There are four known patches that were in use by D/227 during the Vietnam Period.
The first of these is the 131st Aerial Weapons Company Patch
From Leonard Bauer who served with D/227 in 1965.
“This patch (above) was created in October 1965. Major William Cressal proposed it and displayed a drawing one morning on the flight-line at An Khe. Major Cressal was Armament Officer and WO-1 Albert Bresnick was his assistant. Not sure who drew it up, but we all agreed to order them post-haste.
We were known as the Red Devils and our call sign was “Devil”.
In the 11th Air Assault we were the “Tigers” Delta 227th from the very beginning when Alpha was the “gun company”. When the UH-1D s were available A,B, and C were lift companies and D became the weapons company with B model “hueys”.
Major Frank Henry was the first C.O. while Colonel John B. Stockton was the first Battalion Commander.”
Next is the Delta Company Patch
Albert Audette says, “When I was in country with D/227 AHB as a crew chief / door gunner their wasn’t too many of these patches available for us. I still have my original patch in my home display case. The patch certainly displays our gun ships and we delivered the fire power that was needed for the missions 1st in the LZ and last out of LZ. ”
The company was know during this time period as “FANGS” and there is a copy of the Pouvoir Newsletter from 3 June 1967 on the A/227 history page that shows the same artwork.
Jim Puhala sends the following information about the above patch.
“A question has been raised about the pocket patch (above)that appears on the home page of this website. Here’s some history. I came to Phan Thiet, to join A/229 and a platoon of D/229, in early March, 67, transferring from B/229th. I had a cup of coffee with A Co, then joined the gun platoon. Seems to me that call signs for both A and D companies (and probably the rest of the 227th) were indian tribes at that time. Shortly thereafter, we began using snakes. D Co was King Cobra and A Co was Sidewinder (as I recall).
The patch that appears on the homepage, and which John LaDue and I remember so well, simply showed up one day after the call sign change. It may have been produced locally at Phan Thiet and may have never been used by the rest of D Co. So the patch reflects a particular place and time for at least part of D Co.”
The time frame of the above patch would probably be sometime during 1969 or later. The patch shows the outline of a AH-1G which came to D/227 during late 1968 (November).
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