The figures in this set are a chubby 54mm size. Note them next of a 60mm Tim Mee man with a rifle and bayonet, and an MPC ring hand figure. I will use them together as I think they are close enough in size to be okay together.
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Saturday, November 11, 2023
Marines or Army?
The figures in this set are a chubby 54mm size. Note them next of a 60mm Tim Mee man with a rifle and bayonet, and an MPC ring hand figure. I will use them together as I think they are close enough in size to be okay together.
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Unless they're wearing their fatigue hats/covers or berets (DEFINITELY Army, there MIGHT have been a Marine or two attached to ARVN units who MIGHT have worn a beret, but I have never heard of or seen it) there isn't much difference between Marines and soldiers in the field at a glance. When I served Marines didn't use Camouflage bands on their helmets like we did in the Army - but I have seen photos of Marines in Nam wearing them. As far as boonie hats are concerned, I'm thinking both branches wore them in the bush. My best friend did three and a half tours in Nam with Recon and wore one when he was out. I've seen pictures of him. There are photos of other guys identified as Marines in the boonies. (But I was in Grenada and I saw a LOT of pictures - and a movie - that had 82nd Troopers in Kevlars IDed as "Marines").
All branches used shotguns, too. They're very effective in the jungle.
As far as flak vests, we all wore them - or at least they were available. My first First Sergeant once told me that in three tours in Nam he never lost a single KIA because he had two rules in the bush: Always wear your helmet and flak vests. He had some WIA, but none killed. He was justly proud of that.
A side note: when I was in (70s and 80s) boonie hats were issued to Marines, but not to soldiers. I did a month on a training exercise at 29 Palms California and a bunch of us guys on advance party bought boonie hats from the Marine BX as they were more practical in the Summer desert sun than our berets. When the brass arrived and saw all the boonie hats they had conniptions - the prescribed uniform was either beret, BDU (we called them "Patrol caps") caps or Kevlars. It is what it is.
My opinion is unless one paints the particulars, I think the figures are interchangeable for the most part - perhaps that was the original intention and they had to call them something. I know I mingled all my Nam figures together for a variety of poses.
I love your site. Hope this helps.
The Marines early on had a different magazine pouch for the M14 rifle. They kept the rifle in active service longer than the army.
Good point, I knew they kept the M14 longer, didn't realize the different pouch. So it would depend on the period you're representing. Just when you think you know it all... LOL Thanks.
Thanks for your service and your comments Wayne W. Yes, in the field never say never, as lots of weird stuff does happen, even in my peacetime service. And of course, the farther out you go the less people care about uniformity then they do about what works.
Thanks for the kind words.
Bunkermeister
Simon thanks for the info on the M24 mags and thanks for commenting.
Bunkermeister
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