Andrei Posted July 29, 2009 Share #26 Posted July 29, 2009 Leigh, SSG Swiatocho is also cited in this website : http://projectdelta.net/ but you have to be a member to access the page. Go to the search box and log his name. You will see that he is mentionned in a restricted page. Perhaps you could be granted membership as a retired Army NCO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted July 29, 2009 Share #27 Posted July 29, 2009 Good to see a story pan out nicely . It looks like your boy is wearing the shirt in question . also nice to see patches hacked of 1 uniform for another I would be happy to own this jacket in my collection . owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGM (ret.) Posted July 30, 2009 Share #28 Posted July 30, 2009 That is the schiz-nit! Incredible provanance! In the photo of Swiatocho wearing this uniform top (or one nearly identical), he appears to be wearing MSG / E8 rank insignia and the NOC next to him looks to be wearing SFC / E7 rank. This might mean that MSG Swiatocho was an SFOD(A) team sergeant (a master sergeant position) in SF DET-K. The rank progression would be about right if he served as an SSG in RVN. IIRC, DET-K was a company-sized SF unit with six ODAs and a "heavy" HQ DET commanded by a LTC (vice a MAJ as would be normal in an SF company). Great uniform with some outstanding history! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share #29 Posted July 30, 2009 Mike, Thanks for the info. I don't know if I want to keep it as is or replace the pin on rank. I appreciate all the assistance and comments. Leigh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted July 30, 2009 Share #30 Posted July 30, 2009 This is the same uniform for sure . Check out the right pocket flap. There is a small shape of brown that comes over the seam from the other side . It is a match 100%. Replacing pin on rank is fine as long as you use period stuff and inform of what you done IMO . owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattD Posted August 2, 2009 Share #31 Posted August 2, 2009 This photo comes from an online photo album at http://www.sfaxiii.org/45yrs.htm That is a great link I have SFC Charlie Walker's uniform(very similar patches) , he was with MACVSOG RT West Virginia, -he is listed in the 1979 pages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo Posted October 31, 2011 Share #32 Posted October 31, 2011 I was also lucky enough to find one of these advisors uniforms. Unfortunately, mine is not named, but the letters from the name tape are still visible. I am going to try and find a way to figure out the name of the individual who owned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo Posted October 31, 2011 Share #33 Posted October 31, 2011 Close up of chest insignia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo Posted October 31, 2011 Share #34 Posted October 31, 2011 Area where pin-on rank was worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo Posted October 31, 2011 Share #35 Posted October 31, 2011 Close up of Special Forces insignia on the left arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo Posted October 31, 2011 Share #36 Posted October 31, 2011 Close up of the zipper on the bottom of the pants leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rr01 Posted November 1, 2011 Share #37 Posted November 1, 2011 Casey Swiatocho is one of the many guys pictured in the "D~K" photos I recognize. SFD~K {D~K} was the only SF unit assigned to WestPac after 1st Gp left Okinawa in the '70s. They were HQd at Yongsan Army Garrison in very large but old Japanese bunker and drove black M~151s. The black jeeps were not subject to any curfew though in fact the curfew was not summarily enforced, except in the "villes". They were a fully operational "A" team with additional support. Each member of the team had primary responsibilty for a Korean SF unit and while it was desirable they speak Korean they still had interpreters assigned. They were fully integrated into the Korean military and obviously wore the uniforms you guys have except when in garrison, then they wore the OG jungle fatigues. What I mean by integration is that they were still under American command & control but often worked directly under the Korean chain of command during exercises. At no time did they ever participate in operational missions with the ROKA. They also travelled throughout WestPac working with other nations military until we quit with the Nationalist Chinese. Once Ronnie became da Prez plans began for 1st Group to return to WestPac and the D~K guys were able to spend more time with their assigned units. Okay, I have reached back pretty far here and I'll gladly bow to any other info since this old cranium doesn't always get complete ignition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nkomo Posted November 1, 2011 Share #38 Posted November 1, 2011 Casey Swiatocho is one of the many guys pictured in the "D~K" photos I recognize. SFD~K {D~K} was the only SF unit assigned to WestPac after 1st Gp left Okinawa in the '70s. They were HQd at Yongsan Army Garrison in very large but old Japanese bunker and drove black M~151s. The black jeeps were not subject to any curfew though in fact the curfew was not summarily enforced, except in the "villes". They were a fully operational "A" team with additional support. Each member of the team had primary responsibilty for a Korean SF unit and while it was desirable they speak Korean they still had interpreters assigned.They were fully integrated into the Korean military and obviously wore the uniforms you guys have except when in garrison, then they wore the OG jungle fatigues. What I mean by integration is that they were still under American command & control but often worked directly under the Korean chain of command during exercises. At no time did they ever participate in operational missions with the ROKA. They also travelled throughout WestPac working with other nations military until we quit with the Nationalist Chinese. Once Ronnie became da Prez plans began for 1st Group to return to WestPac and the D~K guys were able to spend more time with their assigned units. Okay, I have reached back pretty far here and I'll gladly bow to any other info since this old cranium doesn't always get complete ignition. Thanks for the great information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share #39 Posted November 1, 2011 This is really great info on Swiatocho and the SF units. Thanks for providing more info. Nkomo.. You got a great uniform there. I missed that chance to get a pair of pants to go with the shirt I have, oh well. I am sure another pair will pop up someday.. Leigh.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted June 25, 2014 Author Share #40 Posted June 25, 2014 So five years after the original posting at three years after my last update missing out on a pair of the pants, I am happy to report that I now have the pants to go with this uniform, albeit not from MSG Swiatocho but at least now I have a complete set. Once the pants arrive I will post them here. Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFMike Posted June 29, 2014 Share #41 Posted June 29, 2014 Just part of the many faceted roles of SF. Advisory capacity or whatever. A lot of the older guys had lots of wings, but I think you only could wear 2 depending on how far from the flagpole you were. I saw some youngsters getting Dutch wings at Ft Campbell last year as they had a Dutch jumpmaster. He may in fact, not even been SF qualified as riggers were generally support troops. Thye long tab did not exist til 82 or later, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martinjmpr Posted September 30, 2014 Share #42 Posted September 30, 2014 So, were these guys attached to the ROK army? Just curious because when I was stationed in Korea, not that I was any kind of high speed soldier like SF, we might be on the same range with ROK units but we never crossed trained with them. To be honest with you this never made much sense to me since there was always the threat of war with the knuckleheads on the other side of the 38th parallel. By the way great uniform and great photos to go along with it. :thumbsup: If I was to guess I'd say they were assigned to the SF Detachment in Korea and maintained a set of Korean uniforms to "blend in" when they were training with their ROK counterparts. I spent about 1/3 of my career assigned to SF units (in a support capacity) and I can say that there's a lot of stuff that goes on that doesn't necessarily conform exactly to Army regs. It's one of the things that makes it fun to be in a unit like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrei Posted July 19, 2015 Share #43 Posted July 19, 2015 Check this eBay auction here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share #44 Posted July 19, 2015 Andrei, Thank you for posting. MSG Swiatocho is the man standing in the back row, last on the right. Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefheart Posted January 25, 2022 Share #45 Posted January 25, 2022 Hi all, finally i got one. i’ve been reading this thread for so long ago, what a amazing piece! this one came just today, even its not worn by american advisor but the pattern its matched with pictured above. (Thats why im pretty happy with it) Closed button flap (afaik, the exposed is more early one) and kind of “reinforced” in shoulder almost as the same style as ARVN BDQ Camo cut. its quite hard to find these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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