern due to its early association with these personnel.  This “Advisor” pattern became the typical tiger-stripe camouflage uniform worn by U. S. forces, though the coloring of the camouflage and the shape and density of the camouflage pattern itself led to a multitude of varieties as identified by collectors today, one of the rarest and most desirable being the golden-hued pattern now called “Golden Tiger.”

“Advisor” jackets and trousers have been prominently featured in films depicting the war in Viet-Nam, the most notable include: “The Green Berets” with John Wayne, “The Deer Hunter” with Robert De Niro, and “Apocalypse Now” with Martin Sheen,” naming but a few.  Eventually, the exotic nature of the “Tiger” camouflage and its association with elite Special Forces and personnel of authority, power, and those having seen combat, spawned a huge demand for even more tiger-stripe camo. uniforms, as anyone seen wearing this camo. pattern in “Nam” was considered “hot stuff."  Today, vintage tiger-stripe camo. from the Viet-Nam war is very rare, highly collectible, and very costly to purchase.  

Buzz Rickson’s, a brand highly respected worldwide for its pursuit of fanatical, penultimate authenticity, has recreated the “Advisor” jacket in the coveted “Golden Tiger” coloring. Never before has this camo. pattern been recreated to such a frighteningly authentic degree of precision, including the employment of vintage shuttle looms to generate true selvage fabric as was used to fabricate the vintage sets in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, vintage-type dyes to craft the screen-printed colors and patterns of the camo. pattern, and vintage button dies to make genuine urea buttons that precisely match those typically encountered on the “Advisor” sets.  And to preclude you from looking like some “FNG” who just purchased a set of “Tiger” camo. while in Ben Hoa, Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” comes in a one-wash finish, giving it a slightly faded vintage appearance that deftly matches the coloring and overall “been-there” look observed on vintage sets.

Please note these authentic features and details found only on a genuine Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” “Advisor” jacket of this pedigree:

• Two two-button bellows breast pockets

• One flap-closure, expandable pocket on left sleeve as found on all “Advisor” jackets for stowing cigarettes, a lighter, or a compass

• Reinforced collar internally and externally for a crisper appearance and durability, with zig-zag stitching on the backside of the collar perfectly matching that observed on vintage examples

• Double-stitched seams throughout

• One-piece construction of the back panel, as per vintage examples of the “Advisor” jackets

• Two-button cuff with sewn-in gusset, as per vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets

• Custom manufacturing of genuine urea buttons produced on vintage dies that precisely match the size and shape of those observed on vintage “Advisor” jackets

• Custom manufacturing of all-cotton twill selvage fabric produced on the original, narrow shuttle looms of the type employed to produce this fabric in the 1960’s and 1970’s

• Selvage edge on jacket front inner closure

• Hanging loop in neck area of interior that precisely duplicates that observed on vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets

• Base color of the fabric dyed to a shade of golden sand as seen on the jacket interior, precisely matching vintage examples of “Golden Tiger” 

• Screen printing of one of the most typical “Tiger” patterns to a level of precision indistinguishable from vintage examples, using vintage-type dyes to re-create the rare, highly desired “Golden Tiger” color shade, then washed once for a “been-there” look of an “In-Country” veteran

• Exact copy of the original-style printed-on-cotton size label sewn on the inside jacket closure

• Two-button cuff with sewn-in gusset, as per vintage examples of “Advisor” jackets

• “U S” ink stamping in the interior neck area with the size, thus denoting a distinction between jackets of the same size but in a different size grade from those for Asian forces

Sizes available: Sm. - XL 

Buzz Rickson’s products are imported from Japan

"Tiger-Stripe” camouflage uniforms were developed in Southeast Asia in the early 1960’s and issued to military forces, most notably, special forces of the Army of the Republic of Viet-Nam (ARVN). When the U. S. Army began sending military advisors to assist the ARVN and its related government and other military forces, the U. S. Army had no camouflage uniforms of their own, thus they were given permission to wear the camouflage uniforms of the ARVN units to which they were attached or assigned.  The style of trousers seen here became known as the "Advisor" pattern due to its early association with these personnel.  

