I had the same one with a cloth bracelet, but when I had my graduation pilot of medevac s/lieutenant, it was an Hamilton one. I use it today. 1970, semper fi, even for ANZACS Today an original one it's 500 $.
be sure to bring along a g shock, those would've been worth their weight in gold to the average 'nam trooper if they existed back then, lol. those watches are so good, they're almost cheating ;)
hello I have one exactly like the Westclox general purpose,the plastic Watch... it was my grandfather's clock, I am interested in repairing it, someone knows how it can be repaired? the problem is that it is a solid piece of plastic and I do not want to break it, any information I will appreciate it much, cheers!
Watch repairmen use a crystal removal and inserter tool to open that watch. No problem for them. It looks like a cylinder with 12 claws or prongs on it. See it on Amazon.com sold by Esslinger for $18.10. Just take that old watch to repairman, ask if he can open and get it running, and good luck. Thanks for the question.
Hi, Nice watches. I do own the Westclox 75071 and have been researching the authenticity of it. The MWR site keep indicating that the watch is a vietnam special and not an original US Contracted watch and that Westclox did in fact make that watch but not under 75071, but under another series. What have you found out about it. Obviously you say you wore it in Vietnam, Do you know if the original owner purchased it through the PX?
Hello Jose, The SPECIFICATION that my watch is built to is probably MIL-W-3818B (in force from Oct 1962- 1970) and can be confused with a model number. Most military specifications allow some differences such as case material or exact number of jewels, so there can be different model numbers within each Spec. The best source of information that I have found about Vietnam era watches is at timefraud.com/read-before-buying-vietnam-era-military-watch It is REALLY PACKED WITH INFORMATION. This site has clear photographs of the backs of two watches of my 75071 type, both made by Westclox. The first photograph is the front and back of a 75071 Westclox including its strap. It is about 18% of the way down the site and photos are entitled WESTCLOX 7 JEWEL NO DIAL BRAND NAME. That watch was made December ‘71 with serial number 21786. . The second is about 20% of the way down the website, on the far right side of the screen, about one screen below an attached white table of “Ordinance Department Markings”. The watch was made in June 68, and clearly marked WESTCLOX 75071. The TimeFraud site also shows 39 photographs of Vietnam watches which were sold at the PX, BX, or R&R. All of those watches have the manufacturer's name on the face. This indicates that the watches were not genuine Government Issue because a brand name on the face is prohibited in the Government Issue versions. I never saw any of these at the PX where I was stationed. I would have bought one in a finger snap! Never knew, until recently, that the brand name had to be on the back. I do not know where MWC got their information from. Maybe the best way to verify the authenticity of your watch is to remove the crystal take out the movement and see what it looks like. Someday I might have mine removed, photograph it, and post it on this site so that all can see what the genuine article looks like inside. Thanks again for your interest and good luck.
Orville Wingnut awesome. Good info. I love the watch recently had it serviced though they were not meant to be. Instead they were disposable. Thanks again.
Allen Janes Hello. Thanks for viewing. I was wearing an inexpensive Waltham wrist watch17 jewel wind-up. Not automatic. It was cheaper than a Timex. Probably chrome-plated brass. I was a 21 year old lieutenant, and had never owned a good watch or even an interesting watch. Certainly nothing that was waterproof or automatic. So I was not giving up anything that I cared about. I just wanted that genuine u.s. army military watch. The funny part of the story is that the truck driver was wearing that watch on his wrist, and he knew that it did not work. I didn't. I thought I was getting a working watch! When I noticed that it was dead I still didn't care. I was smiling and happy. That was a good day.
Thanks Weird Science. Inspired by you , I just read about the MWC GTLS and it sounds terrific. The drive train seems to resemble the Citizen and Seiko Kenetic watches. I don't own a good Tritium watch (I want one) but I do have a mint , unused, Marine Corp. issue tritium watch from 1991. The tritium is all spent & dead now. No glow. I'll make a video of it soon and will include a comment about the MWC GTLS. I just tonight posted a video about a WW II military issue watch that I own. Thanks, and press on.
Però non sapete che il vostro governo aveva incaricato Hamilton per fare i Khaki, infatti oggi lo fa Hamilton perchè solo Hamilton poteva produrlo, questo link viene usato per infamare chi dice la verità, ovvero che i Khaki Hamilton non venivano utilizzati in guerra, falso, HAMILTON PRODUCEVA QUESTI OROLOGI MA NESSUNO O QUASI LO SAPEVA PER I MARINES, SUCCESSIVAMENTE LI HA PRODOTTI SEMPRE MIGLIORATI!!!
God bless you always. I thank you for serving our beloved Country.
Nice story. I was 4 years old in 1968. I wear a marathon mechanical with tritium illumination. It's serves me well. Thanks for your service. AJ
What simple, yet beautiful watches. It's very tempting to try and snap up my own now.
I had the same one with a cloth bracelet, but when I had my graduation pilot of medevac s/lieutenant, it was an Hamilton one.
I use it today. 1970, semper fi, even for ANZACS
Today an original one it's 500 $.
Nice piece.i had one from my father but some low life stole it forever will miss it
Cool story. I just bought a westclox vietnam era
100% identical to my black Tritium Army watch from The 80s; still luminous, wear it all the time.
were these watches any good in the jungle? I thought all military personnel were issued with a watch in vietnam. Thanks for explaining. Nice video.
Cool.
Thank you for sharing.
