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


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  • 3 weeks later...

OK, I got this recently and would like some opinions. It has the vent grommets seen on older berets. It has a US Cavalry label but I note that their store was outside of Fort Knox from 1973, so I think this beret may date to the 70s.

 

The flash was used by 3/73 Armor and its successor 4/68 Armor, both of the 82nd Airborne, but they wore maroon berets. It also was worn by 6/68th Armor on their black berets. It's identical to a 6/68 beret except for the MP crossed pistols, which I think would point toward a divison or brigade MP element, assuming that this is an armored beret, such as the 1st Cavalry Divison who wore black berets* as did the 194th Armored Brigade. Green and yellow are also branch colors for Military Police. But what other armored formations had an MP platoon or company?

 

What do you think? I'm hoping this isn't some ROTC or State Militia thing.

 

*1st Cav's different colored berets didn't last long, and were standardized to black for all units

 

post-257-0-61895200-1419056947.jpg

 

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Could be the 194th Armor Bde at Fort Knox? Any separate brigade would have had it's own organic MP Platoon, I believe (just as a division would have an MP Company and a Corps would have an MP Battalion.)

 

The officers branch insignia on the beret looks odd but I know in the 1970's there were a lot of unauthorized headgear types. By the time I came in in 1980 most of that had been done away with.

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Regarding the beret I posted (post #128) - does anyone have Stein's book? Someone referenced this book once (don't know which title) as it has obscure beret flashes.

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Regarding the beret I posted (post #128) - does anyone have Stein's book? Someone referenced this book once (don't know which title) as it has obscure beret flashes.

Stein lists this flash and it's matching oval as 3rd Bn 73rd Armor #1, #2 has Green borders on both flash and oval.

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Maybe this beret in was worn by the 1st Battalion 73rd Armor in the 70s? The 1/73 Armor was a part of the 2nd Inf Div at this time, or the 4th Battalion 73rd Armor, it was a part of the 1st Inf Div, 1st Inf Div (Fwd) in West Germany from 1972 on.

 

The MP Officers BOS? added?

 

 

Here's a TCOQ pocket patch from 4/73 Arm, German made I imagine.

post-34986-0-99764700-1419620536.jpg

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Thanks for that, patches.

 

In light of the crossed pistols, I don't think that this beret could represent a battlion / squadron, as they wouldn't have had an MP element (assuming it's not humped up, that is).

 

As stated earlier, the 6/68 Armor did also wear this flash (along with 3/73 and 4/68), so it clearly was popular with armored units, and this beret is black, so I'm presuming it does in fact represent an armored unit not a state guard unit some such. I do have another black beret with this flash on it, but with insignia removed, alas.

 

It seems odd that officer's BOS insignia would be used in that manner, however. It seems to me that officers always wore their rank, and I can't see an EM using this. One of the prongs has some verdigris on it; don't know if that means anything, regarding how long it's been on the beret.

 

I emailed the 545th MP Company site (1st Cav's longtime MP company) but didn't get any response. I'm banking on the idea that it's either the 1st Cav or 194th Armored Bde. But - how many NG divisions were armored in those days? Perhaps it was one of them...

 

 

 

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Thanks for that, patches.

 

In light of the crossed pistols, I don't think that this beret could represent a battlion / squadron, as they wouldn't have had an MP element (assuming it's not humped up, that is).

 

As stated earlier, the 6/68 Armor did also wear this flash (along with 3/73 and 4/68), so it clearly was popular with armored units, and this beret is black, so I'm presuming it does in fact represent an armored unit not a state guard unit some such. I do have another black beret with this flash on it, but with insignia removed, alas.

 

It seems odd that officer's BOS insignia would be used in that manner, however. It seems to me that officers always wore their rank, and I can't see an EM using this. One of the prongs has some verdigris on it; don't know if that means anything, regarding how long it's been on the beret.

 

I emailed the 545th MP Company site (1st Cav's longtime MP company) but didn't get any response. I'm banking on the idea that it's either the 1st Cav or 194th Armored Bde. But - how many NG divisions were armored in those days? Perhaps it was one of them...

 

 

 

My verdict: A unofficial 70s Armor Beret for either the 1st or 4th Battalion 73rd Armor, MP Officer BOS, added, I say that as as you pointed out, if it was the 3rd Bn 73rd Armor it should be Maroon, as well as if an Officer, rank insignia would be worn.

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And for what it's worth a GI of the 3/73rd in 1988, a 1st Louie, Maroon Beret, the rank on the flash. Of note is that he's wearing the type #1 Flash without Green border on the upper Yellow portion.

post-34986-0-97955100-1419650356.jpg

Since these troops were Jump Qualifed, pretty certain then that the 70s unofficial berets in the 3rd Bn 73rd Armor would be Maroon too, can't imagine them being Black, that was for other Armor and Armored Cavalry units.

 

 

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6/68 Armor - hard to see, but it's the same flash (their association was selling ball caps with the flash being discussed):

 

xtWNnNj.jpg

 

 

I got you now, 6th Bn 68th Armor 157th Inf Bde Army Reserve out of Pennslvania, do you know when this photo was taken?