This “Advisor” pattern became the typical tiger-stripe camouflage uniform worn by U. S. forces, though the coloring of the camouflage and the shape and density of the camouflage pattern itself led to a multitude of varieties as identified by collectors today, one of the rarest and most desirable being the golden-hued pattern now called “Golden Tiger.”

“Advisor” jackets and trousers have been prominently featured in films depicting the war in Viet-Nam, the most notable include: “The Green Berets” with John Wayne, “The Deer Hunter” with Robert De Niro, and “Apocalypse Now” with Martin Sheen,” naming but a few.  Eventually, the exotic nature of the “Tiger” camouflage and its association with elite Special Forces and personnel of authority, power, and those having seen combat, spawned a huge demand for even more tiger-stripe camo. uniforms, as anyone seen wearing this camo. pattern in “Nam” was considered “hot stuff."  Today, vintage tiger-stripe camo. from the Viet-Nam war is very rare, highly collectible, and very costly to purchase, as well as being just plain cool looking, making a perfect summer-weight trouser for wear with tee shirts and sneakers.

Buzz Rickson’s, a brand highly respected worldwide for its pursuit of fanatical, penultimate authenticity, has recreated the “Advisor” trousers in the coveted “Golden Tiger” coloring. Never before has this camo. pattern been recreated to such an amazing degree of authenticity, including the employment of vintage shuttle looms to generate true selvage fabric as was used to fabricate the vintage sets in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, vintage-type dyes to craft the screen-printed colors and patterns of the camo. pattern, and vintage button dies to make genuine urea buttons that precisely match those typically encountered on the “Advisor” sets.  And to preclude you from looking like some “FNG” who just purchased a set of “Tiger” camo. while in Ben Hoa, Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” comes in a one-wash finish, giving it a very slightly faded vintage appearance that deftly matches the coloring and overall “been-there” look observed on vintage sets.

Please note these authentic features and details found only on a genuine Buzz Rickson’s “Golden Tiger” “Advisor” trousers of this pedigree:

• Two two-button bellows butt and leg pockets
• Compass/lighter pocket on leg
• Bar tack reinforcements on all major stress points
• Double-stitched seams throughout
• Two-button tab at waist to allow for decreasing the waist size 
• Custom manufacturing of genuine urea buttons produced on vintage dies that precisely match the size and shape of those observed on vintage “Advisor” jackets
• Custom manufacturing of all-cotton twill selvage fabric produced on the original, narrow shuttle looms of the type employed to produce this fabric in the 1960’s and 1970’s
• Base color of the fabric dyed to a shade of golden sand, precisely matching vintage examples of “Golden Tiger”
• Screen printing of one of the most typical tiger-stripe patterns to a high level of precision using vintage-type dyes to re-create the rare, highly desired “Golden Tiger” color shade, then washed once for a “been-there” look of an “In-Country” veteran
• Exact copy of the original-style printed-on-cotton size label sewn on the inside jacket closure
• “U S” ink stamping with the size, thus denoting a distinction between trousers of the same size but in a different size grade from those for Asian forces

Sizes available: Sm. - XL, fitting up to 38.5" waist measure. Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s products are imported from Japan

The U. S. Navy’s original Pea Coat was the 1910 model, fabricated from heavy, 36-ounce melton wool, outfitted with black urea buttons displaying an anchor surrounded by 13 stars, and both side-entry and flap-covered pockets.  Due to the lower pockets with pocket flaps, the coat design was longer in length than the Pea Coats of the late 1930's and subsequent years most individuals are familiar with.  Additionally, the interior of the coat was lined with wool flannel and not the rayon of the WWII Pea Coats.  A large-sized collar was incorporated in the design to block strong ocean winds and corduroy-lined pockets helped thwart the numbing effect on hands from the biting winter seas.  This was the same basic jacket design that went to war over 100 years ago with the U. S. Navy in WWI.

