Charlie Co. Scarf

This website is named after the Charlie Scarf warn by the Charlie Co. Grunts

Creation of the Charlie Company Scarf

CPT. Jamie Hall the Company Commander assigned to Charlie Company 1/ 52nd Inf. 198th Light Infantry Brigade in December 1968, believing the men in the company needed a morale booster came up with the idea of a company scarf.

The scarves were made in a village outside of LZ Bayonet of black cotton material about the size of a Boy Scout scarf with a blood red “C” in one corner. The scarves were issued to the men February 14, 1969 on LZ Professional, each man received one Charlie Scarf, and told to have it on his person at all times. Most of the scarves were warn around the neck, making the men of Charlie Co. proud to wear them as part of their uniform.

While operating off LZ Young later Charlie Co. Scarves were left on many dead NVA Soldiers. Later, some NVA Soldiers captured in the same area told the Company Commander they were afraid of the Company with the black scarves, and were very careful when Charlie Co. was in the area. One NVA Soldier said there was a reward out for the Company with the black scarves.

Jamie Hall, Company Commander who created the Charlie Co. Scarf still has an original Charlie Scarf.

Second issue of the Charlie Scarf

July 12, 1969 Charlie Co. 1/52 Inf. detonated a 105mm pressure type mine buried in ground. This resulted in 5 KIA (killed in action) and 26 WIA (wounded in action)

Later in July while on patrol in the Vinh Loc 2 area off LZ Stinson (formerly LZ Buff) a bolt of black silk cloth was taken from a VC (Viet Cong) tax collector. Someone in the company suggested using the material to make a Memorial Scarf to be warn, paying Tribute to the Fallen Grunts of the July 12th booby trap. The material was sent back to Charlie Co. Headquaters at LZ Bayonet and a scarf 24"x24" was made and a 3" red "C" was added making the Charlie Co. Scarf. The Commanding Officer of the 1/52 Inf. authorized the Charlie Scarf to be warn as part of Charlie Co.'s daily uniform.

The VC & NVA (North Vietnam Army) looked at the Charlie Scarf as a direct slap in the face as the material was to be used for making their black pajama uniforms. The VC & NVA in return put a reward or bounty on all Charlie Co. Grunts, if a VC or NVA Soldier could wound or kill a Charlie Co. Grunt and get his Charlie Scarf then that VC or NVA Soldier would be rewarded with a new bicycle.

Charlie Co. 1/52 Inf. and the Charlie Scarf made the October 24, 1969 issue of the Life Magazine when some members of Charlie Co. used their Charlie Scarf as an armband to show their support of the massive antiwar moratorium in the United States. On page 36 is a picture of two members of Charlie Co. wearing their black armband.

The Kansas City Times, Saturday October 18, 1969 published an article also about Charlie Co. and the Charlie Scarf armbands. The article was titled "Charlie Company Does Its Job, Thinks Hard About the War"

Charlie Co. went through some good times went through some bad times; through it all we still stand STRONG for each other.

The Grunts walked common ground that formed a STRONG bonding into brotherhood. "BROTHERS FOREVER"

As the Creator, and Webmaster of this website, I can only hope, I have lived my life worthy of the sacrifice made by all my Brothers, and that they will never be forgotten.

This website went online September 5, 2000

TERRY WYRICK Webmaster

CHARLIE CO. ON--LINE ROSTER
REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER
OUR FALLEN BROTHERS
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
CHARLIE SCARF GOES TO WAR AGAIN
2024 REUNION INFORMATION
2024 REUNION RESERVATIONS
THE MOM CORP STORY
1999 & 2000 REUNION PICTURES
THIRD ANNUAL CHARLIE C0. REUNION
2002 REUNION PICTURES
OUR FALLEN BROTHERS
CHARLIE SCARF TANK
2002 & 2003 REUNION PICTURES
2004 REUNIONS
2005 CHARLIE CO. REUNION
NO BROTHER LEFTBEHIND FUND
2006, 2007, 2008 REUNIONS
THE SHARON GILL STORY