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US Army Airborne Mike Force Patch - Vietnam War -
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into
battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little
warning. The formations are limited only by the number and size of their aircraft, so given enough capacity a
huge force can appear "out of nowhere" in minutes, an action referred to as vertical envelopment.
The Mobile Strike Force Command, or MIKE Force, was a key component of United States Army Special Forces in the
Vietnam War. They served primarily with Montagnards, comprised of the best special soldiers selected from the
persecuted Degar people, who from 1960 to the egress of the United States from Vietnam waged special warfare
against the Viet Minh, NLF (Viet Cong), and PLAVN oppressors in various detachments. The MIKE force had a
critical role in the search and rescue of downed American pilots in Viet Nam.
The patch illustrated here is a combination of Airborne and MIKE force elements. This was not an official patch
issued by the Army, but rather one created in-country by a small unit. This was a common practice among
special forces units.
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This page is a recognition and identification guide for special forces militaria
Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point
out clearly defined areas that should be noted.
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A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the items is
reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of the American special forces militaria in the collector's market is illustrated.
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This Vietnam War US military collectible may be currently
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this item.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other vietnam war Special Forces collectibles, you can do so by
going to our
Vietnam War Special Forces Collectibles Price Guide.
Where we cover items from the Army, Navy, Army Air Force and other organizations.
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