In early 1964, the Marine Corps submitted a Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request to purchase 10,849 watches. Benrus - along with Longines-Wittnauer, Mathey-Tissot, and Clinton Watch of Chicago - submitted samples to the U.S. Department of Defense in bid for the DoD contract.
 
But only Benrus met (and surpassed) all specifications put forth by the DoD, with the proposal subsequently issued to Benrus that same year.  That watch was the MIL-W-3818B, not the watch here – but both that watch and the one here, an early 1960s Benrus Ref. 3061 manual-wound mechanical watch, were made by the same watch company during the same time period.
 
Immediately obvious on this Benrus?  It’s custom dial, with the Fourth U.S. Army name and military emblem emblazoned on it, labeling the wearer as the “Champion” in 1962.  Of what, you ask?  Wrestling, of course!
 
As tensions slowly grew worldwide during the early 1930’s, the U.S. Fourth Army was activated at Omaha, Nebraska, in mid-1932 with a mission "to deal with the Pacific Coast."  As a training army, it prepared and equipped about half the combat troops sent overseas during WWII.  On paper it commanded four army corps containing eleven divisions (Regular Army, National Guard, and Organized Reserve) and four cavalry divisions (Regular Army and National Guard).
 
The Fourth Army remained in the continental United States during World War II, largely responsible for the defense of the West Coast and training tactical units to operate efficiently in combat.  On 17 March 1941, this region and its military organizations became the Western Defense Command.  Its main troop component was the Fourth U.S. Army, and its primary mission was: "Responsible in peacetime for planning all measures against invasion of area under command, and in case of invasion of area, responsible for all offensive and defensive operations until otherwise directed by War Department."
 
Through its location in the Pacific Coast States, the Western Defense Command since late 1941 had been concerned in activities which involved the Army with various civilian and governmental agencies. These interests were represented by war disaster relief plans, including bomb disposal, camouflage, shelters, antisabotage, and general disaster relief.  As the Cold War began in earnest after WWII, the Fourth’s responsibility spread to the entirety of the continental U.S.
 
During the time period this watch served as a reward for a Fourth Army wrestling champion during the 1960s, it operated "Tigerland," an infantry training school at Louisiana's Fort Polk that prepared recruits for infantry combat in Vietnam. 
 
In 1962, Fort Polk began converting to both basic training and an advanced individual training (AIT) center - a small portion of Fort Polk (Tigerland) was filled with dense, jungle-like vegetation, and this, along with Polk’s heat, humidity and precipitation (similar to southeast Asia) helped commanders acclimatize new infantry soldiers in preparation for combat in Vietnam.
 
During the next 12 years, more soldiers were shipped to Vietnam from Fort Polk than any other American training base.  For many, Fort Polk was the only stateside Army post they saw before assignment overseas.  Many soldiers reported to basic training at Fort Polk and stayed on post for infantry training at Tigerland before being assigned to infantry line companies in Vietnam.
  
Between 1984 and 1991, Fourth Army was based at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, Lieutenant General James Hall served as the last commanding general, holding the position from 1989 until Fourth Army was deactivated in 1991.  
 
Oh – and did we fail to mention Steve McQueen wore a differently-dialed Ref. 3061 in the action thriller “Bullitt’ (1968), widely recognized as the best car chases scenes in cinematic history?  Speaking of films, the American war drama "Tigerland" (2000) starred Colin Ferrell and was set in 1971 in the same U.S. Army training camp, preparing U.S. forces for Vietnam
 
This U.S. Army Benrus 3061 comes on a leather-backed canvas strap, and with a nylon strap, rugged travel case, and springbar tool.