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Green Berets. It's a unit in the U. S. Special Forces. (Your talking about the movie Rambo, right? Cause I am.)
The 173rd Abn Bde and possibly the 82nd Abn Div reportedly made a combat jump in Vietnam. The 101st Abn was redesignated an Airmobile Division in Vietnam, however the unit patches tab still retained it's AIRBORNE designation, and stationary reflected the title, "101st Airborne (Airmobile) Division."
1. Is it a metal badge, or a cloth badge based upon a metal one? 2. Is it a badge or shoulder patch, or unit crest (battalion crest)? 3. Is it a collar insignia? During the Vietnam War, for the US Army, "wings" signified aviation; "crossed rifles" indicated infantry; a "lightning bolt" and a "small shield" hints at being a battalion crest (unit crest). Combined altogether indicates either an "in-country home made" badge (was was extremely common) or possibly an ARP (Aerial Rifle Platoon) platoon badge. ARPs were an authorized unit...but they may have existed only in Vietnam. ARPs and LRRPs (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol) seem to be the only Vietnam War outfits that have disappeared; the Green Beret (SF), SEALS, Rangers, Recon, and Snipers still exist.
1. The Vietnam War was the LAST war in which servicemen were issued a SERIAL NUMBER. Having your father's serial number would help your research; most US Servicemen from Vietnam will have TWO numbers-SSN & Serial #. Go by the SSN; but the serial number will assist you; Vietnam was a transitional period for the military. 2. Contact the VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America); this is vet organization, the same as the VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, etc. The VVA was founded by Viet War vets; the VFW was founded by Spanish-American War vets in 1899; the Legion was founded by WW1 vets in 1919; and the AMVETS were founded by WW2 vets in 1944. 3. Each Unit (Division, Regiment, Squadron, Battalion) normally has a website. When you find out which UNIT your father was in, go to that site.
"Vietnam; Order of Battle", by Shelby Stanton Go to your public library; if they don't have the book you want they can order it for you via the "inter-library loan" system. Another words, if they don't have it in their library then they'll borrow it for you from another library from anywhere in the US.