Once again, Buzz Rickson’s brand has resurrected a bygone treasure from the ground up, utilizing the vintage looms and know-how to craft fabrics not typically seen today, then deftly sewing the pieces together with vintage Union Special sewing machines to provide a finished product that comes as close to the vintage garment as is practical today.  What we end up with is a Pea Coat that transcends fashion by light years and bolts straight to the heart of classic style through the very functionality of the original design that has been so deftly reproduced.

You see, the glut of fashion Pea Coats found in catalogs and shopping malls the world over all have one big thing in common that separates them from a true Pea Coat of the Good Old Days:  fashion Pea Coats aren’t designed to do anything more than look like a Pea Coat!  Pick up any Pea Coat marketed today and feel the flimsy, sportcoat-grade poly-wool fabric, the knap of which pills into unsightly little balls with the first sign of hard use, condemning the coat to the trash within a few short seasons and never having kept anyone warm at latitudes further north than Miami. 

This Buzz Rickson’s Pea Coat is no light-weight fashionista statement; it’s made from 36-ounce melton wool and lined with wool flannel, both of which minimize loss of body heat and will wear as ferociously as did the Pea Coats that won WWI.  This is top-quality vintage craftsmanship irreplaceable at any price – this is Buzz Rickson’s.  Please take note of these authentic features:

• Exact copy of original U. S. Naval Clothing Factory contract label design woven on rayon

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, heavy-weight, 36-ounce, melton-wool outer shell in navy blue and produced on vintage looms

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, wool-flannel lining with two pockets

• Cotton-thread construction

• Two external hand-warmer pockets lined in the original-spec. heavy-weight corduroy

• Original-spec.10-button front featuring the pre-WWII buttons displaying an anchor surrounded by 13 stars

• Custom manufacture of the correct, rayon-acetate twill to line the sleeves for a durable, smooth application and removal of the coat

• Lower pockets lined in the same original-spec. heavy-weight corduroy as the upper, slash pockets

• Large wind-blocking collar with throat latch

Even-numbered sizes 34-46.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan.

The USAF L-2B Flying Jacket had a long service life and went through numerous changes to the original spec. 7448, and the spec. most associated with the Vietnam War was 7448H.  Some of the most notable features of the 7448H spec. include the orange lining, two-way zipper for reverse wearing with orange side out, USAF spec. contractor label on printed cloth and located in the left pocket, and deletion of the following:  snap-down epaulets, snap-down tab covering zipper bottom, nylon tab on chest for attaching the oxygen mask clip, and pocket flaps.  The heavier 2/2 twill and wool-and-rayon blend lining were both retained from previous spec.

The L-2B was intended for wear in climates between 42 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, thus ideally suited for spring, summer and fall.  The warmth-to-weight ratio, comfort, and overall good looks made this design extremely popular with all of those who could get their hands on one, and it was not uncommon for jackets to go "missing" and to be found on the backs of service personnel not authorized for issuance or wearing of the L-2B.

Buzz Rickson has reproduced the L-2B Flight Jacket (Spec. 7448H) in exacting detail.  Buzz Rickson’s heavy-weight nylon twill fabric is never to be confused with the cheap, flimsy flight satin used by lesser manufacturers to produce so-called vintage reproduction USAF flight jackets.  In fact, the only other flight jackets in the world today made from this nylon are those vintage examples of the USAF!  Please take note of these authentic features:

• Exact copy of the printed contractor label in the left pocket

• Custom manufacturing of the correct 2/2 weave and weight USAF Sage Green nylon twill outer shell to precisely match USAF specs., and treated to repel water

• Custom manufacturing of the correct 64% rayon 36% wool double-faced inner lining in high-visibility orange; jacket is reversible from sage green to orange

• Exact copy of a two-way Conmar main zipper in black-oxide finish, with zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric in a contrasting tan shade

• Correct USAF-spec. leather pull tabs on zippers

• Custom manufacturing of the correct two-ply 100% worsted-wool knit collar, cuffs and waist skirt in the USAF Sage Green

• Zippered pocket on left sleeve outfitted with four pen/pencil slots and two anti-puncture pencil caps made of USAF-spec. brass

Sizes:  XS  – XXL.  The fit is generous.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan

This style is a one-time offering this year, last produced in 2012.  This version we offer is made exclusively for the USA and Europe, having no name plate and wings on the left breast as does the production version for Japan.

