River Assault Division One Eleven patch and Zippo

[Bearmon]

These went for a pretty penny the other night on EBay Is it because of the ZIppo, or the Patch or both?

I think the patch is not too common......

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vietnam-Zippo-lighter-and-patch-River-assault-1968-/291010857980?hash=item43c1994bfc&nma=true&si=WY09GGLyCuhzfWR4Pw1uNH5v9qA%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

 

[gwb123]

Interesting. It looks like a period US made patch, which while not unheard of is less common for small unit patches.

[vintageproductions]

I think it and the other items went high, because they were being auctioned by the veteran himself.

[Andrei]

Two other similar patches went for $80 something. Are they japanese made ?

[firefighter]

The RAD-111 patches are U.S. made.Looks original and good to me.

[River Patrol]

I believe the RAD 111 patch in the auction is a repro.

[firefighter]

I believe the RAD 111 patch in the auction is a repro.

 

 

What makes you think that?

[River Patrol]

 

 

What makes you think that?

 

What makes you think it's original?

 

I've never seen this patch in used condition, off a uniform.

 

I've not seen this patch ever in original pictures.....if you got one, please show it.

[Bearmon]

Vintage productions shows an original one in this thread on the last post

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/142725-opinions-on-this-river-assault-division-one-eleven-patch/?hl=%2Briver+%2Bassault+%2Bdivision

[firefighter]

 

What makes you think it's original?

 

I've never seen this patch in used condition, off a uniform.

 

I've not seen this patch ever in original pictures.....if you got one, please show it.

 

 

I asked first. In VerKuilen Ager's, who I introduced you too at the Mattydale NY military show a few years back, book US Navy Insignia in Viet Nam.The RAD-111 patch was embroidered in the U.S..Who knows why they were never used.Maybe they were issued to late or they never made it to the unit.It looks like the ones i've seen.Lee Jackson had the same patch for sale.

 

River Assault Division One Eleven (RAD-111)

"MEKONG MARAUDERS, WIN THE DELTA COME HELL OR LOW WATER"

Made in USA, UnUsed........(sold)

[firefighter]

Vintage productions shows an original one in this thread on the last post

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/142725-opinions-on-this-river-assault-division-one-eleven-patch/?hl=%2Briver+%2Bassault+%2Bdivision

 

 

On that same thread check out post #3.You confirm that they exist, just hard to find.

[firefighter]

Here are better pics of the patch in question.I have two and they look just like the one Bob and Lee Jackson have/had and the one below.

 

[River Patrol]

I believe they exist (why wouldn't they; other Divisional patches exist) and I believe I haven't seen an original yet, either the real patch or an original photo. There is just too many of these American made patches around, all unused, for me to be a believer. Just my thoughts. I'm always skeptical.

 

Perhaps there is a vet that can confirm the use of this patch or show a picture of it in use in Vietnam (I know, I ask for a lot, it's just in my nature to do so).

[firefighter]

I believe they exist (why wouldn't they; other Divisional patches exist) and I believe I haven't seen an original yet, either the real patch or an original photo. There is just too many of these American made patches around, all unused, for me to be a believer. Just my thoughts. I'm always skeptical.

 

Perhaps there is a vet that can confirm the use of this patch or show a picture of it in use in Vietnam (I know, I ask for a lot, it's just in my nature to do so).

 

I'm glad you, others and myself ask about originality on certain items.Last time asked about something being original or ever really existing on the forum I had some people that weren't to happy and pretty much blamed me for a 'rare' patch being sold really cheap, 82nd A/B od border patch.I to have never seen one on a uniform or used in a picture, 82nd OD or the RAD-111.

[vintageproductions]

The one I had came out of a storage space sale in San Diego. I believe there were two or three patches that came out, plus other items from the veterans service, I got one.

Maybe someone should email the veteran of the unit and ask him if he has photos of it being worn or if they were issued the patches when they were leaving country, etc...

