Iraq War-era flak jacket?

[g50343]

Looks just like the ones we wore in the Marines mid to late 80's

[joem]

We were issued flack jackets in VN 1968 era. Wouldn't stop a AK47 round and i sat on mine while driving a fuel truck. I doubt it would have helpled anyway.

[Griff Murphey]

We had green ones in 1975 when I went on the Vietnam evacuation. One of our company commanders in 1-4 and I bunked in the same stateroom on DUBUQUE. He told me he had left Okinawa without his Flak jacket, and suggested I give him mine. After all, as he pointed out, being a "doc" I would, he thought, be staying "on the ship" in all likelihood... I should add, at the time, we had been told we would probably be sailing up the Saigon River to rescue people dockside, 106's and mortars sandbagged on the deck as in the SAND PEBBLES. As my regimental commander Al Gray said, " You'll probably have to be changing your dope on 'em all the time." Told him, "Joe," (not his actual name) "if I could get another one of those, I'd wear TWO of 'em!"

Thank Gawd that Sand Pebbles deal did not come to pass. Henderson's book, GOODNIGHT SAIGON, says if 1-4 had landed (another option discussed) we would have sustained 90 percent losses. So I am double good with the whole deal and I was happy to turn that Flak jacket back in.... More or less unused, at the end of the float.

[6thMARDIV]

Is there any way to determine a year date for manufacture using the Stock or DLA numbers?I'm trying to put together some VN War period field gear for my collection.Or am I confusing the usage of DSA and DLA numbers if there's a difference.

Edit:From information posted on the U.S.Militaria forum the DLA prefix was in use from 1978 thru 93.It then went to an SPO prefix.

Vietnam era stuff is usually marked with a DSA , for Defense Supply Agency. IE: DSA-100-67 would date to 1967.