A Vietnam war era PBR Mobile Base Two patch

[Patchcollector]

Happy Friday all,
A fairly recent addition to my collection is this "Mobase II" piece.This design is uncommon,and not often seen.It is incountry made,and is a bit grungy.

I wasn't able to find much info about the unit;here is what I found:

Home for Task Force 116 Headquarters was PBR Mobile Base II (Mobase II), a floating barge complex. The base was constructed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California and then shipped to Vietnam on the deck of an LSD. The crew berthing quarters, helicopter pad, repair facilities, crane, etc. were then re-assembled at Nha Be. Later the barges were moved up river to a location near Tan Chau. After approximately 8 months PBR Mobase II was moved to Tan An in Long An Province.

[Patchcollector]

Back view

[Mitch]

Hi PC,

That is a neat patch. I have not seen this design for PBR Mobile base 2 . I wonder if it was an earlier or later design. A little bit of the Vietnamese spelling errors. When I cruise craigslist nowadays, I come to conclusion to not totally blame the Vietnamese for the errors in spelling. Anyway , great snag !!!

Mitch

[Patchcollector]

Hi Mitch,

Thanks,I was really happy to find it.I had not seen this design before either.The only thing I could find that matched it was a metal piece that looks like it was made for a plaque that sold on eBay in 2010.I'm posting a screenshot of that here for reference.

I'm also not sure about whether this is an earlier,or later version.If I could find a more detailed history of the unit,it may be possible to pin down a date for when it was worn.

 

Here is a link to the site where I found the plaque image:

 

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/pbr-mobile-base-1960s-vietnam-unit-130619776

[Mitch]

Hi PC,

A little surfing and I found this picture from the Gamewardens website. It is from approx May 1971. I thought it was going to be the trifecta. Plague , patch and beercan but it looks like the patch or beercan on his beret is a bit different. Great picture and great website for PBR pictures.

i hope it was Ok to show the picture.

Regards, Mitch

[Bearmon]

I think this is his Beret patch, not saying the one I am showing is real just an example

[Bearmon]

A little better view

[firefighter]

That is a sweet looking patch.I always like the hand embroidered patches.It seems like that get much better detail in the deigns.That '2' looks like it's really wrapped around that sword.

[Mitch]

It looks like you are right Bearmon. There you go PC , now you have to get the plaque and the beret flash to go along with that lonely patch.

M.

[River Patrol]

I have the beret with the flash....super tough to find.

 

The patch went for a fair price, given its condition.

[Patchcollector]

Hi PC,

A little surfing and I found this picture from the Gamewardens website. It is from approx May 1971. I thought it was going to be the trifecta. Plague , patch and beercan but it looks like the patch or beercan on his beret is a bit different. Great picture and great website for PBR pictures.

i hope it was Ok to show the picture.

Regards, Mitch

 

Thanks for adding the pic of the patch being worn Mitch.His shoulder patch looks like a variation,a bit different than mine.The background color of the center appears to be white,while mine is blue.Could be just the photo though.

 

 

That is a sweet looking patch.I always like the hand embroidered patches.It seems like that get much better detail in the deigns.That '2' looks like it's really wrapped around that sword.

 

Thanks FF,I agree,the piece does have some great detail.My scans came out pretty well,but IMO the patch looks even better in hand.Actually,if you look at the back,the "2" is wrapped around the sword!

 

I have the beret with the flash....super tough to find.

 

The patch went for a fair price, given its condition.

 

Thanks RP.I'm really happy to add this scarce piece to my collection.The condition is really not too bad,just some discoloring near the top mostly.Maybe someday I'll try and wash it out,if I'm feeling brave

[Patchcollector]

 

"I wonder if it was an earlier or later design."

Mitch since the photo you posted of it being worn is from 1971 I'm guessing that this is the later design.

[Patchcollector]

I'm beginning to wonder..Was there ever an "earlier" pocket patch design for this unit?From the photos of the patches being worn,it may be that the "other" design(shown in post #6) could just be a beret patch(shown worn in posts #'s 5 & 7).

 

Maybe my patch(post #1) was the only pocket patch design the unit ever used.

 

Anyone know for sure?

[Mitch]

Hi PC,

I'm guessing this might be the earlier design. I don't know for sure. I'm sure Steve can elaborate. Here are 2 variations of this design. One is a Japanese made one and an off the uniform Viet made one.

Mitch

[Patchcollector]

Hi Mitch,

Well this is interesting.It appears that there are at least three versions now!Those are nice examples.Thanks for posting them.

Are those from your personal collection?

[River Patrol]

Mitch shows some great examples. Notice how the patch on the right has "PBR Mobile Unit" vs "PBR Mobile Base". The Mobile Unit patch is most likely the earliest. Many of the early Support Crews were know as "Dets" (for Detachments) or Units, so Unit is the earlier terminology. (It also looks somewhat similar to the SF SSI with the sword and 3 diagnol lightning bolts [why 3?]).

 

And yes, there are multiple variations of this patch (makers & design) but the beret flash stayed the same (eventhough the beret flash for Mobile Base 2 came later).

 

Steve

[firefighter]

Mitch shows some great examples. Notice how the patch on the right has "PBR Mobile Unit" vs "PBR Mobile Base". The Mobile Unit patch is most likely the earliest. Many of the early Support Crews were know as "Dets" (for Detachments) or Units, so Unit is the earlier terminology. (It also looks somewhat similar to the SF SSI with the sword and 3 diagnol lightning bolts [why 3?]).

 

And yes, there are multiple variations of this patch (makers & design) but the beret flash stayed the same (eventhough the beret flash for Mobile Base 2 came later).

 

Steve

 

 

Steve I noticed the lightning bolts too.Maybe the maker got mixed up or did the early PBR units sport SF units? The other versions have the 2.Also the earlier, unit, one has the sword over the '2' and the others have the sword going thru the 2.

[Mitch]

I knew Steve could explain it. Thanks. FF, this is an interesting discussion. There is not alot of info for PBR Mobile Unit 2.

PC, yes those patches are in my collection.

Regards, Mitch

[Bearmon]

here is VN patch to match Mitch's Japanese manufactured one.

 

 

[River Patrol]

Firefighter,

 

You're right about the sword placement.....I don't know about the 3 lightning bolts.....it probably just looked kool, ya know. Also, the SAT CONG term was later dropped from many patches, just like in this situation.

 

Cheers,

Steve

[Patchcollector]

I knew Steve could explain it. Thanks. FF, this is an interesting discussion. There is not alot of info for PBR Mobile Unit 2.

PC, yes those patches are in my collection.

Regards, Mitch

 

Thanks Mitch.Those are some nice pieces.Something I noticed about the VN war era Navy patches is that many of the later designs tend to have both the US and SVN flags.This would make sense as, later in the war,"Vietnamization" occurred,and we transferred our stuff over to them.

[Bearmon]

here is photo of a plaque dated 70-71

[firefighter]

WOWSERS!!!!! That is a great looking plaque.

[Patchcollector]

Now I know what the character on my patch that's before the "Support" is.I guess the Vietnamese did'nt know what the "&" symbol was!

[River Patrol]

 

Thanks Mitch.Those are some nice pieces.Something I noticed about the VN war era Navy patches is that many of the later designs tend to have both the US and SVN flags.This would make sense as, later in the war,"Vietnamization" occurred,and we transferred our stuff over to them.

 

Early designed patches also have both flags, so it is not solely a late war phenomena.....River Squadron 59 ans River Section 514 are two quick examples.