your opinion please

[Sergesquadron]

Hello,

Your opinion for my two patches,year 60 or 70 or later,thank you.

Serge

[Sergesquadron]

ssbn

[Patchcollector]

It's always a good ides to include a photo of the back of the patch as well,this makes it easier to date.Do they have a plastic sealed back?

[patches]

Hello,

Your opinion for my two patches,year 60 or 70 or later,thank you.

Serge

As this one has a flat edge, I would say at least the 60s, not sure when these type of patches started to be in the Navy though, 50s?Interesting patch, what's with the Army Corps of Engineer Castle?

[Sergesquadron]

Hello,

Your opinion for my two patches,year 60 or 70 or later,thank you.

Serge

 

[Sergesquadron]

Hello,

Your opinion for my two patches,year 60 or 70 or later,thank you.

Serge

 

[Sergesquadron]

 

 

[Bearmon]

I would place both late sixties to early seventies, The Jefferson was an SSBN from 63 to until '81 when it was redesigned a SSN

The USS Manley DD940 was Commissioned in 57 and Decommissioned in 1983. the patch could be late '50's but I don't think so.

[Patchcollector]

Thanks Serge for the back views.I like the Navy stuff,they made cool patches,and yours are very nice.I think Bearmon is correct,although I might add in a bit earlier in the 60's as well.The sub piece appears to have a flatter merrowed edge,which is seen on earlier examples.It also appears to have a twill center component which I've seen on some earlier made patches.Using the ship,or boat designation to date Navy patches is a good idea.Most of their histories are now found online.Reading the histories of the various ships never ceases to amaze me.

 

For instance here is some info regarding her history:

 

While searching for a downed plane,In the early morning hours of 12 December 1957, the destroyer was broadsided by a tremendous wave, killing two, injuring several others, and impacting heavy damage to the galley, radio and radar rooms when she suffered flooding. Enduring northwesterly gusts up to 80 knots, Manley battled through heavy rain squalls and mountainous seas toward Lisbon to arrive at night on 13 December for emergency treatment of the injured and repairs to the vessel.

She then participated in the Project Mercury space program,the Cuban missile crisis,and was part of a Beirut Lebanon Task Force.

On 13 January 1964, Manley dispatched her then Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Joseph E. Murray, Jr. to negotiate with armed rebels in Zanzibar. Along with a small band of sailors, Murray successfully walked away with 91 American citizens held hostages by the guerrillas!

She also participated in the Gemini space recovery mission,and then went to Vietnam twice for Gulf of Tonkin patrol and combat duty.Here is a short account of her time there:

Departing Charleston on 5 October 1966, she joined DesRon 20 at Gitmo, and soon afterwards set her bow for Vietnam. En route, she assisted the ill captain of the Greek merchant ship, Marcetta. On 21 November, Manley relieved USS Hull (DD-945) in Da Nang as a unit of TU 70.8.9, a gunfire support group of the Seventh Fleet. Manley provided distinguished support of the ground forces until 7 December when a powder case ignited in the breech of mount 51, her forward gun mount. The resulting fire and explosion tore the mount apart and endangered the magazines. Damage control snuffed out the blaze before extensive damage occurred. The casualties were evacuated by helicopter and the destroyer steamed to Da Nang to disembark the visiting Senator Henry M. Jackson.
After Subic Bay repairs, Manley joined up with Enterprise (CVAN-65) and Bainbridge (DLGN-25) in the Gulf of Tonkin and operated there until assigned to TG 77.4 for ASW work with Bennington (CVS-20). Awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for sustained meritorious service in operations against the enemy during her deployment in Southeast Asia, Manley returned to an open-armed reception in Charleston in May 1967.
After a brief stay in her homeport, Manley again departed for the Western Pacific and combat duty in September. Her second Vietnam engagement was to last eight and one-half months until she returned to Charleston in June 1968.

After refitting,she then headed to the Mediterranean and took part in the program to forward deploy ships in overseas homeports. DesRon 12 and Manley entered their new homeport, Athens, Greece, on 1 September 1971. During the next thirty months, she was called upon frequently to participate in speed contingency exercises: the October 1973 Arab-Israeli and Cyprus crisis of 1974.

On 1 October 1979, the crew became designated "Blue Noses" when they crossed the Arctic Circle.

She then patrolled the Caribbean,and then On 8 June 1982, the USS Manley departed for what was to be her last cruise. She visited all of the Med ports, assisted in evacuation of civilians from Beirut, Lebanon during terrorist activities, and transited the Indian Ocean arriving after fifty days at sea in Karachi, Pakistan. From 16 October until 24 November, she joined in MidEastFor exercises. At long last, the Lady headed home arriving on 22 December in Newport to commence decommissioning. On 4 March 1983, the USS Manley (DD-940) was struck from the Navy's active rolls.

 

To say the US got their monies worth from the Manley is an understatement.Actually there are more than a few Navy vessel histories that read like the Manleys,many lead very colorful and interesting "lives",and I enjoy reading about their histories.

[Sergesquadron]

Hello,

Thank you very much for your answers gentlemen's forum member,Bearmon,Patches,and Patchcollector,and thank you to the historic USS MANLEY DD-940.

Serge