Interesting Plaque

[hftiii]

I found this plaque at a local restore and am assuming that it is Vietnam War era. If anyone has information or comments, I would appreciate it.

Tom

[bronk]

I work with a lot of Vietnamese and Chinese...maybe I could get a good translation later

[hftiii]

Thanks bronk.

Tom

[Anderson]

Pre-1975 Republic of Vietnam Police insignia plaque. There are records of a Arthur E McWilliams who served with US Navy and died in 1978 age 27, no idea if it's the same man.

[bronk]

....yes, like Anderson said -a police plaque...I went through it carefully with a Vietnamese lady....I thought she could give me a good translation .....I,m sure anyone can get the words translated.....but she said the lady, name Kim [ same as the lady I talked to! ] was a colonel [''dai ta ] and worked with/working on rivers/land.....my translator's own words ''Big Boss''....other words are ''fair''/integrity''' /''loyal''
top line means ''to the country''' ...underneath that ''nation'''
--side note-- the husband of the lady that helped me translate it, was put in jail after the war ended and not treated well by the North Vietnamese ..she was born in 1954 and lived in Saigon

[hftiii]

Thanks Bronk and Anderson. This is great information. I'm in the process of searching his name in some obituaries and think I might have found him. He passed away in Stafford County, Virginia at the age of 95. His obituary mentions that he was a veteran of WWii and served in Vietnam (working for the U. S. State Department) for six years working with maritime forces. It may just be speculation, but I suspect he was CIA. I'll post his obituary when I get a chance.

Tom

[Anderson]

There's some photos on the internet which may relate to the Vietnamese team leader "Dai Ta" (Colonel) Nguyen Kim Huong Giang, but Vietnamese names like Korean can be common. Still photo is correct era. The Dai Ta is the man in khaki 3rd from the right. And a later life photo, is that the Police insignia on his cap?





The Republic of Vietnam National Police Field Force (Vietnamese: Cảnh Sát Dã Chiến – CSDC), also designated Police de Campagne by the French and variously as National Police Field Force (NPFF), Field Police or Field Force for short by the Americans, was a paramilitary élite branch of the Republic of Vietnam National Police (Vietnamese: Cảnh Sát Quốc Gia – CSQG). Active during the Vietnam War, the CSDC operated closely with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1966 to 1975.

It seems also that this Police unit was closely involved in the "Phoenix Program". The plaque would seem to suggest Mr McWilliams was a CIA advisor working with CSDC. The words "Phoi Tri Vien" mean "Staff Member".



Flag of the Republic of Vietnam National Police Field Force.

[hftiii]

Thanks Anderson for the information and great photos. I was actually wondering if the colonel survived the communist takeover but the 2007 photo indicates that he did. Wonder if he remained in Vietnam or made it to the United states?

Tom

[Anderson]

Be interesting to know Tom, but the Republic insignia on the cap suggests he was outside of Vietnam. Most likely was assisted out in last days by his friends. Any further information on Mr McWilliams?

[hftiii]

As of yet, I don't have a lot more information about Mr. McWilliams, or at least information that is very clear about his WWII or post war service.

Tom