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V and VII Corps LRRP units in the 1960s


Brittroop
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I am researching the insignia and berets used by the LRRP units of V and VII Corps in Germany in the 1960s. I have some specific questions:

 

1. When did they swop from maroon berets to black Ranger berets? (Was it in 1965 when they became C Company 58th Infantry and D Company 17th Infantry, or was it in 1969 when they became part of the 75th Infantry?)

 

2. The DUI used by the V Corps LRRP with the motto Cum Animus et Successus - was it used for the whole period 1961-69 or did it change when they became D-17?

 

3. I have found the V Corps DUI mentioned above twice, each time with a dark blue beret flash. Is this right? (And was this the flash used by the 17th Infantry in the 1960s or is it just for V Corps LRRPs?)

 

4. The beret badges for each unit were not the DUIs for the 17th or 58th Infantry Regiments. Did they wear the 17 and 58th DUIs and, if so, was it only on the shoulder straps of their Army Green uniforms?

 

Many thanks for any help on this.

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  • 2 years later...

I am researching the insignia and berets used by the LRRP units of V and VII Corps in Germany in the 1960s. I have some specific questions:

 

1. When did they swop from maroon berets to black Ranger berets? (Was it in 1965 when they became C Company 58th Infantry and D Company 17th Infantry, or was it in 1969 when they became part of the 75th Infantry?)

 

2. The DUI used by the V Corps LRRP with the motto Cum Animus et Successus - was it used for the whole period 1961-69 or did it change when they became D-17?

 

3. I have found the V Corps DUI mentioned above twice, each time with a dark blue beret flash. Is this right? (And was this the flash used by the 17th Infantry in the 1960s or is it just for V Corps LRRPs?)

 

4. The beret badges for each unit were not the DUIs for the 17th or 58th Infantry Regiments. Did they wear the 17 and 58th DUIs and, if so, was it only on the shoulder straps of their Army Green uniforms?

 

 

Many thanks for any help on this.

 

I just notice your post and going to try and provide all the answers the questions I can. At least where it pertains to co. D 17th Inf. I'm the 17th Infantry Regiment Association's historian.

 

1. I'm uncertain in this. I haven't seen any photographs showing either company wearing any beret or anything in documents, etc that says whether or not they wore one or what color.

 

2. That DUI "Cum Animus et Successus" from what I have been able to determine was created when the 3779th Recon Patrol Company, (Provisional) was activated in 1961. On May 15, 1965 it was deactivated and re-designated as Company D Long Range Patrol (ABN) 17th Infantry. They kept the same DUI. In 1968, the company was redeployed under "Operation Reforger" and was relocated to Fort Benning, GA.They wore till they were deactivated and re-designated as Co. A, (Airborne Ranger) 75th Infantry in 1969 at Fort Benning, GA.

 

3. Yes, that is the flash they still wore when as the 17th Infantry.

 

4. All indication shows that D 17th Inf continued to wear the "Cum Animus et Successus" DUI until they were re-designated as co A 75th Infantry.

 

I'm attaching a photograph of a Spc Terry McIntosh who served in co D 17th Inf between 1966 and 1967

 

Here are 2 links (blogs) by a member of co D 17th Infantry (LRP)

http://d17lrrp.blogspot.com/

http://d17lrrp.blogspot.com/2009/12/history-of-d-17-lrrp.html

 

I hope this helped.

 

Ed

post-3699-0-74185900-1531021862_thumb.jpg

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  • 2 years later...

Hi Edgeer

 

I’ve just seen your response to my question. Thank you very much for the information, it’s very helpful. Great photo.

 

Brittroop

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I thought the early V Corps and VII Corps LRPs in Europe did wear maroon berets after attending the NATO International LRRP School.  I found this photo below that shows at least two US soldiers on the left wearing these berets.

 

 

31-0.jpg

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I found the caption for the above photograph, "V Corps LRRPs standing in front of their unit crest at Drake-Edwards Kaserne in Frankfurt, Germany. Left to Right, Halloway, Shrive, Stanton, Carter, Kruse and Malloy.  From White's collection".  It would appear all six of these soldiers are US LRRPs four of whom are wearing foreign camouflage uniforms.  This photo is on page 29 of a magazine titled, "Fall 2008 75th Ranger Regiment Association, Inc. Volume 23 Issue II". 

