OUR PROUD HERITAGE

History of the Subdued Olive Drab (OD) Green Cav Patch

     At the time the Cav was ordered to rapidly deploy to Vietnam, new jungle fatigues were not being produced in the large, division-size quantities required. The Cav would deploy and fight, initially, with what it had on its back. So the division headquarters passed out an order, hoping to tone-down the position-revealing light colors of the uniforms in use: dye all uniforms, underwear, and handkerchiefs a dark green. Much of the burden was assumed by the quartermaster laundry at Fort Benning, but some sky troopers bought dye and did it themselves at home or in laundromats. Practically every packet of green-and-black dye in the area was snapped up. It was said, the sewage in many cities turned green and stayed that way for weeks afterward. Those who dyed their fatigues with the patches still attached ended up with green-and-black patches. When folks at division headquarters saw these patches, they got the idea to begin manufacturing black-and-green patches along with the rank and branch insignia. The origin of the idea is attributed to several folks, among which was General Kinnard. Regardless, a Vietnamese tailor in Saigon made some prototypes for members of the advance party, but they were judged unsatisfactory. Kinnard ordered a better brand from a Japanese manufacturer and had them issued shortly after the division arrived in Vietnam. The trend swept the division like wildfire, eventually spreading to other units in Vietnam and, ultimately, to the entire Army.

     The loss of the bright yellow on the patch met with some resistance. At the time of the Cav's preparation for Vietnam, Mrs. Dorcy, the original designer of the patch, objected to the patch's colors being changed, but finally acquiesced when General Kinnard patiently explained to her that it was necessary in order to save young lives.