5thsfg542 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share #76 Posted October 14, 2012 You're right Jason - both of the Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA)-722, Company B, 1st Battalion, 7th SFG(A) flashes came from 7th Grouper Carlos Jaramillo (retired). I believe the one on the far left in the scan above was made in Panama; the one on the far right made in El Salvador. Here's another variation, handmade in Panama, kind of ugly but that just adds to it's character. This flash has to be one of the prototypes/ rejects made for the team. Looks so crude I love it. And yes, I know both Carlos and Gary pretty well. I can’t wait to see the new book that’s coming out. I tried to help Gary out as much as I could but due to work schedule over the last year I just haven’t had too much time to devote to this stuff. I believe there will be some photos of me in the book and can’t wait to see a good combined SF book come out again after the late Sutherlands book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thsfg542 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share #77 Posted October 14, 2012 I met Carlos once at a ASMIC show.Very nice gentlman and took time to converse with me about SF,flashes and people in common we knew. He's a awesome guy even for a 7th grouper! Ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thsfg542 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share #78 Posted October 14, 2012 5th Group post-Vietnam War flashes. Backs on the right. Not sure about the authenticity of the 5th Group Strategic Reconnaissance (SR) team flash. Here is some different variations of the 5th group flashes etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanghai Jack Posted October 14, 2012 Share #79 Posted October 14, 2012 Neat 7th group Vietnam handmade flash. Strange, 7th group was not deployed there. Im thinking a soldier from 7th had this made while assigned to 5th SFG (A). Any comments ? A 7th Group team was TDY to Viet Nam in 1970-1971 to train the Cambodians (FANK) in the use of the 75mm pack howitzer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanghai Jack Posted October 14, 2012 Share #80 Posted October 14, 2012 Anyone have a photo of a SF soldier wearing the FEST beret flash on the beret? Only a handful of soldiers were assigned to FEST and most of the so called original pieces of insignia (Vietnamese made) were made for collectors. One photograph exists which shows the FEST beret flash being worn in Viet Nam. Mil Med. 1991 Feb;156(2):96-9. The United States Army Special Forces--Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Field Epidemiological Survey Team (Airborne), 1965-1968. Fuenfer MM. Source Surgeon's Office, 11th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Meade, MD. Abstract In 1965, an innovative concept in field medicine was launched in the form of a team of highly-trained, multi-disciplined AM-EDD specialists who were assigned to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and attached to the 5th Special Forces Group (Abn) while in Vietnam. Officially designated the U.S. Army Special Forces--Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Field Epidemiologic Survey Team (Airborne) (WRAIR-FEST), these personnel took their investigative skills into some of the more remote areas of Vietnam to study disease transmission in militarily hostile circumstances. From 1966-1968, numerous important studies of arthropod-borne diseases, including malaria, scrub typhus, and plague, and of gastrointestinal disorders, medically important arthropods, and cutaneous diseases were successfully conducted. PMID: 1900598 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 14, 2012 Share #81 Posted October 14, 2012 Viet Nam era Colonels beret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 14, 2012 Share #82 Posted October 14, 2012 7th and 5th Berets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thsfg542 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share #83 Posted October 14, 2012 Viet Nam era Colonels beret These berets are really nice. That embroidery on the COL beret is nothing less than art. Very nice berets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thsfg542 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share #84 Posted October 14, 2012 Only a handful of soldiers were assigned to FEST and most of the so called original pieces of insignia (Vietnamese made) were made for collectors. One photograph exists which shows the FEST beret flash being worn in Viet Nam. Mil Med. 1991 Feb;156(2):96-9. The United States Army Special Forces--Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Field Epidemiological Survey Team (Airborne), 1965-1968. Fuenfer MM. Source Surgeon's Office, 11th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Meade, MD. Abstract In 1965, an innovative concept in field medicine was launched in the form of a team of highly-trained, multi-disciplined AM-EDD specialists who were assigned to the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and attached to the 5th Special Forces Group (Abn) while in Vietnam. Officially designated the U.S. Army Special Forces--Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Field Epidemiologic Survey Team (Airborne) (WRAIR-FEST), these personnel took their investigative skills into some of the more remote areas of Vietnam to study disease transmission in militarily hostile circumstances. From 1966-1968, numerous important studies of arthropod-borne diseases, including malaria, scrub typhus, and plague, and of gastrointestinal disorders, medically important arthropods, and cutaneous diseases were successfully conducted. PMID: 1900598 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Do you know where the photo of the soldier from the Field Epidemiologic Survey Team (Airborne) (WRAIR-FEST) is? This would be an epic moment to show the actual photo of a SF soldier wearing the flash. This validates everything that collectors have been told for years and answer a lot of questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted October 14, 2012 Share #85 Posted October 14, 2012 These berets are really nice. That embroidery on the COL beret is nothing less than art. Very nice berets! Thanks Jason Can you tell me tell me the singficance/designation of the 5th Group flashes with skull that are shown as post Viet Nam?? I have one with a small pin back metal skull.I thought the skull was a Viet Nam era addition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thsfg542 Posted October 14, 2012 Author Share #86 Posted October 14, 2012 Besides the Bright Light Flash, I think they were novelties’ that the guy had made up. Believe me no SF guy would were a skull on his flash post Vietnam! He would be attacked by every Sergeant Major in his chain of command. So, yes they are novelties’ that maybe a SF soldier may have had it sewn to his beret that was in the field or away from the flag pole. The only flash that was different or out of the ordinary that I have seen worn is the TF Dagger flash. That’s the one with the afghan/ Iraqi stripes with the dagger and he V on it. The one I posted with the 5th group flashes (5th row down on the right picture 5th flash to the right) is a real one. It was given to me by Col Mulholland and we had to sew it to our berets during the Change of command between Col Mulholland now GENERAL and Col Pagan. We wore that beret for about 45 min and that was it. I have never seen a 5th grouper wearing it since even though it is designated the 5th group forward flash and should be worn while deployed. Thanks Jason Can you tell me tell me the singficance/designation of the 5th Group flashes with skull that are shown as post Viet Nam?? I have one with a small pin back metal skull.I thought the skull was a Viet Nam era addition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFT3 Posted October 15, 2012 Share #87 Posted October 15, 2012 In-country made Vietnam period Bright Light Flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFT3 Posted October 15, 2012 Share #88 Posted October 15, 2012 Okinawa made 1st Group flash with harp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFT3 Posted October 15, 2012 Share #89 Posted October 15, 2012 Early machine made 5th Group flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFT3 Posted October 15, 2012 Share #90 Posted October 15, 2012 Thai made 5th Group flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFT3 Posted October 15, 2012 Share #91 Posted October 15, 2012 Flash worn by early SF advisors to Vietnam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thsfg542 Posted October 16, 2012 Author Share #92 Posted October 16, 2012 Early machine made 5th Group flash. Love the flashes what peices of lost art. Thanks for sharing such a rare collection. Each one of a kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thsfg542 Posted October 16, 2012 Author Share #93 Posted October 16, 2012 Viet Nam era Colonels beret The mor eI look at that Col flash the more I want it. What a wonderfull peice of art. Wonder how long eack took to hand embroider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treetop Posted October 18, 2012 Share #94 Posted October 18, 2012 Heres the most controversial Special Forces flash. I have only seen three real ones to include this one that was obtained by the SF soldier. These are always misconstrued and confused for the 101st Airborne Div CERTS flashes. The 5th group soldiers usual cut these out of felt or had them locally manufactured. I talked to several businesses in Fayetteville NC and they remembered this flash being sold but wasn’t able to get any other information on the flashes. I think this is due to the short wear time of the flash and with the white boarder being added. I would love to see another real one for reference. Jason, great collection and neat flash. You saw the one I recently obtained from a Maj. Gen. for my collection. It was clearly a very early 5th Group flash. As far as the theorists saying SERTS, I do not believe the SERTS were wearing berets in this time frame (Viet Nam) I reviewed several 101 yearbooks and Rendezvous magazines wwhich I have and could not find a single photo of a SERT instructior wearing a beret- all had baseball caps. You have the real deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treetop Posted October 18, 2012 Share #95 Posted October 18, 2012 Neat Saudi made Special Forces ovals from my friend Dave. I’m not sure who had them made, but they are pretty neat and well made. I just can’t imagine a SF dude wearing this on his class A uniform in the early 90's. A Sergeant Major would loose his mind! Jason, These appear exactly like those which the late Len Whistler had made in Saudi. Carlos had a bunch of them. You are right- what 1sg would allow these on Calss A's / Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted October 18, 2012 Share #96 Posted October 18, 2012 Here are a couple of theater-mades. Fully embroidered (probably Japanese) and embroidered on twill (probably VN). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen297 Posted October 18, 2012 Share #97 Posted October 18, 2012 Besides the Bright Light Flash, I think they were novelties’ that the guy had made up. Believe me no SF guy would were a skull on his flash post Vietnam! He would be attacked by every Sergeant Major in his chain of command. Oh come on. What an unfair remark about SF Sergeants Major. Why we do not lose our minds over such petty things as skulls on flashes, baseball caps, sleeves cuffed to the elbows in garrison or..... better stop my eye is starting to twitch just a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riflegreen297 Posted October 18, 2012 Share #98 Posted October 18, 2012 Flash worn by early SF advisors to Vietnam. That is one beautiful flash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanghai Jack Posted November 1, 2012 Share #99 Posted November 1, 2012 Is this a fake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanghai Jack Posted November 1, 2012 Share #100 Posted November 1, 2012 Photo #2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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