Description please enjoy this vietnam tunnel rat shoulder patch. Tunnel rats ofvietnam vietnams littleknown underground war and the men and women who fought it sgt. The tunnel systems could often be huge, and would be filled with all kinds of tricks and traps, not to mention people trying to kill you. Vietnam tunnel rat embroidered patch 0861 254427548022. Vietnam war patch us 1st cavalry division tunnel rat ebay. The rat might have a radio, but once you get deep in the tunnel complex, the chance of it working was remote, and as such, many rats preferred not to bother with the extra accoutrements. Buy tunnel rat patch at army surplus world army surplus. Their unofficial moto was non gratum anus rodentum in latin.
The vietnam tunnel rats are the men who served in the engineer field troops in vietnam 3 field troop and 1, 2 and 3 troop of 1 field squadron, royal australian engineers. What was the mortality rate of the vietnam era tunnel rats. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and patches. Those were the guys who wriggled their way through the ridiculously narrow tunnels the viet cong used to transport personnel and weapons, set boobytraps, and all that. Payne, a tunnel rat, bravely searches a tunnel s entrance during vietnam war. Jan 14, 2016 tunnel rats were us, australian and newzelander soldiers who went inside viet congvc tunnels to kill any vc inside, gather any intel, recover arms and finally demolish the tunnels by planting explosives. American, australian, and new zealander soldiers who performed underground search missions. We were trained at the australian armys school of military engineering, located 20. Most of us who served as tunnel rats during the vietnam war quickly realized that crawling through underground enemy bunkers would be the.
Tunnel rats patch, showing unofficial motto in latin not worth a rats ass. Most of us who served as tunnel rats during the vietnam war quickly realized that crawling through underground enemy bunkers would be the least of our. Chu lai, quang ngai province, republic of south vietnam. You can watch the full documentary at our on demand vimeo channel. To a man, volunteers only volunteers were permitted to join tunnel rat units they would enter the tunnels network systems of the viet cong armed with nothing more than a. This is the same patch that is supplied to the military and sold in military base exchanges. Vietnam tunnel rat shoulder patch vietnam shoulder patches. Vietnam patches us army patches army unit patches and army regiment patches flying tigers surplus page 2.
Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Tunnel rat military veteran vietnam hat pin 15075 ho. It is a 4 inch 100% embroidered patch of the highest quality. Tunnel rat, ferret patch vietnam war original post. The job was time consuming, difficult the tunnels were a tight squeeze for a typical vietname. Army surplus world carries a complete line of vietnam veterans patches. Eventually the requested 250 sets were delivered to dover afb between the 22 nd and the 29th of may 1968, and from there immediately flown to vietnam. The vietcong had been using tunnel systems for many years against the chinese, japanese and french invaders. Patch tunnel rat rare ops patch not worth a rats arse cu chi vietnam war.
Extremely rare, tunnel rat patch tunnel rat, ferret cheesecloth backed tunnel rat ferret one of the most sought after of vietnam war patches this patch was worn by both us tunnel rats and australian ferrets. The vietnam veterans patches are sold by themselves or they can be put on a hat. Atunnel rat was equipped with only a standard issue. Jun 28, 1985 american officers in vietnam viewed the short, wiry combat engineers as swat teams to be summoned whenever a suspicious hole was found in the ground. The tunnel rats were american, south vietnamese, new zealand, and australian soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the vietnam war. What was the mortality rate of the vietnam era tunnel. There were numerous underground guerilla bases in south vietnam that had been built and supplied by forced labor from the surrounding villages. Vintage original vietnam war machineembroidered patch, size is 4 by 3. The tunnel rats, while few in number, were certainly some of the bravest and some might say craziest soldiers who fought in vietnam. The largest tunnel systems in south vietnam some under us bases could be as vast as 200 kilometers 125 miles long and were built to withstand bombings, explosions, poison gas etc.
He served in the 5th special forces group in vietnam in 196970 and subsequently in airborne infantry, longrange patrol and intelligence assignments until retiring after 26 years. During the vietnam war, tunnel rat became an unofficial specialty for volunteer combat engineers and infantrymen from australia and the united states who cleared and destroyed enemy tunnel complexes. Whether you are a vietnam veteran, or just showing your support for a friend or loved one, we have a variety of vietnam veteran patches at affordable prices. Whenever our troops would uncover a tunnel, tunnel rats were sent in to kill any hiding enemy soldiers and to plant explosives to destroy the tunnels. This patch is for the 8th us army tunnel navigation training or team. Tunnel rats as a unit is indeed exist for australian force in vietnam, they are the men of 3 troop, 1st field sqn, royal australian engineer.
Please enjoy this vietnam tunnel rat shoulder patch. These were the terrifying dangers of being a tunnel rat in. The tunnelbuilding began during the french occupation as vietnamese peasants, using tin bowls and their hands, created a labyrinth of connecting burrows that would, by the time the americans replaced the french, provide the viet cong with a military base that allowed them to infiltrate the capital of saigon with spies and saboteurs. What was it like to be an american tunnel rat in vietnam.
