River Patrol Posted March 16, 2013 Share #1 Posted March 16, 2013 I got this jacket along time ago and almost sold it recently. However, I'd like to keep it now and figure out more about his career. Its an interesting mix of infantry, airborne and artillery service duties seen by this soldier. Can anyone tell me more about this soldier? Is he a WW2 vet? Thanks in advance, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted March 16, 2013 More pics. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share #3 Posted March 16, 2013 More pics.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted March 16, 2013 Share #4 Posted March 16, 2013 Where does the Artillery service factor in? if you mean the II Field Force patch being worn, he being a Lieutenant Colonel was more than likely a high ranking staff officer rather that being associated with II FFV Artillery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share #5 Posted March 16, 2013 Yea....i'm stretching it a bit listing artillery because of the Field Force patch. I'm more interested in the advanced jump wings on an otherwise infantry dominant uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted March 17, 2013 Share #6 Posted March 17, 2013 The senior jump wings would have been issued irrespective of the officer's branch. These were issued based on meeting the qualifications for the badge, mostly the number of successful parachute jumps. The wings are correct for an Infantry officer, but you might see the same wings on an enlisted cook depending on his (or later, her) jump record. The 1st Infantry Division deployed early in the war (1965). IIFFV (Second Field Force, Vietnam) was a corps level command that was active into 1971. What you are probably looking at is the uniform of an officer that served at the company or battalion level within the 1st ID on an earlier tour in Vietnam, and later returned for a staff assignment with IIFFV on a later tour. What is interesting is this is a poplin, rather than a ripstop uniform. The LTC rank and the qualification badges look newer than the name and US Army tape. It is entirely possible that the officer pulled his uniforms from his first assignment and reused them on his later assignment. Nice uniform, excellent example. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted March 17, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted March 17, 2013 Thanks for analysis of the jacket's components. So jump qualified with the 1st ID.....where did he find the time? With jungle jackets we get limited information.......but I think this jacket will tell a more interesting story in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atb Posted March 17, 2013 Share #8 Posted March 17, 2013 I think you have a misconception about the wear of "jump" wings. Just because a soldier is no longer assigned to an airborne designated unit or is no longer on jump status, he or she does not discontinue the wear of the badge. That officer probably made the required number of jumps before or after assignment to the 1st Inf Div. He could have been on his second tour in RVN and certainly could have been on jump status in the intervening period. Soldiers retain tand may wear he badge even if they no longer make parachute jumps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted March 17, 2013 Share #9 Posted March 17, 2013 Agree with Gil and ATB Possible he was a WW2 vet as I have a group to a career officer who was enlisted in WW2 and after the war at some point attended jump school,served in Korea and had service with the 1tth Abn and 18th AB Corps as well.He was an artillery officer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted March 17, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted March 17, 2013 Without a DD214, how can i get info on his full career? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted March 17, 2013 Share #11 Posted March 17, 2013 Without a DD214, how can i get info on his full career? I would guess you may have to see if hes in any of the 1st Division tour books or a roster(??) duriing Viet Nam and get a full name to match the rank.Maybe someone from Ft.Riley or the Division museum can steer you on to some records or info??Just guessing here. Should add maybe someone can check the West Point registers(?) to see if he was a grad or not??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copran Posted March 17, 2013 Share #12 Posted March 17, 2013 It s a 1st time I see US Made 1st ID subdue patch on a VN shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted March 17, 2013 Share #13 Posted March 17, 2013 It s a 1st time I see US Made 1st ID subdue patch on a VN shirt. Because of this U.S. made fully embroided merrowed Big Black One, I would date the wear of this coat by Hendricks to the period of 1970-71, these types, both the early flat edge and merrowed edge just started to be worn in Vietnam by some 1st Div former tour guys in this time frame, though the full color one was still very much more common within the RVN. Another example of the Big Black One patch worn as a combat patch can be seen in Squadron Signal's U.S.Army Aviation in Vietnam, on page 56 of this book bottom photo, we see a Captain sitting with his right side to the camera in a OH-6A of C Tp 16th Cavalry, we clearly see what is most certainly a U.S. made Big Black One combat patch on the Captain, ironicaly with a full color scroll over it, this photo has a date of February 1972. