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A Vietnam war era 34th Tactical Group patch


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Patchcollector

Happy Holidays all,
I want to share this interesting piece with all my fellow patch peeps.It is a nice example of an early incountry handmade patch.I picked this up because I like A-37 stuff,but after studying the patch I believe that the Aircraft depicted is a B-57 Canberra.Sellers' pics.

 

A bit of background on the 34th:

The 34th Tactical Group was an early AF unit in Vietnam,based at Bien Hoa AB near Saigon.Tasks included training Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) personnel in counter-insurgency operations,but they also flew a variety of combat missions,including close air support, escort and interdiction, psychological warfare, aerial supply, forward air control and tactical liaison. The group pioneered tactical weapons and munitions, such as the A-1 Skyraider, the minigun, the daisycutter, and the gunship. Aircrews of the 1st Air Commando Squadron performed the first combat tests of the FC-47 gunship beginning December 1964.

Here is some additional info I found online:

The 34th Tactical Group was in charge of all operations on Bien Hoa AB in 1963-1965, until it was replaced by the 6251st Tactical Fighter Wing. The 34th TG controlled the 1st Air Commando Squadron and the 602nd Fighter Squadron (flying A-1 propeller-driven aircraft in 1965), the 8th and 13th Tactical Bomber Squadrons (flying B-57 jet bombers), and the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron (flying O-1 light observation aircraft).

 

 

The unit was designated as the 34th for only a short period of time,from 8 July 1963 to 8 July 1965.

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post-13386-0-57784800-1387990127.jpg

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Great looking patch! Here is another slightly different version of this patch. It is not quite as nice as yours and has been worn and removed from something. A quick internet search shows Bien Hoa is about 363 miles from Qui Nhon, so this design obviously was popular across the country.

post-2744-0-13390000-1388015477.jpg

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Patchcollector

I normally don't like Vietnamese patches, but that is a really nicely done example. Thanks for sharing it.

 

 

You're welcome 48MMS.I agree,it is a handsome piece.I will post some close up images of it as soon as I can.

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Patchcollector

Great looking patch! Here is another slightly different version of this patch. It is not quite as nice as yours and has been worn and removed from something. A quick internet search shows Bien Hoa is about 363 miles from Qui Nhon, so this design obviously was popular across the country.

 

 

 

Thanks for posting your variation!Just goes to show the wide spectrum of construction techniques and quality that exists in theatre made patches.If possible,could you please post a backside view of it?I would be interested to see how it looks.

I found this excerpt from USAF and VNAF A-1 Skyraider Units of the Vietnam War By Byron Huke .It appears that Qui Nhon was something of a "Det" of the 34th.In the excerpt a USAF Officer complains of the less than ideal conditions at Qui Nhon.I guess the patch reflects the overall scene there!

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Here you go. The back is covered by a very thin piece of gauze that is almost see through. The little black spots are just remnants of scrap book paper. Thanks for the info about a detachment being at Qui-Nhon. I had always thought about this as just being a generic non-unit specific novelty patch, but maybe it was from one of the 34th Tac Group guys. By the way, your gal is a whole lot cuter than mine!

post-2744-0-49930700-1388035857.jpg

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Patchcollector

Thanks for posting the back view.I've seen that type of construction before,usually on the older Nam pieces.Very nice,and cool that it was worn!I found this pic of a crew from the Qui Nhon "Det".

 

I took a screenshot of it to post so that you can view it.It came from a PDF I found that is loaded with cool photos.

 

To view it,here's the link:

 

http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Magazine%20Documents/1996/October%201996/1096vietnam.pdf

 

 

The image I posted is on page 43.

 

 

BTW;It looks like the ladies are topless :)

post-13386-0-30728700-1388037426.jpg

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Patchcollector

I can't say for sure,but since the patches are almost identical,I would venture to guess that yours is for the 34th Det at Qui Nhon.(Very)Unofficial,of course! :lol:

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  • 3 weeks later...
Patchcollector

I received my 34th patch so I thought I would post some scans of it.I'm really happy to have it in my collection,as I do not have many incountry made Air Force pieces.

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Patchcollector

Back view

 

 

The construction of this patch is typical of the early war pieces,IMO,using the "thicker" type thread which can be more clearly seen on the back view.

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  • 1 year later...
firefighter

Just saw this on eBay. I wonder if it is the same group?

 

 

Same group.The 34th TAC GP was an early Vietnam USAF unit.I have the same patch in my collection.

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  • 3 years later...

Recently picked up this different version. Don't know if it is related to the 34th Tactical Group or not. It looks like an F-105 on the patch, although I could not find any mentions of the 34th having F-105's as one of their aircraft types. Maybe they did, I just haven't run across the right reference yet.

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Thank you Randy, for narrowing this down to the 34th TFS (and possibly others). Was the 34th TFS part of the 34th Tactical Group, or is it just coincidence that both units were numbered 34th? I had previously found a listing of squadrons assigned to the 34th Tactical Group on Wikipedia but didn't see the 34th TFS listed.

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Thank you Randy, for narrowing this down to the 34th TFS (and possibly others). Was the 34th TFS part of the 34th Tactical Group, or is it just coincidence that both units were numbered 34th? I had previously found a listing of squadrons assigned to the 34th Tactical Group on Wikipedia but didn't see the 34th TFS listed.

 

The 34th TFS was with the 388th TFW from 66-69 when they flew the F-105 from Korat RTAFB, Thailand. There are numerous numbers that are the same, but all with different missions.

 

Randy

 

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  • 3 years later...

Found this one over the weekend. Hand embroidered with a gauze backing. It was worn but remains in excellent condition.

 

593466449_USAF34thTacticalGroupPocketPatch.jpg.e70c6e44abb31d2ba00866ff802ce903.jpg

119021519_USAF34thTacticalGroupPocketPatchback.jpg.82143fcc683a1031dff87217a7ee19fb.jpg

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Hi Team

 

A very good friend,has sent me an image of 34th Tac Gp flight suit worn by Bernie Fisher to show the forum.

 

"I have attached a scan of the front of Bernie Fisher's flight suit from his first tour in 'Nam flying A-1's.  He won the first Vietnam War USAF Medal of Honor on his second tour.  Bernie was a friend of mine and he gave me one of his old flight suits.  The one he was wearing on the mission when he won the MOH is in the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio.  Anyway, since they were discussing the 34th Tac Gp I thought it would be nice to show them the one Bernie wore."

 

Phill

34th Tac Gp-Fisher.jpg

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Thanks Randy 

 

As you mentioned good seeing a documented with provenance USAF history of the Vietnam war.

 

cheers

 

Phill

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