July 20, 2022 in Horology, Other brands, Benrus, Elgin, Bulova, Marathon
THE BENRUS DTU-2A/P* OR MIL-W-3818B
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War began on November 1st, 1955, and ended on April 30th, 1975. It was fought between North Vietnam (supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other Communist allies), and the government of South Vietnam (supported by the United States, the Philippines, and other anti-Communist allies).
It was the longest and most unpopular war in the United States’ history. Despite decades of fighting, billions of dollars spent, 60,000 American lives lost, and many more injured… the United States of America still failed to meet its objectives.
Of course, it also led to the development of several watches, namely the Benrus DTU-2A/P* or MIL-W-3818B.
Rewind to the Elgin A-11 in WWII
Many timepieces were produced and issued to the U.S. military during World War II. However, the Elgin A-11 is the most iconic timepiece produced in the United States during that period. Equipped with a legible black dial, white indices, nickel, or silver case, and a one-piece strap. It had become synonymous with American watchmaking ingenuity and innovation, with tens of thousands produced for the war effort.
The Elgin A-11 was among the first military watches to be equipped with a sweep second hand. The spec also called for a hand-wound hacking movement with center seconds, and an outer minute track with 10-minute demarcations.
Three American watch manufacturers (Elgin, Waltham, and Bulova) were contracted to produce the timepieces. Although contracted by the United States, the A-11 saw use in the RAF (Royal Air Force), RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force), and the Soviet Air Force.
The Bulova MIL-W38-18A
The Bulova MIL-W38-18A was first issued in 1958, and seen on special forces and green berets. It featured many of the common developments of military watches which include: 12 and 24-hour markings, a very large crown, and a set of cathedral hands. It came equipped in a 34 mm case, sporting a 10 inch movement, and was one of the most trusted watches during the war.
These watches were an evolution of the A11 and A17 models developed during WWII. This was before being decommissioned in 1962 due to new testing standards by the U.S. military for their commissioned watches. Bulova then submitted a new watch to adapt to the change, but the contract was awarded to Benrus.
The Benrus DTU-2A/P* or MIL-W-3818B Military Field Watch
Benrus was the first military supplier to win the commission of the MIL-W-3818B contract to produce a field watch for American soldiers in Vietnam. The ‘DTU’ is an iconic model for Benrus since they were the only company to secure the MIL-W-3818B contract.
It is one of the most iconic military watch designs ever produced, with modern Hamiltons, Marathons, and Timexes taking inspiration. It came equipped with clean white hands and hour markers to match, 12- and 24-hour markers, Arabic numerals, and triangular lume dots on the dial. It was made between 1964 and 1969. The Benrus ‘DTU’ was the result of modifications requested by the U.S. military for combat watch specifications, primarily meant to simplify the requirements for a 17-jewel hacking wristwatch with an extended service life. Powering the watch was a Benrus Cal. DR 2F2, a hand-wound 17 jewel movement based on the ETA Cal. 2370. Benrus modified the movement which included a hacking mechanism to meet military specifications.
A precursor to the GG-W-113, and an evolution onto the previous A-11s and A-17s, this field watch became a template for military watch design for years to come. That is why it is the most iconic watch of the Vietnam War.
The GG-W-113
The GG-W-113 was released in 1967 and produced until the late 1980s. These watches were issued to pilots and manufactured by Benrus, Hamilton, Marathon, and Altus. There is a lot of confusion between the difference of the GG-W-113 and the MIL-W-3818B, which was its predecessor. It is commonly assumed that the MIL-W-3818B movement is of lower quality, and differed in its jewel count. The GG-W-113 was also issued to pilots while the MIL-W-3818B was issued to troops on the ground. The GG-W-113 was utilized in the Vietnam War, Persian Gulf conflicts, and other Middle Eastern combat scenarios. It remains one of the most recognizable military watches from the Vietnam War.
By: Eric Mulder
Read more:
“Introduction to the War.” CommonLit, 2016, https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/introduction-to-the-vietnam-war.
Hartov, Oren. “Military Watches of the World: A-11, the Watch That Won the War.” Worn and Wound, February 13th, 2018, https://wornandwound.com/military-watches-world-11-watch-won-war/.
Johnson, Mike. “A Brief Guide to the Iconic Watches of The Vietnam War.” 60 Clicks, March 22nd, 2018, https://www.60clicks.com/vietnam-war-watch-guide/.
“GG-W-113 Military Watch.” Chronopedia, https://chronopedia.club/GG-W-113_Military_Watch.