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted May 8, 2015 Share #14 Posted May 8, 2015 Because of this U.S. made fully embroided merrowed Big Black One, I would date the wear of this coat by Hendricks to the period of 1970-71, these types, both the early flat edge and merrowed edge just started to be worn in Vietnam by some 1st Div former tour guys in this time frame, though the full color one was still very much more common within the RVN. Another example of the Big Black One patch worn as a combat patch can be seen in Squadron Signal's U.S.Army Aviation in Vietnam, on page 56 of this book bottom photo, we see a Captain sitting with his right side to the camera in a OH-6A of C Tp 16th Cavalry, we clearly see what is most certainly a U.S. made Big Black One combat patch on the Captain, ironicaly with a full color scroll over it, this photo has a date of February 1972. With the aid of my new scanner I can post this photo now. Voila The Big Black One Combat Patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFMike Posted May 8, 2015 Share #15 Posted May 8, 2015 I think the wear out date for any colored stuff was in 1969. Somebody as close to the flagpole as a LtCol would not have violated this. The Senior Parachutist badge is a qualification award hard earned by regulation as stated. Telling someone he could not wear something like this would get your lungs ripped out, Jim. Same-same CIB-these are awards, not ornaments. They have personal value beyond your comprehension. Guys in the chopper are a real anomaly to the reg. Things were falling apart pretty fast by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted May 8, 2015 Share #16 Posted May 8, 2015 Taking a quick look at the 1967 officer register, a Meredith E. Hendricks is listed. He was an Infantry LTC, with a DOR of 1965. he is an Academy grad, so you could find a summary of his survice in the USMA directory. HOWEVER that doesn't mean this is the same Hendricks, just a lead. BTW, It appears that Meredith E. was also assigned to the 82nd ABN at one point. And was with 2/327, 101st (airmobile) in Vietnam in 1969. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEUSA11B Posted May 8, 2015 Share #17 Posted May 8, 2015 Here is the USMA record for Merideth Hendricks. Not sure it's the same guy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinjmpr Posted May 11, 2015 Share #18 Posted May 11, 2015 One thing about the Senior Parachutist badge (same one in my avatar) is that it means that at some point in his career he was assigned to an airborne unit. You can't get Sr. or Master jump wings without being certified as a jumpmaster and you can't get certified as a JM without being assigned to an airborne unit AFAIK. When I was in they wouldn't even send you to Jumpmaster school until you had at least 20 (I think) jumps and had been on jump status for at least a year. You also had to be an officer or an NCO although I've heard of E-4 Specialists who were able to go with a waiver from their unit. JM school was highly coveted and also had a high failure rate, typically around 50%. During my time in the Army airborne school was very common for officers even if they never again wore a parachute. They often went as cadets from either the academy or ROTC. Even enlisted soldiers could get airborne school in their contract and it didn't necessarily mean they would be assigned to an airborne unit. This was a contrast to my dad's time in the Army in the 1950's and 60's when the only soldiers who went to jump school were those that were destined to go to airborne units. The derogatory term for those who went to jump school but then never were in an actual jump unit was "5 jump chump" because the only parachute jumps they ever did were the 5 they needed to graduate from jump school. Some of them would even brag about turning down assignments to airborne units, which I never quite understood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share #19 Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks guys for the research and comments.....I'm learning alot about infantry officers I never knew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted January 6, 2018 Share #20 Posted January 6, 2018 Ah found this topic again....finally Wanted to post another example of a Big Black One combat patch being worn In Country. Couldn't find this topic when I needed to, so I then posted it in the uncommon combat patches topic, so lets post him here too. A Lt Col Willard Esplin, MACV circa 1970-71. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share #21 Posted January 14, 2018 Thanks Patches.....your research is always helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River Patrol Posted January 14, 2018 Author Share #22 Posted January 14, 2018 Thanks Beast and CHASEUSA11B.....great research...hopefully that's him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted July 15, 2020 Share #23 Posted July 15, 2020 On 1/5/2018 at 7:06 PM, patches said: Ah found this topic again....finally Wanted to post another example of a Big Black One combat patch being worn In Country. Couldn't find this topic when I needed to, so I then posted it in the uncommon combat patches topic, so lets post him here too. A Lt Col Willard Esplin, MACV circa 1970-71. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted January 5, 2023 Share #24 Posted January 5, 2023 On 1/5/2018 at 10:06 PM, patches said: Ah found this topic again....finally Wanted to post another example of a Big Black One combat patch being worn In Country. Couldn't find this topic when I needed to, so I then posted it in the uncommon combat patches topic, so lets post him here too. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/uploads//monthly_11_2017/post-34986-0-88023100-1509856867.jpgA Lt Col Willard Esplin, MACV circa 1970-71. Repost of dead photo link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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