60s Vietnam War SFC Metcalf Special Forces EOD Utility Uniform Grouping

An incredibly rare, attributed uniform grouping consisting of two utility shirts, originally worn by Sergeant First Class Edward Walter Metcalf, an EOD specialist who worked alongside US Special Forces in Vietnam until his untimely death in 1971, at the age of 39. Metcalf was a highly decorated and highly qualified EOD specialist and veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

According to a newspaper obituary, Metcalf was a 20-year Army veteran at the time of his death. This would place the beginning of his career in approximately 1951, when he was around 19 years of age. Within his first year of service, he was sent to Korea and served in five separate campaigns (listed below). During his service in Vietnam, he served in three seperate operations/campaigns.

Metcalf's military service is extensively documented online. Something particularly notable is that a number of biographical text entries concerning SFC Metcalf were contributed by SGM Mike R. Vining, himself a highly experienced EOD specialist and later one of the founding members of Delta Force. Vining is perhaps best known publicly from a photograph of him in his dress uniform that has circulated widely online (shown below).

Vining also served as an EOD specialist in Vietnam during the same period that Metcalf was in-country. Taken together with Vining's later contributions to Metcalf's online biographical record, this suggests that the two men may have known or served alongside one another, although I have not yet located documentation conclusively establishing this.

A truly unique, highly desirable uniform grouping for an advanced Vietnam War collector. Below are excerpts from websites describing Metcalf's service.

"MSG Edward Walter "Eddie" Metcalf and CPT James William Peterson were killed on 22 May 1971. They were assigned to the 44th Ordnance Detachment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), United States Army, Vietnam Special Troops, Army Support Command Saigon, United States Army, Vietnam, Cam Ranh Bay, Khanh Hoa Province, Republic of Vietnam. MSG Metcalf and CPT Peterson were killed in a vehicle accident en route to their unit in Cam Ranh Bay. Their vehicle was struck by another vehicle, lost control, and overturned. MSG Metcalf was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal."
(https://eod-wf.org/virtual-memorial/army/msg-edward-w-metcalf/)
(*This bio was researched and authored by SGM Mike R.Vining, USA (Retired).)

"MSG Edward W. Metcalf was an Airborne-qualified Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist serving with the U.S. Army's 44th Ordnance Detachment. Ordnance disposal personnel provided services in support of U.S. Army combat operations in the Republic of Vietnam. The EOD mission was to neutralize threats to operations, installations, personnel, or material. On May 22, 1971, just days before completing his one-year tour of duty in Vietnam, Metcalf was one of two passengers killed in a vehicle accident four kilometers (3.6 miles) east of Cam Ranh Army Airfield in Khanh Hoa Province, RVN. Reportedly, the jeep he was traveling in was hit by another vehicle causing the driver to lose control. The jeep overturned, fatally injuring Metcalf and a second passenger, the 44th Ordnance Headquarters commander, CPT James W. Peterson."
(https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=60590)

"CPT James William Peterson and MSG Edward Walter Metcalf were killed on 22 May 1971. They were assigned to the 44^th Ordnance Detachment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal). CPT Peterson and MSG Metcalf were killed in a vehicle accident en route to their unit in Cam Ranh Bay, Khanh Hoa Province, Republic of Vietnam. CPT Peterson was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal."
(https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=LegacySBV&type=Person&ID=64068)
(*This remembrance profile is maintained by Mike R. Vining, SGM USA (Retired).)

Combat Operations
1951–1951, Korean War/CCF Intervention (1950-51)
1951–1951, Korean War/First UN Counteroffensive (1951)
1951–1951, Korean War/CCF Spring Offensive (1951)
1951–1951, Korean War/UN Summer-Fall Offensive (1951)
1951–1951, Second Korean Winter (1951-52)
1970–1970, Operation Toan Thang 42 / Rock Crusher
1970–1970, Vietnam War/Sanctuary Counteroffensive Campaign (1970)
1970–1971, Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase VII Campaign (1970-71)
(https://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=60590)

Military and Personal Data:
Service & Component: Army (Regular)
Service Number: 454442687
MOS: 55D5P = Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist (Airborne Qual)
Rank: MSG
Unit of Assignement: 44TH ORD DET, USARV SPECIAL TROOPS, ARMY HQ AREA CMD, USARV
Start Tour: 05/27/1970
Incident Date: 05/22/1971
Born: 26 February 1932, Prairie City, Oregon
Home State: North Carolina
Tour Started: 27 May 1970
Buried: Alamance Memorial Park, Burlington, North Carolina, Plot: Veterans: 11A
Vietnam Memorial: Panel 03W
(www.coffeltdatabase.org)

Medals and Awards:
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge (Master w/ Combat Device)
Parachutist Badge (Basic)
Bronze Star (Valor)
US Army Commendation Medal
US Army Good Conduct Medal 2nd Award
National Defense Service Medal
Korean War Service Medal
Vietnam War Service Medal
United Nations Korean Service Medal
US Army Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
US Army Presidential Citation Medal
Korean Presidential Unit Citation Medal
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Medal