RegularsByGod Posted November 4, 2017 Share #1 Posted November 4, 2017 I was sent a newspaper clipping of Captain Oscar L.Joyner Jr. wearing an insignia I am not familiar with. The insignia is described as a dark green "R" and is being worn on the lower right sleeve of his khaki/tan shirt. According to the clipping this "R" indicates he is a graduate of the Ranger School. I am presently talking with Joyner's surviving family relatives and at the moment do not believe they have an example of this insignia, only the news clipping showing him wearing it. I have asked them to search through any family mementos for this insignia. I have a memorial page for CPT Joyner posted at the following link: http://1-22infantry.org/kia/joynerpers.htm Joyner was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1940 after graduation from Davidson College in North Carolina. In 1944 he was a Captain with Headquarters of the 4th Infantry Division and due to the high rate of casualties incurred by the Division in the days immediately after D-Day was assigned to 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry as Executive Officer of the Battalion on June 13, 1944. He was killed in action in France on June 21, 1944 during the attack against Cherbourg in the area south of the German airfield at Maupertus. A different newspaper clipping announcing his death states that in 1942 Joyner underwent Commando training in England. (Joyner's family recalls this training was at Fort William in Scotland and was given by the British S.A.S.) This second clipping goes on to say that Joyner was one of 18 officers representing 18 divisions to undergo this training and after returning to the United States Joyner "directed Ranger training for his division and wrote the manual used in this work." Here is the clipping with the "R" on his lower right sleeve. I don't have a better resolution of the clipping with the caption. I don't know the initial date of his assignment to the 4th Infantry Division. The family says he was in the 8th Infantry Regiment with the 4th Division when sent overseas for his Commando training in 1942. Thus I am betting this clipping is from the 4th Division newspaper "The Ivy Leaf" from either late 1942 or early 1943. The caption reads: "Captain Joyner of Division Headquarters sports an "R" on his right sleeve (Near cuff) because he's a graduate of the Ranger School. The Captain is not only a graduate, but he had much to do with the school's success. Several hundred officers and enlisted men were recently given the dark green R, denoting that they had successfully completed the school." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegularsByGod Posted November 4, 2017 Author Share #2 Posted November 4, 2017 Enlargement of Captain Oscar L. Joyner Jr. from the clipping showing him wearing the green "R" on his lower right sleeve. It would be my guess that this insignia did not have anything to do with the Army Ranger Battalions being formed at the time or any predecessor to the Ranger School at Fort Benning. It would also be my guess that the Ranger School mentioned in the clipping has to do with Ranger style training conducted within the 4th Division itself as the Division was earmarked for the planned invasion of France. So it's likely this insignia was something particular to the 4th Infantry Division. Can anyone shed light on this insignia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATCHRAT Posted November 4, 2017 Share #3 Posted November 4, 2017 The R looks like the type awarded by the 4th Infantry Division Ranger School. For those of you have it Reference "Emblems of Honor Rangers" pg 22 by the Keller brother gotta love good Reference books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tredhed2 Posted November 5, 2017 Share #4 Posted November 5, 2017 Second that..4th ID Ranger School graduate. Many infantry divisions, and a couple of armor divisions, had men who were schooled in "Ranger" tactics or "commando" tactics. Some of these schools even had distinctive insignia, not just the red and white RANGER tabs. No, it's not all on the web which is why you need to buy BOOKS. You might want to contact the family and ask if there is a certificate of some type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegularsByGod Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share #5 Posted November 5, 2017 PATCHRAT and tredhed2 Thanks guys ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill K Posted November 6, 2017 Share #6 Posted November 6, 2017 It's super cool you found this image. The insignia certainly looks like it matches the one in the book. Guess we'll all have to start looking through unit newspapers to see if any other images like this turn up! Bill Keller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IVYDIVISION Posted July 1, 2019 Share #7 Posted July 1, 2019 Anyone have more infos about this ranger school ? Anyone have a picture of this book ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PATCHRAT Posted July 1, 2019 Share #8 Posted July 1, 2019 check with FORUM member BILL K for current availability and price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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