Doron Plate

Doron Plate is a strong fiberglass-based laminate that was first used by the United States military as personal body armor for infantry in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The plates were approximately 1/8 inch thick and cut into five inch squares then inserted into pockets on a nylon vest that covered the front and back portions of the torso as well as the shoulders. The vest weighed approximately 8 pounds. The plates consist of fiberglass filaments bonded together with resin under pressure. The plates could be molded to fit the contours of the chest or back. Dow Company discovered the technology for the doron plate in May 1943 because a shortage of metal during World War II had stimulated research into non-metallic forms of body armor. The doron plate could not stop direct fire from bullets but was effective at stopping relatively slow moving flak and shrapnel. The plates were named after General G.F. Doriot who was chief of the Research and Development Branch, Office of The Quartermaster General of the Army during World War II. The doron plates were used in the Korean War in the M-1951 and T-52-2 vests and the Vietnam War in the M-1952 and M-1955 vests. Stronger and lighter materials such as Kevlar-based body armor eventually superseded the doron plate.