US Air Force Vietnam Jungle Jacket, is this patch combo even possible?

[Chrisusa1]

I usually stick to WWII USMC stuff, and don't do Vietnam era at all but found this a few years ago at a thrift store, saw the jump wings and CIB, and the price was right so I picked it up. I realized later that the patches really didn't make sense. Jump wings on the right breast?  CIB for someone in the Air Force, is that even possible? 

 

Thoughts? 

 

 

[JBFloyd]

I'm not a uniform guy, but my concern is that the jump wings are direct embroidery, while the CIB and "US Air Force" tapes are not (it looks like the CIB was removed from something else and added here.

 

You won't see many CIBs on Air Force uniforms, but they could be worn if earned in the Army before an inter-service transfer (I had a tech sergeant who worked for me in 1972-3 who worn a CIB on his Air Force uniform. He also carried a copy of his orders because he got called on it regularly). I can think of no valid reason for the jump wings to be on the right side of this uniform.

[Ray42]

It could be a interservice transfer, that might make more sense. Another option, less likely and could be 100% wrong, but maybe it is an air force combat controller. I looked through and it seemed like it had special requirements for individuals who were embedded with a unit in combat. Maybe if a combat controller was embedded with an army unit while they saw combat they could be awarded the CIB by the Army and the unit they were embedded with. I do know it wasn't uncommon for combat controllers to have airborne wings, but I have no idea why they would be on the wrong side. 

 

I will say that I do not really see a reason to fake this uniform because it would likely sell for more if it was an army uniform instead of Air Force so that is probably a good sign. 

[Chrisusa1]

Thanks, 

 

Your comments support my thoughts exactly, I'm no expert but I've never seen jump wings on the left side before.  A CIB on an Air Force uniform would certainly turn some head. 

[Martinjmpr]

I'm pretty sure the CIB is never authorized on USAF uniforms.  AFAIK some Army badges are authorized on USAF uniforms but I don't think the CIB is one of them.  

 

The direct-embroidered Senior Parachutist badge on the wrong side is problematic but I notice that both the CIB and the USAF tape are sewed on in a very sloppy fashion.  

 

Now, having said all that, have I seen non-regulation stuff in the field?  Sure, enough that I wouldn't necessarily say that is 100% put together.  I mean, the "farther you are from the flagpole" - that is, the further you are away from a garrison environment where some picayune Master Sergeant is just itching to find uniform violations - the more you can get away with.  

 

But it looks like a soup sandwich to me.  

[Chrisusa1]

Sounds like the verdict is soup sandwich..... this is what i get for dabbling in items outside my knowledge base, oh well.  I think I paid $6 or so for it, so no big loss. 

[easterneagle87]

17 hours ago, Martinjmpr said:

I'm pretty sure the CIB is never authorized on USAF uniforms.  AFAIK some Army badges are authorized on USAF uniforms but I don't think the CIB is one of them.  

 

The direct-embroidered Senior Parachutist badge on the wrong side is problematic but I notice that both the CIB and the USAF tape are sewed on in a very sloppy fashion.  

 

Now, having said all that, have I seen non-regulation stuff in the field?  Sure, enough that I wouldn't necessarily say that is 100% put together.  I mean, the "farther you are from the flagpole" - that is, the further you are away from a garrison environment where some picayune Master Sergeant is just itching to find uniform violations - the more you can get away with.  

 

But it looks like a soup sandwich to me.  

 

Plenty of photos supporting the CIB worn on the AF uniform. Can't say I've seen a subdued, but that doesn't they aren't out there. The direct embroidered jump wings are they odd though. OH, if it could only talk.  

[patches]

My question is why the Senior Parachute Badge was embroidered on that side, this badge is the duly authorized badge for jump qualified personnel in the Air Force and would be worn on the left side, the right side being reserved for foreign badges.

 

 

[louie]

After being in the Marine Corps, went into the Air Force Reserve.  Yes, the CIB is allowed to be worn with the Air Force uniform.  We had a M/Sgt who had it, and our sister squadron had a First Sgt. who also wore a CIB.  Both were VN vets in the Army at the time.

[Chrisusa1]

sounds like the CIB is a possibility, but the jump wings on the right side are still a mystery. seems odd that someone would pay to have them embroidered on purpose on the wrong side. 

[Martinjmpr]

On 10/12/2020 at 8:33 AM, Chrisusa1 said:

sounds like the CIB is a possibility, but the jump wings on the right side are still a mystery. seems odd that someone would pay to have them embroidered on purpose on the wrong side. 

 

I am in no way an expert but the whole jacket looks very disjointed to me.  Someone who pays money (it's not a lot, but it's money) to have an insignia embroidered strikes me as someone who is very meticulous about his appearance.  So the embroidered wings on the wrong side seem a little bit inconsistent with the sloppiness with which the US Air Force tape is sewn on - notice that it angles up from the pocket in contrast to the other examples shown, which are sharply aligned with the pocket. 

 

The USAF tape appears to be sewn on with khaki colored thread, as is the rank insignia on the left sleeve (either that or it was white and faded.)  By contrast, the CIB, which is also sewn on in a very sloppy fashion, uses white thread.  

 

As an Army guy and a former infantryman, it's hard for me to imagine someone wanting to 'show off' his CIB and then having it sewn on in such a haphazard and unprofessional way.