My own collection by Jiguad

[jiguad]

Hi there!
let me introduce myself, I'm a French US military collector since more than 20 years and know a young vintage diving collector (I'm a diver too and have the chance to dive almost each week in the Caribbean sea in Martinique). My interests are for Navy divers and USAF PJ's divers from the 60's and especially the Vietnam era. I'm know by other vintage divers on different forum as Puff.

So this is my vintage diving stuffs that I'm proud to present you today. Hope you will enjoy!

Wirst depth gauge Calypso Circa 1961-1969 (my first item by in 2004)


AMF VOIT swim fin UDT Model Circa 1965-1970 (2nd bying in 2005):


The same in black:


US DIVERS AQUA-LUNG Vista Rama dive mask Circa 1960-1961:


Wirst depth gauge made in Japan (bring back from Vietnam). Probably early 70's:


Calypso III regulator (eraly 70's and bring back from Vn too):


US DIVERS Aqualux flashlight Circa 1954-1970 (not sur of the age of this one but bring back from Vn too):


Calypso II regulator Circa 1965-1969

[1969ivan1]

Welcome to the number one vintage scuba forum! I love your collection especially the second wrist gauge. PLease check out my collection of gauges when you get a chance http://www.thescubamuseum.com/gauges/gauges.htm .

Rob

[usddude]

Beautiful collection! Thank you for the pictures. I like the USD torch. I love all the french items as much as you like american items.

usd

[Bryan]

Equipment list from someone that was actually there 1960-1969...He might be wrong but I'll leave that up to you to ask him...

My1960-1969 open circuit Dive attire,

Duck Feet
flpper slippers
UDT Trunks
blue and gold shirt
Various Wet and Dry suits as required
UDT Swimmer vest
Champion Dive Mask
U.S.Divers DA,AM,RAM Twin hose regulators
Us Divers twin 72's,Triple Tanks
Rollimarin Rolliflex Underwater Housings(3)
Nikonos 1 Underwater housing (2)varioue lenses including a limited edtion 21mm lens in an adapter made for he Nikonos.
Various Underwater Motion Picture Housings 16 and 35mm
Varius strobes and lights

[DaleC]

Hi Jiguad,

Welcome to the board! I recognise those Duckfeet
I recently bought an Aqualung Aquarius depth gauge with hopes that it would work but it freezes at 23'.

[sthtxdiver]

Hello Jiguad welcome aboard and ofcorse thanx for sharing u have some very nice items im sure ull have fun diving with them keep them coming my friend best regards

[jiguad]

Thanks everybody for these nice answers and for welcome me!

Rob, I've read your very interesting post months ago and your collection is very impressive! I've read a lot of articles in your forum since a couple of years but never post something here. I had to collect more stuffs before present you these pieces. And my English was not enough accurate to maintain a discuss with you guys. Hope this is correct today...
I've also recorded a lot of pdf files in the download section as Navy manuals and US DIVERS catalogs that help me to date and knows these items better. So I would really thanks the members & especially administrators of this really nice and interesting forum!

About the gauge you like Rob, I'm unable to date this item because it's Japan made. Maybe you could help me? I know that US DIVERS give authorizations to Japan to made knife, regulator, gauge,... in the late 60's/early 70's (like the Aqua Master Nihon KK regulator).

Usddude, if you love all the french items as much as I like american items, I advise you to go on Ebay.fr. I'm sure you could find some interesting stuffs. You can also have a look to "Le Bon Coin" website. For exemple : http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres ... 5E9tendeur. I've write Mistral regulator in French and find some interesting stuffs. But unfortunately the price is often more higher than in USA... ;(
If you need help to translate words in French don't hesitate to ask me, it will be a pleasure to help anyone as you have help me in my researches.

Bryan, I'm not sure to really understand your post. I'm sorry but as I've said my English is not enough accurate and sometimes some sentences are hard for me to translate. Do you propose me to ask to somebody for these items? Or do you just talk about your own collection? These items are pretty interesting for sure!

DaleC, about your Aquarius I've decide to pass my bid to one similar last week! I was sure it was a model from the 60's but after well reading I found it in the early 70's USD catalogs. But this gauge is pretty nice and I really like how it's look!

Sthtxdiver, you're welcome! I will show you all my new items in the future. I don't dive with all of them because they are too fragile. But I hope to try my Calypso II on December. I'll show you some pictures next month.

