Grandad's Gators 237 --- Vietnam Navy Patch?

[all-bull]

Alright you Navy guys. I got one for you. What is this? It is Vietnam hand-made in a pocket hanger. That is all I can tell you! I cannot find anything on it. Thanks!

[River Patrol]

ummm, that's a weird one......the craft looks like an LST or troop transporter, so probably TF-117. Grandad's gators? Got me!

Steve

[River Patrol]

Yep...TF-117 did have the USS Bexar which was APA-237 but that's an attack transporter and not an LST.

 

BTW, the LSTs of TF-117 were known as the "Gator Navy". But all were number 344 and up.

 

Fun stuff!

Steve

[all-bull]

Thanks for the info Steve! Could it be 231 instead of 237? Can't tell with the sewing...

[all-bull]

RP,

I emailed the webmaster of the USS Bexar site.... Here is his reply : All I can say is I never saw this particular patch before. We have three on record I know of and all clearly identify the USS BEXAR by her hull number originally designated APA-237. This only shows 237 and the image appears to be indicative of an LCVP boat we carried, also known as a Higgins Boat. Likely this patch was custom made for a sailor who may have been a coxswain on one of those craft at one time. That's about all I can say, but it's NOT a patch our association recognizes." .

 

So....any more ideas??? THANKS!

[River Patrol]

Hunter,

As I mentioned, only the number matches the USS Bexar. The shape of the boat is an LST or Troop carrier, and not the shape of the Bexar.

 

It is definately something from the Riverine Force LSTs of TF-117. Since these were numbered 344 and up, it could be a joke that their chief, being an old "grandad", was from LSTs with earlier numbers e.g. 237 or 231. Given that LSTs were called the "Gator Navy" in Vietnam, I'm sure the answer will be found in the LST ranks.

 

The TF-117 book project is currently being formulated by Scott and myself...although I think we are still on hiatus from any "book work" for awhile.

[Johnny Signor]

looks like a LST boat ,there were differnent sizes/classes of the landing craft, try googling Landing craft units, or amphibious landing craft units.

I think the number is 231 also not 237.

[Legion]

Hunter i found this (if it reads 231)..they were from Florida which may explain the gator:

 

In the summer of 1965, the advisor war in South Vietnam escalated to the US Army assuming a greater role in ground combat with three troop buildups from 1965 through 1967. President Lyndon B. Johnson wanted to avoid calling up the Reserves in this war and fight it with the draft instead. For the Transportation Corps, most of the new units were organized about four months before their deployment. Beginning on the night of 31 January 1968, the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army launched its largest offensive to date in an effort to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. The quick need for reinforcements finally required the activation of Reserve units. On 13 May 1968, the 231st Transportation Company was one of 76 Reserve and National Guard units activated. Of the 183 personnel, 70 percent were from St Petersburg and the rest from Tampa. CPT Reilly still commanded the company with 2LT Joseph P. “Joe” Vetrano as his XO and 1SG Ray Armstrong still was as the company’s top sergeant.

 

Just prior to that, the 231st Floating Craft was redesignated to a Medium Boat Company with LCM8s. A medium boat would have 19 LCMs crewed by six enlisted men. Since LCMs were skippered by enlisted men, the company had too many warrants, so it kept a floating craft detachment for the warrants. When the 231st Medium Boat Company deployed it would leave the floating craft detachment at St Petersburg.

 

Here is the link for "the rest of the story"

http://www.transchool.eustis.army.mil/lic/...0Trans%20Co.doc

 

Jason

[River Patrol]

Legion,

That's good information and it all makes sense. So it's an Army Transportation Group patch. I was wrong. I was looking Navy the whole way. I didn't have my Vietnam OOB with me at the time. Killer patch Hunter!

Steve