<P> When visiting the Special Forces at Fort Bragg on 12 October 1961 , President John F. Kennedy asked Brig. Gen. William P. Yarborough to make sure that the men under his command wore green berets for the visit . Later that day , Kennedy sent a memorandum that included the line : ' `` I am sure that the green beret will be a mark of distinction in the trying times ahead '' . By America 's entry into the Vietnam War , the green beret had become a symbol of excellence throughout the U.S. Army . On 11 April 1962 in a White House memorandum to the United States Army , President Kennedy reiterated his view : `` The green beret is a symbol of excellence , a badge of courage , a mark of distinction in the fight for freedom '' . Previously , both Yarborough and Edson Raff had petitioned the Pentagon to allow wearing of the green beret , to no avail . </P>
which u.s. president authorized the wearing of green berets by u.s. army special forces soldiers
President John F. Kennedy