Iraq War-era flak jacket?

[JBinIll]

JBinIll,
The contract would have been awarded to Isratex in FY 1991 (1 Oct 1990 to 30 Sep 1991). Delivery would have been anytime after 1 Oct 1990. Isratex may have a small supply on hand of recent manufacture and then went into production to complete the order.
I would say this vest was made in 1991.

Thanks for the info,much appreciated.

[Master]

Hey i have the same jacket ... in exelent shape and it has the users manul tucked in behind the big tag on the inside ... my manul says "*1981" in big numbers inside the front cover .

[Master]

If you want i can scan the whole booklet for you so you can make your own replica booklet ...... I think the booklet is the coolest part of the whole vest ...

[Master]

my vest has 05 stamped inside it .... i was thinking it was used in 2005

[alibi]

Isratex Inc. DLA contractor code 040996514
59 Scholes St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 112061808

Contract DLA100-91-D-0385 was opened in April 1991 with estimated completion date of December 1991, contract amount was $43,078,000
Product code 8470 Armor Personal.

Contract modified January 3, 1992 -$100,000 estimated completion date March 15, 1992
Contract modified March 9, 1992 +$54,483 estimated completion date March 15, 1992
Contract modified April 21, 1992 -$306,627 estimated completion date April 30, 1992
Contract modified May 22, 1992 +$51,699 estimated completion date May 12, 1993

These contract modifications are not explained in the record but apparently the contract wasn’t completed until May 1993. The (-) amounts may have been penalties for delivery after the specified completion date(s). A vest made with this contract number could have been manufactured any time between April 1991 and May 1993.

This added on manufacture and modifications on the same contract is not unusual and in some cases went on for several years. Most of the contracts were negotiated and completed without added equipment contracted or modifications to the contracted amount.

[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.