1968 Government Beret w/ Machine Embroidered 5th Group Flash

This is one of the first berets I acquired and it remains one of my favorites.  The nomenclature is virtually gone, but if you hold the beret at the right angle, you can see remnants of a DSA-68 code.  The 5th SFGA flash has darkened from sweat and soil, and the “D-22″ marked DI has an arrow broken off, giving the beret much character.  I particularly enjoy the build up of green verdigris following the outline of the harp.  The beret has a great drape and is perfectly salty!

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FANK Beret with Quilted Flash & Embroidered Liner

It’s been my experience that berets with fancy embroidered liners of tigers, dragons, shell bursts, etc seldom appear to have seen much use.  This is not the case with this beret.  The lining is nice and salty and shows notable use, yet it does not detract from the beautiful embroidery work.  The FANK / UITG flash is equally beautiful (and used).  It is the hand embroidered, quilted variety that some claim to be the 1st variation, with the later versions being embroidered on twill.  I haven’t confirmed this distinction.

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1967 Dated JFK Special Warfare Center Beret

This is another beret I’ve had in the collection for a long time.  When I purchased the beret, I was pleased to discover the vet had painted the leather tab inside the beret white and printed his name and Social Security number over the white.  I was able to research the veteran and learn he had a lengthy career in Special Forces with multiple tours in SEA (South East Asia).  The beret is 1967 dated and government contract through Dorothy Mills, Canada.  It has a machine embroidered JFK Special Warfare flash and DI.

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Read Vietnam Special Forces Green Berets: Part II

Until recently, little was known or published about MACV-SOG, an elite US Special Forces reconnaissance unit in Vietnam.  SOG was under joint command by 5th Special Forces Group and CIA with an objective to recon and disrupt the Ho Chi Minh trail by running cross-border operations into denied areas, primarily Laos and Cambodia.  SOG recon teams were small, typically 6 to 8 men.  They had a 1-0 (pronounced “One Zero”) who was the team leader, a 1-1 assistant team leader, and a 1-2 radioman.  The remaining personnel were typically indigenous mercenaries.  Depending on region, they could be Chinese Nungs, Montagnards, Cambodes, or Vietnamese.

The 1-0 was a leader with innate skill coupled with experience.  Rank was irrelevant on SOG teams.  Being “good in the woods” is what ultimately determined survival or failure.  1-0’s commanded respect from all of the Special Forces community.  The 1-0 jacket was a symbol worn at camp to distinguish themselves from other SOG personnel.  The 1-0 jacket was awarded to 1-0’s after completion of the Recon Team Leader course at Long Than.  Initially, they were intended to be worn in the field.  Photographic evidence verifies this.  However, the nylon material was noisy in the brush, so 1-0’s eventually opted to wear them in camp only.  Often times, jackets were modified with direct embroidery bearing the wearers name and SOG related themes like recon team names, “shell burst” skulls, etc.

There were three patterns of 1-0 jacket.  The first pattern (shown here) is a pull over with a removable hood.  There are two front slash pockets, single snap cuffs, and a rear “map pocket” in the lower back with a snap closure.  There is a small oilskin tag marked “M” inside the hood and collar to denote size (medium).  The second and third patterns are not pullover and do not have a removable hood.  SOG was a relatively small unit, so these jackets are extremely rare and often overlooked as being a simple windbreaker.

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This is a very complete group for a Special Forces veteran that served two tours in Vietnam and was killed on 16 July, 1970 at camp A-236 (Bu Prang) while patrolling the camp perimeter. Prior to assignment at Camp A-236, he was with 1st Special Forces Group and TDY’d to FOB-3, (Command and Control North MACV-SOG) on a Snakebite Team and served on a Hatchet Force. This vet is listed in Sherman’s Who Who in SOG on page 132. Some of his awards include: US and Philippine Jump Wings, Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Good Conduct Medals, Vietnamese Gross of Gallantry w/ Palm, PUB, and Navy PUC.

I purchased everything in this group from a person who lives in the same town as the veteran’s parents. He purchased the items directly from the family.

The items in this group include:

1. CISO made PJs. CISO (Counter Insurgency Support Office) was located on Okinawa and headed by Ben Baker. They made “sterile” untraceable weapons, equipment, and garments to be used by CIA, Special Forces, and Indigenous personnel in Vietnam and denied areas like Laos and Cambodia. There is ample photographic evidence of CISO PJs being worn by SOG Hatchet Teams in cross border operations.

