Korean War Patch Display /U.S. Army

[LIFER]

I am currently working on a display for the Korean War. I know that there were a lot of units there, and would be nice to have a patch for every unit. But I will just go with the main ones. Here's what I have so far;

8th Army, also 3rd(?)

Corps: 1. 9 10 and 16

Other units: Far East Cmnd.. General HQ S/W Pacific, SCARWAF, 5th Army Air Force, K MAG, Japan Logistics Cmnd.,

Second Log Cmnd.

Divisions: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 24th, 25, 40th, 45th.

RCT's: 5th and 187th.

Are there any others.

 

[atb]

Take out the Third United States Army and I assume you mean the 1st Cavalry Division and 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions as opposed to the other divisions with the same numbers. I'm not sure about the XVI Corps.

[Rakkasan187]

Lifer,

 

If you can find a copy of the ASMIC Trading Post from April-June 2000, this was the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War edition.

 

There is a great article written by Dave Kaufman on the US Army shoulder sleeve insignia worn by units that were in the Korean War.

 

Leigh

[QED4]

The 5th Air Force was there but not the 5th Army Air Force it ceased to exist in 1947. The Air Force did not wear shoulder patches but the old patch could still be seen on flight jackets and signs and the like.

[Rakkasan187]

You may want a generic Ranger tab as well to represent the various Ranger Companies that were there..

 

Leigh

[patches]

Take out the Third United States Army and I assume you mean the 1st Cavalry Division and 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions as opposed to the other divisions with the same numbers. I'm not sure about the XVI Corps.

You should know this atb But for those who don't, XVI Corps was in Japan then, commanded at first the 40th and 45th Infantry Dvisions, then when these were sent over, the 1st Cavalry and 24th Infantry Divisions the two divisions the 40th and 45th replaced. the 187th RCT too when they were withdrawn back to Japan. Not in the fighting per say in Korea, but still a part of our effort there, their mission, to safeguard Japan from any invasion from the USSR or Red China......if they dared.

[patches]

The 5th Air Force was there but not the 5th Army Air Force it ceased to exist in 1947. The Air Force did not wear shoulder patches but the old patch could still be seen on flight jackets and signs and the like.

Here one, on a Khaki shirt, in the Pusan Perimeter August 1950.

 

[patches]

Lot's of examples of shoulder patches worn in the 50s in the Air Force. in this topic HERE.

 

Like these two from 1951.

 

 

 

Far East Air Force

 

14th Air Force as a combat patch (Air force wore them if they wanted on the left shoulder, not sure if the wore the organizational one on the right if this was done then).

 

 

And this young Airman in the 15th Air Force Spokane AFB, Washington State 1950.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Nice project, here's a Korean war period photo of the Eye Corps (1st Corps) patch in use

 

I (Eye) Corps, Zebra Club, Fort Shafter Hawaii 1952

Reactivated for service in World War II, the corps took command of divisions in the South Pacific, leading US and Australian forces as they pushed the Japanese army out of New Guinea. It went on to be one of the principal leading elements in the Battle of Luzon, liberating the Philippines. It then took charge as one of the commanding headquarters in the occupation of Japan.

Deployed to Korea at the start of the Korean War, the corps was one of three corps that remained in the country for the entire conflict, commanding US, British, and South Korean forces through three years of back-and-forth campaigns against North Korean and Chinese forces

[LIFER]

Take out the Third United States Army and I assume you mean the 1st Cavalry Division and 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions as opposed to the other divisions with the same numbers. I'm not sure about the XVI Corps.

Hi

I checked on a website that looked pretty good, having a 3rd Army patch. I did not think they were there. That's why I had the (?). Thanks for confirming. Yes, those would be the I.D.'s

[LIFER]

Lifer,

 

If you can find a copy of the ASMIC Trading Post from April-June 2000, this was the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War edition.

