Hunter-Killer Patches - 1969-73
Cobra and LOH crewmembers wore this patch on their left shoulder over the 25th Infantry Division and then later the 1st Aviation Brigade patch to indicate that they were part of a "Hunter Killer Team". See comments Don Borey
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Dennis Rogers: (1969) I believe a 2nd Lt. came to me with a handmade proto type patch in late May or early in June, 1969 to ask if I liked it. He said that they were waiting on authorization from the higher ups for official approval. A week or two later he came back with the first batch of badges for me to give to the LOH crews and he was giving them to the Cobra crews and that it was now official.
He said that they were only for the LOH and Cobra hunter killer teams and we would be the only ones allowed to wear them. I still have the proto type and letter I sent home with the patch to show my Parents (see below). My Mother gave the letter and patch back to me a few years ago. The letter is dated and on Viet Nam army stationary. I have been thinking about reproducing the patch so I could send one to any LOH or Cobra crewmember that can show they flew with us. Dennis Rogers
Brian Harrison / Wayne Moose/ Michael Woods:
Here is the patch from 1972:
1971 Patch on right from Tom Olsson's flight suit.
Don Borey: The patches were in use in F Troop when I joined the troop in March 1971. Most people who had them on their flight suits were wearing patches with D Troop on them. I don't know who took care of having them made, but I do know that they weren't given to you just because you were in the unit. As I recall, you only were awarded the patch if you had a mission that resulted in a confirmed body count. If you did, then that evening in the Lai Khe After Dark O'Club, there was a ceremony where you were awarded the patch. I want to say that the patch was pinned on your shoulder sleeve and then "wetted" down with some alcoholic beverage, but I am not certain if my memory is accurate on that recollection. By the time we got to Lai Khe the patches had F Troop on them. I still have one that I sent home to my dad. I am not sure if the tradition continued after I left in January 1972 especially after the move north. We got a huge turnover of pilots in January as other units stood down. Some of the guys who were in the troop until Feb 1973 can shed more light on whether the tradition continued. It was sort of like an acknowledgment that you were "blooded."