Sunglasses in times of war.........

[Tom.]

So these days soldiers in combat zones are often seen wearing sunglasses, many of them wearing Oakley´s, Oakley even has a military line of glasses.

This got me thinking , what about previous wars ? i know Oakley wasn't around during the vietnam conflict , but still i find very few videos and photos showing US and Australian soldiers wearing sunglasses.

Anyone know about the history of soldiers both allied forces and enemy forces wearing sunglasses during previous wars like Vietnam, Korea, and WW2

 

[Duck_Fat808]

So these days soldiers in combat zones are often seen wearing sunglasses, many of them wearing Oakley´s, Oakley even has a military line of glasses.

This got me thinking , what about previous wars ? i know Oakley wasn't around during the vietnam conflict , but still i find very few videos and photos showing US and Australian soldiers wearing sunglasses.

Anyone know about the history of soldiers both allied forces and enemy forces wearing sunglasses during previous wars like Vietnam, Korea, and WW2

Not Ray Ban either.

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[Duck_Fat808]

Maybe Bausch & Lomb?

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[cyclerdoug]

Ray-Ban was around during WWII. Reference "The General" Aviator re-issue of the classic icon pair worn by Douglas MacArthur. Photographed extensively during the liberation of the Philippines. A previous incantation of Ray-Ban, but still there.

 

[Tom.]

Hard to imagine not wearing sunglasses in Vietnam, but then again, in the jungle it would probably be too dark to use sunglasses. What i think you need is the Prizm trail lenses, they are not too dark for forest use.

Not hoping for new a jungle war of course, but i could see the advantage for soldiers wearing Trial lenses.

Vietnam was jungle warfare, Iraq and afghanistan were desert warfare....... guess next will be snow warfare !?

Then we know Oakley makes great snow goggles

 

[Tom.]

Ray-Ban was around during WWII. Reference "The General" Aviator re-issue of the classic icon pair worn by Douglas MacArthur. Photographed extensively during the liberation of the Philippines. A previous incantation of Ray-Ban, but still there.

yeah, but that was mostly for pilots, right ?

 

[Rollbar]

I recall Ray Ban been used by pilots in WW2/Korea....then Randolph, American Original, Ray Ban in Vietnam....Gulf1 Oakley Blades/Razor Blades started appearing.

 

[Rollbar]

General , Aviator models are also American Original....pilots were issued sunglasses.....but soldiers would wear them too I'm sure, especially Air Force ground crew.

 

[cyclerdoug]

Randolph Engineering first started appearing with pilots in the early 70's...I think they may just have made The Vietnam war but it would have been private purchases among pilots. They were started in 1972 I believe but could possibly have gotten a few pairs into some hands in-country...but they didn't start to make any moves for big military contracts until much later that decade. If there were any in Vietnam it was certainly very few. And they probably would have been confused with Ray Bans if they were photographed!

 

[Rollbar]

In Vietnam I think most guys wore American Originals.