Vietnam Tropical Tunic US Army Drill Sgt?

[CGR]

Hi guys I picked up this Vietnam US Army Tunic recently and researched the patches, the one with the sword I found out is Military Assistance Command, the other one that is Purple with a snake and a Torch I believe is Medical but cannot find the exact one online, the Garrison Cap has This We'll Defend on it. Any help identifying this patch or other info about tunic appreciated!

[reneblacky]

medical patch is for - Medical Field Service School worn from 30/01/1959 > 01/02/1970
Oh your cap & jacket are 1967 contract dates.

[CGR]

Thank you sir!

[Rakkasan187]

Prior to the US Army establishing the official US Army Drill Sergeant School (Pilot classes began in 1963 and the first Drill Sergeant School started at Ft Leonard Wood Missouri, training NCOs to become Drill Sergeants in 1964)..the authorized distinctive unit insignia was approved for wear for all personnel in a training capacity with a maroon background in 1958. The crest identified all "TRAINER" personnel at any installation whose responsibility was instructing Soldier's in their Military Occupational Specialty. Later that same year (1958) the crest was adopted as the Distinctive Unit Insignia as training centers crest and the background of the crest was changed to all green. The unit crest was retained and worn on the shoulder epaulettes of the Army Dress green uniform and on garrison caps and a larger size badge was then authorized for wear by those Soldiers who successfully completed the requirements and graduated from the US Army Drill Sergeant School. This larger badge was to be worn on the breast pocket of both Dress uniforms and a cloth patch version worn on the various duty uniforms and fatigues.

I can't tell in the picture but does the garrison cap have green piping around the border? If there is green piping, this is the piping for detached enlisted personnel and this may have been worn by a Soldier who was later assigned as an instructor/cadre at the Medical school..

Smitty

[CGR]

Hi Smitty, thanks!
Here are some close ups of Garrison.

[CGR]

Didn't come with the Tunic but I found this Fort Leonard Wood Flag last December on a trip.

[Rakkasan187]

CGR,

Thank you for the close ups.. It appears to be just a regulation issue garrison cap.. I thought maybe the piping was a different color green, hence my thoughts of it being unassigned enlisted, but it appears to be the standard piping that was on garrison caps of the era.

The Guidon is nice, it has been discussed several times amongst museum professionals as to what it is.. The flag has been seen in Ft Leonard Wood basic training books and the consensus with other museum professional that I have worked with and consulted with confirm it is for trainees of the infantry branch but the TRB is still something of a mystery.. We are continuing to search through archival documents at various museums for a more definitive and positive answer...

Smitty

[CGR]

Thanks Smitty! Keep me posted on the Guidon.
I have never been able to figure out the TRB since I purchased it.

[Rakkasan187]

The 2 theories that we ( Museum staff ) have come up with are Training Recruit Battalion and Training Replacement Battalion but we don't have any documented proof (as of yet) for each of these theories. I have also reached out to a friend of mine at the Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia in hoes that they may have some archival documents pertaining to this particular Guidon..

Smitty

[CGR]

Wow thanks! Hopefully someone can shed some light on it. When I purchased it I thought it would be easy to research it but it turned out to be rather difficult. Thanks fir all your help! I appreciate it!