The Jungle Book 1964

[Lane Frisch]

Thecity of Ranong lies 250km north of Phuket and looks out across the Kra Buri estuary towards Burma. At the widest point there is a mere 4km stretch of water that seperates the 2 countries. We were travelling back up to Bangkok and didn't really have any stops planned- that was until we crossed a small bridge and saw something completely out of place.

Moored to the banks of overgrown countryside sat a huge cruise ship. Drive too fast and ignore the view down the river, and it is easily missed. Moss and mold had already begun to turn the paint green. Rust was eating into the metal and a low tide had begun to tip/beach the ship at that particular time.

It was clear the ship had been sat there for many years and forgotten about. Maintenance had not been kept up and there were no guards or caretakers. A kilometer down the road was a single track- the only track. Probability was high that it would lead to the ship. I began to look around but stopped at an old metal gate- or what was left of it- barely standing and holes big enough to drive a motorbike through. To the side of the gate a footpath led off to a small hut and open clearing.

An elderly man approached me and asked what I was doing. I explained I was looking for the ship. He informed me that the ship was closed and inaccessible to visitors. He confused me by continuing to say that if I wanted to walk down, I could and if I was able to find my way on, I could!

A rotten bridge half collapsed appeared to be the only way over to the entrance door- which inconveniently happened to be about 10ft above the waters surface and 15 meters from the bank. I tested the strength of the wooden bridge but my first footstep instantly broke through!

Not wanting to give up I tested the depth of the water thinking I could wade out- I couldn't! Swimming was considered next but I didn't like the idea of what might be lurking in that brown jungle water.

A big lump of polystyrene had been tied to a branch and was floating around. I had my plan. Untie the polystyrene and float over to the collapsed bridge and climb up the rope ladder that was still hanging from the door. Push open the door and I'd be in!

Using the broken bridge to guide me over and ensuring I always kept one hand onto something solid I avoided being washed down the river. The polystyrene float was incredibly buoyant and offered great stability for this very job. the rope ladder hanging from the door seemed strong enough to hold my weight. I tied the boat off and climbed up pushing the heavy door open. The lean of the boat swung the door closed every time I let go- A rotten step from the bridge acted as the perfect door stop.

Being honest, I was pretty frightened walking around. Mattresses laid out on the floor as if someone had been squatting there didn't help. Nor did pitch black corridors leading to the unknown or opening doors into more darkness. Knowing there was only one way on and off, I was aware that getting trapped or cornered could be a possibility. To make things worse the ships metal work clunked and clanged, and doors slammed shut behind me!

As with any plane or ship, the most exciting part is the cockpit- I need to go up and forward. I came across the first class suites and lounge and another set of broken stairs. A strong rail helped me up and I found it. I didn't really know what to expect but it definitely wasn't what I found. Computers, digital navigation systems and loads of other computerised machines I have no idea what it was- it was amazing and just like a kid, I had to test the levers and buttons!

There were connection rooms just behind the cockpit. I assumed these rooms were perhaps dedicated to route planning or radio communications due to the equipment found in the rooms- headsets, radios and large drawers for paper maps.

Further inspection displayed the name of the ship- MS Kong Olav. Other than that I knew nothing about it. Paperwork and signage could be found in English and Thai, but there was a third language that kept appearing.

Once I left the ship and had a moment to relax that evening, I began to search. It turns out that this forgotten cruise ship was build in 1964 in Norway. It was built to be one of the most luxurious cruise ships to sale around Scandinavia and was named after the King Olav- Kong Olav in Norwegian.

It changed hands a few times but spent most of its life in and around Norway. As the ship aged it was sold to a company that operated offshore dive trips in the Andaman sea, of the coast of Thailand and Burma.

In 1997 MS Kong Olav left Bergan, Norway for the last time and spent 4 weeks and 4 hours sailing to Ranong. In 1998 the ship was spotted in the dry dock in Bangkok, a voyage of about 1500 nautical miles that would take her through the ferocious Malacca Strait where pirates frequently operate. In preparation for the transit of Malacca, the crew took no chances and hired 15 heavily armed officers to guard the ship for the entire transit. Later that year, she sailed back down to the Andaman Sea to begin dive trips offshore, rather like a floating hotel.

