Unit patch
The only insignia I was aware of for a long time were the “electric strawberries”, the 25th Infantry Division patches. And very soon I started to wonder why there are two arts of them: red/yellow and green.
Later I found out that during the Vietnam War the US army was changing the insignia from bright to “subdued”, and it was a step-by-step process. So soldiers who were there for longer time were more likely to wear the red insignia, but it’s not a rule. Probably it’s just about who is wearing newer fatigues. Soldiers wearing the old, red insignia are: Warren, Wolfe, Bunny, Ace, Rhah, Francis, Tubbs, Morehouse.
Name Tabs
There are none. I noticed it looking for some evidence of Elias being a second name. The other tabs with US ARMY were missing too. On many photos from Vietnam soldiers seem not to wear those tabs either, I wonder if there was a regulation for this.
CIB
Spotted while looking for the tabs. First I thought I would have to ask someone, as one can hardly google things based on how they look, but soon I’ve found it in Platoon: Bravo Company. It was CIB, Combat Infantryman Badge, which
…is an award of the United States Army which is presented to those officers, warrant officers and enlisted soldiers, in the grade of Colonel and below, who participate in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or special forces unit (…) sources: Wikipedia | Army Study Guide
Chris apparently earns his CIB in the church battle. But there seem to be no rule about wearing them, at least in the movie: Elias not always wears his (or is it another goof?), Wolfe has none… it’s hard to say as they are mostly covered by something.
Harris and Barnes seemed to have another badges above the CIB, but they are always covered by collars:
BTW the patch on Harris’ collar is a branch (infantry) patch.
There is only one picture showing Barnes’ second badge: the title picture from The Time Magazine (Jan 1987)
It looks very much like a paraschutist badge
Former units patches
are worn on the right sleeve. Elias has a 1st Air Cavalry patch, Warren and capt Harris — 4th Infantry Division patches. I don’t know how to classify the AirCav patch on Crawford’s “leisure vest” he wears in the underground.
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