The recondo school is located 20 miles from the outer drop zones on the fort bragg military reservation in north carolina. The training is rigorous, demanding, and sometime dangerous. Just 3,515 men graduated, not quite twothirds of all who tried. With 260 hours of instruction during the first two weeks, the third and. In just over four years of operation, over 5,600 students attended recondo school. Sf, pathfinder, rangerslrrp, recondo, select airborne.
Us army recondo school 101st airborne division patch. Follows a class of soldiers through the threeweek training course to become recondo, a soldier who plans and makes reconnaissance patrols into enemy territory. Us special forces macv recondo school vietnam war semisubdued patch. Due to global pandemic, usps delivery may be temporarily delayed.
Badge to sew on the field or combat uniform us army vietnam 25th infantry division recondo pocket patch. You had to bet your life to graduate from the vietnamera recondo. The recondo school is located approximately 20 miles from the outer drop zones on the fort bragg military reservation in north carolina. Recondo school vietnam 25th infantry division crips. Recondo school was used in vietnam to train reconnaissance units, and it. This is the patch for the iii corp mechondo school. The lrrp training program was established in may 1964 and administered by members. Us army personnel train at the macv military assistance command. Baker was given the job of forming and commanding the macv recondo school, based on deltas recon experience and the 101sts recondo school. Army term for reconnaissance and commando for highly specialized infantry training andor a graduate of a recondo school who led small heavily armed long. Jul 26, 2016 recondo school vietnam, graduation exercise was an actual patrol against real enemies, earning recondo school the nickname the deadliest school on earth. The macv recondo, jungle expert, foreign jump wings and several more patches were some. Here is what you didnt know about the coveted army tabs.
Original vietnam war army 25th infantry recondo special forces arrow patch. The macv recondo, jungle expert, foreign jump wings and several more patches. Although each recondo school had its own insignia and patch, the downwardfacing arrowhead and black and white theme remained the same. Recondo school vietnam 25th infantry division crips vietnam. United states army reconnaissance and surveillance leaders. Other commands learned of the soldiers being trained by delta and were soon sending their own troops. Recondo is an american military term for reconnaissance and commando for a specialized infantry training or a graduate of a recondo school who leads a small armed longrange reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemyheld territory. It was 20 days long and culminated with an actual combat mission. This patch only awarded to graudates of the macv special forces training school at hon tre island excellent, rare patch of the recondo school, nha trang and hon tre island. Shop 18th airborne corps recondo patch shirt created by airborneclassics.
Recondo one of the most prestigious qualifications that could be earned by soldiers during the vietnam war was to graduate from the recondo school. Vintage original vietnam war incountry machine embroidered patch, size is 3 by 2. School, graduates will be authorized to wear the recondo patch while in theater. Graduates wore the patch till the mid 80s when the army directed that certain patches were no longer authorized on the new bdu uniform.
The sfab patch pays homage to a combination of the military assistance command, vietnam macv insignia and. The patch is a combination of either a combat advisor or adviseassist tab and an arrowheadshaped patch with an upright sword inside. Graduates of this school received the macv recondo patch and identification number. As commanding general of the 101st abn div and as commandant of west point, westmoreland setup recondo training for each institution before authorizing the new recondo school in nhatrang.
Recondo is an american military term for recon naissance and comman do for a highly specialized infantry training or a graduate of a recondo school who leads a small, heavily armed longrange reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemyheld territory. Based on the actual special forces recondo school from vietnam, this training school teaches you how to maximize your potential, increase your skills and efficiency, while decreasing your downtime. Other commands learned of the soldiers being trained by delta and were soon sending their. Jan 2, 2017 recondo school vietnam, graduation exercise was an actual patrol against real enemies, earning recondo school the nickname the deadliest school on earth. Vietnam war patch special forces macv recondo qualification team. Us army 82nd airborne division recondo patch original. The patch is courtesy of wayne mitsch, k company rangers, vietnam. During the existence of the macv recondo school, from 1966 to 1971, 5,395 men were admitted to the school, and 3,357 graduated as recondos. Protocol restricts wear of recondo pocket patches to the issuing command, although course completion is noted. It was the forerunner of the mobile reaction forces which consisted of highly trained cidg units organized into separate companies at special forces company corps or field force and special forces operational base level for use as reserve and reinforcement elements to cidg camps threatened or under attack by superior numbers of the enemy. Us soldiers rappel down line from uh1b choppers at the macv recondo school in nha trang, vietnam. To avoid confusion, the graduate of the school would be considered a recondo rather than ranger trained. Recondo is a captivating and engaging story about an infantry soldier who goes to vietnam and volunteers for the lrrps in the 101st airborne and later gets accepted into the prestigious recondo training program.
