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vmf [n] 541 patch ww2 usmc pilot H P Boyden


deadpeoplesjunk
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deadpeoplesjunk

Anyone have a vmf 541 night fighter patch from ww2 they can post an image of? I have one with a pic of the guy wearing it but can find no reference anywhere. The guys name was H P Boyden and he was in china at the end of ww2, He was a marine pilot and carrier qualified.I'll post a pic of mine as soon as I can figure out how to get my images below the maximum.

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Great thread! I just picked up a paper group belonging to a member of the squadron's ordnance section in China. In the group is a fuzzy picture with the Bat Eyes emblem as shown above. Would be very curious the types of missions the squadron flew out of Nan Yuan Airfield, dates etc.

541 - Copy.jpg

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Harry P. Boyden looks to have mustered in around 1943, was a member of vmfn-544 at the end of WWII, and onto vmfn-541 as a 1st Lt. in Jan of 1946. By Oct 1946, he was a captain in vmc-217 and other squadrons until 1958, where he was a Major and in HMR-771. A nice grouping from a tough to find squadron.

 

Can you get some extra shots of your insignia or scan them in for better detail?

 

Also, is there a vmfn-544 patch mixed in there? Are there more patches?

 

Nice kill board, Dirk.

 

regards,

pat

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deadpeoplesjunk

I'lltry to get some more, and better, lol, pics on tonight. I got his vmf n 544 and vmc 217 patches, also his big helo patch and his flight logs, wings, dog tags, ega's na certificate,leather nametags, 4 sets of dog tags,and a bunch of books and manuals.Thats a great pic of the squadron sign. I also got his mk2 vest. his personal knife in it has a Japanese data tag wrapped around the scabbard with the Mitsubishi logo on it, I'll try to post photos, I think it may be from a Japanese plane, or not.I also got a few pics of him with hellcats and a corsair.

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Johnny Signor

The book on WW2 USMC flying unit patches by Jeff Milstein has a good image of this one, sorry I can't post one , but if someone of the Forum has the book maybe they can ............................

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I was hoping we would have some photos to work off of, but let me comment further until then. The Boyden patch and the WWII version are different patches, although they utilize the same motif. The WWII version is embroidered on twill and lettered "Bat-Eye Squadron." There is no lettering for the vmfn-541 in the few I have handled. It would be nice to know what material Boyden's patch is made of as well as the dimensions. As best as I can tell, Boyden was still with vmf(n)-544 in Oct. 1945, stationed at Eagle Mountain Lake, Tx. So, his involvement with the 541 is postwar and in Northern China. This would suggest that Boyden's patch shown above is one of those postwar patches between late 1945-47 that we argue over as to wartime issue or not. I am not aware that this patch is in Mule's Marine Insignia from 1947 on, but I do not have access to his book right now. It would be helpful at the least to see better photos (front & back) and determine the patch material type in order to speculate further about your patch. Last question, is the photo of the pilot with patch Harry Boyden?

 

regards,

pat

 

ps-one of the original vmfn-541 patches in my collection for reference.

post-3673-0-88098500-1422760730.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...
deadpeoplesjunk

That photo is Harry Boyden, I have a few others I will also post. I have a stone mint machine embroidered on wool 544th, and his 541st is Chinese made hand embroidered silk and applique, its just about identical to the one in his pic.I'm sorry about getting photos on so late, I will really try to by this week, I have been swamped at work and Been doing around 70-85 hours a week and just can't give up the overtime, especially in this ''recovering'' economy! lol.I think I finally figured out how to do the pics properly to upload, and, thanks again tarbridge for the help.

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That photo is Harry Boyden, I have a few others I will also post. I have a stone mint machine embroidered on wool 544th, and his 541st is Chinese made hand embroidered silk and applique, its just about identical to the one in his pic.I'm sorry about getting photos on so late, I will really try to by this week, I have been swamped at work and Been doing around 70-85 hours a week and just can't give up the overtime, especially in this ''recovering'' economy! lol.I think I finally figured out how to do the pics properly to upload, and, thanks again tarbridge for the help.

Good to hear from you! Yes, that work does get in the way sometimes, dang it!

 

Good information and would confirm the "Made in China." Heck of a patch in my opinion!

 

regards,

pat

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Patchcollector

GREAT patches!That chainstiched one is amazing!I like how each of the patches exhibits a different type of manufacturing technique.

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