PHOTOSHOOT: 2/503/173rd , 1966 - Wehrmacht-Awards.com Militaria Forums

gargoyle · 09-19-2011, 12:21 PM

gargoyle · 09-19-2011, 12:46 PM

Could I ask a Moderator to correct my clumsy typo in the title? It should of course be 2/503/173rd

Beezman · 09-19-2011, 02:20 PM

Cool pics! I like that early PRC-25 handset!
Are you sure about the M-14 in the 173rd?

gargoyle · 09-19-2011, 02:34 PM

Hi Beezman, glad you like them

In Stanton's "Special Forces At War" on page 121 there's another picture, I can scan it tomorrow.

Gil Burket · 09-19-2011, 10:07 PM

Nice photos and a lot of good looking gear.

My only question would be for the gentleman who has the 173rd patch in the center of his helmet. I'd have to look through some of the 173rd photos, but I can't recall a patch being worn that way. Looks like it would make a great aiming point for sniper.

603dasc · 09-19-2011, 11:35 PM

"My only question would be for the gentleman who has the 173rd patch in the center of his helmet. I'd have to look through some of the 173rd photos, but I can't recall a patch being worn that way. Looks like it would make a great aiming point for sniper."

I had exactly the same thought. I have never seen anyone wear a helmet with a unit patch front and center. I do have a combat worn one that the guy wore his CIB on his helmet, but that's as close as I've ever seen.

gargoyle · 09-20-2011, 01:57 AM

A pack of smokes, a CIB, jump wings, a patch - all of these can be easily spotted. But you still see pictures of them being worn.

gargoyle · 09-20-2011, 02:21 AM

One more with patches on helmets:

And one more with M14:

nguoi tien su · 09-20-2011, 09:57 AM

Great photos !

The patch worn that way on the helmet is not uncommun with the Herd. I remember also a photo of Dak To with black soldiers in a large fox hole (if memory serves well).

I do wish I had your handset !

I have been trying to get one for years.

nguoi tien su · 09-20-2011, 10:03 AM

That's the one. #1 and #4.

cookie · 09-20-2011, 10:54 AM

Hi, nice photos. Was the M14 used for sniping? Part of the unit's TOE?

gargoyle · 09-20-2011, 11:19 AM

Thanks NTS, your input is much appreciated.

Cookie, sniping is very likely. Or they might not have had enough M16s available, so some people were given the M14.

The photos in the 1st post were taken with Olympus Pen EE-2, one loaded with a 400 black and white film and the other with a 200 color.

We use modern digital cameras as a "backup" and some pictures turn out pretty good:

kammo man · 09-20-2011, 10:57 PM

Great job !!!

Nice and simple with no big war poses always work best .

Lets see more .

owen

Gil Burket · 09-20-2011, 11:01 PM

I stand corrected! As I have told others, one has to keep an open mind when looking at things from the Vietnam era. Thanks for posting the photos.

MikeP · 09-20-2011, 11:59 PM

"Herd" guys took a lot of pride in their outfit.
Though most of these guys were draftees or joined to beat the draft, they were Airborne volunteers.
A big deal im those days.
Guys who were willing to take the extra step and liked the geegaws that came with the uniform.

Most of them went through basic, AIT, Jump School and straight to RVN.
Few young troopers had any "division" time and left the service as soon as they could.

I went through Airborne Infantry AIT in 1967. It was Airborne oriented and run just like jump school. Most of the cadre were fresh 173rd vets.
Some had reenlisted, others just had time left.
The Herd got dipped in some serious stuff in the early days-before support got real effective.
I'd estimate that 90% of my BAC class, Spring '67, went straight to RVN.
The rest of us had orders for further training.