RT Mamba (CCN) Team Patch

SOG RTs were famous for their colourful insignia. Perhaps the best examples of this trend are the team pocket patches and shoulder scrolls. Nearly all of the indigenous troops operating with the US SF men would be illiterate and so bright colours and symbols tied to their native beliefs and culture were used. The majority of patches utilise a skull (usually wearing a green beret) with blood dripping fangs and a snake entwined through the mouth and eye cavities.

The patches were designed by a team member and usually run up in local tailor shop. There is a great variety of these patches and they are one of the most sought after collectables of the Vietnam War. As with anything collectable (and therefore expensive) there are many fakes out there. Orginal and provenanced SOG RT patches are to all intents and purposes unavailable to all but the most dedicated and wealthy collectors. The accepted standard for collectors is the range of patches procured by Cecil Smyth in Vietnam during the war. They range in price from $200 - $800. They should not be confused with the modern fakes available on ebay for $9.99!!!!!!

Pictured below is the pocket patch for RT Mamba, which operated out of CCN. This patch is one of the Smyth patches.