1575 AN EXTRAORDINARY VIETNAM ERA SPECIAL FORCES/GREEN

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 1,500.00 USD
Estimated at 3,000.00 - 5,000.00 USD
BERET GROUP BELONGING TO MAJOR HAROLD T. PALMER. This tremendously historic group belonged to highly decorated Green Beret mustang officer Major Harold Palmer. Palmer served in Vietnam initially as an advisor and was promoted through the ranks to eventually achieve the rank of Major. As a Sergeant he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for exemplary valor. He was also awarded the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, and many other awards. He was an airborne jump master and also wore jump wings from the Republic of Vietnam. He held the Combat Infantry Badge and was also awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. This extensive group includes his Special Forces combat knife & sheath measuring 12” overall with the Special Forces insignia engraved on the blade. Major Palmer’s dress uniform is also included with all of his appropriate awards & decorations attached, including his Distinguished Service Cross pinned to the left breast pocket flap. The right shoulder has a Special Forces patch with airborne tab, and the left shoulder has an Army Transportation patch. The Jump Master Badge is backed by a 5th Special Forces patch. Pants, tie, belt, and Major’s visor cap are included with the uniform. This superb lot also includes a cloth mannequin dressed in Palmer’s 1st Lieutenant fatigue uniform with his name & “US ARMY” on the front, along with Vietnamese & US Jump Master wings. The left pocket has a green shield shaped patch with a parachute superimposed by a leaping tiger over 3 lightning bolts. The top of the left sleeve has a Special Forces arrowhead patch featuring a gold sword & 3 lightning bolts with an Airborne tab above. The uniform has a pistol belt with over-the-shoulder slings. Belt has several pouches, different hand grenades, a smoke bomb, 45 Cal. M1911 holster, & other pouches/bags. The mannequin even has Vietnam issue jungle boots. There are 3 green berets, including a 7th Special Forces beret with a red patch & Special Forces insignia, a 5th Special Forces beret with Special Forces insignia, and a 5th Special Forces beret with a Major’s oak leaf. The Major’s beret is embroidered on the interior with a parachute, lightning bolts & jumping tiger with the words “TOOTIE AND HAL” & “SAIGON 1969”. An 8” x 12” framed photographic portrait of Sergeant Palmer after receiving his DSC is included. There are several framed award documents to Major Palmer as he rose through the ranks during the 1960’s & 70’s. There are 2 large wooden plaques created as a gift to Captain Palmer from troops he commanded. The group also includes a small wooden plaque to Sergeant Palmer from Pleiku, VN. There are several colorful Vietnamese documents for various decorations & awards. An unissued pick-mattock head in canvas carrier. Several Special Forces posters along with Vietnamese posters. 2 Large plastic covered terrain maps of Vietnam. A large selection of slides with photographs taken in Vietnam. A textbook titled “HUMAN FACTORS CONSIDERATIONS OF UNDERGROUNDS IN INSURGENCIES”. Palmer’s Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, and Bronze Star are included, along with miniatures of his DSC, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. One book titled “PARATROOPER”, and a small book titled “THE AIRBORNE STORY”. Finally, there is a large loose-leaf binder with various pictures throughout the career of Major Palmer, along with more award documents, evaluations, award letters, newspaper clippings, and much, much more. An outstanding archive exemplifying the life of one of the recognized heroes of the Vietnam War. CONDITION: uniform items show light wear. Photographs & documents are crisp and show minimal wear. Maps show moderate use. Other items show light overall wear. PROVENANCE: from the Lifelong Collection of Glen E. Mattox. (02-18620/BF). $3,000-5,000.