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Patches in action: Photos of SSI being worn by the troops.


Teamski
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25th Infantry Division with gold on black AIRBORNE tab. That is not an unusual configuration for a current soldier since the 4th Brigade 25th Infantry Division has been airborne since 2005. However, this photo was taken pre-Vietnam War. The soldier is Robert Richard Litwin who was killed in action in Vietnam on June 22, 1967 with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, so this picture pre-dates that assignment and is probably from 1964 or before since he is not wearing the National Defense Service Medal ribbon. What airborne elements did the 25th have in the 50's or early 60's?

 

http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/30903/ROBERT-R-LITWIN

I found the answer to my own question. The 2nd Airborne Battle Group 503rd Infantry was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division from 24 June 1960 to 1 July 1961 and served as a forward-deployed force of the division on Okinawa. It was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade on 26 March 1963 and redesignated as the 2nd Battalion 503rd Infantry on 25 June 1963. That makes sense.

 

https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/0503in002bn.htm

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  • 2 weeks later...
mysteriousoozlefinch

69th Infantry Brigade in the 1960s

 

 

Looks like a 137th Infantry pocket patch. I remember seeing an eBay auction that also had one.

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I found the answer to my own question. The 2nd Airborne Battle Group 503rd Infantry was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division from 24 June 1960 to 1 July 1961 and served as a forward-deployed force of the division on Okinawa. It was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade on 26 March 1963 and redesignated as the 2nd Battalion 503rd Infantry on 25 June 1963. That makes sense.

 

https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/0503in002bn.htm

 

GI ain't wearing the 25th Div patch for some reason maybe taken between July 1961 to March 1963? the period the unit was relieved from the 25th Infantry Division 1 July 1961, and before it was incorporated into the newly activated 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) on 26 March 1963,

 

post # 5 and 7

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/297265-503rd-jump-ovals/

 

Also see post #850 and 852 here for more photos, these with the patch.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/77202-patches-in-action-photos-of-ssi-being-worn-by-the-troops/page-34

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Commanding officer of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard in 1979. The 256th had been activated in 1967 but apparently at this stage in its existence its SSI had not yet been approved or at least issued. The 256th served as a roundout brigade for the 5th Infantry Division and the colonel is not only wearing the 5th Infantry SSI as his current unit assignment, but it also appears to be a full color version.

post-1761-0-93579300-1548251546_thumb.jpg

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Members of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard during their 1985 summer camp. Note the soldier on the left is wearing BDU's but the soldier on the right is still wearing OG-107 utilities and as late as 1985 is still wearing the SSI of the 5th Infantry Division, albeit subdued by this time.

 

post-1761-0-90347900-1548251662_thumb.jpg

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Aviation officer of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana National Guard in 1979. He appears to be wearing a 5th Infantry Division SSI with olive green border.

 

post-1761-0-86566100-1548251727_thumb.jpg

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mysteriousoozlefinch

Since the TIOH is offline, can't find adoption date for the brigade's patch.

 

Us-Army-Patch-256Th-Infantry-Brigade-Com

 

"The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 256th Infantry Brigade on 23 July 1968. It was redesignated for the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and amended to update the description on 3 August 2007."

 

There are also a lot of good photos from the GANG's military history detachment I've posted from before that show members of the 48th Infantry Brigade and others in a similar mix of ODs and BDUs.

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"The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 256th Infantry Brigade on 23 July 1968. It was redesignated for the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and amended to update the description on 3 August 2007."

 

There are also a lot of good photos from the GANG's military history detachment I've posted from before that show members of the 48th Infantry Brigade and others in a similar mix of ODs and BDUs.

Your right, it's depicted in Guido Rosignoli's 1973 book Army Badges and Insignia since 1945 date 23 July 1968, strange that they aren't wearing then, especially on the Class A, in the 39th Inf Bde of the Arkansas NG they wore back in the day their duly authorized shoulder patch, but wore the 101st Abn Div patch as a pocket patch on their fatiques as they were a round out Air Assault Brigade for the 101.

 

Now you and Sean got to find a foto where the brigsade patch is actually worn n the late 60s early 80s :lol:

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Contribution for tonight, a twofer of the US Military Liaison Mission Potsdam in 1965, two offiecers at the Leavenworth school of officers.

 

Major Alfred B. McCarthy

post-34986-0-00641700-1548298642_thumb.jpg

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And Major Robert W Brownlee, Jr. in 1966-67 as a Lieutenant Colonel he was C.O. of the 1st Battalion 503rd Infantry (Abn) 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sep).

 

bd7254a3-32b1-4bd2-9cc7-7a8d4557da0f.png

 

In April 1972 on his apperant second tour, still as a Lieutenant Colonel, Brownlee was posted missing as a MACV Advisor. http://www.virtualwall.org/db/BrownleeRW01a.htm http://taskforceomegainc.org/b175.html

 

post-34986-0-61377000-1548298965_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

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mysteriousoozlefinch

Your right, it's depicted in Guido Rosignoli's 1973 book Army Badges and Insignia since 1945 date 23 July 1968, strange that they aren't wearing then, especially on the Class A, in the 39th Inf Bde of the Arkansas NG they wore back in the day their duly authorized shoulder patch, but wore the 101st Abn Div patch as a pocket patch on their fatiques as they were a round out Air Assault Brigade for the 101.

 

Now you and Sean got to find a foto where the brigsade patch is actually worn n the late 60s early 80s :lol:

 

Spent some time looking in the Louisiana State Archives' online site, the State Library's online site, and the Louisiana National Guard Museums site. A lot on either end but not much in between. Best I can do is this:

 

W0ZOEov.png

Identified as members of the Louisiana National Guard helping clear land for the Louisiana Outdoor Drama Association's new auditorium in July 1972. Doesn't look like the 256th Infantry Brigade to me though. Some sort of wheel in the middle.

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Spent some time looking in the Louisiana State Archives' online site, the State Library's online site, and the Louisiana National Guard Museums site. A lot on either end but not much in between. Best I can do is this:

 

W0ZOEov.png

Identified as members of the Louisiana National Guard helping clear land for the Louisiana Outdoor Drama Association's new auditorium in July 1972. Doesn't look like the 256th Infantry Brigade to me though. Some sort of wheel in the middle.

 

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