The first season was a failure and bookings were low. All operations were finally halted in 2003 and to save further costs, MS Kong Olav dropped her anchor 2km offshore. During her many years at anchor, she once managed to drag her anchor and was almost blown up onto the rocks of Son Island in Burma. Quick action saved the day, just 50 meters from running up, possibly saving her being lost. At this point it was decided to move her to a safer place- up a quite tributary safe from strong tide and winds.

MS Kong Olav has been in its current position for at least 10 years. Internet forums that discuss her history have recently admitted that this will be her final resting place. An ageing hull and lots of rust will eventually see her sink into the river.

When violent unrest broke out in Ferguson on August 9 and several ensuing days after the police killing of a young unarmed Black man, my mother, who lives in Philadelphia, called me, vaguely under the impression that all St. Louis had become unglued. Surely, my house must be under siege.

The Philly riot started Aug. 28, 1964, and lasted for about three days, severely damaging the main business corridors of black North Philadelphia, Columbia and Ridge Avenues. It was an area of Philly called the Jungle because it was black, very poor, and, especially, for a young boy like myself, dangerous because of the terrible gangs ruling the streets. When my South Philly friends and I would go to a Philllies game at the old Connie Mack Stadium (or Shibe Park), we always had to be careful, cautious, and mix in with crowds of whites coming and going. If we were isolated and stopped by any young black boys of North Philadelphia we were going to be in big trouble, being on their turf. It was an impossibly long way to run back to South Philadelphia. One had to either fight against very long odds of success or give up all of your money and probably get messed over for good measure. My friends and I loved the Phillies enough to take a chance occasionally. But only occasionally.

If there was any place in Philadelphia where a race riot was going to happen, well, the Jungle was the place. South Philadelphia was the oldest black community in Philadelphia but North Philadelphia was the biggest by far. The riot changed things, impoverished the Jungle even more than it already was, made it possible for the famed rough-riding cop Frank Rizzo to become police commissioner and eventually mayor, exploded the claims of the white liberals and reformers that race relations in the city were getting better. The riot was also one of the elements that laid the foundation for Philadelphia eventually getting a black mayor.

The A2 really is the descendant of the N1, and whilst the two styles are very similar, one of the main differences was the change from jungle cloth to cotton sateen. However in 1964, two years after its introduction, two contracts were made in jungle cloth, one in olive drab, and the other in the ww2 era tan. Rumours always swirl around why this was done, maybe using up old fabric stocks, or a test to see whether they wanted to revert to jungle cloth. I can't say which is true, but I can tell you they made the king of the A2 jackets, and they are rare as hen's teeth!

This beautiful example is of the OG green variety, but she's worn and faded to absolute perfection. Jungle cloth is one of the few fabrics, along with denim, that fades beautifully to white, and this jacket has the kind of fades usually reserved for denim. She's a combination of extreme rarity and beautiful patina.

This is a salty seadog, and whilst I've cleaned her up pretty well, expect loads of character. The jungle cloth itself is solid, though there are some areas of wear around the pockets and the collar. There are some older repairs done to the under arms and collar, plus I removed a rather confusing period repair to the cuffs, which strangely hadn't needed repairing in the first place. The cuffs have been replaced a period correct replacement. There is a very faint stencil on the reverse, and a tag that is both faded and worn through.

Each piece I offer for sale will have been hand sourced and inspected. I'll describe each piece as carefully as I can, including condition and relevant size details. Please study the description & images carefully and ask questions before purchase. For these reasons The Major's Tailor is a final sale business, and does not offer returns.

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The master designers at Buzz Rickson's have recreated a GI classic made famous in the early years of the Vietnam War, commonly called the "jungle jacket." This is the highly desirable, rare 1st model made of poplin with exposed gloss-finished buttons and outfitted with epaulets as worn during the early days in Nam, though sometimes seen still being worn even at war's end. This style clearly had its design rooted in the WWII U. S. Army parachutist's jacket, though issue of the "jungle jackets" was to all troops and not specific. The jacket was made instantly recognizable and famous in the 1967 film "The Green Berets," prominently worn by John Wayne and the rest of the cast portraying members of the 5th Special Forces while "in country."

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