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Com Z patches Communication Zone Europe patches


Germanymp
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Hi guys, here are some variants and tabs for the Com Z patch. No fancy bullions, just something I thought I'd share with you.

post-1035-1200161243.jpg

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I think this is not an U.S. Patch (maybe France?) but it's design is obviously influenced by the U.S. ComZ patch. Do you know what unit it is?

 

Lars

CommZ.JPG

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I think this is not an U.S. Patch (maybe France?) but it's design is obviously influenced by the U.S. ComZ patch. Do you know what unit it is?

 

Lars

 

Bonjour,

 

Your patch is the french 2nd Army Corps insignia. It has been inactivated in the early 90's. Its HQ was located in Baden-Baden and three divsions were subordinate to it( 3rd and 5th Armored Div and the 15th Infantry Div).

 

Cheers

 

Valery

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Hi

 

Valery was faster. I knew it was french, but not all the infos to it. Thanks Valery for sharing this info. thumbsup.gif

Here are some history portions: (source, www.usarmygermany.com)

 

 

THE ORIGIN OF COM Z

 

The Need for a Change

In 1945 United States troops in Germany received their supplies almost entirely through our Bremerhaven line of supply. The port of Bremerhaven is on the North Sea at the mouth of the Weser River. Bremerhaven, with its excellent port facilities and lines of communications to the south, across the flat plains of North Germany, was quite adequate for our needs in times of peace, or when no apparent threat from the East existed.

 

But these flat plains, with no mountain barriers to protect them, have from the earliest times been the natural route of invaders from the East, who swept across them through the Low Countries (Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg) to the sea, where they could control Atlantic seaports.

 

The Bremerhaven supply line to our forces in Germany is right in the path of these historic invasions. It is a long line and a thin one, and it could easily be cut in the event of a strong attack from the East.

 

The Communist blockade of Berlin in 1948-49, which was defeated only by the magnificent Berlin Air Lift operated around-theclock by American and British airmen, made clear the necessity for larger supply channels and alternate routes of supply.

 

In November 1950, when Soviet activities made it apparent that Communist pressure would relentlessly continue against the West, the French and American governments reached an agreement under which the United States is permitted to organize and maintain a line of communications (LOC) in France. This line of communications is COM Z.

 

Why COM Z Is In France

The reasons leading to the choice of France as the USAREUR Communications Zone are these:

 

A defense force such as ours must naturally be stationed as near to the zone of threatened attack as possible. Since 1948 -- or even before that yea -r -the only threat to the free European nations has been from the East, from behind the Iron Curtain countries. This, in turn, has required strong defense forces in Germany. It must also be pointed out that the new German Federal Republic, without any means of defending itself, and at a time when it was struggling to win back its economic health, was faced with another threat --from East Germany. The Soviets had set up their customary puppet government in East Germany, and to support it established a German "police force." A "police force" armed with machine guns, rifles, mortars and even tanks!

 

In view of the Communist record in Korea, where the Soviettrained North Korean army opened its aggression against the free Republic of South Korea in 1950, there could be no guarantee that similar aggression might not spring from the same source in Europe -- Communism -- and throw Central Europe again into war, with West Germany the first victim.

 

For those reasons, it will be seen why the bulk of our strength in Europe must be stationed where it is.

 

Forces at the front not only need supplies in vast quantities, but also a constant flow of supplies and equipment. The roads over which these supplies travel must be kept open. They must be, if possible, located to the rear of any battle line so that they cannot easily be cut off by the enemy.

 

France is the ideal location for the communications zone that serves our forces. All of its neighbors, with the exception of Switzerland and Spain, which are neutral, are partners with us in NATO.

 

France's 2,000 miles of coastline have many excellent harbors bordering the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean in the north and in the west, and the Mediterranean in the south. Winters, which are seldom severe, never block French ports, and in the south, along the Mediterranean, the climate resembles that of Florida.

 

France's excellent port facilities are a vital factor in building a good supply line. They are on well-established shipping lines and so numerous that, without complete mastery of the Atlantic Ocean, an enemy would never be able effectively to deny our fleets access to them.

 

France's land area is slightly smaller than Texas. Through the central part of the country unbroken plains range to the northern borders.

 

Over these plains stretch some 85,000 miles of highways and 55,000 miles of railroads. World War Il destroyed a considerable part of France's highways and bridges, but within four years after the close of the war almost every damaged bridge in the country had been rebuilt and dense traffic was again proceeding over the highway network. The task of restoring the nation's transportation system was all the more remarkable because of the lack of road-building supplies and equipment after the war.

 

 

 

I'd love to know more about the French patch design and who came up with it first. Valery, do you have more info on this?

 

best regards,

Phil

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Bonsoir Phil,

 

I'll try to find more info about the II Corps, who was the first the egg or the hen ?

I've been assigned many assigned in Orleans, former ComZ HQ at Coligny barracks. My barracks (Orleans and its suburb were full of barracks and Tg areas) were very closed and I've try to find souvenirs relative to the american troops in the area.

Here is my conribution to your topic

 

According to the insignias (color and subdued mixed), I can say that these uniforms 've been worn in the last years 67-68.

 

2189566327_aa9d1aab5e.jpg

 

 

2190354146_84517e15e5.jpg

 

 

2189566367_9438504083.jpg

 

Cheers

 

Valery

 

PS

 

I'm always interested to see pictures from Orleans, Olivet , Saran and Chanteau (former hospital)

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Hi Valery

 

I enclose you the list of the Coligny stationned units in june 1964

 

819th Hospital Center - 760th Med Det

11th MH Det

15th MP Det Crim Invest

3rd Log Cmd C HHC

5th AG Bn Repl HHD

541st Eng Det Terrain

76th AG Bnd ARMY 42 P

76th CM Det Radl Center

3952nd USA GARRISON

437th MP CO

63rd AG UNT A POST TY G

63rd AUG Fin Sec Disbursing

HQ 63rd Fin Sec Disbursing

 

and a small COMZ units DIs display

 

post-1289-1200306046.jpg

 

Best

Yves

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  • 5 years later...
Garth Thompson

Here is a variation of the patch you don't see often.

