Vietnam War 5th Special Forces Green Beret MACV SOG SFOD B - 52 DELTA Patch
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:14389105 | Country/Region of Manufacture: Vietnam |
Theater made Extremly RARE Original Embroidered cloth Vietnam Special Forces MACV SOG Project DELTA SFOD B-52 patch. The patch shows only slight soiling soiling and age, but very good condition. Does not look to ever been attched. HISTORYDuring Vietnam war, Special Forces Operational Detachment SFOD B-52 Project DELTA was formed and headquartered in Nha Trang in October 1964. Patterned after a joint Vietnamese and CIDG reconnaissance project controlled by U.S. Sp...ecial Forces, code-name LEAPING LENA, Project DELTA conducted the most hazardous and critical missions inside the country of South Vietnam. The organizational structure and make up of the teams was very similar to LEAPING LENA. However, unlike its predecessor, Project DELTA would prove to be one of the most successful Special Operations units in Vietnam War. In June of 1965, 5th Special Forces Group (A), Detachment B-52 was activated to act as a controller and headquarters element for the newly formed Project DELTA and its clandestine operations. The mission of Project DELTA was to conduct special reconnaissance missions in corps areas that were designated jointly by COMUSMACV and the Vietnamese Joint Central Staff. The missions were conducted under operational control (OPCON) of a division or larger command. While the operational strength of B-52 varied and fluctuated during its history, typically it was comprised of 11 officers and 82 enlisted men from the U.S. Army Special Forces, a 105 man CIDG Nung Security Company responsible for Compound and TCC security and Bomb Damage Assessment (BDA), 20 officers and 78 enlisted men from the Vietnamese Special Forces, a 123 man CIDG Roadrunner Company and the 81st Airborne Ranger Battalion (RVN) made up of 43 officers and 763 enlisted men. The 81st Airborne Ranger Battalion was the reactionary force for Project DELTA.
MACV SOG Reconnaissance Teams composed of Special Forces Soldiers and Indigenous personnel penetrated the enemy's most dangerous redoubts in the jungles of the Laotian wilderness and the sanctuaries of eastern Cambodia. Pursued by human trackers and even bloodhounds, these small teams outmaneuvered, outfought and outran their numerically superior foe, to uncover key enemy facilities, rescue downed pilots, plant wiretaps, mines and electronic sensors, capture valuable enemy prisoners, ambush convoys, discover an tactics as old as the French and Indian War. Fighting alongside their Montagnard, Chinese Nung, Cambodian and Vietnamese allies, SOG's Special Forces Recon Teams, Hatchet Force and SLAM Teams and platoons staged daring assess targets for B-52 strikes, and inflict casualties all out of proportion to their own losses. When enemy counter-measures became dangerously effective, SOG operators innovated their own counters, from high altitude parachuting and unusual explosive devices, to raids against key enemy facilities in Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam, overran major munitions and supply stockpiles, and blocked enemy highways to choke off the flow of supplies to South Vietnam. SOG's cross-border operations proved an effective economy-of-force, compelling the North Vietnamese Army to divert 50, 000 soldiers to rear area security duties, far from the battlefields of South Vietnam. Supporting these hazardous missions were SOG's own U.S. and South Vietnamese Air Force Transport and Helicopter Squadrons, along with USAF Forward Air Controllers and Helicopter Units of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. These courageous aviators often flew through heavy fire to extract SOG operators from seemingly hopeless situations, saving lives by selflessly risking their own.The first MACV - SOG Reconnaissance Teams were initially called "SPIKE TEAMS", each team consisting of 3 US SF personnel and 9 indigenous personnel more or less. The primary mission of the teams was strategic reconnaissance gathering. The recon teams focused their energies on specific areas of the trail in order to obtain current up to date information on construction, troop movements, supplies, etc. This information was often gained at great risk to the recon teams and transmitted to OP-34 ground studies branch at SOG HQ for inclusion into the daily SITREP Reports. Relatively lightly armed the recon teams were not designed to slug it out in a pitched battle with the enemy. Instead they relied on moving without being detected, in the event a team was compromised (detected) they would break contact quickly and evade the enemy. When a recon teams were in difficulty they could call for assistance from US led reaction forces known as "HATCHET FORCES. Hatchet Forces were also used for ambushes as well as reinforcing recon teams when needed. Two or more "HATCHET FORCES" combined were termed as a "HAVOC" or "HORNET" force. The Hatchet Teams were the most aggressive of all Recon Units and were considered to be free-Lancers and operated in the True Sense as 'Aggressive Harassment Teams. Hatchet Teams were Platoon Size and much less