I just bought a benrus in plastic. Since you've had yours for so long I'm just wondering where and how you've had it serviced.
My Westclox has a metal case and 17 jewel is a mechanical wind, any info on these appreciated. It says Westclox on the face, no date
Thanks for serving our country I'm joining when I'm 18🙂
be sure to bring along a g shock, those would've been worth their weight in gold to the average 'nam trooper if they existed back then, lol. those watches are so good, they're almost cheating ;)
My aunt was a medic in Vietnam a Vietnamese guy stole her uniform every thing but I'm glad she came back home
American sniper I'm glad to. A heartfelt thank you and a salute to her. I saved my first life there. The most memorable event of my tour.
😇
Well Done you're a hero
hello I have one exactly like the Westclox general purpose,the plastic Watch... it was my grandfather's clock, I am interested in repairing it, someone knows how it can be repaired? the problem is that it is a solid piece of plastic and I do not want to break it, any information I will appreciate it much, cheers!
Watch repairmen use a crystal removal and inserter tool to open that watch. No problem for them. It looks like a cylinder with 12 claws or prongs on it. See it on Amazon.com sold by Esslinger for $18.10. Just take that old watch to repairman, ask if he can open and get it running, and good luck. Thanks for the question.
Hi, Nice watches. I do own the Westclox 75071 and have been researching the authenticity of it. The MWR site keep indicating that the watch is a vietnam special and not an original US Contracted watch and that Westclox did in fact make that watch but not under 75071, but under another series. What have you found out about it. Obviously you say you wore it in Vietnam, Do you know if the original owner purchased it through the PX?
Hello Jose,
The SPECIFICATION that my watch is built to is probably MIL-W-3818B (in force from Oct 1962- 1970) and can be confused with a model number. Most military specifications allow some differences such as case material or exact number of jewels, so there can be different model numbers within each Spec. The best source of information that I have found about Vietnam era watches is at timefraud.com/read-before-buying-vietnam-era-military-watch It is REALLY PACKED WITH INFORMATION.
This site has clear photographs of the backs of two watches of my 75071 type, both made by Westclox. The first photograph is the front and back of a 75071 Westclox including its strap. It is about 18% of the way down the site and photos are entitled WESTCLOX 7 JEWEL NO DIAL BRAND NAME. That watch was made December ‘71 with serial number 21786. . The second is about 20% of the way down the website, on the far right side of the screen, about one screen below an attached white table of “Ordinance Department Markings”. The watch was made in June 68, and clearly marked WESTCLOX 75071.
The TimeFraud site also shows 39 photographs of Vietnam watches which were sold at the PX, BX, or R&R. All of those watches have the manufacturer's name on the face. This indicates that the watches were not genuine Government Issue because a brand name on the face is prohibited in the Government Issue versions. I never saw any of these at the PX where I was stationed. I would have bought one in a finger snap! Never knew, until recently, that the brand name had to be on the back.
I do not know where MWC got their information from. Maybe the best way to verify the authenticity of your watch is to remove the crystal take out the movement and see what it looks like. Someday I might have mine removed, photograph it, and post it on this site so that all can see what the genuine article looks like inside.
Thanks again for your interest and good luck.
Orville Wingnut awesome. Good info. I love the watch recently had it serviced though they were not meant to be. Instead they were disposable. Thanks again.
View new video to see the movement and how to remove it from the case. th-cam.com/video/g8uEv-2DNsk/w-d-xo.html Hope this helps you.
What watch were you wearing at the time of trade? Just curious. Nice video
Allen Janes Hello. Thanks for viewing. I was wearing an inexpensive Waltham wrist watch17 jewel wind-up. Not automatic. It was cheaper than a Timex. Probably chrome-plated
brass. I was a 21 year old lieutenant, and had never owned a good watch or even an interesting watch. Certainly nothing that was waterproof or automatic. So I was not giving up anything that I cared about. I just wanted that genuine u.s. army military watch.
The funny part of the story is that the truck driver was wearing that watch on his wrist, and he knew that it did not work. I didn't. I thought I was getting a working watch! When I noticed that it was dead I still didn't care. I was smiling and happy. That was a good day.
Thanks Weird Science. Inspired by you , I just read about the MWC GTLS and it sounds terrific. The drive train seems to resemble the Citizen and Seiko Kenetic watches. I don't own a good Tritium watch (I want one) but I do have a mint , unused, Marine Corp. issue tritium watch from 1991. The tritium is all spent & dead now. No glow. I'll make a video of it soon and will include a comment about the MWC GTLS.
I just tonight posted a video about a WW II military issue watch that I own. Thanks, and press on.
A "dollar watch" is now worth a few hundred bucks, eh?
Wow, plastic. That's quite surprising 😁
Tengo uno igual en venta.
the correct serial numbers of the westclox vietnam are 75092 and 75081. the serial 75071 is fake !!! be careful when buying ...
Però non sapete che il vostro governo aveva incaricato Hamilton per fare i Khaki, infatti oggi lo fa Hamilton perchè solo Hamilton poteva produrlo, questo link viene usato per infamare chi dice la verità, ovvero che i Khaki Hamilton non venivano utilizzati in guerra, falso, HAMILTON PRODUCEVA QUESTI OROLOGI MA NESSUNO O QUASI LO SAPEVA PER I MARINES, SUCCESSIVAMENTE LI HA PRODOTTI SEMPRE MIGLIORATI!!!
A "dollar watch" is now worth a few hundred bucks, eh?