A lot of two Vietnam Class A shirts in a size 16.5″ x 33″.  Usually when I find these shirts, they are private purchase and void of government nomenclature.  Both of these shirts are clearly marked, “SHIRT, MAN’S, POLYESTER, ARMY TAN 446, TYPE II, CLASS 3, DSA100-69-C-1111, Blue Bell, INC.”  One appears to be unworn.  The other shirt has been worn and has a little “ring around the collar” that would wash out if laundered properly.  Otherwise, both shirts are in great shape.

Price: SOLD

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This is a grouping of military items I acquired directly from the veteran. He had been a KMAG advisor during the Korean War. This auction includes:

•    3 Overseas caps in excellent condition (green wool, khaki wool, and khaki cotton)

• Officers Class A “Pinks & Greens” w/ Infantry ciphers, DI’s, Lt Rank, and an interesting 5th Division patch w/ a white border.

• Khaki wool officer shirt and trousers with officer rank, three-place ribbon bar, KMAG patch, and AMAZING hand-made South Korean insignia (quilted bullion on velvet).

• Loose, never sewn hand-made Korean shoulder patch in quilted silk embroidery with Korean newspaper on the back. The vet said this piece of insignia was given to him as a gift from the Korean commander he worked with.

•    Dog Tags

• Loose Insignia including: three 5th Army patches, hand embroidered name tape on HBT, three KMAG patches with tabs, machine embroidered 2nd Lt bars on HBT in wax paper envelope, White printed name tape, 5th Division patch.

•    Korean-made swagger stick made from .50 caliber shell and 30-6 shell.

•    Korean-made wood name plaque.

•    2 Recent photos of vet holding his uniform (taken by me).

•    70 original black and white photos from Korea.

Price: SOLD

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This is one of the most extensive paperwork groups I’ve owned.  It contains the vet’s actual 201 file plus plenty of other interesting documents.  Before I detail the contents of this group, I will say this vet had a colorful military career, having received a Bronze Star Medal while serving on the front lines of Korea and a combat medic.  He also had two serious bouts of insubordination resulting Court Marshall trials and disciplinary action.  Both episodes involved alcohol and fist fighting!  The complete trial records for both offenses are included in his paperwork and make for a highly entertaining read.

The group consists of:

•    HBT utility shirt w/ theater-made white name tape, black/gold bevo Army tape, and cut-edge 1st Cavalry shoulder sleeve insignia
•    Sateen utility shirt w/ theater-made white name tape and hand embroidered Combat Medic Badge on HBT material, black/gold bevo Army tape, 24th Infantry shoulder sleeve insignia, and 1st Cavalry shoulder sleeve insignia
•    Set of Dog Tags w/ original surgical tubing over the chain
•    Sterling bracelet engraved with “24th MED BN Soldier of the Week” and “PFC K. DeBerry 3 FEB 50” engraved on the reverse side
•    Three-place ribbon bar w/ Good Conduct, Occupation Medal, and Korea Campaign Medal w/ three Bronze Stars
•    Individual ribbon bars for Korean Campaign (2), Good Conduct, and Bronze Star
•    Lapel pin for Good Conduct Medal
•    3-Ring binder w/ 24 snapshots, 6 ID cards, 55+ pages of documentation including awards, citations (including Bronze Star Medal), certificates, general orders, special orders, etc.  All photos are mounted on acid free board.  Photos and docs are in archival safe protective sheets.
•    Complete 201 file (not sure how he got to keep this)
•    File folder containing Court Marshall records, 4 racy Korea short-timer calendars, discharge certificates, and a bunch of other items.

Price: Sold

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Original WWII issued USMC Paramarine wool Class A blouse and trousers.  Blouse has a twill variant shoulder sleeve insignia, sterling marked pinback jump wings, PFC chevrons, matching EGA’s, and a two-place ribbon bar with a Pacific Theater ribbon and an American Campaign ribbon.

The trooper’s name (P.C. Hammons) is clearly inked inside the blouse and trousers and his name is verified on the Paramarine roster.  It is difficult to find original WWII Airborne items.  It is extremely difficult to find WWII Paramarine items, especially a clean uniform named to the vet!

Price: $850.00 (USD)

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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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