Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic example of an “in country” made Green Beret in a color nearly identical to the issued Beret, Mans, Wool in Rifle Green. Issued items were hard to get overseas and finding replacements would have been extremely difficult as there wasn’t a Post Exchange you can just drive to like in America. The soldiers relied on the craftmanship from either themselves or the locals and would often task shops with making uniform items, much like this beret here.

The beret itself is in wonderful condition but the shape is a little stiff due to the leatherette type material on the brim and a clear plastic piece stitched into the side of the lining to help retain shape. The internal lining is a lovely black polished cotton which is retained quite nicely. There are no size labels present but it is approximately a size 7 ¾ (56cm).

The flash on the front is a checkered yellow, red, white and black shield which is held on by the classic De Oppresso Liber Army Special Forces insignia. The United States Army Special Forces distinctive unit insignia consists of the World War II V-42 stiletto fighting knife in the middle of the unit insignia and 2 crossed arrows is facing point upwards.

Overall condition is very good and does show signs of wear, but nothing too damaging. There are moth nips present and scattered throughout but nothing too significant.

A lovely example ready for further research and display.

3rd Group was first activated on 5 December 1963 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The four colors of the quadrants of 3rd Group's beret flash are derived from the flashes of the pre-existing SF units from which 3rd Group's members were initially drawn (hence its original motto: "From the Rest Comes the Best"). These colors are: yellow (1st SFG (A)), red (7th SFG (A)), black (5th SFG (A)), and white (Special Forces Training Group (A)). 3rd Group was originally oriented towards the Middle East and Africa during the 1960s. The unit trained the armed forces of Mali, Iraq, Ethiopia, the Congo, and Jordan – in addition to supporting the Gemini 6 and 7 space launches in 1965. 3rd Group also worked with the 5th SFG(A) in Vietnam. In 1966, 3rd Group transferred assumed control of the 403rd Army Security Agency Special Operations Detachment and the 19th PSYOP Company over to 5th Group.[4] With the "Vietnamization" of the conflict, the 3rd SFG(A) was inactivated in 1969 and its members were transferred back to the other Special Forces Groups. One 3rd group officer who stayed on in South Vietnam—Major George W. Petrie—was first man on the ground in the Son Tay Raid (1970) and subsequently helped plan the Saigon evacuation (30 April 1975), becoming the last SF soldier to leave the country.