First Aviation Brigade opinions

[colt38super]

I picked this up at the sos Friday and am trying to find out were it was made. My first thought was Germany because of the black thread but other than that I don't know. What are your thoughts??

David R.

[gwb123]

Could be Japanese made as well. They made a number of division level patches early in the Vietnam war, often with a lighter, pastel shade of regulation colors. These had black reverse threads as well.

[Teamski]

It certainly looks US made to me. It could be a first run cut edged patch. The patch was authorized in 1966, so it is a possibility. Remember that some 1950's era US made patches had black reverses, so this could simply be a company that continued the use.

 

-Ski

[X_redcatcher]

I do not think its German made.

[KurtA]

Very U.S. made.

[vbary]

The one on the left looks like the U.S. made 1st Aviation Brigade patch. The unit was created in mid-1966 as an umbrella organization for all U.S. Army aviation units in Vietnam which were an organic part of an Infantry division. The units were assigned to battalions, with each battalion supported a particular Infantry division. Mine, the 11th Combat Aviation Battalion was the test case and the first formed. It supported the 1st Infantry division. At It's peak strength the First Aviation Brigade had over 20,000 personnel with units in all four Corps. It was so new that when I served with them Jan-Dec 1967, the only patches we could get where created locally and were awful. On the market, however, they command more money than the correct U.S. made patch.