A Brief History of M81 Woodland Camouflage (Aka “God’s Plaid”)

During the American Civil War (1861-1865), soldiers started wearing shades of green and brown that would allow them to better blend in with their environment, but World War 1 marked the true beginning of a systematic military camouflage. The French Army created the first dedicated camouflage unit in 1915, called the Section de Camouflage. This unit, comprised largely of artists and designers, developed some of the earliest woodland patterns.