HERD TRIVIA
1. 174th Airborne Brigade ???
Did you know that the 173rd Airborne Brigade's roots are from the 87th Division WWII that had two Infantry Brigades the 173rd and the 174th.
It was a toss up which unit we were to become the now 173rd Airborne Brigade; the 173rd Infantry Brigade or the 174th Infantry Brigade. Since the old 173rd had a better combat record then the 174th, we became the 173rd Infantry Brigade, which later became the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
2. 173rd Brigade - Berlin
Attempts were made to activate the 173rd to replace the Berlin Brigade but politics came into play and it was feared this may be perceived as a move against Europe, so it never happened.
3. More History
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At the time of our first deployment to Okinawa, we wore the red and bright gold lightning 25th Inf Div patch with a Black w/ orange lettered Airborne Tab over the patch. I regret that I did not save one as memorabilia George Leese |
the first "prototypes were issued the wing was the same general design but not as "full" as the one used later. Also the Sword was referred to as looking like a Cancer Stick. The back ground was blue as now but a very plain cloth. It was referred to at the time as looking like a Chicken Feather with a Cancer Stick stuck through it. The patch evolved into the current version fairly rapidly. I think the first patches suffered from the material and production methods by the local supplier at the time |
 The Official Patch |
4. First Sky Soldier wounded,
Terry McElfish 1965
5. World Famous 173d Photo
Photo the "Agony of War" by PFC Epley was seen worldwide and is forever etched in out minds!
6. Female jumper on the Herd's combat jump
Did you know that a French female photojournalist ( Catherine Leroy) made the combat jump with the 173d in operation junction city, in Vietnam?
7. 1st Female Sky Soldier
Now A Captain
Since at the time of the reactivation there was approximately 30 women in the 173d, it is hard to name a single one as the FIRST FEMALE SKYSOLDIER but on 13 June 2000 at 1500 hours the then 1st LT Leslie Balfaqih was third to exited the 7th aircraft in a group of eight C-130 aircraft over Drop Zone Juliet in Italy. Unknowingly Lt. Balfaqih became the first female SkySoldier to jump with the 173rd Airborne Brigade.
8. First Female awarded a purple heart,
(Name known but withheld until confirmed by the unit)
Click here to submit Herd Trivia
Some of the information credited to Ken Gaudet, uitlander@prodigy.net
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