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CSM Bainbridge Direct Embroidered Jungle Jacket


riflegreen297
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riflegreen297

Being an Army SGM and on 31OCT14 a SGM ® I am always on the look out for U.S. Army NCO/SGM items. Also being a Vietnam junkie, I am a sucker for direct embroidered jackets. I was fortunate to secure this simple Type 3 jungle jacket that combines both. It belonged to the 5th Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge. This jacket has CSM rank embroidered on the collar so I assume one of the last commands he wore this was at U.S. Army Pacific Command in Hawaii. I say this due to the left sleeve having a shadow of what I believe is a removed USARPAC HQ patch.

 

A little history on SMA Bainbridge:

 

SMA Bainbridge entered the Army in June 1943. Bainbridge’s first unit of assignment was with the 423d Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division, the last Army division organized for service in World War II. After deploying into the Ardennes region of Belgium in late 1944, Bainbridge’s regiment was overrun by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge. He was captured and spent the remaining months of the war in a German POW camp before being liberated by the 6th Armored Division. Upon returning to the United States, Bainbridge left active duty and joined the Army Reserve. He was recalled to active duty in January 1951.

 

Following many assignments in 1962 he returned to Fort Riley, Kansas, where he served with the 1st Infantry Division as Sergeant Major of the 1st Battle Group, 28th Infantry, late reorganized as the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry. In 1965 he accompanied the battalion to Vietnam. Midway through his tour in Vietnam, Sergeant Major Bainbridge was appointed Command Sergeant Major of the II Field Force.

 

From September 1966 through August 1967 he was Command Sergeant Major of the U.S. Army Infantry Training Center, Fort Benning, Georgia. He then was appointed the Command Sergeant Major of the First United States Army at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland and later selected to serve as Command Sergeant Major of the United States Army, Pacific located in Fort Shafter, Hawaii. In October 1972 Sergeant Major Bainbridge became the first Command Sergeant Major of the newly created United States Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas and remained there until his appointment as Sergeant Major of the Army on 1 July 1975 thru 18 June 1979. SMA Bainbridge passed away on 29 November 2008.

 

The Jacket:

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As an instructor at the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, I can say that this is one incredible piece of history that you have..

 

Congratulations

 

Leigh

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An unbelievable find Rifle well done.

 

That Big Red One patch is it loose/ falling off, or is it just the folds where the patch is that's making it look like its coming loose? In any event I wouldn't see the harm in getting one these to put back on.

 

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riflegreen297

As an instructor at the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, I can say that this is one incredible piece of history that you have..

 

Congratulations

 

Leigh

Thanks Leigh. While I was in Class 58, one of my favorite things to do between classes was to walk down the hallway that had the individual bio plaques of each SMA, stopping to study each one every time I passed. I regret not being able to get the autographs of the SMAs when they were at the Academy for the SMA discussion panel which was right before SMA Dunaway passed.
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riflegreen297

The 1st ID patch is attached very well, it is just very "soft" and falls with the folds in the sleeve (if that makes any sense).

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riflegreen297

Come to think of it now, I read his book Top Sergeant when it first came out in 96, it was a good read.

I am in the process of re-reading it right now actually.

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The 1st ID patch is attached very well, it is just very "soft" and falls with the folds in the sleeve (if that makes any sense).

Sure makes perfect sense, this poplin material Non Rip Stop or Rip Stop is very thin, especially after many washings, shoulder patches too if they been on it.

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Thanks Leigh. While I was in Class 58, one of my favorite things to do between classes was to walk down the hallway that had the individual bio plaques of each SMA, stopping to study each one every time I passed. I regret not being able to get the autographs of the SMAs when they were at the Academy for the SMA discussion panel which was right before SMA Dunaway passed.

 

That hallway has always impressed me, as well as the huge display of challenge coins that were moved from the auditorium to the entranceway to the leadership hallway...

 

I find myself going over to the hallway as well every so often to read the bios and look a the ribbon bars. I may have to take some pictures and post them for all to see...

 

Again, Great find..

 

Leigh

 

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  • 2 years later...
Rakkasan187

Great looking lighter.. It is unfortunate that many of Bainbridge's artifacts are scattered world wide, but it is almost near impossible to have all artifacts at the museum. There are many of his items as well as other prominent NCO's artifacts at the various Army museums around the states...His daughter recently donated some additional items from SMA Bainbridge to the NCO museum.

 

On another note, when SMA William Wooldridge passed several years back, his wife who still lived in El Paso had a few of us from the Sergeant's Major Academy go to her house and pick up the rest of the SMA's uniforms and other items that she was not taking with her when she moved.

 

We have crates full of plaques and other items that were given to the SMA's during trips to installations.. We have enough wood from the plaques to build a house..

 

Leigh

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