Garth

 

 

 

 

post-83-0-59841800-1369589690.jpg

post-83-0-16298600-1369589705.jpg

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Still hoping to hear from someone about the year this patch was first worn. I ask because although I know it's a post-war patch, the construction/weave is identical to many of the known WW2 patches that I own (It's possible there is a bit more khaki base material showing around the edges than most of the WW2 patches I have seen).

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Garth Thompson

Still hoping to hear from someone about the year this patch was first worn. I ask because although I know it's a post-war patch, the construction/weave is identical to many of the known WW2 patches that I own (It's possible there is a bit more khaki base material showing around the edges than most of the WW2 patches I have seen).

 

Two minute google search

 

"

The Com Z Shoulder Patch (Source: STARS & STRIPES, March 12, 1964) The "Lifeline to the Frontline" COMZ%20-%20TASCOM%20patch%20small.jpg shoulder patch has recently been reinstated as the Communications Zone shoulder patch.

 

The patch was originally worn by members of Com Z between 1953 and 1960. In January 1960, the patch became the official symbol of Theater Support Command (TASCOM). TASCOM was organized on March 1 of that year to take over responsibility for all depots in France and Germany. Concurrently, Com Z was reorganized as USAREUR (Rear) Com Z and wore the USAREUR shoulder patch.

 

On 1 July 1961, TASCOM was redesignated as the 4th Logistical Command and the "Lifeline" patch became the official insignia for the 4th Log Comd.

 

In Dec 1963 or early 1964, the 4th Log Comd returned to the US."

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Steindaddie

Here's one we have in our museum uniform collection. This Ike jacket was donated by one of our volunteers who was with Com Z in the mid 1950's.

post-1949-0-53835300-1369712507.jpg

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seanmc1114

Here is a photo I ran across on the webpage of the Army's Black Knights parachute team. It appears to be a European Communication Zone SSI with a blue and white Airborne tab although it's a little hard to tell. Were there ever any airborne units assigned? Maybe quartermaster aerial delivery (parachute riggers) companies?

post-1761-0-77751000-1369746861.jpg

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Hi all

 

Here is my solitary bullion patch with DUI ADSEC-Phill

 

So We Are In France
The headquarters of USAREUR COM Z is in the historic city of Orleans, about 70 miles south of Paris. There are four subordinate commands. Base Section (BASEC) is in southwestern France with headquarters in the coastal city of La Rochelle. A beautiful highway runs through the famous chateaux district of the Loire Valley from La Rochelle to Orleans. Advance Section (ADSEC) is in northeastern France, with headquarters in Verdun, the famed fortress city which was renowned in World War I for its resistance to the German armies. Seine Area Command (SAC) has its headquarters in Paris, and the Orleans Installation (ORIN) is established with headquarters at Orleans.

Most American personnel in COM Z are service troops -- the builders and operators of the new supply line. Skilled transportation personnel move, unload and examine incoming materiel. Signal men are required to operate and keep in running order an extensive communications system. Quartermaster and ordnance corps personnel in great numbers must handle huge quantities of supplies and equipment. From one end of this great communications zone to the other thousands of skilled men in the technical services are required for smooth operation.

Personnel of COM Z are constantly busy. In addition to technical tasks, combat training has its part in the normal life of a man assigned to the Communications Zone. Practical experience in wartime operation is gained through the over-the-beach unloading exercises known as NODEX. During these exercises tonnage records have been made and broken constantly by different units working day and night to transfer the cargoes of heavily loaded ships to docks and shores, and sending them expeditiously on their way to the "front".

COM Z is already in excellent shape to fulfill its important functions.

 

Below more on USATCOMZ

 

http://www.usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm

 

 

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post-7582-0-60652300-1370138358.jpg

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Thanks Jon

 

Wonder if there was a patch with an ADSEC tab? I was surprised that ADSEC acronym was still used at that stage thinking that it was only used with HQ ETOUSA COMZ ADSEC c1945.-Phill

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  • 3 years later...

Thanks Jon

 

Wonder if there was a patch with an ADSEC tab? I was surprised that ADSEC acronym was still used at that stage thinking that it was only used with HQ ETOUSA COMZ ADSEC c1945.-Phill

 

My father-in-law, John S. Wilburn, was COM-Z. Attached is our contribution to this topic, one of our COM-Z/ADSEC trays.

post-126654-0-32639900-1473624568.jpg

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  • 1 year later...
Just another collector

My grandfather was in Adsec during the the late 1950s and early 1960s and recently inherited his Ikes and dress uniform.

 

 

~the new guy

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Here is a photo I ran across on the webpage of the Army's Black Knights parachute team. It appears to be a European Communication Zone SSI with a blue and white Airborne tab although it's a little hard to tell. Were there ever any airborne units assigned? Maybe quartermaster aerial delivery (parachute riggers) companies?

I never saw this thread before but I remembered this later posting that might explain the airborne tab over the Comm Zone SSI:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/153816-army-shirt-w-rigger-airborne-master-parachute/page-2?hl=demartini

 

I have in my collection a patch that was made by combining two patches together a Comm Zone SSI over a 557th Quartermaster Company SSI. The seller had removed it from the uniform but kept a photograph of the patch sewn on the uniform to prove that both patches came together.

post-1389-0-70417400-1517333857.jpg

post-1389-0-50979000-1517333873.jpg

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