Earliest Campaign Patches

[D. Michael Kim]

In a rush during the past few weeks I found these two patches which I find both fascinating and
historical. I recently bought one (hand embroidered) from an old collection, found out about another that existed from Hunter, and then found it on eBay and bought it. At my age, a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush. I just don't have the time to wait hoping to find another one later to complete this grouping. Both patches were made French style with safety pins to attach to the uniform as a pocket patch.

[D. Michael Kim]

I had seen this patch several years ago but did not record information on it. My first guess was that it was air force related due to the wings of the dragonfly. But when seeing the sword, I felt it had to be infantry related.

I sent this patch to Charlie Brown and he immediately informed me that it was a very early patch, made to commemorate two military campaigns. To say the least he was excited. I am not positive, but these patches may be the earliest (1956) campaign patches made, very similar to later campaign patches issued for battles occurring during the Easter Offensive in 1972.

The following is what Charlie provided to me:

Translation

Chien Dich =’s campaign

Symbolism of the patch.

The sword represents a military combat operation


Red (background) and yellow (3 stripes, 2 on top and 1 on bottom) represents the South Vietnamese Flag

The Needle Dragonfly represents the Farmer, who was respected for growing rice in delta. The dragon fly eats bugs, is peaceful and helpful to the people as the farmer is.

The Mekong River also known as the 9 Dragon River (Cuu Long) has 9 tributaries that lead to the sea in the Delta. This region is where the campaigns were fought. The dragon fly represents the tributaries as follows:

The sword as 1
The 2 wings
The 2 antenna
And the 4 legs

Nguyen Hue Campaign."Chiến Dịch Nguyễn Huệ", began on 1.1.1956 to 31.5.1956

Thoai Ngoc Hau Campaign."Chiến Dịch Thoại Ngọc Hầu", began on 8.6.1956 to 30.10.1956


Both of these campaigns were under the command of Major General Dương Văn Minh (Big Minh) (16.2.1916- 6.8.2001).

The purpose of these campaigns were to bring the resistance forces of two religious sects, the Hòa Hảo and Cao Đài, that controlled parts of the Mekong Delta to join the Army of the Republic of Viet Nam (ARVN or Quân Đội Việt Nam Cộng Hòa, not yet to be known Quân Lực Việt Nam Cộng Hòa and later, Armed Forces of the Republic of Viet Nam, AFRVN).

The Cao Đài sect had its’ central temple in Tây Ninh, and part of it army was under command of Colonel Trình Minh Thế (1922-1955), who brought his forces to Sài Gòn to join with the ARVN in 13.2.1955, and was promoted to Major General by President Ngô Đình Diệm (3.1.1901-2.11.1963). On 3.5.1955, general T.M.Thế was killed by a single shot from unknown person while he commanded government forces to defeat the Bình Xuyên force, gangsters, which controlled the police in Sài Gòn and Chợ Lớn.

The Cao Đài also had another part of its army in the Mekong Delta. This force was under command of Colonel Văn Thành Cao (1924 - ), who agreed to join the ARVN during the "Nguyen Hue Campaign" and became Major General.

Note: Nguyễn Huệ is the real name of Hoàng Đế Quang Trung ( Emperor Quang Trung ), (1753-1792), who defeated the Xiem (Thailand) army in the Me Kong Delta in 1785, and defeat the Chinese army in 1789.

Emperor Quang Trung was one of the best emperors in Việt Nam history, the founder of First Nguyễn Dynasty (1778-1802) and named the country as Đại Việt (Great Viet).

There is also the Second Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945), founded by Nguyễn Ánh or Emperor Gia Long (1762-1820), renamed the country as Đại Nam (Great Nam ) , but his succeeding emperors failed to hold the country together and lost it to the French in 1884. After that year, the French still kept the Việt emperors on the throne, but these kings had no power and were only figureheads.

More information on emperor Quang Trung can be found on Wekipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quang_Trung


Enjoy the information, mahalo for asking me.
Wish you well with best regards.
Charlie Brown Phương.
From.M. KIM <titanlocker@gmail.com>
To: charliebrown phuong <kalemakue@yahoo.com>
Sent: Thu, August 26, 2010 2:43:14 AM

[D. Michael Kim]

After conducting further research I was able to identify five other patches that were issued in 1972 for different major campaigns (Battles) that a patch was issued.

a. An Loc tab for the rangers that fought at the battle for An Loc.

See more information at this site http://www.vnafmamn.com/Valiant_Anloc.html on this battle. For other information
see sites on left.

[D. Michael Kim]

b. Quang Tri Chien Thang patch for the Battle for Hue issued to Marines, Airborne and Rangers

[D. Michael Kim]

c. A blue and red rectangle (top right) and red and yellow (bottom left) patches for the Battle for Binh Long (Binh Long Anh Dung) located at Loc Ninh, An Loc and Chon Than.

[D. Michael Kim]

d. Bottom middle and bottom right circular patches for Battle for Binh Long

[D. Michael Kim]

e. A rectangular patche for Battle for Kontum (Kong Tum Kieu Hung)

[D. Michael Kim]

I have discovered from the 5 patches with variants, there are 11 total, but I am positive there were other variants made. If any one has other patches not shown, please post. These are campaign patches were issued 16 years after the previous two patches were issued. Why was no other patches made to commemorate other main battles such as occurred during Tet 1968?

It is a challenge to be able to find information, but I hope to find more to try to preserve the history of these patches. It may be not complete, but will provide insight on why they were made.

DMK

[Patrick Dempsey]

Dennis,

very interesting post.

As you know i am not a cloth collector in any real sense, although i very much enjoy the commentary on the iconography used on their designs.

Valuable pieces of historical puzzles.

As an aside, from where does CB glean his information?

[D. Michael Kim]

Patrick,

If you go to the Ranger Thread, I believe I mentioned how I came into contact with Charlie.
He is Amerasain and was adopted by a American unit as a mascot at a young age. There
he learned English, and when he became of age immediately joined the military. He served primarily with the rangers, with stints with airborne and special forces units, and due to his command of English was a FO directing naval gunfire.

Talking with him I discovered that he has a passion to record as much as he can about the military history of the Vietnamese Armed Forces. He has amassed a library of over 100 books
and has contact with the different Vietnamese military associations in the United States. Whenever, I have had questions about an item or unit he has been able to research the item and provide me with information. After reviewing his response I would call and discuss in detail what he has discovered and expand on his initial responses.

I have not had the opportunity to meet him, but he should be coming to Honolulu shortly. When he does I will be able to meet with him and other veterans to reminisce the past. I know that Texas A&M has a program recording the war, and I would like to try to put them together as
a resource. Having served, I am positive that he would be a research asset.

Information provided on the "Patch on the Come" and these early campaign patches are both informative and accurate. He was very excited to see the Chieh Disch patch and called me immediately to inform me that he thought it was both a rare and historical piece of history.

Of all of my of Vietnamese contacts, he is the best overall.

DMK

[nguoi tien su]

Very interesting. Thank you for taking time posting all those info.

[D. Michael Kim]

Just when you think you found everything, something else pops up. Here is another varient for the Nguyen Hue patch. The one previous shown was printed on paper and then enclosed in plastic. The workmanship of this patch is much finer than the previous one shown.