Thank you for the Update,   RIP Sir.

It’s an AI bot…

Good Evening Gentlemen,   I came across this interesting photo from ATF 211 advisory group which has also been signed by a number of its members to include commodore Blair who was in charge of the riverine forces responsible for alot of the raids and patrols along the mekong delta. I haven't been able to identify all of the signatures but would appreciate any help that anyone can provide. It's interesting to see the mix of 5th special forces berets and brown water navy berets as well as ERDL berets and camo uniforms together. As always thoughts and opinions are welcome.  

. Hello BryanJ,   well I keep wondering why it is now colder in Normandy than eighteen years ago when I moved here.  Eighteen years ago myself, girlfriend and other local friends would still be sat outdoors barbecuing and chatting till around 23h00.  Now we are all indoors many hours earlier and the indoor heating or log fire burning, and even in June / August we have to have heating on,  we never did when I was a kid.    Over the years we have insulated our houses, we started with double glazing, there is now triple glazing, loft insulation etc, etc.  Two thousand years ago Roman soldiers were walking around with bare arms and legs, short leather skirts and sandals, the news reports keep saying it's getting warmer, or the hottest March in recorded history, where do they get their figures from, Florida I suspect.  !!!!!!!   Have you guys over there stolen all the sun.   Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, April 20 2O25.   ….  

Looks much like the French 1842 before the grips were modified in 1859. Is there anything printed along the flat back of the blade. Cheers. 

Thank you Spike!  Much appreciated.

It's not a dumb question at all! Generally, the "Ruptured Duck" patch, a cloth discharge emblem, was primarily worn by enlisted personnel to indicate honorable discharge and authorize travel in uniform. It wasn't typically used by officers in the same manner. Sometimes, variations occur, and officers might wear them, but it wasn't standard practice. The uniforms you saw might have been exceptions or personalized choices. Hope this helps!

Its a brown dominate ARVN made shirt.

Colonel John F Kuznicki US Army Field Artillery Officer. 42nd ID staff officer during WW2, MacArthur’s HQ in Japan transportation section during the Korean War. Retired after years of serving with the Office of Research and Development that developed weapons and technology for the CIA.

I might be able to help a little, but my information is conflicting.  On the one hand, this looks like a French Model 1842 sabre bayonet.  It should be 27.4" (696mm) overall. Blade length 22.6 " (574mm).  Muzzle ring .933" (23.7mm).  If your measurements are significantly different, then it's something else.   However, the bee hive mark is by a German maker Samuel Hoppe  1827-1885.  I googled Samuel Hoppe and found that he made a French 1855 infantry sword.   Maybe something to start with. Marv Moments ago I found a photo of a French Model 1842 that has a German maker F.W.H.  which is for F.W. Holler.