[Bearmon]

"What your bidding on is a personal gift from the river assault division, this was given to me in 1968 in Vietnam as a gift by the Mekong Delta River rat, it consists of the Zippo lighter never used original River assault patched, their motto was win the Delta come hell or low water"

 

It seems it was a gift to the seller from the vet.

 

I won the other auction with the two patches, he told me he is sending a letter along with the patches on how he acquired them.

I will contact him and inquire as to pictures.

[Bearmon]

I sent an Email to the seller asking for any other info he had on the patches including any pictures he had.

 

He also just posted a plaque for the One Eleven on EBay.

[Bearmon]

I received the patches today they look like what everyone considers an authentic patch. Along with that the guy sent some info to me which led me to this website

http://rivervet.com/uniforms.htm

almost all the way down are two pictures of this patch being worn on the left shoulder.

 

On this page is a picture of the patch also. Along with the Vet saying this was his patch from in country!

http://rivervet.com/patches.htm

[Bearmon]

I received this response from Mr Blankenship the RAD 111 Vet:

 

"I'm sorry to say I don't have a clue where our original patches were made.

Reproductions are still available on our web site. Look about half way down the page for a link to our Gear Locker pdf file:
http://mrfa.org/

I don't have any memory of how we got them in Vietnam. I know there was a patch maker in Saigon where we had a boat patch made. However, the patch was really modeled after a PBR division and we didn't even know it at the time. We thought it was just unique to our boat. It wasn't until the mid-90's that I discovered the Vietnamese patch maker had made a mistake.

Our boat division patches may have been available in the ship's store on the USS Benewah, a troop ship that we tied up to.

Sorry, I don't have details for you."

[River Patrol]

I received the patches today they look like what everyone considers an authentic patch. Along with that the guy sent some info to me which led me to this website

http://rivervet.com/uniforms.htm

almost all the way down are two pictures of this patch being worn on the left shoulder.

 

On this page is a picture of the patch also. Along with the Vet saying this was his patch from in country!

http://rivervet.com/patches.htm

 

These pictures have been posted on his website for over a decade now and do not definitively show the patch to be the "American" made version. Perhaps one day new pictures will surface.

 

The same argument can be made about PBR River Section 512. There is an "American" made version of this patch but it has never been found on a jacket, nor never used off a jacket, yet they're bought and sold as originals. It's even in our TF116 book. One of the many points Scott and I had friendly discussions over.

 

If you're comfortable with it....that's great. But keep looking for better pics.

 

I recently bought one of these RAD 111 for $2 at the Belvoir Show. The old patch collector that was selling his collection was convinced these were repros as well. I hope in the end, we're wrong.

[Bearmon]

The fact that the vet represents one of these "American made" patches on his website as being one he used/wore is enough for me.

http://rivervet.com/patches.htm I especially like the fact that he mentions ( in his Email to me)the River Division patch shown as being copied from another his patch River Division152 with the boat number which is a copy of a River Division 552 patch which has PBR where the boat number is on his.

 

This is a somewhat magnified picture of a River Division 554 patch which to me shows similar if not the same backing construction/embroidery as the RAD 111 patches being discussed.

 

 

Thanks everyone for the responses it has been interesting.

[Mitch]

I'm with Bearmon on this one. The Vet shows a picture of him in Vietnam with the patch in wear and then posts a picture of his patches removed from his jacket and beret which are all real . The washed out removed patch looks US made on twill like the other patches posted. Would I like to see more pictures in wear or on a jacket , heck yes. I believe also not alot were actually worn due to the timeframe and subsequent transfers. There way too many similarities in the unworn ones and the worn one the Vet posted. Even the twill pattern runs at the same angle as posted below. Colors and some patterns change a bit from washing but these are way too close.

Regard, Mitch

[River Patrol]

Yep, I can believe that one (left patch).

[Bearmon]

here are the two I received:

notice the similarities.... most notably the smaller letter o in the word one.

The twill is the same direction also. The main difference I see is the "original" has the letter n in eleven "pushed up against the border of the motto block.

[Bearmon]

I received this photo today from another Brown Water Navy Sailor in RAD111. I requested a picture of the back of his RAD 111 patch

here it is: