What does an airborne vest look like. The history of the vest. What do the stripes on the vest and gyuse mean. Airborne and striped sweatshirt

On August 19, sea wolves celebrate the birthday of the Russian vest. On this day in 1874, the striped sweatshirt received the official status of a part of the ammunition of a Russian sailor by a high Imperial decree. It's time to reveal the main mysteries of the "sea soul".

Let's start with a little prologue. If before that you read something about the origin of vests, then consider that you have lost time. What is written in Russian is a flawed compilation of a compilation. Today, on the unofficial birthday of the Russian vest, you have a happy opportunity to learn SOMETHING about this element of the “marine” wardrobe, if, of course, you need it at all for some reason.

Now the prologue itself. Any person is blood from flesh the son of the earth. The bearer of its language, culture, stereotypes, delusions and stupidity. But one day this earthly creature, the “land rat”, the existential “root crop”, gets the chance to go to the open sea. Gravity decreases, the turnip stretches and the “root crop” dies, and instead of it, the one who is called “tumbleweed”, “tear and throw away”, is born,

Maritime culture is the first experience of globalization. The sailors of the world do not care about the flags, state borders, on religion. Everything on land loses value to them immediately after they overcome seasickness and cross the equator. After that, they already know that life, in which you feel solid flesh under your feet, is an illusion, a trick, bullshit. All the truth, true reality is going on in the sea, where the shores are not visible. Instead of the past waddle on clay, a person acquires a floating, soft tread, in which one can see a slight disdain for everything that is harder than a deck board and that absorbs the smart clatter of heels.

Sailors are aliens on our planet, a global alternative to "soil being", an anti-system for "earthly order". It was in such a culture that a strange and at the same time very deep in meaning cult of a thing that the Western world calls a breton shirt (Breton shirt), and we Russians call a “vest” could be born.

Why is she striped?

Until recently, every cabin boy knew that the sea is inhabited not only by fish and water reptiles, but also by spirits. Lots of spirits! Establishing normal contact with them, finding mutual understanding is the key not only to a successful voyage, but also a guarantor of a sailor's life expectancy. Mother fate rules the sea directly, without an intermediary in the form of " common sense". In this regard, the main task of any person on the high seas is not to provoke fate to famously. Over many millennia, this goal has formed around itself a whole system of knowledge, a real science, which people dependent on the earth's firmament carelessly call marine superstitions.

Sailors don't like to test axioms with personal experience. The experiments of physicists and the careless curiosity of lyricists are alien to him. All he has to do is strictly follow tradition, for it is difficult for drowned men to learn from their own mistakes.

Do not take a woman on a ship, do not whistle, do not kill seagulls, bathe after crossing the equator; an earring in the ear so as not to drown, a tattoo so as not to become a ghost after death - everything has its own specific meaning, where functionality is adjacent to mysticism, protective magic.

From time immemorial, Breton fishermen, going to sea, put on striped (black and white) robes. It was believed that the robe protects them from the aggression of undines, mermaids and other evil spirits. Perhaps the Breton vest played the role of underwater camouflage, protecting from the gaze of sea demons. And, perhaps, another function was attributed to the alternating horizontal stripes by the Breton fishermen: one thing is for sure, the striped shirt played the role of a talisman.

During the Great geographical discoveries At a time when there was an acute shortage of personnel in the world, many Breton fishermen joined the European fleets. But most of the Bretons, oddly enough, ended up on Dutch, not French ships. Maybe because they paid well there, maybe because the Bretons were not very fond of the French usurpers, or maybe the Dutch, liberal by nature, did not forbid the Bretons from wearing their defiant striped outfits. It was early XVII century; by the end of the century, the vest will become a global fashion trend for all European sailors.

How many stripes are on the vest?

Of course, you can tritely count the stripes on the same paratrooper's vest, but here we will be disappointed. In Russia, since the Soviet period, the number of stripes on vests depends on the dimensions of a particular sailor, marine or border guard. Relatively speaking, there will be 33 of them on the 46th size, and 52 on the 56th. The numerological problems of the vest could be put on the brakes if it were not known for sure that the numerical symbolism in the "Breton shirt" still exists. For example, in the standard adopted by the French Navy in 1852, the vest had to be 21 stripes - according to the number of Napoleon's great victories. However, this is the version for "land rats". 21 is the number of success, good luck in the cult card game of sailors Vingt-et-un (aka Blackjack, aka Point). The numerological component in the number of bands was among the Dutch and the British. Yes, in mid-seventeenth centuries, ship crews engaged by the Dutch East India Company preferred "Breton sweaters" with twelve horizontal stripes - the number of ribs in a person. Thus, as some connoisseurs of the maritime tradition explain, the sailors deceived a dashing fate, showing that they had already died and become ghost skeletons.

How the breton shirt became a "vest"

Russian sailors in New York, 1850s. Still no vests

For the first time, a Russian person saw a vest, most likely in the second half of the 17th century, when Dutch merchant ships got into the habit of Kholmogory and Arkhangelsk. The sea wolves from the Netherlands, along with the British, were the main trendsetters in the field of marine ammunition. It is no coincidence that Peter I completely adopted the Dutch naval uniform for the nascent Russian fleet. True, without the "Breton shirts". The latter fragmentarily appeared in Russia in the 40-50s of the 19th century: sailors of the merchant fleet flaunted in vests, who exchanged or bought them in some European port.

There is a story that in 1868 Grand Duke and Admiral Konstantin Nikolayevich Romanov received the crew of the General Admiral frigate. All the sailors came to the meeting wearing striped shirts they had bought in Europe. The sea wolves praised the functionality and convenience of striped jerseys so much that a few years later, in 1874, the prince brought a decree to the emperor for signature, officially including the vest in naval ammunition.

How was the "sea soul" born?

However, the vest became a cult a little later. After Russo-Japanese War demobilized sailors filled the Russian cities. They were like the people of the New York Bronx, only instead of hip-hop they danced dances like "Bullseye", talked about how they fought for Port Arthur, and looked for adventures on their own heads. The main attribute of these dashing sailors, "the soul wide open", was a vest, which at that time began to be called the "sea soul". It was at this time that the first mass acquaintance of the “sea soul” with the collective Russian soul took place. The union of "two lonely souls", which took place in 1917, gave a mixture that blew up Russia. The Bolsheviks, who actively used the sailors in their seizure of power as a natural anti-system to any "land" order, in 1921, by suppressing the Kronstadt rebellion, finally rid themselves of the unwanted reflection of the "sea soul".

Why is a paratrooper wearing a vest?

Premiere of the airborne vest in Prague, 1968

The vest has always been associated with the water element, but not with the air element. How and why did a skydiver in a blue beret get a vest? Unofficially, "Breton shirts" appeared in the wardrobe of paratroopers in 1959. Then they began to be awarded for a parachute jump into the water. However, it is unlikely that this minor tradition could grow into a "striped" cult, which eventually arose in the Airborne Forces. The main cultivator of the vest in the Airborne Forces was the legendary commander of the Airborne Forces Vasily Margelov. It was thanks to his frantic enthusiasm that the striped sweatshirt officially entered the essentials of the paratrooper's wardrobe.

The abduction of the “sea soul” by “paratroopers” was resisted in every possible way by the commander-in-chief of the USSR Navy, Sergei Gorshkov. Once, according to legend, at one meeting he entered into an open skirmish with Vasily Margelov, calling the appearance of a paratrooper in a vest with the unpleasant word "Anachronism". Vasily Filippovich then severely besieged the old sea wolf: “I fought in marines and I know what paratroopers deserve and what they don’t!”

The official premiere of the blue striped vests took place during the events in Prague in August 1968: it was the Soviet paratroopers in striped jerseys that played the decisive role in ending the Prague Spring. At the same time, the debut of the famous blue berets took place. Few people know that the new look of the paratroopers was not registered in any official document. They received their baptism of fire by the free will of the "patriarch" of the Airborne Forces - without any unnecessary bureaucratic red tape. Knowledgeable people who can read between the lines, saw in the Prague fashion show of Soviet paratroopers a hidden challenge from the commander of the Airborne Forces to the commander-in-chief of the Navy. The fact is that Margelov stole from the sailors not only a vest, but also a beret.

The official premiere of berets was scheduled for November 7, 1968 - a parade on Red Square. But most importantly, the berets were supposed to be black and crown the heads of the marines under the jurisdiction of the Navy. The Navy received the right of the first night by a special Order of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR No. 248 dated November 5, 1963. But five years of careful preparation went down the drain due to the pirate fashion raid of the “landing force”, which then had no formal right to wear a beret, not on a vest. The legitimacy of the new outfit of paratroopers received almost a year after the Prague events thanks to the Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 of July 26, 1969, which introduced the next rules for wearing military uniform clothes. Who would dare to ban the fighters of the Airborne Forces from wearing a vest and beret after they actually single-handedly extended the life of "developed socialism" in Eastern Europe.

