Vietnam/Iraq/Afghanistan Wars

Iraq War: 2003-2011was part of the war on terror between the United States and Iraq.

Afghanistan War: 2001-Present is a war on terror between the United States and Afghanistan

Vietnam War: 1955-1975 was a cold war era war between communist North Vietnam and non-communist South Vietnam.

Vietnam

Afghanistan

Vietnam War Uniform: M1 Helmet, Boonie, M17 Gas Mask, Tropical Jungle Jacket, Tropical Jungle Trousers, Jungle Boots, M69 Flak Vest

The M1 helmet was made of hadfield manganese steel, mangalloy. It was painted olive green and weight about 3.16 pounds. The M1 helmet was able to protect soldiers from shrapnel and glancing bullets but it was not able to stop a direct hit.

The tropical combat hat or boonie hat is a full brimmed hat with a band for attaching camouflage and a mosquito net. It was developed in 1966 and was made of cotton wind resistant poplin.

The M17 gas mask was worn when troops used gas to flush out opponents it was also convenient to block the smell of rotten flesh. It was able to protect the soldiers from a variety of chemicals. Developed in 1968

The tropical jungle jacket was developed in 1965 for hot and humid climate. It was lightweight and made of cotton, poplin, and ripstop nylon.

The tropical jungle trouser was developed in 1962 and was lightweight and quick drying. It contained a small pocket for carrying a survival kit. The trouser was made of wind-resistant cotton and ripstop.

The jungle boot was constructed out of leather and cotton canvas duck and the neck of the boot was reinforced with nylon. The sole of the boot was a vibram rubber composition that was vulcanized to the leather. The boots had eyelets to help drain water quickly and came with a removable insole made of fused layers of saran. Later on in 1966, the boots came fitted with stainless steel plates on the inside of boots soles to protect soldiers from stake traps.

The M69 flak vest was armor worn over shirts and under jackets. It was made of 12 piles ballistic nylon. It had a place to carry grenades over the two breast pockets and had adjustable cords on the sides of the vest.

Iraq & Afghanistan War Uniform: Army Combat Uniform (ACI)

The army combat uniform is comprised of jacket, improved outer tactical vest made of Kevlar and containing four ballistic plate inserts, trousers, 100% cotton t-shirt, and advanced combat helmet and tan army combat boots made of moisture-resistant leather and nylon duck. The uniform is designed to prevent 3^rd degree burns and is treated with permethrin, a chemical used to protect the soldiers from insect-borne diseases.

Vietnam War Weapons: M16 Riffle, M16A1 Riffle, M203 Grenade Launcher, M60 Machine gun, M72 LAW, Colt 45 Pistol

The M16 riffle was developed in 1964 and had a range of about 435 yards. Early in the war the weapon would jam due to the wet and dirty conditions and the use of low quality ammunition

The M16A1 riffle was developed in 1966 and succeeded the M16. In order to prevent corrosion the bore and chamber were lined with chrome. The weapon was also equipped with a fiberglass stock and weighted about 4.41pounds.

Iraq & Afghanistan War Weapons: M16A2 Riffle, M4 Carbine, M203 Grenade Launcher, M249 SAW, SMAW, M60 Machine gun, M72 LAW, M9 1911A1 Handgun

The M16A2 Riffle is the standard issued riffle. Although, it is usually called the M16 as it was when it was first introduced in the Vietnam war.

Vietnam War Materials: Mangalloy, Chrome, Stainless Steel, Fiberglass, Poplin, Ripstop, Cotton Canvas Duck, Vibram Rubber, Saran, Velcro

Mangalloy is a tough steel alloy that usually contains around 13% manganese. Mangalloy is a non-metallic steel that resistant to abrasions and can reach 3 time its surface hardness when impacted without increasing in brittleness.

Chromium is a hard metal that has a high melting point and is malleable. It also has a high hardness and resistance to corrosion. For this reason, chrome was used to coat metals.

Stainless Steel is a steel alloy that does not corrode, rust, and to some degree is resistant to water stains. This is because stainless steel contains at least about 11% chromium.

Fiberglass is a lightweight and extremely strong material. It is composed of thin fibers of glass that have been reinforced by plastic. However, in order for it to have a high tensile strength the fibers need to be as free form defects as possible.

Poplin is a strong fabric that has been weaved together. It was usually made of cotton or raylon or a combination of materials.

Ripstop is a light weight fabric that is made out of nylon and reinforced by the technique used to weave the fabric together. The way the fabric is constructed makes it resistant to tearing and ripping and could also be made water resistant.

Cotton canvas duck usually just called canvas is a heavy duty, coarse fabric that is tightly woven together.

Vibram rubber was and is a compound rubber that is made by the high performance Italian rubber sole company Vibram.

Saran is a polymer made of polyvinylidene chloride. It was was woven together to create a mesh that could increase ventilation and could reduce blisters and tropical ulcers when used as insoles in boots.

Velcro is used as a fastener. Is is made of fabric, typically nylon or polyester and is known to make a tearing sound when the two fastened end are pulled apart. This is because one of the fabric fasteners is made up of small hooks and the other is made up of loops and when the two ends are pressed together the hooks become intertwined with the loops.

Iraq & Afghanistan Materials: Permethrin, Kevlar

Permethrin is a synthetic chemical that is used as an insect repellent and insecticide. It is supposed to be safe for human exposure and is said to be poorly absorbed by the skin.

Kevlar or poly-paraphenylene is a synthesized material. Kevlar fiber has a high tensile strength of around 3,600 MPa. It also maintains its strength and resilience at temperatures of -196 degrees celcius.