View Full Version : "the dark bros"
In my search to find and authentic vietnam era beret I ran across another one, with a story
Mint condition beret with 10th SF calling card pinned to the liner. Story goes this beret was given to a Polaris test driver who showed some SF guys how to operate their snow mobiles.
the calling card has ODA XXX along with "the dark bros" in the corner of the card
can anyone confirm or deny
Abu Jack
11-09-2008, 11:26
Sounds plausible to me. I don't remember the ODA number but they were from either B or C Co 2nd Bn 10th SFG(A). IIRC their logo was a pair of wayfarer raybans. I think they were a MOST team too. We had polaris snow mobiles and I rember guys going to Polaris to get spun up on maintenance so to me, it fits.
Abu Jack
ODA was 055, the card lists Ft. Devens, MA
The beret says Bancroft over 50 years. what year would you guess?
Abu Jack
11-09-2008, 16:31
I would guess, 94-96. I don't think we started woriking with Polaris until we got to Carson.
Conrad Y
11-09-2008, 20:54
On A/2/10 I remember some lucky guys from some of the teams at Devens around 91-92 doing some serious training somewhere in the northern midwest, I believe. This was with the Polaris reps. Some of our engineers built that big garage for the new Polarises at the Motor Pool soon after. Patrick F was the guy from my team.
I would guess, 94-96. I don't think we started woriking with Polaris until we got to Carson.
it would have to be before that because the address on the card reads Ft Devins,MA. the move to Co was between 94-95?
of course the beret has a sewn tag that says bancroft over 50 years. and I think before they went out of business their signature card said "over 100yrs"
Ret10Echo
11-11-2008, 06:44
I remember the machines being in-place by 1992.......and the quonset hut-garage in the motor pool.
I also recal a conversation with someone who had gone up to Polaris, but I don't know how long or how many of those trips took place.
FormerActionGuy
11-12-2008, 12:20
The "Dark Bros" began on 053 around 1989/1990 at Ft. Devens. Just prior to the Gulf, 053 was redesignated 055. Some founding members were, CPT W, Otis M, Steve B, Paul S, and myself Scott M. I designed the logo that had the wayfarer sunglasses and the Manchu Mustache, with Dark Bros arched on top, and ODA 053 arched underneath. I left the team in 1992. After that, I can't tell you what became of the logo. How about anyone else out there???
alfromcolorado
11-21-2008, 20:23
In my search to find and authentic vietnam era beret I ran across another one, with a story
Mint condition beret with 10th SF calling card pinned to the liner. Story goes this beret was given to a Polaris test driver who showed some SF guys how to operate their snow mobiles.
the calling card has ODA XXX along with "the dark bros" in the corner of the card
can anyone confirm or deny
I was on 053 just as the Dark Brothers handle was dropped. I know some of the guys that were trained by Polaris before heading up to Yellowknife. I would say the story holds water.
alfromcolorado
11-21-2008, 20:25
On A/2/10 I remember some lucky guys from some of the teams at Devens around 91-92 doing some serious training somewhere in the northern midwest, I believe. This was with the Polaris reps. Some of our engineers built that big garage for the new Polarises at the Motor Pool soon after. Patrick F was the guy from my team.
Conrad
You talking Carson? That came in 94 on...
Al
alfromcolorado
11-21-2008, 20:28
ODA was 055, the card lists Ft. Devens, MA
The beret says Bancroft over 50 years. what year would you guess?
That team became 053 with one of the periods stream of musical team numbers.
I will see if it was any of the guys I was on the team with.
(One of them is in big trouble right now at Bragg. Afghanistan...)
alfromcolorado
11-21-2008, 20:33
The "Dark Bros" began on 053 around 1989/1990 at Ft. Devens. Just prior to the Gulf, 053 was redesignated 055. Some founding members were, CPT W, Otis M, Steve B, Paul S, and myself Scott M. I designed the logo that had the wayfarer sunglasses and the Manchu Mustache, with Dark Bros arched on top, and ODA 053 arched underneath. I left the team in 1992. After that, I can't tell you what became of the logo. How about anyone else out there???
I think it stuck until mid 94 when I got there. Guys on the team were talking about it in recent past tense.
Maybe after 10 years of leaving the team but I am sure it reverted back to 053 and was designated a Mtn Tm. I am checking with some folks that have better memories than I.
Conrad Y
11-21-2008, 22:35
Conrad
You talking Carson? That came in 94 on...
Al
I'm sure it was Devens '91-'92. My memory is fuzzy on the time frame but I think it was early-on in the program with the first train-the-trainer guys before the the move and the hassle of building all those metal racks to transport the things out to their new home in Carson.
alfromcolorado
11-22-2008, 18:12
I'm sure it was Devens '91-'92. My memory is fuzzy on the time frame but I think it was early-on in the program with the first train-the-trainer guys before the the move and the hassle of building all those metal racks to transport the things out to their new home in Carson.
I thought you were talking about the place they built at Carson. I was still in Germany during 91-92 so wasn't aware they built something at Devens.
alfromcolorado
11-23-2008, 11:07
Yeah, same team. 055 was the Dark Bros @ Devens. They did train up for a trip to Minnisota and then Yellowknife Canada and hung around a lot with Polaris people. My former teammate, Ted P said that he didn't specifically remember them getting a beret on that trip but they got coins, etc. Says it MAY have been that trip.
