1st Air Commando Patch

[RobertB]

1st Air Comando patch. This patch was puschased by then 2nd Lieutenant Aurele R. Van de Weghe P-51 pilot wth the 1st Aircommandos in Asansol India in May of 1944. It was designed by a member ofthe fighter section and was made in a boot and leather shop. It was never officialy approved by the AAF as an official insignia to the the fighter group. Van was a wingman to Major Robert L. Petit ( "Mrs Virginia" P-51 A) Van usually flew Colonel Cochrans p-51 #1 after the Major was grounded. Van traded me this patch for one of my paintings Nov. 1999. He said only three or four were known to exist today

[ocsfollowme]

Robert, welcome to the forum! A very rare insignia indeed. Rick, on our forum, also posted one of these along with a photo of one being worn. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/287140-1st-air-commando-group-10th-aaf-cbi-fighter-element-patch/

[RobertB]

Thank you. I have been offered some pretty large sums of money for this patch, but it means a lot to me. Van and I were friends for over 20 years and I miss him dearly. I would love my family to donate it to a museum one day, so many people can enjoy it.

[BILL THE PATCH]

Beautiful patch, I would think twice about the museum, look up some old threads on here about museum's. You'll fine out that donating to one isn't what it seems to be. not all museum's are like that. It would wind up in back room never to see the light of day. Maybe to someone who will appreciate it like you do and maybe use it as a teaching tool. JMHO

 

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[RobertB]

Yes I understand. I work for the town I live in. After WW1 the town was given a captured German machine gun it disappeared for years and then about 15 years ago showed up in an old veterans basement. The town contacted the West Point museum and they said it was the most pristine one they had ever seen, so the town gave it to them. Been to that museum about 20 times since never saw it there!

[walika]

For more information on the 1st Air Commando Group, including the symbolism of the insignia, see here.

 

The 1st Air Commando Group insignia features a large red "1" behind a winged Mustang in full gallop. The horse, in black, has five white stripes across its middle, the aircraft markings denoting the 5318th Provisional Group (Air), the 1st Air Commandos. Slung around the horse's flank and extending along its sides are red bazookas. Under each wing is a 1,000 pound bomb, also in red.