What to do with a damaged Vietnam era uniform shirt?

[clovis97]

I bought a Vietnam era USAF shirt today with the correct patches (Tactical Air Command) and sergeant stripes. I bought this shirt at a thrift store for less than a dollar.

The bad part is that someone cut the sleeves on this shirt...prolly some wannabe hipster thinking it would be cool to have a short sleeve shirt from their dad's or grandfather's Vietnam uniform.

I'm not sure what I should do with the shirt.

Do I remove the patches and list those on ebay, or try to sell the shirt as is?

On one hand, no one is going to pay much for a hipster-modified shirt, even if it is a true-blue Vietnam issue with correct patches. On the other hand, they aren't making any more of these authentic war issued shirts, and I hate to destroy a piece of history.

(Yes, I have a soft heart for historical items, even if most people think it is crazy. Can you imagine the tens of thousands of Revolutionary and Civil War uniforms that got cut up and tossed 50 years after each of those respective wars?)

Last year, another ebayer gave me 5 dress blouses that were also early Vietnam era, but these were utterly destroyed. That other ebayer listed those shirts 4 times without them selling, and declared them trash. I removed the sergeant stripes from those and sold all five sets within a few days for $10 a set.

So, what do you think I should do? List the shirt as is, or cut the patches off and make more profit with less time involved??

 

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[Critical Recovery]

Douchebags.

Are the service branch and name tapes still on the front?
If so, I would leave it as is.

If not, I would say pull the patches. Those USAF rank patches don't change much.

 

[clovis97]

Yes, all of the correct patches are present and in good condition.

 

[Critical Recovery]

Yes, all of the correct patches are present and in good condition.

I would leave it as is.
The patches won't be worth much more parted out than they will on (what is left) of the item as a whole.
Unless you are in need of quick cash, then the patches would bring a few dollars, but not much.
Hard to tell with what I know, my knowledge is limited.
Why chop it up further?
Just my .02.

Although I DID find something odd once when doing that. I found a "muslin" long sleeve lightweight OD blouse at a garage sale. It had a big tear down the back so I just took the 'Army' patches off to put in my box of patches ( I had about 20 or so at the time).
I found 'US Navy' stamped in black under the embroidered US Army patch when I popped the stitches.
Never did figure that one out.