Title: Early Days of US Involvement in VN Source:
National Archives and Records Administration URL Source:[None] Published:Apr 20, 2011 Author:Unknown Post Date:2011-04-20 11:12:45 by sneakypete Ping List:*Military or Vets Affairs*Subscribe to *Military or Vets Affairs* Keywords:None Views:53453 Comments:64
Poster Comment:
This is a documentary type thing from the early days in VN about Special Forces involvement in recruiting and training the locals. Notice the guys are still wearing regular fatigues,white name tags,and gold stripes,and they are all still carrying WW-2 weapons. Not real sure of the year,but I was issued a full-auto AR-15 and jungle fatigues when I got to Bragg in 64. Which means this was probably a team that was TDY from the 5th while it was still at Bragg. IIRC,the 5th deployed to VN in 65,and by then they should have all been wearing jungle fatigues.
Thanks Pete. You know, I'm so used to seeing the 5th GRP flash with the South Vietnam flag through it, I have had to think when seeing the restored flash to remember the 5th group flash is black.
We used to use the obsolete OG-107s in my unit when going overseas. Usually as part of a sterile uniform (no rank, name or organization markings).
A Special forces office designed that originally slant pocket uniform. It was always my favorite. I always liked the obsolete BAR squad weapon too.
The one nice thing about the arms room of a Special Forces unit is it always has many interesting weapons a standard infantry arms room never would see.
I liked the BAR belt,and used one a lot in VN. I LOVED the BAR itself,but really didn't want to carry one in the thick jungle.
Lots of SOG guys carried a RPD,though.
BTW,I wasn't there early day s back when everybody was using WW-2 weapons,but from what I have been told lots of SF guys carried either a M-2 or M-3,but were known to grab the BAR from a yard BAR man when in direct contact. Which really makes sense. If you have ever fired a BAR from the shoulder you can imagine how it would walk a 100 lb yard around. They could do ok in the prone on a bi-pod,but it was tough for them to control while standing or kneeling.
