This Vietnam war in-country embroidered patch measures approximately 3" by 3", used condition.

On 01 July 1968 the 50th Medical Detachment was deactivated and reformed up as an Air Ambulance Platoon of the 326th Medical Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), in Northern I Corps zone. The platoon quickly became known as “EAGLE DUSTOFF”, the second Air Ambulance platoon in South Vietnam, joining the Medevac platoon of the 1st Cavalry. The name, “EAGLE DUSTOFF,” was coined by then CPT Ronny E. Porta and 1LT Ottis G. Turner before the 326th became organic to the Division. Because of the terrain in the Platoon’s area of operations, hoist missions were common during the day and night. Often the Platoon exceeded 100 hoist missions per month. By mid 1969, the Platoon was experimenting with the use of OH-6 Loach aircraft for extractions normally done by hoist. If the hover hole was large enough, the Loach could lower itself in and pick up the patient. In July 1969, the Platoon obtained an OH-6 from the Third Brigade of the Division. It was marked with red crosses. As with hoist extractions, extractions using the Loach were very dangerous and the use of the Loach ended on 17 August 1969 after 20 missions had been flown and 18 patients extracted when the Loach crashed and the pilots were killed on an extraction mission. During the long years that the Army was pulling out of Vietnam and the causalities from the war decreased, the calls for DUSTOFF still echoed from the “Screaming Eagles” and crew losses for DUSTOFF increased in 1969, 1970 and into 1971.  The 326th Medical Battalion, Air Ambulance Platoon “Eagle Dustoff,” stood down in Vietnam on 23 December 1971, and returned to the United States at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in January 1972. This unit had served in three wars and at that time carried more patients both in peacetime and in war than any other Air Ambulance Unit/Company/Platoon.

A valuable addition to your Vietnam war military memorabilia collection.