North Vietnamese Army Collar Tabs Private Artillery

The NVA wore collar tabs extensively in the North. In spite of regulations requiring insignia to be left in the North when the NVA departed for the South, some collar tabs made their way to the South. They were often found in packs and pockets.

Wartime collar tabs can be easily distinguished from post war in that wartime collar tabs were made of wool felt, like these.

Post 1975 collar tabs are made of polyester or similar synthetic materials.

Collar tabs were attached to the collar primarily by aluminum prongs but also brass wire.

Small string loops were typically sewn onto the collar where the prongs would pass through. This way they could be removed for laundering.

Collar tabs worn on the field shirt were rank specific and would have a branch cipher, except for Infantry which had no cipher.