The inspiration for the school was the successful long range reconnaissance patrol lrrp training program provided for personnel from detachment b52 of the 5th special forces group project delta. From that beginning, the macv recondo school at nha trang was on its way. Tom halliwells book on the recondo school includes both a list of recondo school instructors and a list of all the recondo school graduates that we have identified. Us soldiers rappel down line from uh1b choppers at the. Patch nha trang, special forces recondo, vietnam war. The subdued patch in the image file appears to have been sewn onto a uniform and later removed. Macv recondo school shadowspear special operations.
One of the most prestigious qualifications that could be earned by soldiers during the vietnam war was to graduate from the recondo school. B52 project delta, the macv recondo course was set up to train u. Recondo is an american military term for reconnaissance and commando for a highly. Recondo is an american military term for reconnaissance and commando for a highly specialized infantry training or a graduate of a recondo school who leads a small, heavily armed longrange reconnaissance team that patrols deep in enemyheld territory. William westmoreland, the purpose of the recondo school was to offer the same tactics and fundamentals of traditional ranger school, condensed into a three week course. Recondo patch indiana original vietnam war patches for. Officially named the macv recondo school, the course was instructed by members of 5th special forces group, taught in south vietnam. Vietnam war patch us 5th special forces group macv recondo. Each student who graduated was awarded a recondo patch, worn on the right breast pocket, and an individual recondo number that was recorded in their 201 personnel file. Service new from a us army spc4, vietnam circa 1960sunblemished, looks unusedsewontype2. Vietnam 1970 military assistance, us army institute for, press, special operations on. The recondo patch was worn on each graduates right breast pocket.
In order to qualify for the macv recondo school, participants had to be. General westmoreland used the 5th sfg detachments such as b52 from project delta to form the military assistance command vietnam macv recondo school. The macv recondo school trained long range reconnaisance personnal from all fwmaf. Us army recondo qualification team 9th infantry division vietnam war patch. Unfollow vietnam recondo to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. Also saw a recondo school patch tshirt with lrrp over top from the post nam herd 173rd last weekend at 82nd airborne assoc. This particular piece was photographed by britt taylor collins with a rare patch for the macv recondo school in nra trang that is run by the special forces to train lrrpsranger in jungle warfare. Unsolicited purchase offers are not allowed on discussion threads. Operation enduring freedom recondo school small wars. The inspiration for the macv recondo school was the project delta reconnaissance course which stemmed from the joint special forcescia operation called leaping lena. Macv recondo school, sometimes refered to as lrrp finishing school, was a tough training program. Subdued 82nd airborne recondo lrrp army and usaaf u. The recondo patch was worn on the right breast pocket by 82nd airborne division recondo school graduates. Recondo or reconnaissance and commando was a pretty cool school to go totab to get.
The macv recondo school was originally an extension of project delta. Established in 1964 under the orders of general westmoreland the macv, special forces recondo school had an attachment of 46 us special forces personnel designated. All items are authentic, as described and sold with an 8 day inspection and return privilege. Specialforces and elite us army personnel in long range reconnaissance patrol techniques. Recondo number 1114 for example indicated that a soldier was the 1114 graduate from the school. Us army rangers, science boards, military history, vietnam, patches, forget, war, school, science bulletin boards. Us 5th special forces group macv recondo school vietnam war patch. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Theater hand made vietnam special forces macv sog recondo school ranger patch. This school was the hardest school offered by the us army. During the times that project delta was on stand down from its mission, the delta members trained other soldiers in the art of reconnaissance at their home base in nha trang. Buy now us 5th special forces group macv recondo school vietnam war patch. Each student who graduated was awarded a recondo patch, worn on the right breast pocket, and an individual recondo number that was recorded in.
In september of 1966 the school became official with a full time staff. Macv recondo school soldier of fortune magazine september 1984 provided by joe bilitzke 281st home. The macv recondo school officially closed on 31 december 1970. Viet nam era recondo patches page 2 military memorabilia. Viet nam era recondo patches great bargains on viet nam era recondo patches. Recondo schools pocketpatch sampler reference notes. These were generally reserved for graduates of recondo school, which taught small but fierce and heavilyarmed reconnaissance teams how to patrol and survive deep behind enemy lines. In january, 1968, i graduated from the macv recondo school in nha trang, rvn.
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