Navy Patches a little something different

[irish]

First is a jacket patch for the USS Firm AM-444. Aggressive Class Minesweeper. launched in 1953. Beginning in 1962 she was based out of Long Beach. Deployed to Vietnam in 1965 as part of Operation Market Time, which was tasked with the interception of arms and supplies travelling down the coast from North Vietnam to South. The USS Firm would make five deployments to Vietnam ending in 1971. Decommissioned in 1972, she was transferred to the Phillipine Navy. The Firm was returned to the U.S. in 1977 and sold for scrapping in July of that year. (Wiki) This patch looks to be Japanese made and of the Vietnam era. It measures approx 4" in diameter.

 

[irish]

Next is somewhat of an unknown for me. the lettering reads 1st Corps Tactical Divers. There is a 2 in the lower neck apron of the diving helmet. Filipino made and post Vietnam is my assumption. If anyone can shed more light on this please do so. Measures 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" at it's widest points. Possibly a cap patch

 

[irish]

USS Cohoes ANL 78. Net Laying Ship. Originally commisioned during WW2, and de-commissioned sometime after in 1947. The Cohoes would be re-commissioned in 1968 and deployed to Vietnam, she would end up with 9 campaign stars before it was all over. Her area of operations were the rivers near DaNang, I have been unable to confirm other areas of Vietnam where she might have served., A pocket patch approx 3 1/2" in diameter, either Japanese made or possible filipino.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

USS Cohoes ANL 78. Net Laying Ship. Originally commisioned during WW2, and de-commissioned sometime after in 1947. The Cohoes would be re-commissioned in 1968 and deployed to Vietnam, she would end up with 9 campaign stars before it was all over. Her area of operations were the rivers near DaNang, I have been unable to confirm other areas of Vietnam where she might have served., A pocket patch approx 3 1/2" in diameter, either Japanese made or possible filipino.

 

 

 

Aloha Irish,

 

Not sure where your patch was made, but here's my USS COHOES (ANL-78) patch from my Junk Boat collection.

 

COHOES was originally laid down as a WWII net tender, but in RVN she was used as a dive boat by USN salvors in the Danang op area. This patch is a little dirty and the colors/details are different from your patch.

[irish]

Aloha Irish,

 

Not sure where your patch was made, but here's my USS COHOES (ANL-78) patch from my Junk Boat collection.

 

COHOES was originally laid down as a WWII net tender, but in RVN she was used as a dive boat by USN salvors in the Danang op area. This patch is a little dirty and the colors/details are different from your patch.

 

Great information, The fact that she was used as a dive boat make sense, the dive helmet on the patch confused me a bit.

[irish]

Navy Deep Sea Vehicles. First patch is for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle DSRV-1 "Mystic". Built by Lockheed in 1970. The sub was designed to transportable by plane. It could carry a 24 man crew and descend to a depth 5000 feet. Mystic became a celebrity after being used in the movies Gray Lady Down and The Hunt for Red October. Mystic was de-comissioned in 2008. (wiki)

 

Second patch is for Deep Submergence Vehicle 4 "Sea Cliff" Built by General Dynamics/Electric Boat. Launched in 1968. Sea Cliff has a crew of 3 and can dive to a depth of 20,000 feet, which will give her access to 98% of the oceans floor. Sea Cliff lays claim to being the deepest diving manned submersible. It is I beleive the Navy's primary deep ocean search and recovery vehicle. (wiki)

 

[irish]

Search and Rescue Patches. The Underwater Rescue patches I beleive would be worn on the pocket. The rocker tabs appear to be worn below a round patch based on the shape. Please chime in on any additional info you may have

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Navy Deep Sea Vehicles. First patch is for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle DSRV-1 "Mystic". Built by Lockheed in 1970. The sub was designed to transportable by plane. It could carry a 24 man crew and descend to a depth 5000 feet. Mystic became a celebrity after being used in the movies Gray Lady Down and The Hunt for Red October. Mystic was de-comissioned in 2008. (wiki)

 

Second patch is for Deep Submergence Vehicle 4 "Sea Cliff" Built by General Dynamics/Electric Boat. Launched in 1968. Sea Cliff has a crew of 3 and can dive to a depth of 20,000 feet, which will give her access to 98% of the oceans floor. Sea Cliff lays claim to being the deepest diving manned submersible. It is I beleive the Navy's primary deep ocean search and recovery vehicle. (wiki)

 

 

Here's the TURTLE (DSV-3) retired in 1998 & now at the Mystic Aquarium, sister of the ALVIN & SEA CLIFF

[irish]

Great patch, thanks for the information. Is assume the Mystic aquarium is named for DSRV-1?

[Salvage Sailor]

Great patch, thanks for the information. Is assume the Mystic aquarium is named for DSRV-1?

 

Nope, Mystic, CT

[irish]

USS HOIST. ARS-40. Launched March of 1945. Hoist was a rescue and salvage ship. Her main mission was to aid stricken vessels. She began salvage operations in the far east in late 1945.

 

The Hoist would operate with the bathyscaphe Trieste at the site of the the lost submarine USS Theresher which had sunk during dive trials off the coast of Cape Cod in April of 1963. The Thresher would be located in six pieces at a depth 8400 feet and the loss of all crewmembers.

 

The Hoist also participated in the recovery of an H-Bomb off the coast of Spain in 1966. The bomb had been dropped following a a midair collision between a B52 and a KC135 flying tanker.

 

The Hoist would finish her career and be decomissioned in 1994. (wiki)

 

 

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Aloha

 

This is one of the new USN salvage patches being currently made for colletors. There are two (2) manufacturers of these patches. BC patch which is making a series patterned on the originals from our members, in cooperation with NAFTS, and another firm that is knocking them off (which is the example you have posted)

 

Here's a link to the BC patch offering on our website

 

NAFTS Ship Patches for Sale

 

and the BC Patch version

[irish]

Navy Patrol Squadrons. VP6 types.

 

[irish]

USS PAPAGO. ATF 160. Launched 1945. Navy Ocean Going Tug.

 

Papago would be involved with the refloating of the USS Missouri after the battleship had run aground in Hampton Roads in 1950. Other salvage, Towing and re-floating missions included the destroyer USS Monsen... USS DesMoines...USS Barry.

 

Additional Missions. Quarantine operations during the Cuban missle crisis 1962...Dominican Republic Intervention 1965. Support for the USS Liberty which had been attacked by Israeli forces in the 6 day war 1967

 

Papago also served in a naval support role for the following manned space flights. Mercury Project December 1959,... and Gemini IX June 1966 (wiki)

...

Papago would be decommissioned in 1992 (wiki)

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice PAPAGO patch Irish

 

That is the 1950's - 1960's version.

[elyisum]

Nice patches thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

[irish]

Nice PAPAGO patch Irish

 

That is the 1950's - 1960's version.

 

 

Thanks, Most all of the Navy patches came out of an old collection/accumulation. This Papago patch has the old Ace Novelty Tokyo Japan sticker on back

[irish]

USS CANOPUS. AS34..SUBMARINE TENDER.

 

This I assume is a name tape piece worn on the utilities of this diver?

 

Commissioned in 1965. Canopus had the record for the most Polaris refits for a ship in its time. The Polaris was a solid fueled sub launched nuclear ballistic missle. The Canopus would also be the first sub-tender in the USN capable of maintainaing and re-fitting of the Poseidon Missile.

 

Decommissioned in 1994. (wiki)