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US Army berets - blue, black, green, maroon, tan...


BEAST
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A CSM Robert E. Spencer sometime in the late 70s early 80s of the Ranger Department, it's CSM I would think. (BTW when did this 1st type flash for the Ranger Department come out, this one with the White border? I can't seem to find it on the TIOH).

 

Spencer served from 1959 till 1985, and was in the The HERD in the RVN, 66-67, he also is a member of the Ranger Hall of Fame.

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easterneagle87

Here is a Brown Water Navy beret I just picked up this weekend. I spoke to a couple of other forum members about this grouping. However, of all the items that were there (tour jacket, medal group - including his Purple Heart, and other paperwork) ..... this was the only true period item left. It had been a year since I made it back to the shop. It is named. The daughter didn't know what to do with his stuff, so she brought it there to be sold. The shop was nearly 3 hours away from my home and I was glad to finally be able to make it back. Obviously I should have made the trip sooner. BUT, I will enjoy this one.

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A member of the 1st Cav Div's 2nd Bn 17th Artillery wearing a Black one, on it at close examination is the late 50s-late 60s collar disc device for the Artillery Branch, removed from the disc and attached somehow, so this would date this photo sometime between say 1967 and 1968, the time the one super branch was split into Field Artillery and Air Defense Artillery, with the former reverting back to the traditional crossed canons, the latter retaiing the crossed cannons with upright missile.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here's the dope on the 3rd Squadron 17th Cavalry's Maroon beret, interestingly they started wearing them as early as 1967 when still stateside at Fort Knox Kentucky. ( This unit was inactivated as part of the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) when the 11th ASSLT Div was merged with the 2nd Inf Div and reflagged as the 1st Cavalry Div at Fort Benning Georgia in July 1965. It's reactivated at Fort Knox in November 1966, a separate non divisional unit).

 

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http://www.bluetigersite.com/vietnam/index.html

 

 

 

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United Nations blue beret worn by a member of the 1st Infantry Division in Bosnia.

Unlikely. Divisions / regulars were not assigned to UNPROFOR and the first US troops in Bosnia (except for very small numbers of SF etc.) were 1AD beginnng in early Dec '96. They were never part of the UN mission there which ended when they took over with NATO / IFOR.

 

More probably Macedonia, Task Force Able Sentry (part of UNPREDEP) where both 1AD and 1ID sent rotating battalions.

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United Nations blue beret worn by a member of the 1st Infantry Division in Bosnia.

Unlikely. Divisions / regulars were not assigned to UNPROFOR and the first US troops in Bosnia (except for very small numbers of SF etc.) were 1AD beginnng in early Dec '96. They were never part of the UN mission there which ended when they took over with NATO / IFOR.

 

More probably Macedonia, Task Force Able Sentry (part of UNPREDEP) where both 1AD and 1ID sent rotating battalions.

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You know I was always amazed that U.S. troops were allowed to visit East Berlin back then, I first became aware of it at Ft Hood in 81 when this NCO showed me his photos of his fairly recent time in West Germany, it was wild I thought, wasn't aware they, the Reds would allow such a thing. And there he was in one photo, this black NCO (then a Spec 4) in his Khakis (w/ Service Cap) standing by the Brandenburg Gate by himself, other photos with him with the rest of his party at various places in the east part, I was astonished.

 

It then begs a couple of questions then, and you know me, I love to ask questions :lol: Those being, When did this poicy start, this crossing over in uniform to walk around in the eastern part of Berlin, and did the Soviets and other Warsaw Pact allow their personnel the same thing, I ask this last one, as there was immense paranoia on there part right, afraid defections etc right, I mean granted, it was awhile after the Stalinist period, where even the slightest contact with the west, even to include their foreign office and military attache people, might of been the kiss of death when they returned home, but they still, might of had some concerns in the 70s right.

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When were the colors of the South Vietnamese flag added back to the 5th Special Forces Group flash?

 

I believe they were added back on the flash in 2015/2016. There is a post on the fourm and if you google it you should find the exact date...

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Do you all think the lack of nameplates on these guys were part of going over there? Or perhaps simply not worn.

 

Good observation. I bet removing the name plate was SOP for visiting there.

