Vietnam Chess Set

I got this chess set in the late 80s at a garage sale. The man selling it was a nice older man that wanted to talk about all his treasures. He wasn't looking for buyers, he was looking for homes for his things. I was attracted to this set because the board reminded me of the mahjong set my mom and dad played with when I was a kid.
He told me he had bought it in Vietnam when he was there. That he hoped I would appreciate it for what it was. I told him my dad was a Vietnam vet, that I wanted it because of that, to remind me of him. He suddenly brought the price down from 50 to $25 "because it will be special to you".
I bought it.

As you can see, my pieces are hand carved wood. The pawns (thanks Kevin) are all different, and one or two have flaws. I imagine these were made in very large numbers, for soldiers to buy, and speed was more important than quality of workmanship.
I've pictured the drawer they are stored in, because Kevin mentioned his has foam. Mine has a felt lining and elastic bands to keep the figures in place.
If you want to see the board better, go to SongWriter's post http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/33508-chinese-chess-set
My camera fuzzes up when I get too close...or is it me? lol