This Set of PJs have been worn but are in excellent condition. They have the CISO silk size tags marked “M” for medium. The trousers have the vet’s initials in white laundry marker.

2. Tiger stripe camouflage shirt in “Tadpole Sparse” pattern. Size tag in neck is marked “A-L” for Asian Large. The shirt has strong color and all buttons with original thread. There is one pea-sized hole in the chest. Otherwise, the shirt is in excellent condition.

3. 1968 dated Jungle jacket in excellent condition. This must have been the soldier’s garrison jacket because it is crisp with nicely sewn insignia. The shoulder has early twill subdued Special Forces SSI. The breast has US and Philippine jump wings.

4. 1968 dated OG-107 Utility shirt with early twill subdued Special Forces SSI on the shoulder, a Combat Infantry Badge, and US Jump Wings. There are period repairs to both armpits that are not visible when displayed. The collar has a laundry tag with the last 4 digits of the vet’s Army serial number.

5. Rare and unique tiger stripe Okinawa-made apron with “SP/5 WEAVER, CAMP HARDY, COMBAT TRAINING CENTER” machine embroidered on the front. The vet’s MOS was Demolitions and I would assume that he wore this apron when working with and advising on explosives.

6. 1965 dated OG-107 Dive Shorts. The soldier’s nametape is sewn across the leg and his laundry ID is in the waist. These were commonly worn while scuba diving.

7. Green Class A Blouse with SSGT Chevrons and cut-edge color Special Forces SSI. The blouse has several moth nips, but still could display decently. Loose insignia is listed in number 17.

8. Black leather jump boots in excellent condition.

9. Theater-made camouflage ascot

10. Theater-made pillow cover with hand embroidered tiger and “Viet-Nam”.

11. Interesting rigger-made Airborne M1-C helmet web chin cup

12. Vietnam souvenir ceramic ashtray

13. The vet’s Basic Training yearbook from Fort Knox, Kentucky

14. Two Special Forces transfer decals

15. Training Manuals with Weaver’s Name on them

16. Spiral notebook with demolition notes and a letter to a girlfriend that he never finished…

17. Insignia including 8 nametapes, Army tape, two cloth jump wings, two cloth CIBs, two Special Forces para ovals, two subdued SF SSIs, two color SF SSIs, 1 color airborne tab, 5th Group flash, 1st Group flash, 10th Group flash, SF DI (with 1 prong missing), Vietnamese-made Playboy Bunny patch, Vietnamese made three place ribbon bar, EM garrison cap badge with blue infantry disk.

18. Montagnard carving of a Huey Helicopter

19. Copies of general orders and citations for Weaver’s Army Commendation Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Award Document.

20. Detailed NARA records containing undeleted sheets of Weaver’s awards received, assignments, and achievements.

Price: SOLD

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It’s been a busy day. I’ve been researching my new reinforced jump jacket and may have the vet identified. More on that later…

I just added a nice Vietnam Special Forces / SOG uniform, photo, document group to the This is a uniform, document, and photo group for a multiple tour Special Forces and SOG veteran.

CPT Thomas Dolighan was the S-2 for camp B-4630 in Thailand from 10/1966 to 09/1967, making him part of the original 46th Special Forces Group.  Later he was the S-4 for the CLD (Command Liason Detachment) in Saigon from 10/1967 to 03/1968.  Then Dolighan was the S-4 at FOB-3 from 03/1968 to 09/1968.

His tour at FOB-3 was interrupted when he was seriously wounded in the early morning of 08/23/68 at CCN headquarters, when over one hundred Viet Cong sappers penetrated the compound and killed 15 Special Forces NCOs and Officers, and 16 Chinese Nung mercenaries, Montagnards, and South Vietnamese Special Forces personnel.

CPT Dolighan also did a tour at B-55 (5th Mobile Strike Force) in Nha Trang, but exact the dates are unknown at this time.

