Su Doan 5 Bo Binh

Does any one know more about this patch. It has a safety pin on the back.
In VNese it means 5th Inf Div.
It must have been used around 62/63...



Thanks

This is an interesting insignia; it's the badge of Su Doan 3 Da Chien. In January 1959 the division was renamed Su Doan 5 Bo Binh; the badge has been altered to reflect that change in designation. The 3 has been unpicked, its shadow remains, and a 5 added; The inscription at the top would originally have read Su Doan Da Chien.

Thanks again Rolfi !
You are definitely right about the number 3. I have a photo of the original owner before the patch was altered, with the number 3 on it. I was not sure for the date but now it is clear !

Rolfi is correct. The badge is for the 3rd Field Division previously known as Su Doan Nung. Nung is a warrior race in North Vietnam whose spoken language is a "Vietnamized" Cantonese Chinese. First commander of SD Nung was Colonel Voong A Sang and 1st CO of SD 3 Da Chien was Lieutenant Colonel Pham van Dong (who married a Nung woman).

Very interesting ! Thanks.

I guess that doesn't mean that all the guys in the unit were Nung ?

I also guess that the Pham Van Dong is not related to the PVD of the north !

It's funny - theair names are same but a little difference.

North Army : former Prime minister PHẠM VĂN Đ ỒNG

ARVN General : PHẠM VĂN Đ ỔNG ( with symbol ? above the letter Ô )