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A few random questions regarding headgear in Vietnam


turko
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1) Did Green Berets actually wear their berets sometimes when going out on missions in the bush or is that a B.S. movie myth?

 

2) Were helmet markings/patches for specific units (e.g., Clubs, Spades, etc.) as prevalent during Vietnam as they were during previous and subsequent wars?

 

3) When certain Ranger units wore Airborne wings on their patrol caps, did they also wear them on their uniform, or was it an either/or kind of thing?

 

Thanks

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A beret is a sorry piece of headgear.

They were not worn in the actual bush. I wore a tri corner bandage as a sweat rag or a trimmed tiger hat.

You will see some photo op pics of guys with berets-usually higher ranks, in the field, who dropped in to check up on, or interfere with some ongoing event.

They were worn in local environments and med caps, etc.

 

Helmets often were covered with personal graffiti.

 

Yes

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On question 2. Yes and No, for Yes as an example the the 505th Inf of the 3rd Bde 82nd Abn had special insignia on their covers, for No, we've seen no examples of divisional shoulder patches sewn to helmet covers, maybe a divisional patch or two shoved under the camo band, maybe one or two or a little more of the guy drawing his divisional patch on the helmet cover with a marker, usually in a haphazard way, buts that's about it.

 

The 505th example below, there will be others for a few different units as well in a similar vein. Also in the later period, many high ranking officers had unit nicknames directly embroidered on the front of the covers along with their rank, sometimes I believe some of these officers had their Call Sign Nickname instead.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/162318-early-vietnam-era-505th-airborne-jump-helmet-named/

 

Mods perhaps TOPIC should be moved to UNIFORMS, or perhaps MISCELLANEOUS?

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1) I don't think so, but SFMike has the better answer.

2) Not nearly as prevalent as in previous wars, but used on a small scale in some units.

3) Yes. I have seen several D/151st Rangers uniforms with tabs and scrolls worn on the cap (unofficially) and on the shoulder.

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  • 2 weeks later...

turko, here's an example of what I was talking about with shoulder patches shoved under camo bands, in this case the HERD, sans AIRBORNE tab, foto from late 1968.

173rd Airborne Brigade.

post-34986-0-74178000-1458015573.jpgpost-34986-0-68394500-1458015584.jpg

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I can't speak to every unit, but as patches said above, some units of the 3rd Brigade 82nd Airborne Division wore stenciled insignia on their camo helmet covers. Troops of the 1st Battalion 505th Infantry wore winged panthers which are part of the regimental DUI, Here are a few examples.

post-1761-0-45397700-1458154230.jpg

post-1761-0-92311200-1458154540.jpg

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And here is a picture of the battalion commander of the 1/508th Infantry showing the devil from the regiment's unofficial insignia stenciled on the helmet cover. These don't show up as well in photos since they were done in red rather than black and tend to fade into the camouflage colors.

post-1761-0-31084400-1458154664.jpg

post-1761-0-92643800-1458154664.jpg

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Here is an officer of the 3rd Brigade 1st Infantry Division wearing the Maltese Cross insignia of the brigade both stenciled on his helmet cover as well as on a pocket patch on his jungle fatigues. I believe I have also seen the spade insignia worn in this fashion by members of the 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division.

post-1761-0-68832400-1458229403.jpg

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Can anyone confirm who the officer on the right is? I believe it's Col. Frank E. Blazey, 3rd Brigade commander in late 1967. Would like to confirm. Had the honor to meet him last year. Incredible individual with an amazing service history. He's the last surviving 1st ID brigade commander from Vietnam.

 

Here is an officer of the 3rd Brigade 1st Infantry Division wearing the Maltese Cross insignia of the brigade both stenciled on his helmet cover as well as on a pocket patch on his jungle fatigues. I believe I have also seen the spade insignia worn in this fashion by members of the 1st Brigade 1st Infantry Division.

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LTC David Hackworth, CO of the 4th Battalion 39th Infantry, wearing the Hardcore Recondo badge of the 1st Brigade 9th Infantry Division stenciled on his helmet cover.

 

The badge is discussed in more detail with lots of photos in this topic: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/244003-9th-infantry-division-jungle-jacket-with-recondo-patch/

post-1761-0-32426800-1458235077.jpg

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