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ARVN Ranger Advisor 1965


gwb123
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I'm fairly sure this belongs in this thread.

 

I purchased this shirt from Bob at Vintage Productions and its had a couple of other owners over the years. Bob was right when he said the pictures do not do it justice.

 

The shirt belonged to a Col. Serge Demyanenko. Col. Demyanenko served in Vietnam between '66 and '67 in an advisory role (I'm a little unsure of what he exactly did in Vietnam) and retired after 31 years of service as a Col. in Special Forces. He has written a book called "The Madness" which is a fiction piece but based on his life and experiences.

 

The shirt has direct embroidered rank and crossed rifles on the collars, US Army, senior jump wings, CIB on the left chest and on the right his name, ARVN qualification badge and early German "Picasso" wings, so called because apparently when the Bundeswehr was first created the members did not like the wings. Serge was awarded them in 1962 when stationed in Germany with the 1st Airborne battle Group.

 

A Black and Gold ranger tab is visible on the left shoulder, I can faintly make out the ghosting of a missing patch which was most likely a MACV SSI.

 

Over the years the Ranger Scroll from the right shoulder has disappeared but it was an in-country made one as Serge advised in the 4th Ranger Group and you can see the outline of the scroll and where the red thread has bled into the shirt. (be great to find a replacement scroll)

post-117117-0-59805600-1385380016.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

The following photo has been published dozens of times, including the back cover of Shelby Stanton's US Army Uniforms of the Vietnam War.

 

In addition to the helmet, Cpt. Devlin's uniform is the very definition of a "Christmas Tree Uniform". Before anybody responds to that, I am sure this is what he wore for parade and ceremony purposes, and his field uniform was far less ornate.

 

Also, we have a later uniform of another Ranger Advisor clearly showing his shoulder sleeve insignia and ARVN camo.

I know that man! Gerry is a GREAT guy, helped me find out about CPT David W. Bowman, ARVN BDQ advisor to the 44th with Gerry. Just a super guy, and roger he was and is legit. Great photo of him. Also spoke on COL Daniel Lord Baldwin, Gerry never ran into him but heard of him. He has a chapter in CSM Martins "Black Tigers" book on the BDQ. Great stuff.

 

Airborne!!!

 

-RICK

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RH chest embroidery

Excellent, I like that pattern BW Parachute Badge, it's the 3rd pattern.

 

Just for reference sake if we ever see West German Parachute Badges on 60s uniforms.

 

These were the 1st, a direct copy Oval and all of the U.S. Army type, worn only for a year or so, 1956-57.

 

post-34986-0-79610700-1388719701.jpg

 

Followed by this 2nd pattern, a more traditional style, this 2nd pattern was again worn for only a year or so 1957-58

 

post-34986-0-20389600-1388720052.jpg

 

Then came along this one, the one Demyanenko had, this the 3rd Pattern was worn from 1958 to 1966.

 

post-34986-0-87362600-1388720253.jpg

 

And finaly the one still use today, 1966-present. Interestingly the 3rd pattern and the early version of this final pattern did not have a metal version, for example, 1960s into the early 70s Officer portraits of Graduates of the Command and Staff College at Leavenworth that have these badges, are seen in cloth and sewn on to their uniforms. The Metal version came out sometime in the mid 1970s I believe, certaily by 1979, early January 1980, because my Drill Sergeant at Ft Benning had the BW Parachute Badge, and when in Class As it was in a Metal form badge.

 

post-34986-0-12595600-1388720329.jpg

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Hi Patches, great stuff and great info thanks very much for the post. I really like the 1st pattern oval, very cool.

 

A little bit off topic but you wouldn't happen to have any info on Bolivian Ranger wings from the 1960s would you?

 

Cheers

 

Ryan

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Hi Patches, great stuff and great info thanks very much for the post. I really like the 1st pattern oval, very cool.

 

A little bit off topic but you wouldn't happen to have any info on Bolivian Ranger wings from the 1960s would you?

 

Cheers

 

Ryan

Gee Sorry I dont, I'm working off this book below, a 1979 book, it just has Bolivian Jump Wings in the section on Bolivia, no SF or Rangers badges for Bolivia are depicted, it's possible that Bolvian Rangers just wore the standard Parachute Badge.

 

PBIW.jpg

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Hi Patches,

 

no worries at all, thanks very much. Any info on Bolivian Ranger wings is hard to come buy.

 

the attached is what I'm looking for info on.

 

cheers

post-117117-0-39843100-1388725424.jpg

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Hi Patches,

 

no worries at all, thanks very much. Any info on Bolivian Ranger wings is hard to come buy.

 

the attached is what I'm looking for info on.

 

cheers

Wow interesting, I would call this a Ranger Badge rather than wings, even though it's a bird with outstretched wings :lol: What does the rest of the shirt look like? perhaps you can open up another topic here in uniforms on it.

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  • 6 months later...
GDMortarman

I have an original Newsweek magazine with an article and these pics of the SSG. Would you like me to post it? Scott

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GDMortarman

I will go dig it out and scan in the next couple days. I now have to travel back home to Oregon for my sons little daughters funeral

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  • 1 year later...

I think the Advisor in the b&w photo is CSM (ret) Mike Martin, who wrote a couple of books about the BDQ. I do not recall any women being assigned to any Bn in my area/time frame, but one Bn Cdr did have his wife with him all the time, and she wore the uniform, went to the field with them and everything. She later shot her husband to death for his philandering.

