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The 55th Command Headquarters Patch - a collecting enigma


Teamski
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Hey guys,

 

We have discussed the patch in the past without any definitive answers, so here goes. I finally got this pair of 55th Command Headquarters patches today. Either or both could very well be repros, but I got them on a hope and a prayer anyways. The unit existed from December 1964-July 1968 (Aleck) with the Florida National Guard, so we know that the patch should be cut edged. So which one if any are original? My guess would be the one on the right, but without concrete evidence, there could be a third version out there that is the true original. Any ideas?

 

-Ski

post-3043-0-66256500-1359494888_thumb.jpeg

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JerseyDevil117

IMOH I think the one on the right is a repro. The reason i think this is because I have a few of what i call "color cut edge patches" and none of them have the mesh stabilizer ( white screen shaped stuff poking out on the edges) showing.

 

plus to generally tell if a ww2 patch is a repro they have the mesh stabilizer showing

 

I have a 2 marine division patch that was known not to be made in the color cut edge style but it is and it also has the mesh stabilizer. it's more clear in person but It has the same edge as yours.

2d7yjhj.jpg

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IMOH I think the one on the right is a repro. The reason i think this is because I have a few of what i call "color cut edge patches" and none of them have the mesh stabilizer ( white screen shaped stuff poking out on the edges) showing.

 

plus to generally tell if a ww2 patch is a repro they have the mesh stabilizer showing

 

I have a 2 marine division patch that was known not to be made in the color cut edge style but it is and it also has the mesh stabilizer. it's more clear in person but It has the same edge as yours.

 

 

Thanks for the response. Remember, there are no absolutes in collecting. Having mesh as a backing to the base material doesn't automatically make a patch a repro. There are many fully embroidered patches made in WWII, for example, that use the mesh to re-enforce a wool base and were 100% original. Ribbed stitched patches from the era almost all have a mesh backing (do a search on ribbed stitch patches to find past discussions on them). However, that is apples and oranges. The 55th patch was produced in the mid 1960's for an pretty obscure unit. We don't know if the unit locally procured the patch or if the QM department had them ordered for them. We have no idea right now how the patch was actually made. I would love to see some more variations other than Asian made ones.

 

-Ski

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JerseyDevil117

I'm sorry i should have been more clear, when i was talking about the stabilizer sticking out i ment fully embroideried ww2 patches. But your right that doesn't 100% of the time mean it's a repro. I feel too that this patch could have been a locally made piece. We may never know for a 100% if it was locally made but anyways nice patch none the less.

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It would be great if someone posted a 100% original attributed example of one of these. I would like to add this patch to my collection, but I don't know what exactly I'm looking for. Some examples are obvious repros, but others are not. I'm never sure enough to roll the dice on one. I guess I just need to find an old Army fatigue shirt with one on it at the local flea market for 50 cents.

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It would be great if someone posted a 100% original attributed example of one of these. I would like to add this patch to my collection, but I don't know what exactly I'm looking for. Some examples are obvious repros, but others are not. I'm never sure enough to roll the dice on one. I guess I just need to find an old Army fatigue shirt with one on it at the local flea market for 50 cents.

The odds are that there are unissued stacks or even boxes of those somewhere stuck way back in a dark corner of an old armory or in storage shed in the backyard of a retired supply sergeant somewhere in Florida. Just the thought of that makes your head spin and your mouth drool, doesn't it?

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Here is the previous topic discussing this patch:

 

http://www.usmilitar...ers-divisional/

 

One of the posts in that topic links to this article about the actual unit:

 

http://www.floridaguard.army.mil/1657

 

And in that article itself is this photo of a soldier that is wearing what could possibly be a 55th patch although I think it is more likely the Florida National Guard HQ patch:

post-1761-0-78712300-1359730748.jpg

post-1761-0-63762600-1359730768.jpg

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  • 3 months later...
seanmc1114

Here is a photo of the command staff of the Florida National Guard's 260th Engineer Group from 1964. Note that even though the photo caption identifies the group as part of the 55th Command Headquarters, they all seem to be wearing the Florida National Guard State Area Command SSI.

post-1761-0-97451300-1368020347.jpg

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seanmc1114

Here's a shot of Troop E 153rd Cavalry that also identifies it as part of the 55th Command Headquarters. It's hard to see which SSI they are wearing.

post-1761-0-68889500-1368020535.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
  • 4 years later...

Here is a link I found online to a booklet discussing the effects of the 1962 Army reorganization of the Reserve components. Eight National Guard and Reserve divisions were to be eliminated. I believe this particular text is describing the creation of these Command Headquarters and their purpose with regards to creating slots for general officers whose command assignments were being eliminated.

 

https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007884804?type[]=all&lookfor[]=army national guard&ft=

post-1761-0-16805300-1508262271_thumb.jpg

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It's on the TIOH website:

 

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=16453&CategoryId=9424&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services

 

approved 20 Nov 64

 

five wavy and five pointed rays refer to unit number (55)

 

The first ones had to be cut edge/flat edge like the one on the left that begins this thread

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  • 2 years later...

I just ran across this photo of Major General Robert A. Ballard in the January 1967 issue of The Florida Guardsman monthly newsletter. As you can see, it identifies him as the commanding general of the 55th Command Headquarters(Divisional), but he is clearly wearing the SSI approved for the headquarters of the Florida National Guard. Assuming the photo was taken sometime right around late December 1966-early 1967, it begs the question of whether the SSI for the 55th was ever actually worn if even its commander was not wearing it during this timeframe.  

55th Command Headquarters.Divisional.Florida National Guard.Ballard.Robert A.1.jpg

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Here's some more information on the 55th Command Headquarters from the March 1963 Florida Guardsman newsletter. The headquarters was created with the deactivation of the 51st Infantry Division and the removal of Florida elements from the 48th Armored Division. The Florida National Guard would have had three or possibly four general officers (commanding general, assistant CO and commander of the division artillery along with a possible second assistant commanding general) from the 51st and at least one and possibly two general officers serving with the 48th who would no longer have slots available for them due to the reorganization of the 48th and inactivation of the 51st.  

55th Command Headquarters.Divisional.Florida National Guard.Ballard.Robert A.5-3-1963.jpg

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I don't mean to hijack a thread about a SSI, but here is some more info on the unit itself which is sort of an enigma itself. These are also from May 1963 Florida Guardsman newsletter. Note the 55th apparently consisted not only of the 55th Operational Headquarters but also the 55th Brigade Headquarters. 

55th Command Headquarters.Divisional.Florida National Guard.Ballard.Robert A.7.5-1963.jpg

55th Command Headquarters.Divisional.Florida National Guard.Ballard.Robert A.8.5-1963.jpg

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Here is a photo of Brigadier General Robert A. Ballard, commander of the 55th, in a 1963 photo. Note he is wearing green leadership tabs.

55th Command Headquarters.Divisional.Florida National Guard.Ballard.Robert A.9.6-1963.jpg

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Just to add another element to the story, here is now Major General Robert A. Ballard from the May 1969 Florida Guardsman newsletter wearing the Florida National Guard SSI. Note that here he is identified as Commanding General, Emergency Operations Headquarters. I wonder if that was some sort of successor to the 55th Command Headquarters? At any rate, these photos lead me to believe that the 55th SSI may never have actually been worn. 

55th Command Headquarters.Divisional.Florida National Guard.Ballard.Robert A.10.5-1969.jpg

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