Another Band Of Brothers

[Frisco-Kid]

For a few years now, my wife and I have attended a VN Veteran's gathering that is held the last weekend of April outside Elijay, GA. About every branch of the service and every era of the war is represented. It is hosted by a couple veterans that have a retreat in these north Georgia mountains. We were unable to make it this year as we had to make a trip to CA to visit my sister, who had recently had a heart attack. She's fully recovered.

We did, however, go last year. Some of the Airborne guys decided to go to Camp Toccoa for the day on Saturday, but my wife and I were obligated to meet my brother and his family in Chattanooga, TN, for the day. I was sorry to be missing out on the trip with my buddies, but what are ya gonna do? When we got back to Elijay that evening, I was pleased to find out that my Airborne brothers hadn't forgotten me. They picked me up a t-shirt from the historic camp. I was very grateful, but next April I'll go get my own souveniers.

Pic 1: Me, 101st; Dan, 101st; Tom, 1st Cav; James, 101st.
Pic 2: Screaming Eagles - James, 1/327; Dan, 1/327; Me, the best looking, 2/502. Each of us has also served with the 82nd.
Pic 3: My wife made this small quilt for our hosts to hang on the wall of their cabin. In each corner is the insignia of each branch of the service. In the bottom, center, is the Coast Guard insignia. The other patches are all of the army units that served in VN.
Pic 4: Me enjoying some of the plentiful food.
Pic 5: My wife, Kathy, is also a VN Era Vet.

 

[Advisor]

Kid...don't see my unit on the quilt

 

[Frisco-Kid]

Kid...don't see my unit on the quilt

It would be ALOT bigger if she put every company, squadron, battalion, regiment, etc., etc., patch on there. What combat patch were you authorized to wear back in the states? I'm guessing you probably wore a MACV patch.

These were my Parachute Infantry Regiment patches in the 101st for example, but I wore the Screaming Eagle patch for a combat patch on my right shoulder when I returned to the states. The others wouldn't be authorized. Parachute Infantry Regiment patches used to be worn on the pocket while you were in that unit, but that was MANY years ago. Too bad, because some of these small-unit patches were pretty cool.

 

[Advisor]

I operated with a MACV advisory team, guess that is opcon, but my parent unit was XXIV Corps.