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My favorite Vietnam novelty patch, help with acronyms ?


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Hi All,

Since my collection is mainly Vietnam era made Naval items, this is one of my favorite Naval novelty patches. It is the only one I have seen like it. I love the LSD 69 , black beret,river boat and earings but I'm stuck on the acronyms EN STP and the meaning of the Maltese cross.This patch is 6 inches high. Any help or comments most appreciated.

Regards, Mitch

post-592-0-27685800-1364589300.jpg

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The Maltese cross, as well as the Iron Cross were common symbols for surfers at during the Vietnam period.

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firefighter

Interesting patch.Looks like a swastika between the 'EN' & 'STP'.The highest numbered LSD I can find is LSD-52 USS Pearl Harbor built in the 90's.

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A wild rump guess although somewhat educated. Stp is the last three letters in a diesel engine ID'd as Yanmar 6ly2a-stp. And EN is an engineman rating....... Maybe?

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Salvage Sailor

NSAD Qui Nhon

Naval Support Activity Detachment Qui Nhon

http://www.rjanderson.org/history.php

 

NSAD is often incorrectly identified as Naval Support Activity DaNang.

 

Naval Support Activitity installations funnel support ashore and distribute tons of material.

 

Large scale bases are NSA's, whereas smaller bases are NSAD's

 

Naval Support Activity Detachments

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It's definitely machine embroidered. The tatami stitch on the boat would be next to impossible without a machine.

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River Patrol

Great novelty patch....as I mentioned, STP could be "slicker than poop", similiar to the STS found on Vultures Helicopter patches.

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Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the replies so far.

FF, ya , it looks like a buoy. This is what I think so far.

LSD (acid) 69 (year or sexual position)

Earings and swastika (possible surfer connection)

Black beret (TF 116)

The boat is similar to a PBR

En (open yet , could be engineman or ensign)

STP (could be slicker than poop or guys initials) I don't think Yanmars were used in any river boats

If anyone has more ideas , let me know

Regards, Mitch

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River Patrol

The thing between the sailor and the gun looks like a toy chicken or duck on wheels or tracks.

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STP could be for the same purpose as the popular oil brand sticker and of course meaning "slicker than poop". There is a picture of a grunt in patrol with the big STP sticker on his M-16 stock but can't find it.

 

Swastika is a good luck symbol in asian buddhist countries.

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  • 2 years later...
Salvage Sailor

STP is a fuel additive we used in our street racers and hot rods. In the USN, it was not uncommon to see STP decals in engineering spaces and around pumps, engines and generators. Fits right in with an Engineman souping up a boat and the maltese crosses, also used in 60's California hot rod culture. His hand is on a long drag shifter, like the poster below. I also believe the black blotch on the hull is meant to be an exhaust cloud from the header. LSD, 1969, tune in, turn on, drop out, all 60's counter-culture I'm familiar with (or have I said too much.....black helicopters...mirror sunglasses....)

 

Rat Fink lives!

Ed Roth gotta go Navy.jpg

 

STP stickers.jpg

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Hi SS,

I like your analogy . I think you are real close . Who can forget Rat Fink !! I like the one you posted with the USS Rat Hole. Is that a decal ?

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Probably far off, but when I look at the Maltese cross, I see the letter "N" off of the left arm. To me, it indicates North and that this boat is heading South.

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The more I look at the animal in the center of the patch the more I think it resembles this:

 

 

 

I never really noticed that but you're right, it does.If so it would be part of TF-117

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Patchcollector

I think that Salvage Sailor has it right.The "animal" in the center is the arm and hand grasping the oversized stickshift, much like the illustration in post # 15.

The "buoy" may be a rock that the boat has crashed into,and run aground as the boat is tipped at an angle.

 

I also think that the white oval in the top center of the boat may be a crude representation of an engine block,and the three black circles attached to and above the white oval are the three exhaust pipes,again like the engine and pipes in the illustration in post # 15.

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Wow Salvage Sailor !! Great job. I like it, thanks. Tri-power or 3 deuces were popular back then , so maybe that is what is on the top of the motor. I could not see the hand and shifter as well before. Now it is plain as day. Thanks again for the illustration.

Regards, Mitch

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  • 3 months later...

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