Spiteful critics saw the roots of Vasily Filippovich's passion for the attributes of the Navy in the desire to annoy the opponent from the Navy and jealousy for the marines, in which Margelov served during the war. I would like to believe that the commander of the Airborne Forces had more serious reasons - for example, belief in the superpower of a vest, understanding of the "striped" soul, which he learned about when he fought side by side with the "flared" sailors during the war.

There is a very funny hypothesis that the chief paratrooper's passion for horizontal stripes was born on the wave of popularity among the Soviet military elite of the British film This Sporting Life. This depressing drama tells the story of the harsh world of English rugby players. The picture, released in 1963, for some mysterious reason, became a cult among military leaders. Many military commanders lobbied for the creation of subordinate rugby teams. And Vasily Filippovich generally ordered rugby to be included in the training program for paratroopers.

The film can hardly be called spectacular; there are not very many episodes where rugby is played, so it is very difficult to form an opinion about the intricacies of the game. It seems that the main impression on Margelov was made by one of the most brutal moments of the picture, when the main character is intentionally injured by a player of the opposite team. The player of this team is dressed in a striped uniform that resembles a vest.

“We are few, but we are in vests”

"Striped Devils". Marines in the Great Patriotic War

This is not empty bravado. Horizontal stripes create an optical effect that is larger than it really is. Interestingly, the Germans called the Soviet sailors and marines who participated in battles on land during World War II "striped devils." This epithet is associated not only with the shocking fighting qualities of our warriors, but also with the Western European archetypal consciousness. In Europe, striped clothing for many centuries was the lot of the "damned": professional executioners, heretics, lepers and other outcasts of society who did not have the rights of a city dweller were required to wear it. Of course, the appearance of Soviet sailors in vests in a "land" situation caused primitive fear among unprepared German infantrymen.

What do all these colored stripes mean?

Today, almost every branch of the military in Russia has its own vest with stripes of a unique color. T-shirts with black stripes are worn by marines and submariners, with light green - border guards, with maroon - Spetzazovtsy Internal Troops Ministry of Internal Affairs, with cornflower blue - fighters of the Presidential Regiment and special forces of the FSB, with orange - employees of the Ministry of Emergencies, etc.

The criteria for choosing a particular color by a particular branch of service is probably a military secret. Although it would be very interesting to know why, say, the FSB special forces flaunt in vests with cornflower blue stripes. But time will pass and the secret will still be revealed.

Alexey Pleshanov

The legendary marine jersey - how much meaning is invested in these words! This is the story of more than one generation. The vest is valued on a par with the shrine. In Russia, it has become not only part of the infantry and the submarine Navy, but also of the airborne armed forces, Ministry of Emergency Situations, special forces and the internal army of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Each Russian army has its own vest with a unique color of stripes, the selection criteria of which, one might assume, characterize the field of activity of each ...

Navy

German opponents spoke of the sailors and marines of the times of the Great Patriotic War as "striped devils". This one wears black striped shirts. It wasn't the color, it wasn't the number of stripes on the vest, and it wasn't even the extreme volitional qualities Russian sailors. The roots of such a nickname go back to the history of Europe, where in the past for a very long time striped clothes were worn by heretics rejected by society, lepers, executioners who did not own any rights. When the Germans saw marines on land, they were overwhelmed with fear on genetic level. Sailors, even in battles on land, refused to change their main parts of the uniform: a peakless cap and a vest with a pea coat. This is what distinguished them from the infantry soldiers.

For camouflage, the Marines dressed in the uniform of the ground forces. But even in it, the vest remained an undershirt. If someone wore it in a duffel bag, because they wanted to keep it longer, then before the fight it was always put on. Indeed, since ancient times there has been a Russian tradition: to put on a clean undershirt before the start of the battle. Someone thinks that the power of Russian sailors is hidden in a special jersey - its colors and how many stripes are on the soldier's vest.

After all, at one time the French Navy adopted a standard in 1852, according to which there should be 21 stripes on a vest. This is the number of victories of the great Napoleon.

Fearlessness

Sailors have always been distinguished by a special bold spirit. Throwing an overcoat and a pea jacket on the ground, dressed in a vest, they walked towards the enemy with a bayonet in their hands. The first battle on land among the sailors took place in June 1941, on the 25th.

