[Sca-cooks] OT OOP Berets was Non-SCA Authenticity

[Terry Decker]

Berets in the U.S. military got their start with OSS operators in Europe 
adopting the headgear of Belgian and French Resistance groups with whom they 
worked and the tradition got brought into the U.S Army Special Forces.  The 
green beret was unofficially adopted by the 77th Special Forces Group in 
1955.  The green beanie was banned by the Ft. Bragg post commander in 1957. 
In September, 1961, the green beret became the official cover of the Special 
Forces.

Between 1973 and 1979, local commanders of armor units were granted 
permission to improve morale by allowing the use of the black beret.  The 
policy was rescinded and all unofficial headgear was banned by order of the 
Army Chief of Staff in 1979.  The "tradition" is that the black beret was 
the first modern military beret as adopted by the British Royal Tank 
Regiment in 1924.  Brimless for fire control and black to hide grease 
stains, it was a perfect cover for armor units.

The 10th Ranger Company wore black berets during the Korean War and various 
Ranger units adopted the black beret in Vietnam,  In 1975, the black beret 
became the official headgear of the Ranger Regiment.

The maroon beret was adopted by the British Parachute Regiment in 1942 and 
has since become an international symbol for airborne units.  In 1943, a 
battalion of the 509th Infantry Parachute Regiment became honorary members 
of the British Parachute Regiment and were entitled to wear the maroon 
beret.  During Vietnam U.S. advisors often wore ARVN maroon berets.  In 
1973, the maroon beret was adopted by most of the U.S. Airborne units until 
the 1979 ban.  In 1980, the policy was changed to permit Airborne to again 
wear the maroon beret.

Bear

>
>> Check Army/Navy surplus.  Black berets are Army Ranger headgear.
>>
> How things change, when I was an Lt.  in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment
> back in the late 70's we worn them as it was said that such were 
> traditional
> for Armor.  Still got mine.
>
> Daniel