A Patch "On the Come"

[D. Michael Kim]

I have been having a great run this month playing poker that I just had to put a few dollars down on this patch, as they say "ON THE COME". I have found no information on this patch, but believe from the design that it is SF related.

Would appreciate any help to identify.

[D. Michael Kim]

Back of Patch

[Bob Chatt]

Dennis-I believe it is a copy, and there seems to be quite a few of this same design on Ebay the last couple of weeks. They are usually just listed as Vietnam era patch.....

[D. Michael Kim]

Bob, any information on the unit?

[Bob Chatt]

I might be wrong, but I would bet it is a fantasy piece made to look like a SF patch.

[j j cartafalsa]

sf patch?

It looks like a cambodian design?

Luc Luong = Force
Phong Toa = Blockade
= Blockade Force

After 1972, there were many small units (Vietnamese) that had their own
patches with as little as 20 patches being made.

I've never seen this patch.

Joe

[D. Michael Kim]

Information received.

Charlie Brown is a former Ranger, whom I had mentioned in the Ranger Thread that is recording the military history of the Vietnamese Armed Forces. He has proven to me to have a wealth of information.

After further discussions with him he informed me that this unit was formed after Tet ’68, to have a nation wide reaction force available to conduct operations to save American lives. This was the result of the takeover of the American Embasy in Saigon. This unit was under the control of the Special Forces. The patch shown was for Team A, Team B had a similar patch, the only difference was the background color which was brown or green. This unit was short lived for about 1 year and 10 months.

The information provided me was based on his discussions with Col. Tran Kim Dai. As stated I have not found any information on this patch and have not seen one for sale. Who knows it may be good, and it does have a known history.

Information from Charlie as shown below.


charliebrown phuong to me

Hello Ranger.

I don't sure about this patch but i'm do have a little bit informations want to share with you.

"Around 1968, the Mike Force ( an element of U.S Special Forces in Viet Nam) organized new combat unit with it own headquarter located at Nha Trang.

The "Lực Lượng Phản Ứng Toàn Quốc" ( "Nationwide Reaction Force" ) have six companies and the troops were picked only from six ethnics group ( there are 58 elthnics in Viet Nam) among the Việt people : They were the Nùng (M'nong); Chàm (Cham); Stiêng (S'teng); Cơ Ho (K'ho); Ra Đê (R'hade); Kinh (the majority elthnic, who hold the nation destiny). These six companies were formed into two team : A (Alpha) and B (Bravo).

Team A : " Lực Lượng Phong Tỏa" ( "Blockades Force" )......( as the patch shown ).
Team B : " Lực Lượng Xung Kích" ( "Strike Force" ), this team commanded by Major Trần Kim Đại*, an outstanding Vietnamese Special Forces officer .

( * Major Trần Kim Đại (1933) then Lieutenant Colonel, Commander of the 42th Ranger Group from 1971 to 1972 in the IV Military Zone ( IV Corps) with four battalions : 66th- 85th- 93th and 94th. From 6/6/1972 to 15/9/1974. he's a Colonel and Commanded the 1st Ranger Group at the I Military Zone ( I Corps) with three battalions : 21st- 37th- 39th (at that time, me, CharlieBrown Phương, as a combat radio operator for the Forward Air Control (FAC) and Naval Gunfires Support

(NGS) for the 21st Ranger Battalion). These short informations about the patch of the "Lực Lượng Phong Tỏa" came from former Colonel Trần Kim Đại...and that all i have.

Aloha .