Foreman Prostorov, at the head of the Baltic corsairs, to the cry of "Polundra", drove the Germans in disgrace, who were reputed to be winners in Europe. From fighters in vests formed shock squad Russian army. The whole point is not how many stripes are on the vest, but in the inner strength of the Russian spirit. The command knew: these warriors would not retreat! They were where it was most dangerous to fight. Marines Soviet Union plunged into panic and instilled fear in the enemy ...

Origin

The history of the vest itself dates back to the time of the conquest of the geographic space of the Earth - in the seventeenth century. Then the maritime professions were just developing. Accordingly, there was a lack of staff. Most of the European fleet was made up of sailors from Brittany. Most likely, the Bretons did not care how many stripes on the vest - they put on black and white work shirts, which played the role of a talisman against the sea evil spirits.

In addition, in such a sailor's shirt, you can see better against the background of the surrounding landscapes. In addition, dirt is not so conspicuous. Most of the Breton nautical personnel ended up on Dutch ships. Here they paid well and did not forbid the Bretons to wear striped overalls. By the end of the 17th century, it would become the underwear of sailors throughout Europe.

Spreading

The Russians were no exception. It is not known for certain how many stripes are on the sailor's vest and when exactly it entered the life of the Russian fleet. But, most likely, the Dutch brought the vest to Russia in the middle of the seventeenth century. Their merchant ships began to go to Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory. The Dutch and the British were reputed to be trendsetters in fashionable marine ammunition. Therefore, Peter I adopted the form of the Dutch for the Russian flotilla, which was in its infancy.

But she was still without the Breton striped shirts. They spread more widely among Russian sailors of the second middle of the 19th century. There is a legend that in 1868, Prince Konstantin Romanov, being also an admiral, received the crew of the frigate. All sailors came to the meeting in European striped jerseys.

They praised their virtues so much that after a while the prince signed a decree with the emperor on the official inclusion of a vest in the ammunition of Russian sailors (1874).

It became cult clothing later - after the Russo-Japanese War. When there was demobilization, sailors filled the cities. All around you could hear the rhythms of sea dances and stories of the brave battles for Port Arthur.

They were looking for adventure. This is the time when the culture of the flotilla was widely included in the masses, the concept of “sea soul” appeared, the symbol of which was a vest.

Airborne and striped sweatshirt

When and how did the cult clothing of the fleet become the paraphernalia of blue berets and how many stripes are on the vest of a Russian paratrooper? History says that back in 1959 they were awarded to a skydiver for a jump into the water, which is considered one of the most dangerous.

Then the vests appeared in the uniforms of the paratroopers (unofficially). But the legendary commander became the key person who made the naval sweatshirt. It didn’t matter at all how many stripes were on the Navy vest - it didn’t matter to the paratroopers. The introduction of the “sea soul” into blue berets was opposed by Sergei Gorshkov, the commander-in-chief of the USSR Navy. He said that these were anarchic manifestations in the troops of paratroopers.

But Margelov said harshly that he fought in the Marine Corps. And therefore he knows what paratroopers deserve and do not deserve!

Officially, the blue striped vest made its debut at the Prague events in August 1968: Soviet paratroopers, dressed in a striped sweatshirt, turned out to be a decisive force in stopping the Prague Spring. Blue berets received a baptism of fire, bypassing all the bureaucratic moments - with the blessing of Margelov.

The new form was not spelled out by any official document. And it doesn’t matter how many stripes are on the Airborne Forces vest (the number simply depends on the size of the sweatshirt) - it has become a symbol of masculinity and a special spirit of fearlessness. Even future fighters have the honor of walking in a striped jersey.

Modernity

Today, Russian troops of various kinds wear a vest. The set of cadets of naval, civil river and sea educational institutions a marine vest is included as an obligatory element of the uniform. Although the border guards, thanks to the creation of the border flotilla of the White, Baltic and Caspian Seas, put it on back in 1893, and in 1898 it became with green stripes. In the 90s of the XX century, vests were officially developed for border guards - green, special forces of the BB - maroon, special forces of the FSB and the presidential regiment - cornflower blue, Ministry of Emergency Situations - orange.

Of course, you can simply count how many stripes are on a marine vest, but this will not work. Ever since the USSR period, the number of stripes depends on the size of each military man, whether it be an infantryman or a border guard. Conditionally: the forty-sixth size contains 33 strips, the fifty-sixth - 52.

The issue of the number of stripes is rooted in symbolic numerology in French vests. The same symbolism was used by the Dutch and the British. They preferred shirts with 12 stripes, like the number of human ribs, thus wanting to deceive fate: as if it were not a person, but a ghost-skeleton of the deceased ...

