FtPolkexDS Posted July 17, 2016 Share #1 Posted July 17, 2016 If anyone has any info on the Drill Corporal Program at Ft. Polk during the Vietnam War or could furnish any leads, it would be greatly appreciated, it's the missing piece of the puzzle in my tour, I attended in 68, and I think I might have been in the only class graduated, the pocket patch issued is beyond impossible to locate. at this point any lead would be more than greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted July 20, 2016 Share #2 Posted July 20, 2016 If anyone has any info on the Drill Corporal Program at Ft. Polk during the Vietnam War or could furnish any leads, it would be greatly appreciated, it's the missing piece of the puzzle in my tour, I attended in 68, and I think I might have been in the only class graduated, the pocket patch issued is beyond impossible to locate. at this point any lead would be more than greatly appreciated. Still hanging in there eh! I would love to find something on this too, I'm quite interested to see what the patch looks like and to see it actually worn, will keep a good thought and the moment we ever see something will post it right away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted July 20, 2016 Author Share #3 Posted July 20, 2016 Appreciate it, It has become somewhat of an obsession Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 10, 2016 Share #4 Posted August 10, 2016 I came across this photo, I remember it, I commented on it. It's a pocket patch as we see, and it looks like he's wearing Cpl chevrons too, does it look familiar? It came from the Patches in Action topic, here's the opening dialog and the continuing talk on what it might be, look at posts #s 1516-1517-1518-1519. seanmc1114 Posted 29 September 2014 - 06:49 AM Here's one I'm not too sure about. This is a picture my father took during his AIT at Fort Polk in 1967. The soldier on the left is wearing a pocket patch that looks like the 163rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. If so, why? At the time, the 163rd was a unit of the Montana National Guard. Could he have been a Guardsman who was already serving with his home unit before reporting for AIT? Attached Images Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 10, 2016 Share #5 Posted August 10, 2016 Holy S.... That's it, When you click twice for enlargement you can see the D C in the upper portion of the patch. Too seee it up close you have to click on image and click again to really zoom in, doing this enlarges it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 11, 2016 Author Share #6 Posted August 11, 2016 Appreciate the post, I believe that could be it, wish I knew the colors, because I do remember that it was 3 colors, Gold or yellow, blue and silver, great find and definitely the right time frame, I wore it in 68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 12, 2016 Share #7 Posted August 12, 2016 Appreciate the post, I believe that could be it, wish I knew the colors, because I do remember that it was 3 colors, Gold or yellow, blue and silver, great find and definitely the right time frame, I wore it in 68 It has some sort of center device/design, do you remember what it was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share #8 Posted August 12, 2016 From what I recall, and that was a long time ago, I believe it was a torch, but not entirely sure of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 13, 2016 Share #9 Posted August 13, 2016 I asked another member, a MOD, if he can really enlarge the Pocket patch for a better view, I tried to do it but I keep blowing it, not skilled in this practice . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share #10 Posted August 13, 2016 Me neither, waiting to see if my son in law can do anything with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share #11 Posted August 13, 2016 And I might add, It is definitely the right shape, I remember that precisely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 13, 2016 Share #12 Posted August 13, 2016 And I might add, It is definitely the right shape, I remember that precisely. Yeah that's got to be man, we'll wait for the enlagement for a close up view. I think the key is to find a load of Plok yearbooks to see if more photos can be spied, hopefully one in a color foto. About getting a original patch??? Hard as hell I imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEUSA11B Posted August 13, 2016 Share #13 Posted August 13, 2016 Definitly a C and I can see a torch. Like luke a stripe or inverted V chevron behind it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEUSA11B Posted August 13, 2016 Share #14 Posted August 13, 2016 Torch shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 13, 2016 Share #15 Posted August 13, 2016 Thanks Chase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 15, 2016 Share #16 Posted August 