clandestine than the Recon Teams. Hatchet Teams were inserted and extracted via Helicopter usually clearing their own LZ for pick-ups within Hot Enemy Areas well behind enemy lines. Operating primarily along the border region with Laos and North Vietnam the units dropped into enemy territory and commenced Search and Destroy missions, often, and usually with Enemy Units of much larger sizes. Hatchet teams were also dropped into areas with the Smaller Recon Teams had located large enemy forces. Also used in the pursuit of Captured US POW's known to be en-route to rear units. The attrition rate of the Hatchet Teams was high and often extractions were less than 50% of personnel that commenced operations. SOG's full companies were called "SLAM" companies, Search, Location, Annihilation, Monitor or Mission. Most if not all of SOG's Teams had their own insignia's made up in the form of cloth patches in order to enhance team unity and esprit de corps. As most of the indigenous personnel couldn't speak English, graphics (ie Tigers, skulls, snakes, hatchets, etc) were more symbolic to them and easily understandable than words. Umpteen different cloth patches and variations exist for SOG's recon teams. Many of SOG's personnel are among the POW/MIA who never returned and are discrepancy cases.Command and Control North, SOG's largest command fielded approximately 35 Reconnaissance Teams named after US States, Snakes and Spiders. CCN Recon Teams were; Adder, Alaska, Anaconda, ASP, Bushmaster, Cobra Alakapong, Connecticut, Crusader, Habu, Hunter, Idaho, Indiana, Indigo, Intruder, Kansas, Krait, Louisiana, Mamba, Mississippi, Missouri, Moccasin, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Python, Rhode Island, Rattler, Sidewinder, Tarantula, Viper, Virginia, Wyoming and WASP.Command and Control Central fielded approximately 25 Reconnaissance Teams which were named after US States. CCC Recon Teams were; Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia. Command and Control Central also had four 'SLAM' Companies A, B, C, and D and used indigenous personnel recruited and paid for by MACV-SOG.Command and Control South, SOG's smallest command fielded approximately 10 Reconnaissance Teams which were name mostly after tools. CCS Recon Teams were; Fork, Lightning, Plane, Pike, Spike, Trowel, Weather, Sickle, Level and Measure.
I WILL NOT SHIP TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY. IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE OF AMERICA, I WILL NOT SHIP TO YOU DIRECTLY. YOU WILL HAVE TO USE EBAY GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM. NO EXCEPTIONS.I accept Pay Pal. I try to ship out next day after payment is done. I will put all winnings in one box for lower shipping (COMBINED). I will send only to the Pay Pal Address listed in the States or US Global shipping program. Because of the value I will ship insured and signature confirmation required. No exceptions. Please ask any questions before bidding. I am a private seller and not an expert on the subjects, please research your item being sold and bid accordingly. Prices very due to the rarity and type of patch. These patches have been in my collection for many years, which I am parting with so others could collect and enjoy. Thank you
I am selling a long time collection of US Vietnam Special Forces and ARVN. I have many hand made originals. Most appear to be originals dictated by pricing. I'm going be listing them so save me as a seller. If anyone has an interest in a specific patch, or group, let me know I might have it. I have been a long time collector finally selling his collection for others to enjoy.
MACV SOG Reconnaissance Teams composed of Special Forces Soldiers and Indigenous personnel penetrated the enemy's most dangerous redoubts in the jungles of the Laotian wilderness and the sanctuaries of eastern Cambodia. Pursued by human trackers and even bloodhounds, these small teams outmaneuvered, outfought and outran their numerically superior foe, to uncover key enemy facilities, rescue downed pilots, plant wiretaps, mines and electronic sensors, capture valuable enemy prisoners, ambush convoys, discover an tactics as old as the French and Indian War. Fighting alongside their Montagnard, Chinese Nung, Cambodian and Vietnamese allies, SOG's Special Forces Recon Teams, Hatchet Force and SLAM Teams and platoons staged daring assess targets for B-52 strikes, and inflict casualties all out of proportion to their own losses. When enemy counter-measures became dangerously effective, SOG operators innovated their own counters, from high altitude parachuting and unusual explosive devices, to raids against key enemy facilities in Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam, overran major munitions and supply stockpiles, and blocked enemy highways to choke off the flow of supplies to South Vietnam. SOG's cross-border operations proved an effective economy-of-force, compelling the North Vietnamese Army to divert 50, 000 soldiers to rear area security duties, far from the battlefields of South Vietnam. Supporting these hazardous missions were SOG's own U.S. and South Vietnamese Air Force Transport and Helicopter Squadrons, along