 

There is a great article written by Dave Kaufman on the US Army shoulder sleeve insignia worn by units that were in the Korean War.

 

Leigh

Hi Leigh

Thanks for the info. I will try to locate it. Another collecter in my Vets group was involved with the asmic group for a long time, but recently had a problem with not getting the issues. I think he got rid of all the old news letters. I will check again. If so, I will keep looking.

Thanks, Lifer

[LIFER]

The 5th Air Force was there but not the 5th Army Air Force it ceased to exist in 1947. The Air Force did not wear shoulder patches but the old patch could still be seen on flight jackets and signs and the like.

Hi QED4,

You are right. What was I thinking? (Sub consciously, just that) Thinking of the patch and not the time frame. Going by a web site that I checked out, it included that.

Thanks, Lifer

[LIFER]

You may want a generic Ranger tab as well to represent the various Ranger Companies that were there..

 

Leigh

Thanks, will do.

[LIFER]

You should know this atb But for those who don't, XVI Corps was in Japan then, commanded at first the 40th and 45th Infantry Dvisions, then when these were sent over, the 1st Cavalry and 24th Infantry Divisions the two divisions the 40th and 45th replaced. the 187th RCT too when they were withdrawn back to Japan. Not in the fighting per say in Korea, but still a part of our effort there, their mission, to safeguard Japan from any invasion from the USSR or Red China......if they dared.

Hi Patches,

From the web site I found, it had Japan next to the patch. So now that you confirmed it, I will not include it, for that reason. Thanks for the other information. Lifer

[LIFER]

Here one, on a Khaki shirt, in the Pusan Perimeter August 1950.

 

 

[LIFER]

Patches,

That's a great photo. Who say you cant teach an old Dog new tricks? (I could not help not saying that).

[LIFER]

Lot's of examples of shoulder patches worn in the 50s in the Air Force. in this topic HERE.

 

Like these two from 1951.

 

 

 

Far East Air Force

 

14th Air Force as a combat patch (Air force wore them if they wanted on the left shoulder, not sure if the wore the organizational one on the right if this was done then).

 

 

And this young Airman in the 15th Air Force Spokane AFB, Washington State 1950.

 

 

[LIFER]

More photo's. Nice!

[LIFER]

 

Nice project, here's a Korean war period photo of the Eye Corps (1st Corps) patch in use

 

I (Eye) Corps, Zebra Club, Fort Shafter Hawaii 1952

Reactivated for service in World War II, the corps took command of divisions in the South Pacific, leading US and Australian forces as they pushed the Japanese army out of New Guinea. It went on to be one of the principal leading elements in the Battle of Luzon, liberating the Philippines. It then took charge as one of the commanding headquarters in the occupation of Japan.

Deployed to Korea at the start of the Korean War, the corps was one of three corps that remained in the country for the entire conflict, commanding US, British, and South Korean forces through three years of back-and-forth campaigns against North Korean and Chinese forces

 

Hi Salvage Sailor,

Thanks for the information. Nice photo, too. Lifer

[QED4]

There are many examples of Air Force uniforms with shoulder patches and they are there for several reasons. First if it is an old OD Army uniform worn before the blue uniform was available they did wear patches. The picture with the cut out winged propeller collar brass is most likely an OD uniform with AF insignia, when they went to blue the collar insignia changed to the silver US only. Second it was a time of great confusion, regulations could not keep up with the changes and nobody was sure of what they were supposed to wear. Third and this is a quote from the 1951 edition of the AF Officer's Guide " Sleeve Emblems - Emblems denoting service with a unit overseas in a theater of operations during WWII are optional, and when worn are sewed on the upper left sleeve one-half inch from top seam." This accounts for the uniforms with infantry division and other non-AF patches. So what this boils down to is the active unit patch was never worn on the blue uniform unless it was a mistake, regulations did not call for it. So in the broadest sense there were probably 5th AF patches worn in Korea, but not by regulation, there were also Hawaiian shirts worn.