Unknown VN era USN USAF aviation patch

[Siamundo]

This one has puzzled me for a while. It is a beautiful Japanese made patch that somehow relates to both US Air Force and US Navy aviation as it features the wings of both. The red, white, and blue stripe across the background even resembles US Coast Guard. Obviously the numbers must represent something but I have never been able to piece it together. Originally this patch was with some photos of a WW II US Navy man and his 1960s passport with entry stamps in it from Vietnam. The story I got was that he worked with the CIA and that was why he was travelling to Vietnam during that time. Of course there was nothing with the small group to prove or disprove this. The passport and phots are long gone but I held onto the patch. Any ideas from anyone? Thanks!

[Mitch]

Hi Siamundo,

This is what I get so far. Mateus Rose is a wine from Portugal and Vino (wine) to the bottom. Now you have Army/ Navy pilots with a big bottle of wine and you end up with a " Vino Mess" On a side note this was Saddam Husseins favorite wine. The numbers I'm at a loss for. I'm sure it all has meaning but I'm not sure if it is tied to Vietnam . Unless this was a favorite imported wine there . All just speculation on my part anyway. Good luck with the ID.

Regards, Mitch

[M60 Driver]

Uh, not to date myself too much, but back in the day Mateus was one step, ok maybe two steps, above having a bottle of Ripple wine in your backpack. It was not exactly a high end brand, but before the advent of the cheap California wines in the 1970s it was a reasonable alternative to beer. It was the 'Two Buck Chuck' of its era. And showing up to a party with a bottle of Mateus was, in my most humble experience, quite the chick magnet.

 

By the way, the patch clearly shows the iconic shape of a bottle of Mateus. Crikey, I am going to have a flashback here in a moment.

[Siamundo]

I too tried Mateus back in my younger days but never developed a taste for it. I do remember several times in college running across girls in the dorms who would have the obligatory empty bottle with a candle stuck in the opening because as the candles burned down the wax would drip and run down the neck of the bottle and would look oh so cool.

[firefighter]

Any luck on ID'ing this one? Looks Japanese made.

[Siamundo]

Hi firefighter. Yes I agree that it appears Japanese made. I still think it's a nice looking patch but sadly I still have not been able to ID it yet.

[Siamundo]

Thought I might try bumping this up to the surface again. Still looking for an ID years later. Maybe some new eyes might recognize it since I first posted it back in 2008 😀

[Salvage Sailor]

I'm thinking that this is a patch made by the members of a USAF/Navy Wine Mess (now abolished in the military) in the Azores.  It was a refueling and transit stop frequently used during the Cold War, including by yours truly.

 

Lajes Field - The Essential Link patch posted by member Bearmon

 

...and a newer version in my collection

 

[busternfo]

Wasn't Mateus made in Portugal?  I celebrated my 21st B-Day with a bottle in Lisbon.  A Portugal based unit?

 

Dennie 

[Salvage Sailor]

Dennie,

 

The Azores are part of Portugal