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  • 2 years later...
DarthPineapple3

I can't believe I just found this forum. I personally know Serge Demyanenko very well, and if you have any questions for him, I will be more than happy to ask him on everyone's behalf. If you are interested in returning the uniform to the original owner, I am more than happy to buy it off of you, as Serge often shares stories to me about his experience as a veteran, and his family would love it just as much.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I can't believe I just found this forum. I personally know Serge Demyanenko very well, and if you have any questions for him, I will be more than happy to ask him on everyone's behalf. If you are interested in returning the uniform to the original owner, I am more than happy to buy it off of you, as Serge often shares stories to me about his experience as a veteran, and his family would love it just as much.

 

 

thank you for the offer, he certainly had an interesting career, would love to hear his stories. I moved his uniform on a year or so ago and i'm not 100% who has it now.

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  • 1 year later...

Hey there

 

my last advisor ERDL jacket green dominant from the 3nd Ranger ARVN groups DSA 1969. This is an Small regular

 

dsc_1025.jpg

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dsc_1112.jpgdsc_1116.jpg

 

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  • 4 months later...
  • 1 year later...
Amateur Vietnam Collector
On 4/22/2008 at 9:46 PM, gwb123 said:

Here's another example of a great period photo found in a very unlikely publication.

 

This was featured in The Young People's Book of the Year, 1966, published by Grolier Incorporated as an annual to their Book of Knowledge. I believe that was an encylopedia aimed at middle schoolers.

 

This appears on pg. 148 with the caption "U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Fred Wallake on patrol with South Vietnamese Rangers." It is copyrighted and credited to James Pikerell, Black Star.

 

This picture is a classic for a number of details.

 

First of all one will observe that on the beret, the Sergeant has added a small ARVN Ranger DI next to the beret flash. I have never seen this anywhere else and would not have believed it if it were not for a photo from the field.

 

He is wearing early issue exposed button jungle fatigues with a subdued name tape. Notice his Staff Sergeant chevrons... these are either WWII or Korea issue rather than the bright yellow ones that would have been standard for the time period. I have seen other uniforms were similar insignia were worn in the field prior to the use of black and green subdued insignia.

 

He appears to be armed with an M1 carbine, and looks to have the handle of a machete or broad knife at waist level. The sunglasses with retaining band complete the image.

 

Equally interesting are the ARVN rangers in the background. Note the less than subtle camo pattern on their helmets... modern repro artists have a difficult time in reproducing this. The Soldiers also appear to be armed with carbines. The one that is stepping out of the photo looks to have a red strip above his right pocket, possibly for unit identification. He has used a light blue cloth as a substitute for his weapons sling.

 

Notice the ARVN Lieutenant in the background who appears to be speaking into a radio handset. How do we know he is an officer? By that bright gold rank blossom that is in the center of his chest... an unfortunately effective aiming point for any local snipers that apparently can be seen for quite a distance.

 

I believe I picked this book up at a local library sale for a $1. It was well worth it for this single photo.

1966_Yearbook_3_small.JPG

Hi, gwb123.  I have a neophyte question. You state “First of all one will observe that on the beret, the Sergeant has added a small ARVN Ranger DI next to the beret flash”. What is a DI?

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Amateur Vietnam Collector
On 4/23/2008 at 11:18 PM, gwb123 said:

 

The following photo has been published dozens of times, including the back cover of Shelby Stanton's US Army Uniforms of the Vietnam War.

 

In addition to the helmet, Cpt. Devlin's uniform is the very definition of a "Christmas Tree Uniform". Before anybody responds to that, I am sure this is what he wore for parade and ceremony purposes, and his field uniform was far less ornate.

 

Also, we have a later uniform of another Ranger Advisor clearly showing his shoulder sleeve insignia and ARVN camo.

Stanton_Cover_Devlin_small.JPG

Hi, being new to this, I’m confused as to why a US military advisor would be wearing clothing, insignia, and a helmet of ARVN Rangers.  This was a common practice?

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34 minutes ago, Amateur Vietnam Collector said:

Hi, being new to this, I’m confused as to why a US military advisor would be wearing clothing, insignia, and a helmet of ARVN Rangers.  This was a common practice?

One thing that you are taught in the army about tactics etc. is that when you are confronted by an armed enemy, always look for the combatant that is "different" and concentrate on taking them out of the fight. In WWII, Japanese officers wouldn't wear helmets, so the combat wisdom was to shoot the soldier wearing the soft cap. The Japanese were not known for their ability to improvise when their officers were taken out of the fight. By wearing the uniform of the soldiers they are advising, they are building espirit de corps and confidence from those they are leading. They also are blending in with the indigenous personnel, making them stand out less.

 

Allan 

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Amateur Vietnam Collector
1 hour ago, Allan H. said:

One thing that you are taught in the army about tactics etc. is that when you are confronted by an armed enemy, always look for the combatant that is "different" and concentrate on taking them out of the fight. In WWII, Japanese officers wouldn't wear helmets, so the combat wisdom was to shoot the soldier wearing the soft cap. The Japanese were not known for their ability to improvise when their officers were taken out of the fight. By wearing the uniform of the soldiers they are advising, they are building espirit de corps and confidence from those they are leading. They also are blending in with the indigenous personnel, making them stand out less.

 

Allan 

Crystal clear, excellent explanation.  Thank you for your time

 

 

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