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ID'd Vietnam US Gator Navy Group - Mobile Riverine Force - LST-509 - Theater Made Patches


HistoryNut
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Yesterday I made a quick trip to the bank before heading off for work. I saw a garage sale and reluctantly stopped because I was in huge hurry. I saw nothing of interest, but still asked if they had anything military related. He said, "No". After thanking him and walking towards my truck he asked, "What type of things are you looking for?". I replied, "patches, medals, ribbons, photos...pretty much anything military related". He said just a minute and walked into the house and a few moments later he came out with these items in a tattered ziplock bag. He said they were his fathers during his time in Vietnam. He served aboard the USS Bullock County, LST-509. He said he tried on several occasions to donate them to several area museums, but no one wanted them because they "weren't WWII". He said he didn't know what else to do with them. I told him I was interested and made an offer he was surprised by and gladly excepted.

 

I'm not real familiar with the "Gator Navy". I did do some poking around online, but was unable to find another patch like the Gator Navy or the LST 509. Would love to hear anything anyone is willing to share.

 

Hope you enjoy...thank you!

post-13256-0-45968500-1537116291_thumb.jpg

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I always thought "Navy Gator" was a play on words with "navigator". I am sure I could be way off on that one.

 

Nice grouping, and great patches.

 

As far as the museums, it is sad to see that many of them are still stuck in "WWII mode", as if nothing has happened since then. Perhaps eventually we will get a newer generation of museum managers and curators with a more modern view. Their loss, your gain.

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Gator Navy is what we called the Amphibious Forces of the Navy. Ok. He was a Boatswains Mate Third Class ( the patches with the eagle, crossed anchors and single chevron). The long red stripe is a 4 year service stripe. The small metal badge with the eagle and single chevron was worn on a working ball cap, there is a honorable discharge pin under that.

 

The curved Ricker patches are Unit Identification Marks. Those are the ships he served on during his time. They were all LSTs. You can look them up on google.

 

The Gator Navy patch, and the Snoopy patch were both made in some shop off base some where. They were very common back in the day. Id seen them sold in the Philippines, Japan, Okinawa, Singapore. They were worn on our dungaree working jackets.

 

I have not looked up any of the ships, so know of no connection to any Riverine Forces. They could possibly served as a tender at one point, but you would need to look the individual ships up.

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Salvage Sailor

I always thought "Navy Gator" was a play on words with "navigator". I am sure I could be way off on that one.

 

Nice grouping, and great patches.

 

As far as the museums, it is sad to see that many of them are still stuck in "WWII mode", as if nothing has happened since then. Perhaps eventually we will get a newer generation of museum managers and curators with a more modern view. Their loss, your gain.

 

 

Aloha Gil,

 

As Steve said, the screwed Gator was a common theme in novelty Amphibious patches

 

Amphibious Command ship USS ESTES (AGC-12) from my collection

AGC 12 USS ESTES 001.jpg

AGC 12 USS ESTES 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

I always thought "Navy Gator" was a play on words with "navigator". I am sure I could be way off on that one.

 

 

Not entirely, it was also used in that way

 

USS JUPITER Nav Gator

Gator 001a.jpg

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Not entirely, it was also used in that way

 

USS JUPITER Nav Gator

. Yes, a Ships Navigator was referred to as the Gator . But not the same as Gator Navy referring to alligators. I rode 3 Gators, loved the Gator Navy!
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Thanks again for all of the helpful information. I decided to list this in the for sale section...it is a bit out of my collecting wheel house.

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  • 1 month later...

WW2 1st pattern Amphip Forces Patch and cuff patch..Original Gator Navy

 

post-342-0-24437000-1537152578.jpg

 

 

My gramps had one of these on his dungaree work jacket, (he was on APA-160, the USS DEUEL, in the early to mid 50's)

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My gramps had one of these on his dungaree work jacket, (he was on APA-160, the USS DEUEL, in the early to mid 50's)

. Even though they were no longer authorized for wear on dress uniforms, the Amphip patches still turned up. I wore one ( Red Tomb Stone), on my foul weather jacket from the early 80s until I retired in 98
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. Even though they were no longer authorized for wear on dress uniforms, the Amphip patches still turned up. I wore one ( Red Tomb Stone), on my foul weather jacket from the early 80s until I retired in 98

 

Right on Sigs!

 

I would have too if I were in the Gator Navy..CVN life wasn't too bad though. :D

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Right on Sigs!

 

I would have too if I were in the Gator Navy..CVN life wasn't too bad though. :D

. My last three ships were Gators.
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