U.S. Military M-1965 Field Jacket
The M-1965 Field Jacket (or M65 Jacket) was very similar to the evolving line of field jackets that started in World War II with the M-1943 Field Jacket. Through experience in Korea and Vietnam, the design was upgraded with small improvements.
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Evolution of the M1965 Field Jacket
In 1950, the very successful World War II M-1943 Field Jacket was replaced by a modified version, the M-1950, nearly identical to the M-1943 but with the addition of inside buttons for a liner. The M-1950 was quickly replaced by the M-1951 Field Jacket, which modified the front closure buttons with a zipper and the pocket closure buttons with metal snaps. The M-51 Field Jacket was the same shell material and same lining materials as the M-1951 Parka.
The M65 or M1965 Field Jacket
In 1965 the Army began upgrading the M-1951 Field Jacket to the latest in the design series, the M-1965 Field Jacket (also known as the M65, M1965, or M-65). As the M-51 parka was replaced with the M-65 parka, the M-51 Field Jacket was replaced with the M-65 Field Jacket. Again, similar materials were used.
Later variations of the jacket were known as "Coat, Cold Weather, Field" with color OG-107 (olive drab) followed by the same jacket with camouflage patterns. The changes were not so much in the basic design as to the details.
The M-1965 Field Jacket is the most broadly adopted military coat ever both in worldwide military application and the public consciousness. The Field Jacket can be seen on our screens, films and music videos the world over. It has been widely copied and is available from many sources both as military surplus and as commercial copies.
Like the M-1943 Field Jacket, the M-1965 jacket still had four large cargo pockets and an internally tied draw string waist, but the wrist closures were provided with velcro (hook and loop) fasteners. The pockets used metal snaps to close. The front fly tab closed with snaps too, over a heavy zipper. A zipper along the back of the collar hides an attached hood that could be pulled out when needed. A storm flap could be closed over the throat with a velcro tab.
Most jackets had an information label sewn into the back at the top, just under the collar.
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Photo below shows PFC Glen Zachery with mail bag and a group of other soldiers in M-65 jackets, 19th Army Postal Unit, Yong Son, Korea, 14-15 December 1970.
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As with the Parka, A liner for the M-65 field jacket was a separate item of issue. It was made of a nylon quilted outershell (in matching color to the jacket), with 5 oz. polyester fill. When needed, the liner buttoned into the jacket including buttons at the wrist of each sleave.
The label belowt reads "Liner, Cold Weather Coat, Mans" and you can see some of the quilting.
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Originally, the M-65 was issued in olive drab color only. Later, desert camo and other patterns were utilized. By the mid-1990s a changeover to camoflauge pattern took place in all services. For years both olive drab and camo could be seen, but by late 1997 most US services were camo only, predominately either the green/brown woodland pattern or the tan/brown desert pattern.
M65 Field Hacket in the media.
* Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle in the movie Taxi Driver.
o Trent Reznor in Taxi Driver -influenced music video I’m Afraid of Americans (by David Bowie)
o Ludacris is seen wearing a M-65 field jacket in Taxi Driver -influenced music video “Slap”
* Adam Baldwin as Ricky Linderman in the movie My Bodyguard.
* Scott Patterson as Luke Danes in the series Gilmore Girls.
* Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester in the series Supernatural.
* Paddy Considine as Richard in the movie “Dead Man’s Shoes“.
* Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in the movie First Blood and as Rocky Balboa in Rock Balboa
* Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator in the movie The Terminator.
* Götz George as Horst Schimanski in the German tv series Tatort.
* Osama Bin Laden is often seen wearing an M-65.
* Ahmad Shah Massod is known to have worn an M-65 field jacket during the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
* Al Pacino as Serpico in the movie Serpico.
* Linda Cardellini as Lindsay Weir in the series “Freaks and Geeks”.
* Michael A. Goorjian as Heroin Bob in the Film SLC Punk!
* Jason Lee as Earl Hickey in the series My Name is Earl
* Nike Sportswear releases the M-65 as a fashion garment.
