83rd SAG

Yes you read well 83rd SAG and not 83rd SOG.

Does anyone know what is stands for??? My guess will be Special Activity Group, but I am not sure... Any details?



This patch is on an advisor flight suit. He was attached to the 522nd FS (skyraider). The suit is also adorn with the 83rd SOG (Than Phong) patch.

Thanks.

NTS

This patch was probably made for USAF advisors to the 83rd Group; the “A” may stand for Advisor. It was also seen on the flying suits of some Vietnamese pilots of the 522nd Squadron. Somewhere on the web there’s a photo of Captain Tran Ba Hoi wearing it on his right shoulder; circa 1965 with the usual dragon’s head insignia of the group on his left breast.

Thanks Rolfi,

On this very bad quality photo we can see the same patch worn by one member of Ky's unit.


Actually it seems that some A1 of the 522nd FS were used for the 83rd SOG for the "special" missions.

Thanks again.

NTS

And it is very messy...

Here you have 83rd SOG patches, 518th FS, 83rd SAG, some unk...

Captain Tran Ba Hoi is the officer to Ky's left. The officer behind him wears this...

Argh ! Are you kidding me ?! Hell you seem to be right!!!

This patch has been on the identification page of LJ militaria for a while.
He says that it is a grouping.



Do you know exactly what it is???

I wish I did, it's a patch that's been annoying me for years. Somewhere I've a note of who the wearer is; if it'll help I'll dig it out.

Here's another photo of CaptainTran Ba Hoi; the office behind him wearing the mystery patch is Nguyen Quoc Phien.

Rolfi, you are killing me !!! I know this photo for a long time and I had never realized that it was this patch.
It is Dai Uy Phien on both photos.

Nguoi Tien Su a écrit:

Rolfi, you are killing me !!! I know this photo for a long time and I had never realized that it was this patch.
It is Dai Uy Phien on both photos.

If anyone is still monitoring this thread, I have some information you may be interested in. To start with, 83rd SAG stands for Special Air Group. My information comes from the VNAF officer in the photo below, Hoi B Tran (he has Americanized his name). I spoke with him today. He was very interested in seeing the patch he wore again.

SpadGuy

Thank you for the input ! Any other info will be greatly appreciated!!!

You are very lucky to meet Tran Ba Hoi. If you have the opportunity to meet him again, please also ask him if he remembers Capt. Pulham who was Flight leader Advisor, 522nd Fighter Squadron (VNAF). The 1st patch shown is on his suit. I was lucky to purchase it a few years ago.



Capt. Pulham is the 3rd one from the left (standing with documents).

Thank you again.

NTS

I wonder if anyone knew Phan Khoi who was in the 522nd squadron (was part of  “Than Phong” 83rd SAG to the American, commanded by General Nguyen Cao Ky from 1964-67).

I have a picture of him wearing the same patch. I hope this person knows Phan Khoi who also was in the 522nd squadron (was part of  “Than Phong” 83rd SAG to the American, commanded by General Nguyen Cao Ky from 1964-67).  

My dad Phan Khoi was part of 522nd Fighter Squadron of the 83rd Special Air Group out of Tan Son Nhat or The 83rd Special Operations Group, also called "Than Phong".

Please contact me at ecolliga2000 [at] yahoo.com

I've been looking for the last 30 years for someone who knew my dad.

Thank you,
Erika