The group includes:

1.    OD rip-stop medium-regular jungle jacket (dated 1968) with CCN made name and Army tapes, Thai Master Jump Wings, US Master Jump Wings, CIB, subdued SF shoulder sleeve insignia (on both shoulders to denote that he served and was in combat with SF), and a Ranger Tab.
2.    OG-107 Utility Shirt with subdued Special Forces SSI on both shoulders, Ranger Tab, Thai Master Jump Wings, US Master Jump Wings, CIB, and name and Army tapes.
3.    OG-107 Utility pants
4.    Nicely tailored Class A Blouse with Dolighan’s initials embroidered inside.  The insignia has been partially reconstructed (by me) based off a period photo.
5.    Two file boxes of paperwork including:
•     Thai Training Logs and Field Reports (46th Gp Tour)
•     Service Records containing general orders, special orders, award citations, transfer documents, etc (Some SOG related).
•    West Point Photos, grades, notes, etc
•    Field Manuals
•    ID Cards, business cards, issued weapon cards, souvenirs, etc
•    Language notes and books for Vietnamese and Thai
•    Rubber Stamps and stencils
•    Photographs in Vietnam, in 82nd Airborne, etc

Paperwork:

1)    File folder containing: 1. West Point grades 2. Special Orders 3. General Orders 4. Award Certificates 4. Permanent Orders 5. Photocopies of photos 6. Project Delta Recon Manual “Tips of the Trade/Lessons Learned”
2)    Vinyl 3-ring binder containing: 1. Copy of the CLD roster 2. NARA papers containing service record info 3.  23 8×10 photographs of Dolighan in the Army and at West Point 4. 4 5×7 photographs of Special Forces 5. Correspondence with 5th Special Forces archivist regarding Dolighan 6. More General orders 7. Photocopy of an article of the CCN sapper attack Dolighan was wounded in
3)    Vintage 3-ring binder containing Vietnam era TO&E (Tables, Organization, and Equipment)
4)    Vintage 3-ring binder containing Vietnam era SOP for Civil-Military Operations
5)    Vintage 3-ring binder containing Royal Thai Army (46th GP) Counterinsurgency Leadership Orientation Course
6)    Vintage 3-ring binder containing Royal Thai Army (46th GP) Counterinsurgency Company Level Training Course
7)    Vintage binder containing Royal Thai Army (46th GP) Lesson Plans (Vol II)
8)    Binder/Book containing the manual (5th Special Forces Group dated October 25th, 1967) for Regulations on Receiving, Issuing, and Awarding Decorations and Awards within Special Forces.  Discusses criteria, shows examples of write ups, etc.  Very unique book!
9)    Manual (legal size) for the Royal Thai Army Special Forces Officer Course at the Special Warfare School at Camp Pawai, Thailand Jan. 1967 (CPT Dolighan helped developed a lot of this curriculum)
10)    Manual (legal size) for SOP at DET C-101A (May 1966 46th SFGA)
11)    3 Legal sized folders stuffed with 46th GP lesson plans
12)    Legal sized folder containing 46th GP After Action Reports
13)    Folder containing “CT Camp Report”, a SF base camp in Thailand
14)    File folder containing press clippings of Thailand incidents of violence and US/Thai relations
15)    West Point Invitation to Founders Day Dinner 1966
16)    Dolighan’s Wedding invitation
17)    Military book published in Thai
18)    Military manual on Thai Military Subjects and Situations
19)    PSYOP Thailand Handbook
20)    United States Army School manual on Las – Vietnam Political and Military Background
21)    United States Forces Thailand Telephone Directory book (Jan. 1974)
22)    Book containing Thai information to incoming personnel (post exchange, customs, etc)
23)    Selected Bibliography for Southeast Asia put together by the Foreign Service Institute
24)    Note cards containing info on a Thai Special Forces presentation
25)    Newspaper article with CPT Dolighan in 5th GP beret
26)    Full color military map of Thailand
27)    US Army Handbook for Vietnam (dated Sept 1962)
28)    Book entitled “Speak Vietnamese” containing hand written notes from CPT Dolighan (1966 edition)
29)    Zip lock bag containing: Dolighan West Point name tape (1963), Soldiers Guide to Thailand booklet, map reading tools, Military Drivers license, 2 (1963 dated) M60 machine gun manuals, 6 private weapon registration cards (.45, .357, Walther 9mm, etc), business cards, code of conduct cards, etc
30)    MAJ Dolighan foot locker stencil
31)    Large plastic bag containing Ranger techniques booklet, Thai and Vietnamese phrase books, Thailand business cards, combat engineer/demo charts, too much to list!
32)    Other Vietnam/Military related pamphlets, booklets, files, etc

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