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Is the Ranger beret an organizational item or a personal item? The reason I ask is that I notice that the current and prior commanders of the joint-service U.S. Special Operations Command who were Army generals all seem to have worn the Ranger beret, either black in the 90s or tan today. Is that because they are personally Ranger qualified or is the USSOC considered a Ranger unit by the Army? I would think if anything it would be considered Airborne and the soldiers assigned to it would wear the maroon beret.

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MilRGRHistory

Is the Ranger beret an organizational item or a personal item? The reason I ask is that I notice that the current and prior commanders of the joint-service U.S. Special Operations Command who were Army generals all seem to have worn the Ranger beret, either black in the 90s or tan today. Is that because they are personally Ranger qualified or is the USSOC considered a Ranger unit by the Army? I would think if anything it would be considered Airborne and the soldiers assigned to it would wear the maroon beret.

Seanmc1114, good question, it is organization headwear worn only by members of the 75th Ranger Regiment or personnel serving within SOCOM with prior Ranger Regiment service.

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MilRGRHistory

Seanmc1114, good question, it is organization headwear worn only by members of the 75th Ranger Regiment or personnel serving within SOCOM with prior Ranger Regiment service.

And to correct my own post, members of the Airborne Ranger Training Brigde (ARTB) wear the tan beret, this is not in any way associated with Special Operations Command and does not entitle former Ranger Instructors to wear the tan beret if they serve within SOCOM, this is only for Service or former service within the 75th Ranger Regiment.

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Seanmc1114, good question, it is organization headwear worn only by members of the 75th Ranger Regiment or personnel serving within SOCOM with prior Ranger Regiment service.

 

And to correct my own post, members of the Airborne Ranger Training Brigde (ARTB) wear the tan beret, this is not in any way associated with Special Operations Command and does not entitle former Ranger Instructors to wear the tan beret if they serve within SOCOM, this is only for Service or former service within the 75th Ranger Regiment.

So do soldiers assigned to USSOC without any former association with the 75th Ranger Regiment wear a maroon beret or black beret?
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Besides allowing US military personnel to just visit East Berlin, I'm surprised they allowed photos to be taken (especially of military personnel) .

I went on the USAREUR Berlin Orientation Tour in 1975. I have a very similar photo. It was about a week in West Berlin with a visit to the east. I do not remember having to remove my nameplate, but I can see why it would have been done. It was an interesting experience. The stark contrast between the two Berlins was amazing. There were no restrictions I remember on photographing the sights, civilian or military. But, we were shadowed by Russian and East German folks,

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Besides allowing US military personnel to just visit East Berlin, I'm surprised they allowed photos to be taken (especially of military personnel) .

Double post. Please remove.

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Is the Ranger beret an organizational item or a personal item? The reason I ask is that I notice that the current and prior commanders of the joint-service U.S. Special Operations Command who were Army generals all seem to have worn the Ranger beret, either black in the 90s or tan today. Is that because they are personally Ranger qualified or is the USSOC considered a Ranger unit by the Army? I would think if anything it would be considered Airborne and the soldiers assigned to it would wear the maroon beret.

Who are these Generals please?

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MilRGRHistory

 

 

So do soldiers assigned to USSOC without any former association with the 75th Ranger Regiment wear a maroon beret or black beret?

Army soldiers assigned to either USASOC or SOCOM who are not Special Forces qualified or have prior Ranger Regiment service wear the maroon beret.

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Is the Ranger beret an organizational item or a personal item? The reason I ask is that I notice that the current and prior commanders of the joint-service U.S. Special Operations Command who were Army generals all seem to have worn the Ranger beret, either black in the 90s or tan today. Is that because they are personally Ranger qualified or is the USSOC considered a Ranger unit by the Army? I would think if anything it would be considered Airborne and the soldiers assigned to it would wear the maroon beret.

 

Who are these Generals please?

Left to right:

 

General Wayne A. Downing Commander, USSOCOM 20 May 1993 to 29 February 1996

 

General Henry Hugh Shelton Commander, USSOCOM 29 February 1996 to 25 September 1997

 

General Joseph L. Votel Commander, USSOCOM 28 August 2014 to 30 March 2016

 

General Raymond A. Thomas III Commander, USSOCOM 30 March 2016 to Present

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