with USAF Forward Air Controllers and Helicopter Units of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. These courageous aviators often flew through heavy fire to extract SOG operators from seemingly hopeless situations, saving lives by selflessly risking their own.The first MACV - SOG Reconnaissance Teams were initially called "SPIKE TEAMS", each team consisting of 3 US SF personnel and 9 indigenous personnel more or less. The primary mission of the teams was strategic reconnaissance gathering. The recon teams focused their energies on specific areas of the trail in order to obtain current up to date information on construction, troop movements, supplies, etc. This information was often gained at great risk to the recon teams and transmitted to OP-34 ground studies branch at SOG HQ for inclusion into the daily SITREP Reports. Relatively lightly armed the recon teams were not designed to slug it out in a pitched battle with the enemy. Instead they relied on moving without being detected, in the event a team was compromised (detected) they would break contact quickly and evade the enemy. When a recon teams were in difficulty they could call for assistance from US led reaction forces known as "HATCHET FORCES. Hatchet Forces were also used for ambushes as well as reinforcing recon teams when needed. Two or more "HATCHET FORCES" combined were termed as a "HAVOC" or "HORNET" force. The Hatchet Teams were the most aggressive of all Recon Units and were considered to be free-Lancers and operated in the True Sense as 'Aggressive Harassment Teams. Hatchet Teams were Platoon Size and much less clandestine than the Recon Teams. Hatchet Teams were inserted and extracted via Helicopter usually clearing their own LZ for pick-ups within Hot Enemy Areas well behind enemy lines. Operating primarily along the border region with Laos and North Vietnam the units dropped into enemy territory and commenced Search and Destroy missions, often, and usually with Enemy Units of much larger sizes. Hatchet teams were also dropped into areas with the Smaller Recon Teams had located large enemy forces. Also used in the pursuit of Captured US POW's known to be en-route to rear units. The attrition rate of the Hatchet Teams was high and often extractions were less than 50% of personnel that commenced operations. SOG's full companies were called "SLAM" companies, Search, Location, Annihilation, Monitor or Mission. Most if not all of SOG's Teams had their own insignia's made up in the form of cloth patches in order to enhance team unity and esprit de corps. As most of the indigenous personnel couldn't speak English, graphics (ie Tigers, skulls, snakes, hatchets, etc) were more symbolic to them and easily understandable than words. Umpteen different cloth patches and variations exist for SOG's recon teams. Many of SOG's personnel are among the POW/MIA who never returned and are discrepancy cases.Command and Control North, SOG's largest command fielded approximately 35 Reconnaissance Teams named after US States, Snakes and Spiders. CCN Recon Teams were; Adder, Alaska, Anaconda, ASP, Bushmaster, Cobra Alakapong, Connecticut, Crusader, Habu, Hunter, Idaho, Indiana, Indigo, Intruder, Kansas, Krait, Louisiana, Mamba, Mississippi, Missouri, Moccasin, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Python, Rhode Island, Rattler, Sidewinder, Tarantula, Viper, Virginia, Wyoming and WASP.Command and Control Central fielded approximately 25 Reconnaissance Teams which were named after US States. CCC Recon Teams were; Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia. Command and Control Central also had four 'SLAM' Companies A, B, C, and D and used indigenous personnel recruited and paid for by MACV-SOG.Command and Control South, SOG's smallest command fielded approximately 10 Reconnaissance Teams which were name mostly after tools. CCS Recon Teams were; Fork, Lightning, Plane, Pike, Spike, Trowel, Weather, Sickle, Level and Measure.
I WILL NOT SHIP TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY. IF YOU LIVE OUTSIDE OF AMERICA, I WILL NOT SHIP TO YOU DIRECTLY. YOU WILL HAVE TO USE EBAY GLOBAL SHIPPING PROGRAM. NO EXCEPTIONS.I accept Pay Pal. I try to ship out next day after payment is done. I will put all winnings in one box for lower shipping (COMBINED). I will send only to the Pay Pal Address listed in the States or US Global shipping program. Because of the value I will ship insured and signature confirmation required. No exceptions. Please ask any questions before bidding. I am a private seller and not an expert on the subjects, please research your item being sold and bid accordingly. Prices very due to the rarity and type of patch. These patches have been in my collection for many years, which I am parting with so others could collect and enjoy. Thank you
I am selling a long time collection of US Vietnam Special Forces and ARVN. I have many hand made originals. Most appear to be originals dictated by pricing. I'm going be listing them so save me as a seller. If anyone has an interest in a specific patch, or group, let me know I might have it. I have been a long time collector finally selling his collection for others to enjoy.