The vest has always been associated with the water element, but not with the air element. How and why did a skydiver in a blue beret get a vest? On the eve of the Airborne Forces, we answer a question.

Unofficially, vests appeared in the paratroopers' wardrobe in 1959. Then they began to be awarded for a parachute jump into the water. However, it is unlikely that this minor tradition could grow into a "striped" cult, which eventually arose in the Airborne Forces. Vest's chief cultivator airborne troops became the legendary commander of the Airborne Forces Vasily Margelov. It was thanks to his frantic enthusiasm that the striped jersey officially entered the paratrooper's wardrobe.

The abduction of the “sea soul” by “paratroopers” was resisted in every possible way by the commander-in-chief of the USSR Navy, Sergei Gorshkov. Once, according to legend, at one meeting he entered into an open skirmish with Vasily Margelov, calling the appearance of a paratrooper in a vest with the unpleasant word "Anachronism". Vasily Filippovich then severely besieged the old sea wolf: “I fought in the marines and I know what paratroopers deserve and what they don’t!”

The official premiere of the blue striped vests took place during the events in Prague in August 1968: it was the Soviet paratroopers in striped jerseys that played the decisive role in ending the Prague Spring. At the same time, the debut of the famous blue berets took place. Few people know that new image paratroopers was not registered in any official document. They received their baptism of fire by the free will of the "patriarch" of the Airborne Forces - without any unnecessary bureaucratic red tape. Knowledgeable people who can read between the lines saw in the Prague fashion show of Soviet paratroopers a hidden challenge from the commander of the Airborne Forces to the commander-in-chief of the Navy. The fact is that Margelov stole from the sailors not only a vest, but also a beret.

The official premiere of berets was scheduled for November 7, 1968 - a parade on Red Square. But most importantly, the berets were supposed to be black and crown the heads of the Marines under the jurisdiction of the Navy. The Navy received the right of the first night by a special Order of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR No. 248 dated November 5, 1963. But five years of careful preparation went down the drain due to the pirate fashion raid of the “landing force”, which then had no formal right to wear a beret, not on a vest. The legitimacy of the new outfit of paratroopers received almost a year after the Prague events thanks to the Order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 191 of July 26, 1969, which introduced the next rules for wearing military uniforms. Who would dare to ban the fighters of the Airborne Forces from wearing a vest and beret after they actually single-handedly extended the life of "developed socialism" in Eastern Europe.

Spiteful critics saw the roots of Vasily Filippovich's passion for the attributes of the Navy in the desire to annoy the opponent from the Navy and jealousy for the marines, in which Margelov served during the war. I would like to believe that the main paratrooper of the USSR had more serious reasons - for example, belief in the superpower of a vest, understanding of the "striped" soul, which he learned about when he fought side by side with the "flared" sailors during the war.

On August 19, Russia celebrates the birthday of the Russian vest. It was on this day in 1874, at the initiative of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich Romanov, that Emperor Alexander II signed a decree introducing new form, which the vest (a special "underwear" shirt) was introduced as part of the mandatory uniform of the Russian sailor.

Employees of the sea and river fleet have their professional holiday every year on the first Sunday of July.

How the vest looked before, what the stripes are and what their color means, see the infographic.

The vest appeared during the heyday of the sailing fleet in Brittany (France), presumably in the 17th century.

The vests had a boat neckline and three-quarter sleeves and were white with dark blue stripes. In Europe in those days, striped clothes were worn by social outcasts and professional executioners. But for the Breton sailors, according to one version, the vest was considered lucky clothing for the duration of sea voyages.

In Russia, the tradition of wearing vests began to take shape, according to some sources, from 1862, according to others - from 1866. Instead of narrow tunics with uncomfortable stand-up collars, Russian sailors began to wear comfortable flannel Dutch shirts with a cutout on the chest. A shirt was worn under the shirt - a vest.

At first, vests were issued only to participants in long-distance campaigns and were a matter of special pride. As one of the reports of that time says: “the lower ranks ... mainly put them on on Sundays and holidays when leaving ashore ... and in all cases when it was required to be smartly dressed ... ". The order signed on August 19, 1874 by Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich finally fixed the vest as part of the uniform. This day can be considered the birthday of the Russian vest.

The vest has a great advantage over other underwear shirts. Tightly fitting the body, it does not interfere with free movement during work, retains heat well, is convenient when washing, and dries quickly in the wind.

