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ERDL pattern

The ERDL pattern, also known as the Leaf pattern, is a camouflage pattern developed by the United States Army at its Engineer Research & Development Laboratories (ERDL) in 1948. It was not used until the Vietnam War, when it was issued to elite reconnaissance and special operations units beginning early 1967. The pattern consists of four colors printed in an interlocking pattern. It was initially produced in a green-dominant colorway, consisting of large organic shapes in olive green and brown, black 'branches' and light green 'leaf highlights'. Shortly after it was first fielded in Vietnam a brown-dominant scheme with the light green replaced by light tan was introduced.

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Article summary

The ERDL pattern, also known as the Leaf pattern, is a camouflage pattern developed by the United States Army at its Engineer Research & Development Laboratories (ERDL) in 1948. It was not used until the Vietnam War, when it was issued to elite reconnaissance and special operations units beginning early 1967. The pattern consists of four colors printed in an interlocking pattern. It was initially produced in a green-dominant colorway, consisting of large organic shapes in olive green and brown, black 'branches' and light green 'leaf highlights'. Shortly after it was first fielded in Vietnam a brown-dominant scheme with the light green replaced by light tan was introduced.

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  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
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  3. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

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