The venerable M-65 field jacket.

[cbore]

In the 70's I was making a Drug Speech while with State Narcotics to a family group in rural Miss. One Mother asked "how do I know if my son is smoking that weed"

I replied " Does he like to sleep late, does he let his hair grow long, does he say Hey Man a lot and does he wear a military field coat" and before I could say more.

She shouted out "I knew the little A.. H... was doing that stuff'

I will always remeber how that field coat got him BUSTED

 

[Old TexMex]

Still have my 740N pea coat and the watchcap that you can’t hardly find anywhere nowadays.
That pea coat is a heavy weapon.
M65 is long, long gone.
But I still have my Corcorans... ouch.

 

[PJO1425]

I was issued an M-51 in 1965, & later on, an M-65. My son wore the M-51 in college, & it's pretty worn out now. I have 3 M-65s now, the issued one, a 10 buck garage sale one & a 10 buck woodland camo one, plus two liners.

 

[ACP230]

I had a Canadian field jacket with a tag inside with
instructions in both French and English. Bought it on
a trip across the border after I had worn out my dad's old
WWII field jacket.

I think the "French Canadian" jacket was the one I got
battery acid on while working on my first car. Et it
right up. Never had another field jacket. Lots available are too
small for me now. Strange how that happens.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

This has been a great thread, and I've really enjoyed reading the stories about the venerable Army field jacket. Here's another one for the collection... On my first leave back home after Army basic, and on my way to Basic Medic school (AIT - Advanced Individual Training), I visited the local gun store where I was pretty well known. Of course, on the day I chose to visit, a local know-it-all blow hard was holding court. This guy knew everything about everything, and was really getting on everyone's nerves (think Foghorn Leghorn, only not funny because this guy actually believed his own lies). Someone mentioned that I was on leave from the Army, and this guy started talking about how he qualified as "high expert" with every weapon in the Army's inventory.

So, I began asking him:

Me: M-79?
Him: High Expert
Me: M-14?
Him: High Expert
Me: 1911?
Him: High Expert
Me: M-16?
Him: High Expert
Me: Krag-Jorgenson rifle
Him: High Expert
Me: 1903 Springfield rifle
Him: High Expert

By this time the other guys are hiding their smiles behind their hands. So I decided to play my trump card:

"Well sir, how did you do with the old M-65?" I asked him.
"Well, son, I of course scored high expert with it. In fact, I scored so well on the range with the M-65 that the commanding general took one of his medals off oh his own uniform and pinned it on my uniform."

"Uh, sir, you do realize the M-65 is a field jacket, don't you?" I said. "I bet it's hell when you put that zipper on automatic - ain't it?"

I don't know how we managed it, but everyone kept their laughter to themselves until the "high expert" slunk out of the door.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Abbynormal]

Took over my Dad's WWII era button up field jacket in the late 60's for Boy Scout camp outs. About 1970 they became the style to wear daily. Damn near wore it out, but still keep it in the back of the closet to remember Dad and camp outs.

 

[max]

I have my original from 1969 and a newer and bigger one I bought on this site several years ago. They are not the best cold weather gear but they will do. The liners were made into bedspreads in Vietnam and were quite comfortable. The breast pockets will hold a grenade or can of beer.

When I was discharged in 71, I was asked to turn my jacket in and I informed the clerk that I served 2 years just to get such a jacket. He asked if it had been destroyed in combat and I told him I just remembered a mortar round having a direct hit on my M-65.

 

[MOONDAWG]

The late in infamous Osama Bin Laden, thought the M-65 field jacket was great.

Because in 75% of his photos you'll see him in a Woodland Camo USGI issued M-65 courtesy of the US Govt.

 

[kthom]

Rastoff,

Where did you get your latest copy of the M-65? It looks really good! I see that WhiteCoyote got his at Amazon. I'd like to hear where you got yours since you are first knowledgeable about the jacket and seem to really be satisfied with the last one you got. Thanks for the info!

