37thguy Posted February 9, 2020 Author Share #201 Posted February 9, 2020 BTW Ive started a Face Book page for discussion & sales of Vietnam era berets, 1950-1975. All countries that committed forces are welcome to be posted. https://www.facebook.com/groups/3141377419246582/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share #202 Posted February 22, 2020 I've been vacillating over this on Ebay for quite awhile, and as the seller was going to be at the SOS, I asked him to bring it along. I wanted to see it in person and see what else he could say regarding this mans history. I dont collect Chaplain items but I do have both WW1 & WW2 Chaplain groups, both IDd to the 37th Division. I thought as I now collect Special Forces items this would fill a nice spot in both. I will begin my research ASAP. All I know about Father Arthur P. Craig (Major) is that he is possibly still living in the Southwest U.S. at the age of 91. Anyone that might have info on the Father please feel free to share here or PM me. (Jason Hardy photo) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted February 22, 2020 Author Share #203 Posted February 22, 2020 Heres a pic with the Priests collar that was my Father in Laws. Not sure if these would ever have been worn in the Military but thought it made for a nice picture. Also beret is not his, not even sure what Group(s) he served with yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted February 23, 2020 Share #204 Posted February 23, 2020 Wow, enjoy seeing your SF collection grow Mark. Love that Cahplains pick up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted February 23, 2020 Author Share #205 Posted February 23, 2020 Thanks Brian. I'm having fun with it. I'll have something Tuesday you'll want to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Dentino Posted February 23, 2020 Share #206 Posted February 23, 2020 Thanks Brian. I'm having fun with it. I'll have something Tuesday you'll want to see. Can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 1, 2022 Author Share #207 Posted January 1, 2022 Resurrecting up from the depths....Just took a shot of all of my 1st Group berets. Really like the look of that yellow flash on those GBs. Have all three style flashes here. Still searching for that illusive all FELT flash yet. Happy New Year everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 1, 2022 Author Share #208 Posted January 1, 2022 My Nam era USAF collection so far. Something about these I really like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted January 2, 2022 Share #209 Posted January 2, 2022 1 hour ago, 37thguy said: My Nam era USAF collection so far. Something about these I really like. Nice collection. How do you find these berets as I have been looking for years and have only been able to find a few things here and there. Along the top from left to right your first (2nd) and last (1st) beret for combat controllers are really hard to find. The enameled beret badge was short lived and they only made 100 of them in Japan back in the 1960s. Could you provide a close up of the CCT beret badge on the scarlet beret lying along the lower right. It is hard to tell if this is the now obsolete antique silver CCT badge worn before the change over to shinny silver insignia or if it is the rare CCT badge which was short lived and was replaced by the more common obsolete roundish CCT beret badge. The maroon beret with the master paratrooper wing is also rare being the very first beret worn by Pararescue during the Vietnam War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share #210 Posted January 2, 2022 Thanks. Im getting known for collecting them so sometimes they come out of the blue with offers for sale. Also I hunt high and low for them daily. The 1st beret is a blue In Country beret with the enameled badge and yes only 100 were made in Japan. The Scarlet Red beret has the 'Monkey metal" badge, considered the 2d model badge. Some call it the first pattern of the cheap metals. I call it the 2d pattern worn after the enameled one. I only have the one early maroon PJ that's just the wings, but I have or had 3~4 with the badge. I can take pics of these if you wish, perhaps tomorrow. Also if you're on Face Book and aren't a member, join my Beret page. Theres a wealth of knowledgable members there...https://www.facebook.com/groups/3141377419246582 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share #211 Posted January 2, 2022 Heres the 1st Lt CCT Red Bancroft beret. I'm told these came into play about the mid 70s. Prior it would have been the blue beret with Jump Wings. The badge is the 3d insignia having been worn. First was the Jump wing, then the Enameled Japan Mfg design, then this one. I've heard Vets call this badge made of "Monkey metal" as it was a cheap alloy of some sort. I find the placement of the insignia and badge odd as they dont line up, but theres evidence they've been on for awhile on the backside of the stiffener and Ive been told placement id ok by other knowledgable USAF collectors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share #212 Posted January 2, 2022 Heres the early beater PJ beret with just jump wings. Canadian made by Dorothea Mills I'd guess as I dont think the US was issuing maroon berets this early. It's certainly not an In Country beret. Rough shape, no stiffener, mended hole atop it. Small size. Been there, did that type. Probably my worst condition beret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share #213 Posted January 2, 2022 Blind Bat beret worn by C-130 Flare ship crews that flew out of Thailand and into Laos over the Ho Chi Min Trail. This beret was worn only briefly in 1967 before they opted for the baseball caps. (see pics) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share #214 Posted January 2, 2022 German made beret made by Fr. Beuriger Hüte-Mützen Kaiserslautern. It was worn by the 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron based at Hahn Air Force Base Germany during the Vietnam war. This beret was purchased direct from the Vet (see pic). The squadron flew F~100s initially and transitioned into F~4 Phantoms before the war was over. These berets were un officially worn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 4, 2022 Share #215 Posted January 4, 2022 On 10/13/2016 at 1:08 PM, 37thguy said: . Apologies if it had already been mentioned in the thread, but this jacket is a standard Canadian Army field service item that was worn from the early 1950s up to the 1970s. The sleeves have been tailored of course. Possibly this officer was on exchange with Canadian forces or something of that nature and acquired the uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 4, 2022 Author Share #216 Posted January 4, 2022 Its my understanding that these were considered as a test for a new jungle jacket before the one we all know was accepted. I've never read much more on these. I saw one of these nearly identical at a SoS a few years ago that was khaki so i know they're around. Either way I thought was a great look and had to have it. It came with two JJs as well. Thanks Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 4, 2022 Share #217 Posted January 4, 2022 In the Canadian Army, these were usually referred to as 'bush' jackets. The early ones had a white label inside the skirt, normally behind the wearer's right pocket. On later ones, there is a black ink stamp in the same place, often difficult to read. I did not know that these were tested by US forces. Coincidentally, I recently picked up a bush uniform with some extra pockets added, in what appears to be US-type sateen material. I have no idea when it was modified, or where, but now I wonder if there might be a US connection there as well. I am pretty sure that the jacket in question is dated 1963, so it might be the right time frame for US trials. I guess it's a long shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 4, 2022 Author Share #218 Posted January 4, 2022 Agreed, nothing's really known about the jackets tests/trials. Maybe when you're a Colonel in the Army, nobody's going to tell you 'you can't wear that'? Here's one of his standard issue jungle jackets... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 5, 2022 Share #219 Posted January 5, 2022 Out of curiosity, is there any label or visible stamp present on the inside of the bush jacket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 5, 2022 Author Share #220 Posted January 5, 2022 I'll check later today. Don't recall anything but I've had it for years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37thguy Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share #221 Posted January 12, 2022 No tags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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