Special Forces beret flashes
 

Hello.

I would like to ask a question regarding the colors and markings of the flashes that represent each of the active/NG Special Forces Groups.
More importantly, do they represent something ? What is the history behind each of the Groups distinctive unit insignia ?

Unfortunatly all my resarch came up empty. Perhaps there is a book that could shed more light on the subject?

Thank You.

Just go to the Army Institute of Heraldry. You can find all the info there.

alas, the IOH lists no history on group flashes, just the SSI. The only history I know is the black border added to the 1st grp flash after JFK was killed.

And the 5th Group was a Black Background with the Colors of the RVN Flag. The Yellow and red were later dropped after the return of the Colors from RVN and the US withdrawal.

The 3rd Herd Colors were a composite of the Group Colors that it was formed from.

The Vietnamese colors were removed from the 5th SFG flash in January of '85. I can remember standing in formation one cold morning when LTC Jacobelly told everyone that they had to change their flashes back to the original all black pre Viet Nam style.

OK - here's a mini (less than all inclusive) primer.

Traditionally, the basic colors found in the flashes/SSI/DUI represent the following in our culture:

Blue - sky, freedom, intelligence
Green - life, balance, harmony, stability, nature, forest, plains and forests of Europe
Red - blood, warfare, sacrifice, power, valor
Yellow (Gold) - hope, positive, traditional, Asia
Black - night, mystery, covert
Grey - shadowy, in-between black and white, nebulous
White - purity, overt, openness

Additionally, in the military:

Teal Blue and Gold - colors of unassigned units (e.g., pre-Branch SF)
Purple - joint service command

Additinally, the black and gold Airborne tab was retained for its historical connection to the Airborne Command SSI originally worn by SF - there was a teal blue/gold Airborne tab for a short period but it was never fully embraced or authorized.

Now, for the following (just to mention a few flashes):

5th SFG RVN - originally all black, then the black w/white border 5th SFG + diagonal stripes denoting addition of personnel from 1st SFG (yellow) and 7th SFG (red) as well as an image of RVN national colors, then back to black w/white border.

SF Det Europe - traditional forest green (Europe) of 10th SFG + diagonal stripes of FRG national flag (black, red, gold).

46th SF Co/USASFT - black (covert nature of unit) w/gold border (1st SFG unit) + diagonal stripes of Thai national flag (red, white, blue, white, red).

1st SFG - yellow (Asia) + black border added to commemorate death of JFK.

SF not assigned to SF unit - jungle green (SF branch) with grey border and diagonal stripes indicating nature of assignment (white = overt, black = covert, purple = joint).

OK - now you can ponder the rest for yourself. ;)

Richard's $.02 :munchin

Thank You for Your time gentle men :)

7th SFG - Red, recalling the patch of the FSSF.

One thing that isn't clear, tho . . . there used to be two main wing backing designs for the SF groups. One was the 10th Gp green and red. The other used the 77th SFG colors of teal blue and gold. This was passed on to the other groups as 7th Gp was used as cadre for some of the new ones. Now the wing background (for the most part) matches the flash. Any idea when/why they changed?

Flash and Wing Background info

The teal blue and gold was the background for all the Groups of the 1st SF Regiment (except the 10th and SF Det-Europe) prior to SF becoming a Branch and its expansion - as you went from Group to Group, the flash changed but the wings background for the Regiment remained the same (except for the 10th) - the new backgrounds to denote each specific Group were approved in the late-90s.

Richard

wow, these explanaitions certanly cleared up alot of trivia question stuff.

thanks

1st Bn 10th SFG also wore the SF Det Flash in the 80's at Bad Tolz.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5.../10thcrest.jpg

Though I'm still curious as to the whole "when we became a branch" vs the Flash Changes in the mid-80's and whether or not they were related.

Richard or anyone else,
Did the 77th have a beret flash? If so, then my collection is incomplete.

The 77th never had a beret flash and the 7th had replaced the 77th by the time a beret and flash were authorized.

Richard

The Army Institute of Heraldry isn't a good choice. The information there is flawed at best, just try looking up 10th SFG, according to them we didn't get our colors until the 80s? I have a document at home that I'll scan and send, it tells the history or folk lore of how each group got there flash color.