Cheers to all
Jiguad aka Puff

[Bryan]

Bryan, I'm not sure to really understand your post. I'm sorry but as I've said my English is not enough accurate and sometimes some sentences are hard for me to translate. Do you propose me to ask to somebody for these items? Or do you just talk about your own collection? These items are pretty interesting for sure!
Jiguad aka Puff

My post was to provide you with an accurate list of equipment that was used by members of the Naval Special Warfare community in the 60's. It was given to me first hand by a member that was active during that time period.
The reason I did this was to help you with collecting. Some of the items you have pictured and have labeled as brought back from Vietnam are most likely incorrect according to my source. They may have been purchased at a PX, BX etc overseas but were not part of the equipment that was actually used by the UDT/SEAL personnel in Vietnam.

E-bay all over the world thrives on people labeling things as RARE or USED IN VIETNAM, Give to me by ex Navy SEAL, UDT, EOD, etc. Most of it is wrong and invented to try and scam people out of $$$. I am sure a percentage of it is completely innocent but many of us on the forum have seen sellers advertising items falsely and getting a great deal of money from an unsuspecting buyer...Just trying to help.

[jiguad]

Ok Bryan, now it's much clear for me! Thanks!

Of course I know that these items bring back from Vietnam are much PX or private purchases (buy by one of my best friend in Saigon many years ago). However I've often seen Navy and USAF divers wearing private purchases on the field. As Calypso regulators used by USAF. I've also pictures of Navy seal training in a swimming pool using Calypso III (Subic Bay if my memory works). Navy divers often used Conshelf regulators too. These are all civilian items. As the DA Aqua Master frequently used by Navy divers. It's a civilian regulator but approved by BUSHIP. In fact I suppose that Non Mag effects where expensive and used only for typical missions don't you think? And some people could purchase different item to use in the field. Maybe these items had been used only by divers to maintain ships on arbors like Danang. Or maybe just use on R&R days... who knows but the owner?...

About Seal/UDT I've some good items but more military. So I prefer to show only civilian item here because it's probably not the good place to show military stuffs . I have Mk13Mod0 flares, inflatable life vest (1967 dated)... If you are interested to sea my reenactment group's website and pictures reenacting Navy Seals, I can send you the link by MP. But definitively I think it's not the right place...

Many thanks for your help Bryan and for this list!

[Bryan]

Ok Bryan, now it's much clear for me! Thanks!

About Seal/UDT I've some good items but more military. So I prefer to show only civilian item here because it's probably not the good place to show military stuffs . I have Mk13Mod0 flares, inflatable life vest (1967 dated)... If you are interested to sea my reenactment group's website and pictures reenacting Navy Seals, I can send you the link by MP. But definitively I think it's not the right place...

Many thanks for your help Bryan and for this list!

Why would this not be a good place to show military items? We have many members here who are active/retired/former military from all branches of the armed services as well as some active and retired members who are Navy Divers/UDT/SEAL/EOD members. I am sure they could provide some accurate information on the equipment you have. On the site already we have shown everything from the earliest equipment used by UDT in Korea to the latest Mentor double hose currently in use. I am sure if you have it and it relates to diving we would enjoy seeing it.
Please post the link to your reenactment group here.....I don't mind at all. We may have some members who are interested in joining your group?

[jiguad]

Hi again!
in fact I don't want to hurt somebody but as you ask me this is our website link : grunts.free.fr (without www). You can go to the Navy section to see SEAL and other subject related to the Navy. We are a group of friends who reenact this era since the early 90's. All uniforms showing in our site are original period uniforms worn during the Vietnam conflict. We are well know by reenacting groups in USA but we lived and reenact here in France. One of my best friend, Olivier had write a couple of articles for a famous French magazine : 'Militaria Magazine'. One article is about USAF Security Police and the other about the 4th Infantry division in Vietnam. I have started to write and desktop published (I'm graphic designer) an article about the Navy divers but I have to upgrade my knowledges about this particular subject before ending this article and it take long time!

[jiguad]

Hi there!
I've forget to post this hard to find UDT Manual. I'm sure this Manual are well know by some members of this forum!
UDT Handbook 1965.

[jiguad]

I'm very happy to present you my Christmas gift who make me feel the second luckiest guy after Karl! I'm sure some of you well recognize this rare and particular gauge! More photos to come...

[DaleC]

Jiguad, I think this book would interest you as well, even though it predates the vietnam era by a few years:

[kgehring]

Very nice rare Gauge! Radioactive!!! Looks new... Mine is used and I think Rob has one.