The Bobby G. Chicom Project

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The Type 56 SKS bandolier is a utilitarian, minimalist design born out of a need to carry stripper clips efficiently for the SKS rifle in the service of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army. First coming onto the scene with the adoption of the Type 56 SKS, which was a licensed copy of the Russian model. The Chinese would add confusion by designating their AK47 copy the Type 56 as well. The SKS would be issued with a bandolier style chest rig featuring 10 pockets that hold 2 stripper clips of 10rds each, for a loadout of up to 200rds. There are a few 12 pocket variants floating around. These bandolier rigs would see use in the Sino-Indian War of 1962, then would be exported to many communist insurgencies across the world over the next few decades. They have been found in use in Africa, South America, and of course Vietnam.

When America troops arrived in Vietnam, we were equipped with mainly the m1956 load bearing equipment that would become ALICE eventually.  Old surplus from ww2 would be issued to South Vietnamese ARVN troops. The hardships of jungle warfare took its toll, and as the war went on troops would mix and match gear or modify to suit thier needs, especially in the special forces community. As the war progressed we came into contact with several chicom variants of chest rigs. The NVA would more or less make the ak and sks chicom rigs a standard issued item during the war, with China supplying thousands. These NVA and Vietcong troops carrying these rigs had a tendency to get shot in large numbers by Americans. Being that the rigs were a simple lightweight way to also carry ammo and so happen to also hold m16 mags, battlefield pickups became very common.
Now, the sks bandolier fitted the standard 20rd m16 magazine no problem. But as the war progressed, 30rd mags became very desirable and more common to match the 30rd ak mags of the NVA. Especially within MACV SOG. Most SOG members would take up a AK chest rig,  using a sock or similar to boost the shorter 30rd m16 mag higher in the pocket as they would be swallowed otherwise by the depth of the pouch. But a Sog member named Bobby G. Purett took a different approach.

Bobby was born Missouri as the youngest of six in 1941. He would be an athletic kid, setting a state record in Track during his high-school years. An avid outdoorsman, he would often be hunting or fishing if not working.
 Bobby joined the US Army im Aug of 1961 as a combat engineer. His first tour was 1965-1966 with the 39th Combat Engineers. After a transition his second tour was in 1969-1970 with 5th Special Forces Group (ABN), Project Delta, Recon Section. He returned for his third tour in 1971-1972 with Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MAC V SOG), Task Force 2 Advisory Element (TF2AE / CCC), Recon Company and served on Recon Teams Iowa and New York.
As a Green Beret and Special Forces in Vietnam, Bobby Pruett earned the third-highest award for valor in combat, the Silver Star. The Silver Star was earned on October 25th, 1972, when then SFC Pruett’s Platoon came under heavy fire from enemy combatants. Knowing the wounded needed care and the attack could not continue, Bobby lifted the wounded radio operator onto his shoulders and assisted the wounded platoon leader in evacuation. While awaiting the MEDEVAC, Bobby organized and controlled the perimeter security, which ensured a safe evacuation for his platoon members.

His military honors include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, 3 Bronze Stars with 2 Valor Devices, Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB), 2 Air Medals, and several other awards and decorations.
Bobby would go on to have a 30 year career and advance to the rank of CSM, enjoy 53 years of marriage,  have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren before passing away Dec 1st 2024 at the age of 83.

A few years ago I learned about sog while researching for a paper. This discovery lead me down a rabbit whole of amazing stories, many of which are recorded by the SOGcast series with Jocko Willink and John S. Meyer as podcasts. I collected books written by members, following many gear tips from them. While looking into something else, I came across Bobby's pictures online in May of 2025. Way back in 1973 he had the foresight to take multiple pictures showing his gear loadout while he was in SOG. His chest rig caught my eye. It wasn't just a common ak rig. No, he was wearing a modified sks rig. Bobby had taken the mesh from a old airforce survival vest and made himself some replacement flaps for his sks bandolier so it could close on six car15 magazines. A stroke of in theater ingenuity. And what I believe is the earliest documented case of sewing mods to a chicom.

I absolutely needed to make one for myself. So I ordered od green mesh, cut new flaps, added trim, removed the old flaps completely and sewn in the new ones. And with that I now was the proud owner of a Bobby G. Chicom. Now I wasn't the first to do this, a gentleman already recreated his own version. But his used half of the old flaps to sew on the new. I ripped the stich and removed the old entirely to sew in the new, making a much cleaner rig. Which way did Bobby do it? Im not sure, he didnt photograph that close of detail. But I want my recreation to be one of quality. So thats how I did mine.

By recreating this chest rig, I hope to help preserve the history and legacy of not only Bobby, but his fellow Sog team members and others who served in Vietnam. Men who fought in a highly politicized war, in horrible hot and wet conditions, many of whom came home to being spit upon. These men set the ground work for much of our tactical knowledge today by their blood and sweat, and we wouldn't sit where we are without their contributions. If you know a veteran, I would like to challenge you to sit down with them and ask them about their experience,  lessons learned, and memories.  We have the gift of the internet in this modern age to share stories with a larger audience. Let's make the most of it.