When they got to Devens the Dark Bros name kind of faded away as they became a Mtn Tm and then the number changed back to 053.
joenewell
08-13-2009, 14:40
The dark bros name went away when craig t took over as the team sergeant. The name and persona was kept as the dark bros while bob a was the team sergeant and then briefly while timmy t was the team sergeant. Nobody was really left on the team from when the name was christened and it just faded away. BTW the musical team numbers didnt happen until we were out in the wwII buildings at carson. The team was 055 through the move 054 for two days, and then 053 thereafter. This happened while 2nd bn was at carson. The beret and card came from timmy t, he was the senior medic on that trip to Roseau MN to the polaris plant.
The time frame was 1993, 084 (non-MFF at that time)and one(?) of the 2nd BN teams did a major trip up to Yellowknife for an extended long range movement to test the capabilities of the MOST's. And yes we were still at Devens then.
alfromcolorado
08-18-2009, 20:05
The dark bros name went away when craig t took over as the team sergeant. The name and persona was kept as the dark bros while bob a was the team sergeant and then briefly while timmy t was the team sergeant. Nobody was really left on the team from when the name was christened and it just faded away. BTW the musical team numbers didnt happen until we were out in the wwII buildings at carson. The team was 055 through the move 054 for two days, and then 053 thereafter. This happened while 2nd bn was at carson. The beret and card came from timmy t, he was the senior medic on that trip to Roseau MN to the polaris plant.
Hey Joe, what you know, bro...
The time frame was 1993, 084 (non-MFF at that time)and one(?) of the 2nd BN teams did a major trip up to Yellowknife for an extended long range movement to test the capabilities of the MOST's. And yes we were still at Devens then.
We had pics in the 052 teamroom from the Yellowknife trip. I was over in 1-10 at the time we did the great team number swap, so I don't know the original team number.
When I was on 015 MAROPS, we could trace our lineage back to ODA 011 and then back to ODA 1 through all the old photos in the team lounge. Sadly, someone shit canned all the photos circa 2000 timeframe as they didn't know anyone in the photos.
njegovan
03-08-2011, 08:05
We also had a bar set up in a GP medium tent in Incerlink, Turkey called ‘dark bros’ during the Provide Comfort operation. We were part of ODA 055 station at Ft Devens at that time.
We also had a bar set up in a GP medium tent in Incerlink, Turkey called ‘dark bros’ during the Provide Comfort operation. We were part of ODA 055 station at Ft Devens at that time.
Please Read the Forum rules in regards to first post and profile.
Little Brother, whemn are you heading back to the Father land? Christiane just sole the last Meeting print?
The dark bros name went away when craig t took over as the team sergeant. The name and persona was kept as the dark bros while bob a was the team sergeant and then briefly while timmy t was the team sergeant. Nobody was really left on the team from when the name was christened and it just faded away. BTW the musical team numbers didnt happen until we were out in the wwII buildings at carson. The team was 055 through the move 054 for two days, and then 053 thereafter. This happened while 2nd bn was at carson. The beret and card came from timmy t, he was the senior medic on that trip to Roseau MN to the polaris plant.
Thats funny, sounds like this beret and calling card has quite some history to it. All I got on my end was it was picked up at a local flea market.
I will have to post up a photo of it when I get back.
Little Brother, whemn are you heading back to the Father land? Christiane just sole the last Meeting print?
I would also be interested in a meeting print, if more become available.
I would also be interested in a meeting print, if more become available.
Then you need to contact me in Sep, or link up with Bennett and SFA 4/24.
If I'm feeling nice, I'll include the list of names for who's in the print. ;)
We also had a bar set up in a GP medium tent in Incerlink, Turkey called ‘dark bros’ during the Provide Comfort operation. We were part of ODA 055 station at Ft Devens at that time.
In 1966, My unit was a part of The Allied Command Europe (ACE) Mobile Forces.
Each month when the rest of the Division had their alert, we would report to Furstenfelbruck German AFB, and about every three months the battalion would deploy to another NATO country for manuvers. in November of 66 we were sent Greece for a month of maneuvers. The rest of the bn walked the entire time but because I was the Recon Plt SGT, I had a Jeep.
The bn wlked to the Turkish Border and changed uniforms from green fatigues with the green side of the camo cover on our helmets to Khaki uniforms with the tan side of the camo cover.
When we got near Istanbol, we halted the maneuver, and had a parade. The evenings were spent trading uniform parts and insignia. The officers had a GP Medium tent set up as a bar and I was volunteered to be a bar tender.
One evening the BN Commander from the Belgium 3rd Para BN came into the bar and was having a drink with LTC Hammonds (my BN Commander). The Belgium CO saw my last name and remarked to me that we must share relations because it was his last name, too.
He invited me to go to his HQ to train with his soldiers when we returned to Augsburg. My BN Commander allowed me to go for three weeks and that is how I was able to obtain the Belgium Parachute Badge and the Belgium Commando Badge.