Jump to content

Starting Over- My small but growing Special Forces collection


37thguy
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...

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)

post-729-0-74525000-1582378935.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

post-729-0-12126500-1582386920_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

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 everyone269847421_608597356874629_4772256398187599144_n.jpg.24a18497816955073211e4aaed3ddb91.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, 37thguy said:

My Nam era USAF collection so far.  Something about these I really like.

Screen Shot 2022-01-01 at 5.31.52 PM.png

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

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

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

20220102_122054.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Early Jump Wing PJ.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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)

Screen Shot 2022-01-02 at 1.17.53 PM.png

41st Tactical Airlift Squadron, dated 1967..jpg

Screen Shot 2021-12-27 at 3.17.50 PM.png

41st Tactical Airlift Squadron, dated.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

20210313_140934.jpg

20210313_135308.jpg

Screen Shot 2021-03-09 at 2.27.34 PM copy.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/13/2016 at 1:08 PM, 37thguy said:

.

post-729-0-49044900-1476378512_thumb.jpg

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

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

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

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...

 

P1110510.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...