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One Major William D. Gunn Jr Infantry in 1965 wearing a V Corps patch with AIRBORNE Tab, we suspect he was the C.O. of that V Corps LRRP unit in West Germany.

image.png

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Found another photograph of a V Corps LRP soldier wearing a beret.  You can just make out the V Corps SSI with airborne tab.  I can't make out what beret badge is being worn.  I found a short writeup for Col. Edward V. Maltese (Ret) who would appear to have been the individual who formed the VII Corps LRPs.  He is wearing a maroon beret with paratrooper wing that has what looks like the 7th Corp LRP oval.

 

http://www.geocities.ws/lrrp7corps/history.html

 

DSCF0308.JPG

COL. EDWARD V. MALTESE (Ret).jpg

7th Corp LRRP Oval (1).jpg

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A few of Maltese's 60s stuff was once up for sale, sold a long time ago, he was an Cavalry officer that segued to armor interestingly enough when he was in WWII and Korea was he Infantry briefly???, maybe even having a CIB (Cant access the Geocities page Tonomachi linked to read more, just his obit and his O Registers), his obit shows him in a painting with his wife, i guess his wife in the 82nd with Cav BOS.

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/edward-maltese-obituary?pid=16758090

image.png.650ddcb62335b70e5cc62afc8fce1f82.png

col-edward-maltese-uniform-group-day_1_427db049d43dd245bcaca0442beb0411.jpg

col-edward-maltese-unifor9d43dd245bcaca0442beb0411.jpg

col-edward-mal0442beb0411.jpg

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Just in case no one else pull up the link:

 

COL. EDWARD V. MALTESE (Ret)
Father of the LRRPS

 

Edward V. Maltese was born in Northfield, VT and graduated from Norwich (VT) University in 1942. He is a straight-talking man, with an unmistakable Yankee accent. He concedes he was not the easiest man to get along with at times, but most of those who served under him remember his actions and style, with  respect for the leader and amusement for the character.

Colonel (Ret) Edward V. Maltese retired in 1972 after a distinguished career, which included Officer Basic in 1942, jump school at Fort Benning, WWII airborne action with the 505 PIR of the 82nd Airborne into Ste. Mere Englise on D-Day and later in Holland. He also served, and jumped with, the 187th in Korea. He was in the OSS with LTC Aaron Bank, who started the SF,  and went to Vietnam for 18 months as Director of Target Acquisition. He talks about the war openly, but not in heroic terms. "I just took it for granted that I was paid to do a job, but never expected the Army to be a career. I just wanted to be a Company Commander." He activated at least five Companies as their first commander, from Special Forces to Armor, "But it was the LRRPs that I really enjoyed. It was the NCOs, they were all outstanding. They never caused me any major problems I couldn't resolve. I'm proud that I never had to reduce any one of them. Not that we didn't have problems, but we handled them."

It is clear Col. Maltese loved the LRRPs, even more than he loved engaging and overcoming the obstacles he encountered during their creation. He formed the Company with the best people he could find or steal, and trained them to be even better. "The VII Corps got most of the recognition," he says. "Maybe it was because I was so obnoxious, but we pretty much got what we wanted."

"I really enjoyed the LRRPs. They were a great bunch."

Those of us who served in the V Corps and VII Corps LRRP Cos. (ABN) owe much to the vision and character of Colonel Edward V. Maltese. While most of us never knew him personally, the spirit of leadership lived on in the Companies, and through it, we became better men.

SEE YOU ON THE DROPZONE, SIR!

AIRBORNE

KHG 7/5/02

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Variations of the type 2 V Corps, Long Range Reconnaissance Detachment, unofficial patches. The one in the upper right was made in France.

 

 

V Corps - Fronts - Type 2.jpeg

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  • 7 months later...
316th FS 324th FG
On 11/3/2020 at 11:34 AM, sfcollector said:

Variations of the V Corps, Long Range Reconnaissance Detachment, unofficial patches.

 

 

V Corps - Front.jpeg

Here is mine

E1AE93F3-9590-452E-96DB-19DB128D6DB7.jpeg

B420D0AF-AA78-4579-9DD6-0A17E655B3DC.jpeg

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