 

[WCCPHD]

As and aside, 511 is not making a new version of the M-65. I saw an ad today for it.

 

[Rastoff]

Rastoff,

Where did you get your latest copy of the M-65?

The one pictured in the OP was just a random pic off the internet. However, the one I got recently is from Army Surplus World. Here's a link to the jacket I got: Black M-65 Field Jacket

Black works better for me. I had my school logo added and I think it works great:

 

[Rastoff]

As and aside, 511 is not making a new version of the M-65. I saw an ad today for it.

Yeah, I took a look at that. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I think the 5.11 version falls flat. It's a nice enough jacket, but it just doesn't have the comfortable feel of the original.

Meh, to each his own. Check it out for yourself: TACLITE(R) M-65 Jacket - Outerwear - Men's

 

[mstem]

I have one in OD green & one BDU that my son gave me with all the patches on it he earned.

 

[Steve912]

I have my original from 1969 and a newer and bigger one I bought on this site several years ago. They are not the best cold weather gear but they will do. The liners were made into bedspreads in Vietnam and were quite comfortable.

So "they" made bed spreads out of field jacket liners, in Vietnam?

How interesting.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Mine is a 60's vintage that I stole from my father. My son stole it from me years ago. The Circle of Life......... Akuna Matata

 

[max]

I was at Long Binh and had a bed to sleep in. There was a sheet on the bottom and a liner on top. Often times slept on the liner.

So "they" made bed spreads out of field jacket liners, in Vietnam?

How interesting.

 

[Broke Hoss]

I got mine in '77. It came with little black snaps instead of buttons on the zipper & pocket flaps. When I hit Camp Casey, Korea I had a seamstress change it over to buttons.

I still wear that jacket, complete with embroidered name & service tags. I just gotta suck in & hold my breath a bit to button it up now...

 

[rburg]

I just gotta suck in & hold my breath a bit to button it up now...

Funny stuff. I was at a camp out about 15 years ago and my buddy Wes was complaining about his jacket. He couldn't get it to close, zipper or snaps. And he kept complaining that his wife had shrunk it! Everyone else was smiling and turning away. But that was the only explanation as he couldn't have possibly have gained girth. Some things are hard to accept.

I have no idea where mine is. I do know where my latest one is. Its hanging on the back of the dining room chair, right where I left it the other day. No, I don't hang it in the coat closet. Its the one I grab when I'm going outside. I got it from my gunshow partner, Joe. He gave it to me as he and his sons have expanded to the point they can't wear them. He gave me his because he didn't even want to wear it. I accepted it as a treasure. So I wear it whenever I'm going outside because its so comfortable. As inactive as I am these days, I still appreciate the ability to stretch my arms.

I paid nothing for it, and that makes it even better. Tradition you know. But I've purchased one not all that long ago, too. Its got a Major's oak leaf on the shoulders. Not that I ever was one. But majors don' t work for a living, so this one is pristine. The current one I'm wearing shows no signs of wearing out, I just like to have one waiting in the wings.

And I did buy a very experienced one a while back for my youngest son. He didn't have one and was eyeing mine to use during yard work. It shows it was used by someone who did honest work. Gotta ask him if his wife has tossed it out yet. He uses it when he goes shooting or hiking in the woods. Its what it was designed and manufactured to do. No fancy emblems or trendy sayings like "North Face". Just an honest old jacket. The guy who sold it to me at the yard sale was embarrassed to charge me $2 for it. I wasn't embarrassed at all to pay it.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I had one of those M-65 jackets after I got out of the Navy in 71.

I would have gladly traded it for a N-2 Navy foul weather deck jacket but those just didn't make it to surplus very often. I wasn't able to keep mine when I was discharged. They did let me keep all of the stuff I didn't want though.

 

[WardenRoss]

I wore my Dad's M-43 jacket all through high school.

Then my youngest son found it and did the same.

Wow, that's 57 years of use. Amazing.

I need to find out what he did with it. No tellin'.