A couple of new Brown water Navy Patches

[Bearmon]

Costal River Division 16 and River Division 535 both Japanese manufacture I believe.

This is the first Coastal River Division patch I have seen which doesn't have COSRIVDIV on it.

[Bearmon]

The reverse

[firefighter]

The 535 sure look Japanese made.I’m not a 100% sure about the other.

[PBRrunner]

I was with the 535 and that is a repo , It has the threads of a repo , But that is whats out there right now, If the real patch shows up I would grab it first then ask questions later, We had some made up on leave in Saigon before it was shut down and take a blue light to it is the only way to make sure .

I have mine and it is at the VFW on View with the 534 and TF-116 patches I donated to the Post. Most of the Patches were made in Nam and they do not look very good but we were allowed to use them on our shoulder as the Patch of the unit we were with. The TF-116 and the TF-117 were all the same. Blankenship before he passed away got the Gov to authorize our Patch as the official patch we could wear. But it just was never made in a quantity that we all got it. But if someone has one keep it safe it is a memorial to all Brown Water Sailors who died and to the ones that were missing. We have the circle tag and it is not the same. But the Patch that was remade is out there.

[Bearmon]

PBR Runner thanks for your post, if that patch is a fake as you say I believe you just put the collecting world upside down.

[Wake1941]

The patch might be a fake for the period but it definitely looks old. Maybe made a few years later for collectors or vets?

[Airborne-Hunter]

For future reference, the best way to approach this thread is to remember that a lot of patches were made during the period, but certain manufacturing styles can, at times, be attributed to "team worn" insignia. WW2 insignia collectors know this quite well with patch king, hobby guild and the like. The Vietnam conflict is no different. Patches with the right characteristics can be attributed to the period, but we may never know to what extent they were worn because there were plenty of patches sold in shops for collectors. Any tenured ASMIC member can attest to being able to buy patches fresh from Vietnam at the time. Several collectors/dealers here have bought these collections over the years, including myself. Best ABN

[Tonomachi]

Since we are all here to learn I've pulled some photos I've kept over the years of different River Division 535 patches and I think forum members would like to know which ones are considered "team worn" and which are copies made in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. I don't own any of these patches and didn't realize the number of variations that exist of this specific patch.

 

The first one looks period Vietnamese to me with that tan cotton rear backing material (FRONT)

 

 

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Back

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Here is a similar patch with the same tan cotton rear backing material except the 535 is below the bow of the boat.

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Here is another that has that thin thread rear backing mesh (FRONT).

 

 

[Tonomachi]

BACK

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Here is another which has a purple colored backing material.

 

 

[Tonomachi]

The last one looks like the patch in Post #8 but it has a green border.

 

 

[Tonomachi]

Here is a picture of this patch being worn in Vietnam and you can see that the number 535 is embroidered on the front of the boat and not below it as the patch in Post #10. So from the above variations of the 535th River Division patch which one was "team worn" and which ones are considered copies? Are they all copies?

[vintageproductions]

The first two patches posted are Japanese made.