Jan 28, 2018 documentary on tunnel rats in vietnam. The most dangerous part would be psyching up to get into the tunnel, carl cory says, a former 25th infantry div tunnel rat. Armed with only a flashlight, a single pistol, or maybe just a knife, a tunnel rat didnt have much in the way of defense. These were the terrifying dangers of being a tunnel rat. Vietnam tunnel rat patch 3 hi, just to let you know i received the 101st airborne coffee mug yesterday. I watched this movie the other day called tunnel rats somewhat bizarre but anyways, are there any real tunnel rat patches or are they just made up post war. Our tunnel rat vietnam patch is a full color, embroidered military patch. If you need assistance ordering or would like to order by telephone please call us toll free at 18008645062 and one of our customer service representatives will assist you.
Pete rejoruiz, a cubanborn tunnel rat, is shown popping out of a north vietnamese tunnel. The life of the tunnel rat was not to be envied, unless you are the most committed of adrenaline junkies and have a death wish. The story of a marine grunt in the first battle of khe sanh april 1967 duration. Find our other variety styles of embroidery caps other than vietnam war tunnel rat badge embroidered cap for all kinds of outings.
This tongueincheek expression was the motto of the tunnel rats. Due to global pandemic, usps delivery may be temporarily delayed. Tunnel rats, also known as 1968 tunnel rats, is a 2008 germancanadian war suspense film written and directed by uwe boll. Jack flowers, us army vietnam war patch amongst the most revered and feared elements of the allied military in vietnam were the tunnel rats. Their motto was the tongueincheek latin phrase non gratus anus rodentum not worth a rat s arse. With their patch with its nonsense latin motto non gratum anus rodentum not worth a rats ass the tunnel rats were among the bravest in vietnam, doing a job that not many others could, or. This patch would be a great gift idea and a wonderful addition to your patch collection. It is a tunnel rat patch but not vietnam as it is for korea. Special us soldiers called tunnel rats would crawl through the systems to find the enemy. We have a variety of great tunnel rat related items for sale. This tongueincheek expression was the motto of the tunnel rats, an informal name given to a group of infantry soldiers and combat engineers in the vietnam war with a very hazardous specialty. Vietnam tunnel rat shoulder patch vietnam shoulder.
With their patch with its nonsense latin motto non gratum anus rodentum not worth a rats. Tunnel rat threaded onto 1st cavalry black bar and rat silhouette under bar. This experimental sidearm from 1966 included a highintensity aiming light and came in a kit with a headlamp and a communications system. To a man, volunteers only volunteers were permitted to join tunnel rat units they would enter the tunnels network systems of the viet cong armed with nothing more than a pistol and a knife.
Tunnel rat patch vietnam patches flying tigers surplus. We believe our total number is somewhere around 700. All proceeds go to the vietnam tunnel rats association to help cover the costs of producing and posting out our fascinating newsletter holdfast. While tracking down specific statistics on fatality rates among the tunnel rats is not easy, it is not a stretch to venture that. Even if it did work though, it isnt like the cavalry will roll in thirty seconds later. Tunnel rat one day i was marching singlefile along a jungle trail, about 40th in a line of about one hundred soldiers in our company, when we suddenly stopped moving, and a few moments later, we heard the sound of two explosions. For them, thats what they do and only they will do it, normal infantry within australian rank would not go into tunnel system, and they are the only unit tagged with tunnel rat acronym.
Tunnel rat 1st cavalry division airmobile helicopter assault measures 4. In a documentary for the film, boll revealed the film did not have a script, and instead the actors improvised their lines. This vietnam tunnel rat shoulder patch usually ships in 15 business days. This photo was taken a few days after we had arrived in vietnam, and a few days before we would be flown south, where we would join our company. Tunnel rats were all volunteers as they soon realized that if a person really didnt want to do the job, he would just report the tunnel as a dead end. Tunnel rat patch, 25th infantry vietnam war, x rare. Gordon l rottman entered the us army in 1967, volunteered for special forces and completed training as a weapons specialist. Vets supply line 10550 county road 81 suite 218 maple grove mn 55369.
Tunnel rats were us, australian and newzelander soldiers who went inside viet congvc tunnels to kill any vc inside, gather any intel, recover arms and finally demolish the tunnels by planting explosives. These american, australian and new zealander soldiers infiltrated and sabotaged the intenselyclaustrophobic labyrinth of underground tunnels used by the vietcong to launch surprise attacks and set up ambushes. It is the same patch used by the united states armed forces and is of the highest quality. Order your vietnam veterans patches from the army surplus superstore. Durig vietnam war, the viet cong created extensive underground complexes.
Later, similar teams were used by the soviet army during the sovietafghan war and by the israel defense forces in campaigns in the middle east. Vietnam war patch us army tunnel rat special combat unit. The vietcong used elaborate tunnel systems to store food and ammunition as well as housing medical and combat facilities. Our vietnam war tunnel rat cap is available in navy, black, royal, red, brown and khaki.
Opinion my life as a tunnel rat the new york times. Vietnam challenge coins, bandanas, dog tags, flags, grave markers, hats, patches, pins, display cases and more. The film is based on the factual duties of tunnel rats during the vietnam war. Buy tunnel rat patch at army surplus world army surplus world. Wikipedia commons in 1946, the viet minh were the viet cong resistance fighters who began digging the tunnels and bunkers to combat the french, whom they would eventually defeat. Shop vietnam veteran patches at army surplus world army.
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