M65 Tomcatters Case

‘M-65’

Celebrating its 55th year in existence this year, the quintessential M-1965 (abbreviated to M-65) Field Jacket is an everlasting symbol of pride, power and perseverance.

It was widely used by American troops during the Vietnam War and was ingeniously structured to last a lifetime. Its hallmarks include NYCO, a rugged nylon/cotton sateen fabric that safeguarded soldiers from the heat, rain and wind on the Oriental battlefield. Robert de Niro cemented M-65 into the public eye in his 1976 classic, ‘Taxi Driver’, and it has draped the likes of Woody Allen in ‘Annie Hall’, Al Pacino in ‘Serpico’ and Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rambo’. 

Noble & Graff is taking the vintage attire’s notable versatility to the next level by reconstructing it into a literal time capsule — a watch box crafted from an original U.S. Military-issued camouflaged M-65 from the roaring seventies. Its four slots handsomely hold much-loved treasures in place much to your delight. A pair of snap-flap cargo pockets are preserved to allow for utmost utility, and the lightweightness makes it a connoisseur’s perpetual plus-one at the most exclusive watch gatherings. The icing on the cake lies in the dust bag which was the original insulated lining of the field jacket. 

This paticular example comes with a VFA-31 aka Tomcatters patch, callsign "Felix", a United States Navy Strike figher squadron station at the Naval Air Station Oceana. The Tomcatters are the 2nd oldest Navy Fighter Attack Squadron operating today.

Our reinterpretation of the counter-culture rebel connects generations and has its way to get in every collector’s heart. As Paul Schrader, screenwriter of ‘Taxi Driver’, has once put it, ‘DeNiro without his M-65 is kind of like Superman without his cape.’ 

* Due to the unique nature of the materials used, and the human element of their construction, each item has a personality all its own. Please allow some deviation from the image you see representing each product, as no two items are alike.