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Looking at this now, I guess my "verdict" was wrong, that's what happens when one constantly thinks in past terms :o:D . It could very well be a more current beret, 6/68th Armor. Still would be very curious to see if this flash was worn by any elements of both the 68th or 73rd Armor back in the 70s on the unofficial berets. The 1st, 2nd Battalion, 3rd and 5th Battalions 68th Armor I just seen was over in the 8th Infantry Division as of 1974 then.

 

More confusing, just seen the current 4th Inf Div has an element of the 68th Armor, the 1st Battalion 68th Armor, can't find squat on images of their berets to see their flash wouldn't you know. :blink:

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Looking at this now, I guess my "verdict" was wrong, that's what happens when one constantly thinks in past terms :o:D . It could very well be a more current beret, 6/68th Armor. Still would be very curious to see if this flash was worn by any elements of both the 68th or 73rd Armor back in the 70s on the unofficial berets. :blink:

 

I doubt it would be a current beret since most wear the Army flash. It appears to be an older beret.

 

As to the 4/68 and 3/73 - I've seen 1970s photos on their Facebook page, and they both wore maroon berets in the 70s.

 

I got you now, 6th Bn 68th Armor 157th Inf Bde Army Reserve out of Pennslvania, do you know when this photo was taken?

 

 

I didn't realize that they were out of Pennsylvania. It's interesting that that was the seller's location. The photo would have to be from the 70s.

 

I'm wondering if those in a mechanized infantry brigade (70s) might have worn black berets, not just the armored battalion(?)

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Here are a few photos from the Pratt 101st Airborne museum at Ft Campbell, Kentucky showing a couple blue Berets from the 1970s (sorry for the photos, it was hard not to get the reflection in the glass). The one on the display head is from the 326th Engineer Battalion.

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post-3697-0-43112000-1419676999.jpg

post-3697-0-22702600-1419677000.jpg

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I doubt it would be a current beret since most wear the Army flash. It appears to be an older beret.

 

As to the 4/68 and 3/73 - I've seen 1970s photos on their Facebook page, and they both wore maroon berets in the 70s.

 

 

I didn't realize that they were out of Pennsylvania. It's interesting that that was the seller's location. The photo would have to be from the 70s.

 

I'm wondering if those in a mechanized infantry brigade (70s) might have worn black berets, not just the armored battalion(?)

What made me think current is because the group in the A Co 6th Bn 68th Armor are wearing Cammies, if it is from the 1970s, then they would wearing ERDLs or RDFs which would make them unique indeed, especially for a Reserve unit. ERDLS in the main in the 70s wear worn by the SF, Rangers, 82nd Abn, 101st Abn. Photos are out there of troops in West Germany wearing ERDLs, 8th Inf Div, but here it was rare, trials I think.

 

Trying to find images however from any period of the 157th Inf Bde (sep) is like pulling teeth :lol: However I got a 70s Reserve magazine (can't remember the year,I got to look for it) that has photo of this unit, but here I think it's before the unofficial beret period, got one too from 1968 though it does show a photo of their Armor unit in this Reserve Magazine from 68 it interestingly shows an Infantry unit with both the M14 and the Leaf Cover helmet worn by all, something most uncommon in reserve componates in the 60s.

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@trancorps, good stuff there, there's a topic somewhere that shows a list of the flashes of the 1970s 101st Abn Div (AASLT), but I can't find it to relink.

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Here's a beret (pic saved from ebay) which I rumpume is from the 70s; if so, it shows how incomplete the record is, of the beret flashes and beret wear from that era - I'd imagine this represents 1/1 Cavalry or 2/1 Cavalry, both of which were with armored divisons. No flashes for those squadrons are listed in Hudspeath's book.

 

post-257-0-22096600-1419809375.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Sean great 10th GP picture.Also looks like he has German BOS insignia with, I would assume, blue trim.Surprised his parachute badge isn't more centered.

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After serving in Vietnam in 68-69 I got out of the Army. In 1974 I decided to join the Reserves with the unit being the 3d Bn, 75th Field Artillery. We were assigned to 3d Corps Artillery and wore artillery red berets with white plastic rank backing, black rank, and the unit crest without flash or any kind of backing. As I remember almost all the units at Ft. Sill were also wearing the red beret. I bought mine at the Ft. Sill clothing sells store while attending annual training in 1975.

 

sfcmac

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After serving in Vietnam in 68-69 I got out of the Army. In 1974 I decided to join the Reserves with the unit being the 3d Bn, 75th Field Artillery. We were assigned to 3d Corps Artillery and wore artillery red berets with white plastic rank backing, black rank, and the unit crest without flash or any kind of backing. As I remember almost all the units at Ft. Sill were also wearing the red beret. I bought mine at the Ft. Sill clothing sells store while attending annual training in 1975.

 

sfcmac

Thanks for that interesting bit of information Sarge, seems all units everywhere Army Wide may have had one in those years.

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This sold recently on ebay (along with a pair of RVN jump wings) for the princely sum of $185 USD. Is it Vietnam or a 70s armored beret? The DI is for Division G-2 section:

 

post-257-0-96182500-1423469989.jpg

post-257-0-36692100-1423470057.jpg

post-257-0-19006500-1423470143.jpg

 

 

 

 

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