Help With ID and Period Beret

[Geoff Ward]

Hello All. I just received some photos of a beret and and insignia sorry for the rough quality of the pics. There is no liner or any evidence of a sweatband either. Also no evidence of any other insignia or sewn on patches. The reverse of the insignia is marked D22 any Help or comments appreciated.

Regards, Geoff

[Chopperman]

I am far from being any kind of authority on these. But I did do a fair
amount of research when I went to buy my first one.

The one that you posted is not a US issue beret. The lack of a liner is a big
red flag and I also see that there is not any reinforcement where the DUI is pinned
and there are no vent holes that I can see. I can not tell if the edging is leather or
vinyl, It looks like vinyl in the pics.

I have no idea if this could be a PX beret or one made in country. The D22 mark was
used on some period crests but has also been copied as well. I'm sure
someone with more experience will be along to explain better.

edit ---
taking another look, the flap that is hanging out in pictures could be what was intended
to be the stiffener for the DUI--Maybe.

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Geoff

No attrubution, no markings , no liner.

Is the head band real leather ?
Possibly US made beret.

D-22 Hallmark for Denmark anywhere from 1974 onwards.

Someones just put a SF DUI on a Green Beret.

Phill

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Geoff

No attrubution, no markings , no liner.

Is the head band real leather ?
Possibly US made beret.

D-22 Hallmark for Denmark anywhere from 1974 onwards.

With no provenance just someones just put a SF DUI on a Green Beret, could of done the same on a red beret.

Phill

[Geoff Ward]

Hello Phil, I appreciate the comments. No story came with it. An acquaintance gave it to me because he knew I liked military items. Thank you for the feedback


Regards, Geoff

[Svejk]

It does not look like the beret shown ever had a liner but I can't tell for sure from the photos. Berets that had liners often had them cut out and removed (don't recall if that was regulation or not) so the berets could be shaped better and look sharper. I have known vets that did that. I've also heard stories about how some Green Berets during Vietnam replaced their beret liners (after the original liners had been removed and the beret shaped to the wearers heads) with thin fabric from women's panties.

Also seems odd that the SF device/DUI is being worn without a unit flash (indicating fully SF qualified and assigned to a group) or and candy stripe (indicating group assigned but non-fully SF qualified yet), and there is no evidence of either having been sewn to the beret. Been a long time since I collected this sort of thing but it may be that an SF device was not worn just by itself like this one is.

[Bill Grist]

Not a special forces Beret. BILL

[Svejk]

Although it has been established that the beret in this thread is not a US Special Forces beret, I did want to correct an earlier comment in case this thread is used in the future for research.

I came across a photo of an identified Special Forces sergeant wearing a green beret with an SF DUI and no unit flash or candy stripe. So SF berets were sometimes worn that way but it is not clear just when or why. Concerning the 10th SFG, perhaps berets appeared this way during the transition period between the wear of the Trojan Horse badge and the 10th group getting their first design beret flash, that the SF DUI was attached to? In other words, maybe SF DUIs were worn alone by enlisted ranks until beret flashes and candy stripes became available? Just a guess.

The photo I am including does not belong to me, and it is attributed to a member of the 10th SFG. The date is unknown.

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Svejk

The image is of a corporal c 1968 note the use of subdued SSI which came into effect with first pattern twill c1966 and merrow edge 1967/68 onwards.

The Trojan Horse (unauthorized) DUI was issued from 1955-1960 (SF DUI authroized) so that takes the Trojan Horse theory out of the equation , what you cant see due to lighting and angle of beret is the use of the Candy stripe bar, see image below.

The Trojan horse has been used on and off up to today by the 10th Group for cermonial or special occasions.





First pattern Twill c 1966



Flat Merrow edge c late 1960's



Phill

[Svejk]

Thanks for the historical information, Phill. You are right about the soldier being a corporal too, and not a sergeant. I should have looked closer!