15, 2016 Here's another enlargement courtesy of RustyCanteen. We do see what looks like a Torch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 15, 2016 Author Share #17 Posted August 15, 2016 Yes, I'm about 99% sure that is indeed the Drill Corporal patch, However I did my AIT at Tigerland and don't remember any Drill Corporals in the cadre, they were all Vietnam vets, E5 and up that I recall. All the guys I graduated with went to BCT units, there were only about 15 or so in my group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share #18 Posted August 22, 2016 [ a ttachment=1138213:5565.jpg] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 22, 2016 Author Share #19 Posted August 22, 2016 Found the only pic of me while serving as a Drill Corporal, unfortunately the patch is not at a good angle, but you can see the color of the patch somewhat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 23, 2016 Share #20 Posted August 23, 2016 Found the only pic of me while serving as a Drill Corporal, unfortunately the patch is not at a good angle, but you can see the color of the patch somewhat Man isn't that a bummer, so close but so far . A great foto none the less, I sure if one gleans through the few hundred of Polk yearbooks from this period one will be bound to see it worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 23, 2016 Share #21 Posted August 23, 2016 Hey is that your car? It's a beaut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtPolkexDS Posted August 23, 2016 Author Share #22 Posted August 23, 2016 Nah,it was my buddys' 1963 Chevy Impala, convertible, he was the Company Armorer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 23, 2016 Share #23 Posted August 23, 2016 Nah,it was my buddys' 1963 Chevy Impala, convertible, he was the Company Armorer No not mine, an online find . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Army Noncom Posted March 8, 2018 Share #24 Posted March 8, 2018 There was no such thing as a Drill Cpl School or any slot for a Cpl in any BCT training CMD. There was the Drill Sergeant's Academy at Ft Jackson SC and that was it. No one was allowed to train the boots unless that person was a graduate of the Drill Sergeant's Academy. There was such an animal as a Blue Hat, an NCO waiting for a slot assignment to attend the Academy but until that time he had no duties other than to watch, learn and listen. The Senior Drill would sometimes allow a Blue Hat to march the troops, as I was allowed to do once. I was under the Blue Hat for only five weeks, I was lucky, most waited for months. What photos that have been posted was more than likely a separate CMD and could very well be an assigned cadre of a Reception Center which would have required no training other than being an NCO and CPL's were considered NCOs. When I was serving a CPL outranked all Specialist ranks, even a E-7 Spec 7. They were not considered a leadership position. Later that did change to equal responsibility but if there was an E-7 hard stripe and an Spec 7, the NCO was in charge. That further changed to whoever had the time in grade in the E grade, not the rank. Notice the photo posted is of a patch and not a permanent awarded badge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted March 9, 2018 Share #25 Posted March 9, 2018 There was no such thing as a Drill Cpl School or any slot for a Cpl in any BCT training CMD. There was the Drill Sergeant's Academy at Ft Jackson SC and that was it. No one was allowed to train the boots unless that person was a graduate of the Drill Sergeant's Academy. There was such an animal as a Blue Hat, an NCO waiting for a slot assignment to attend the Academy but until that time he had no duties other than to watch, learn and listen. The Senior Drill would sometimes allow a Blue Hat to march the troops, as I was allowed to do once. I was under the Blue Hat for only five weeks, I was lucky, most waited for months. What photos that have been posted was more than likely a separate CMD and could very well be an assigned cadre of a Reception Center which would have required no training other than being an NCO and CPL's were considered NCOs. When I was serving a CPL outranked all Specialist ranks, even a E-7 Spec 7. They were not considered a leadership position. Later that did change to equal responsibility but if there was an E-7 hard stripe and an Spec 7, the NCO was in charge. That further changed to whoever had the time in grade in the E grade, not the rank. Notice the photo posted is of a patch and not a permanent awarded badge. What kind of hat did a Blue hat wear, a ball cap we suppose correct? You made a bit of a typo I noticed there Sarge BOOTS, BOOTS of course are Navy and Marine recruits, as in Boot Camp, Army and Air Force are Trainees, or simply Recruits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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