Monkey Mountain, Vietnam Coffee Mug

[hirsca]

Estate sale find today. I know what they did, but can someone tell me how they earned the slogan Sorry Bout That?

 

Thanks, Al

[vintageproductions]

Very common saying during Vietnam

[firefighter]

As Bob stated, common slogan.It was used by every branch.

[hirsca]

Thanks for the comments. Granted, a common slogan, but might there be some sort of event or reason for them to adopt such a commonly used slogan?

 

Thanks, Al

[Fly USMC]

Also, I Believe that Monkey Mountain refers to Marble Mountain.

[Dave]

I have one from the same squadron...but it's marked as being from Panama (I think they were stationed there in the 60s??)

[firefighter]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_Mountain_Facility

 

The 'broken arrow' could refer to tactical air control of aircraft responding to an over run of a friendly force.

[flyboy53]

"Broken Arrow" is a nuclear accident.

[firefighter]

"Broken Arrow" is a nuclear accident.

 

In Vietnam it meant troops in danger of being over run. But yes, in the 70's or so it meant a nuke was lost or a nuke accident.

 

 

criteria established by the USAF) to transmit the code phrase " Broken Arrow", which relayed that an American combat unit was in danger of being overrun.

 

The right portion of D/1/7 is also struck. The code word "Broken Arrow" is sent out over the radio by the Battalion Forward Air Controller. Within minutes, all available fighter bombers in South Vietnam are headed for X-ray to render close air support to "an American unit in grave danger of being overrun".

 

Yes, Hal Moore did actually use "Broken Arrow", and yes it did bring in air support by the truckload.

 

 

Broken Arrow - Radio code for a unit about to be overrun; diverts all Tactical air to support that unit

 

Broken arrow: Universal code meaning that a ground unit or camp is being overrun and to send all available assets. Also referred as a serviceman who tried to be a straight arrow and failed. (See straight arrow.)

[Patchcollector]

Also, I Believe that Monkey Mountain refers to Marble Mountain.

 

They were two separate places.

[Spy vs Spy]

As Patch said.

 

Regards

M

[JBFloyd]

I have one from the same squadron...but it's marked as being from Panama (I think they were stationed there in the 60s??)

 

"Panama" was the radio call sign of the Control and Reporting Center on Monkey Mountain. "Sorry Bout That" came from the "Get Smart" tv series and we commonly used it on the radio (619th TCS Control and Reporting Center at Tan Son Nhut, 1971-72) as a general acknowledgement for some minor error. If someone had used the term "Broken Arrow" on the radio in my tour, it would been interpreted as a nuclear accident. I never heard it used by the Air Force in any other context.

[firefighter]

 

"Panama" was the radio call sign of the Control and Reporting Center on Monkey Mountain. "Sorry Bout That" came from the "Get Smart" tv series and we commonly used it on the radio (619th TCS Control and Reporting Center at Tan Son Nhut, 1971-72) as a general acknowledgement for some minor error. If someone had used the term "Broken Arrow" on the radio in my tour, it would been interpreted as a nuclear accident. I never heard it used by the Air Force in any other context.

 

Just telling you and showing you what I found. Maybe it was an early term? When I was in the AF Broken Arrow meant a Nuke accident.And I only suggested It could mean that. Not sure why else a TAC CONT SQ would use that term in Vietnam when Nukes weren't used or around.

[JBFloyd]

I've got to believe that there's a problem with either Hal Moore's memory or the editing of the original source. "Broken Arrow" predated our involvement in Vietnam and was a JCS-approved code word for a nuclear accident. If I heard that term on a tactical control frequency, my first reaction would have involved moving aircraft out of the area, not toward it. In VIetnam, I would have been in touch immediately with the 7th Air Force Tactical Air Control Center because a "Broken Arrow" would have generated an OPREP-3 that would have lit up comm centers around the world. I find it hard to fathom that an Army unit (especially one with an assigned air liaison officer) would have used that term in any other context.

 

Now, the image on the coffee cup of the broken arrow may relate to the term "bent weapon", which is a term going back to RAF/USAAF usage in World War II to indicate that the radar is non-operational. That was not an uncommon event when we were working with antiquated equipment and monsoon weather. But, frankly, I can't interpret the symbolism on the cup beyond that the circle and "10" probably relates to the 10-mile distance ring on the radar scope's center, which was usually so full of ground clutter that it was unusable. Maybe someone from the 620th could remember.

[firefighter]

I just found this information about the patch.

 

The number ten represents that the 620th controlled one of the first ten Radar Installation's in Vietnam / Thailand The Nuetralization of enemy threats is represented by the Broken Arrow The Animal is a mix of a Tiger, Monkey, Crocdile and a Rabbit with the ears of the rabbit indicating the Early Warning Listening devices of the 620th

[Mitch]

Great info FF. Thanks for sharing. It is always nice to narrow down patch or logo designs as a lot of them were made up at the time and not everyone in the unit may know what it means or remembers it,

Regards, Mitch

[hirsca]

Thanks to all for the great information.

 

Al

[beezman]

We are showing a variation of this mug in Yankee Air Pirates Vol. 1:

 

 

Sorry about the bad picture taken with my phone in my dark living room!

 

The book is available here:

 

http://www.schifferbooks.com/yankee-air-pirates-u-s-air-force-uniforms-and-memorabilia-of-the-vietnam-war-vol-1-command-control-a-tactical-control-a-forward-air-control-a-rescue-a-electronic-warfare-a-air-police-security-police-5228.html

[firefighter]

We are showing a variation of this mug in Yankee Air Pirates Vol. 1:

 

 

Sorry about the bad picture taken with my phone in my dark living room!

 

The book is available here:

 

http://www.schifferbooks.com/yankee-air-pirates-u-s-air-force-uniforms-and-memorabilia-of-the-vietnam-war-vol-1-command-control-a-tactical-control-a-forward-air-control-a-rescue-a-electronic-warfare-a-air-police-security-police-5228.html

 

I was going to post your pic and description from your book, but wasn't sure if you would be mad. I do have to say that if you collect USAF items from the Vietnam war these two books are EXCELLENT.