This type of light marine clothing has not lost its significance today, although sailors now rarely have to climb the shrouds. Over time, the vest came into use in other branches of the military, although in few places it is an official part of the uniform. Nevertheless, this wardrobe item is used in the ground forces, and even in the police.

Why is the vest striped and what does the color of the stripes mean?

The blue and white transverse stripes of the vests corresponded to the colors of the Russian naval St. Andrew's flag. In addition, sailors dressed in such shirts were clearly visible from the deck against the background of the sky, sea and sails.

The tradition of making the stripes multi-colored was strengthened in the 19th century - the sailor's belonging to a particular flotilla was determined by color. After the collapse of the USSR, the colors of the stripes of the vests were "distributed" among the various branches of the military.

What does the color of the stripes on the vest mean:

Black: submarine forces and marines;
cornflower blue: presidential regiment and special forces of the FSB;
light green: border troops;
light blue: Airborne Forces;
maroon: Ministry of Internal Affairs;
orange: Ministry of Emergency Situations.

What is guis?

Guys in the Navy is called a collar that is tied over a uniform. The real meaning of the word "guis" (from the Dutch geus - "flag") is a naval ensign. The flag is hoisted daily on the prow of ships of the 1st and 2nd ranks during anchorage from 8 am to sunset.

The history of the appearance of the guis is rather prosaic. In the Middle Ages in Europe, men wore long hair or wigs, sailors braided their hair into ponytails and pigtails. To protect against lice, the hair was smeared with tar. To prevent the tar from staining their clothes, the sailors covered their shoulders and back with a protective leather collar, which could be easily wiped from dirt.

Over time, the leather collar was replaced with a cloth one. Long hairstyles are a thing of the past, but the tradition of wearing a collar remains. In addition, after the abolition of wigs, a square fabric collar was used for insulation - in cold windy weather, it was tucked under clothes.

Why are there three stripes on the jacket?

There are several versions of the origin of the three stripes on the gyuse. According to one of them, three stripes symbolize three major victories of the Russian fleet:

At Gangut in 1714;
near Chesma in 1770;
at Sinop in 1853.

It should be noted that sailors from other countries also have stripes on the guis, the origin of which is explained in a similar way. Most likely, this repetition occurred as a result of borrowing form and legend. Who first invented the stripes is not known for certain.

According to another legend, the founder of the Russian fleet, Peter I, had three squadrons. The first squadron had one white stripe on the collars. The second has two, and the third, especially close to Peter, has three strips. Thus, the three stripes began to mean a special proximity to Peter of the fleet guards.

The vest has always been associated with the water element, but not with the air element. How and why did a skydiver in a blue beret get a vest?

Unofficially, vests appeared in the paratroopers' wardrobe in 1959. Then they began to be awarded for a parachute jump into the water. However, it is unlikely that this minor tradition could grow into a "striped" cult, which eventually arose in the Airborne Forces. The main cultivator of the vest in the airborne troops was the legendary commander of the Airborne Forces Vasily Margelov. It was thanks to his frantic enthusiasm that the striped jersey officially entered the paratrooper's wardrobe.

The abduction of the “sea soul” by “paratroopers” was resisted in every possible way by the commander-in-chief of the USSR Navy, Sergei Gorshkov. Once, according to legend, at one meeting he entered into an open skirmish with Vasily Margelov, calling the appearance of a paratrooper in a vest with the unpleasant word "Anachronism". Vasily Filippovich then severely besieged the old sea wolf: “I fought in the marines and I know what paratroopers deserve and what they don’t!”

The official premiere of the blue striped vests took place during the events in Prague in August 1968: it was the Soviet paratroopers in striped jerseys that played the decisive role in ending the Prague Spring. At the same time, the debut of the famous blue berets took place. Few people know that the new image of the paratroopers was not registered in any official document. They received their baptism of fire by the free will of the "patriarch" of the Airborne Forces - without any unnecessary bureaucratic red tape. Knowledgeable people who can read between the lines saw in the Prague fashion show of Soviet paratroopers a hidden challenge from the commander of the Airborne Forces to the commander-in-chief of the Navy. The fact is that Margelov stole from the sailors not only a vest, but also a beret.

Spiteful critics saw the roots of Vasily Filippovich's passion for the attributes of the Navy in the desire to annoy the opponent from the Navy and jealousy for the marines, in which Margelov served during the war. I would like to believe that the main paratrooper of the USSR had more serious reasons - for example, belief in the superpower of a vest, understanding of the "striped" soul, which he learned about when he fought side by side with the "flared" sailors during the war.