Developed in the late 1930's as a summer flying jacket that could be worn on its own or in combination with a one-piece flying suit and helmet made from the same hard-wearing, corded-cotton fabric dyed in a light shade of olive drab that could span bronze, khaki-like, pea green, and gray-green shades, the 37-J-1 was widely issued to USN and USMC airmen at the time, and it could still be seen being worn into the very early days of WWII.  The popularity of the 37-J-1 among naval aviators rested with its practical, good-looking design and the hard-wearing cotton fabric that was specifically developed for flying clothing; this is the same fabric that went into mass production in WWII for use in USN foul-weather suits from which the coveted "deck jackets" became omnipresent and and highly sought after.  The 37-J-1 also featured prominently in the 1941 film "Dive Bomber", which starred Errol Flynn and Fred MacMurray.  This was filmed in Technicolor and features a bounty of rare naval aircraft, uniforms, and flying gear; this is a must-see for all fans of naval aviation in the months just prior to WWII.

Today, the 37-J-1 is very much a collector's dream, being nearly impossible to source in nice condition and commanding some serious premiums if one is even fortunate enough to have the chance to make such a purchase.  Buzz Rickson's brand is known for producing the hardwearing, corded-cotton fabric to amazing likeness in their various WWII USN "deck jackets," and now using this same fabric they have performed an absolutely superb job at recreating the 37-J-1 to clone-like standards.  Please note these authentic features found only on the vintage original 37-J1 Flying Jackets and this Buzz Rickson's masterpiece:

• Exact copy of original USN contract label design woven on vintage shuttle looms

• Exact duplication of the original property mark “USN” stenciled in black above the left pocket

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, heavy, corded-cotton outer shell to precisely match USN specs. and dyed a light shade of khaki-like Olive Drab

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, lightweight, broadcloth-cotton lining d dyed a gray-green shade of light olive drab

• Exact copy of genuine urea buttons made on vintage dyes; urea is the only button type specified at the time

• Cotton-thread construction

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, two-ply, worsted-wool knit cuffs, collar, and waistband in gray-green Olive Drab

• Lacquered-metal grommet vents located in armpits

• Two-button closure on convertible collar

• Two external pockets with central gusset, button flap, and soft-cotton lining on pocket front

• Incredibly authentic reproduction of the early Hookless zipper with all-metal base riveted at zipper bottom for extra strength at this area of great stress

• Zipper pull fob made from jacket fabric and riveted in place

Sizes:  36-44.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan

This is a Buzz Rickson's Special-Edition souvenir shirt from 1944-45.  Buzz Rickson's does not typically make Hawaiian-style shirts, but when they do we find them to be welcome editions to the Sun Surf styles, which come from the same parent company.  

This souvenir shirt comically depicts service life in cartoon form in the Pacific Theater of Operations for a USAAF 20th Air Force repair unit between 1944-45, spanning stints on Oahu, Cuba, Panama Canal, Guam and the massive B-29 bomber base on Tinian.  The artwork includes many comic lines, barking sergeants, 20th Air Force insignia, B-29 and B-25 bombers, P-51 fighters, jeeps, dirigibles, ships, surprised fish, and, of course, naked sunbathing nurses.  Printed in the original style on a super-dense cotton featuring one invisible chest pocket, genuine-urea buttons, and a vintage-style label woven on rayon, this shirt deftly copies all features of an original example.

As with all Special Editions, once gone, these will not be offered again.  

Laundry recommendations include washing in cool water and line drying to preserve color and minimize shrinkage.

Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan