The Son Tay Raid Patch was designed by Udo Fischer and  was adopted by all the raiders. The below text from Udo explains the origins of this well known design.

 

Son Tay Raid, 21 Nov 70: I  was on Major Eastman's JG, orbiting at the "Fishes Mouth," ready to go after any downed raiders.

During the night of the raid, we took off from Udorn in two HH-53 Jollies at 0345, then landed 0710. Our assigned mission was to be ready to go after any downed raider Jolly with rescued prisoners aboard. We orbited at the "Fish¹s Mouth" at the border of North Vietnam and Laos, near the PDJ. The other PJ aboard was Burr; I think Henry Ochse was on the second bird, but forgot who was with him. 

While on orbit at the Fishes Mouth, a disabled "Weasel" came down very near us; he was not a part of the raiding party. We virtually were over the two survivors, but were not allowed to make a rescue effort (Saigon RCC Center¹s radiocom directive). The raiders were on the way out, when this happened.  

Earlier over intercom I listened to what was going with the raiders. Having heard in my helmet headset most of what the raiders transmitted, I believed that they rescued a great number of POWs. Aboard of our two orbiting Jollies, we were unaware, until after landing at Udorn, that the count had referred to SF personnel, which had been dispatched from and then recovered by the raider Jollies. 

Now, when I heard over intercom that one of the returning Jolly Green raiders would make the Weasel pilots pickup, I was flabbergasted and couldn¹t believe what I heard. Why did they wanted to jeopardize the freed prisoners, when we were right there to make the pickup? Unbelievable! The Weasel that came down near our position, was left for Colonel Brown's returning Jolly raider crew to pick up. Nothing made any sense. 

We had to remain on station until all raiders had landed (NKP and Udorn). When we could finally RTB and had landed at Udorn, I saw that the flight line personnel in and near the revetments displayed long faces. Once shut down, the first one I asked, “How many did we get?” gave the answer, “None.” I couldn¹t believe it. I had heard everything while the raid was in progress, there had to be many freed POWs! But NONE it was. 

CMSgt Clarence Boles, my comrade from PJ Class 17, was there TDY and met me on the flight line. We decided to buy a bunch of booze for the raiders (mostly SF), who sat as if stunned on the flight line grass. I got the club manager out of bed to open the liquor store. Then Boles and I handed out the bottles. 

Later on, to overcome the enormous letdown, we got sauced at the NCO club.  Tony Willis and I danced like real Greek warriors to the band playing "Sorba the Greek" many times over per demand by the cheering onlookers. The next day I designed and drew the patch design, determined to do something on my part that shows appreciation for the brilliant mission accomplished, and this without any of our own losses. It no longer mattered that no prisoners were in the camp. It mattered greatly that it had been a most noble attempt to free at least some of our comrades, even with the high possibility of substantial losses to the raiders.  

ChBeers! Udo

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