88th INFANTRY DIV TRIESTE PERIOD UNITS?

[redone]

I have a 1945 dated Ike jacket with the 88th Div’s Trieste patch & TRUST tab on the left sleeve. Both the shoulder patches and the chevrons have chain stitching in Cavalry yellow. The overseas cap has Cavalry piping. The color discs and unit crests were removed. Dose any one know if this would have been a Recon, ACR, or Cav unit? What Recon, ACR, or Cav units were with the 88th 1945 through the late 40s? What collar disc would have been worn by the unit? WWII info on the 88th is easy to find, but I can’t find anything helpful on their post war years. Thank you for any information.

[SARGE]

Redone,

 

The 88th was fighting in the Dolomite Alps of Austria when the war ended in May of 1945. They were tasked with occupation of the disputed area of Trieste along with British and Yugoslov troops. The 88th was inactivated at the port of Leghorn Italy in October of 1947 although the occupation continued.

 

I don't know the order of battle for the occupation forces off hand but perhaps someone has that information. I know that Cavalry (mot) were involved in the occupation as ETO occupation troops were set up as a military police and quick reaction force.

 

Here is an example of a Cavalry Ike uniform as you describe. Notice the yellow piped cap that is marked to the owner of the Ike jacket.

 

 

Closeup of the Cavalry discs that would be correct for your jacket.

 

 

Closeup view of the SSI.

 

 

Let's see a photo of your Ike jacket.

[redone]

THANKS, This helps.

[CaptCav]

Actually, the 351st Inf Regt (of the 88th) continued to serve in Trieste until the early '50s. My father served with the 351st in the organic tank co - the 15th Tk Co, c1947-1948.

[Wailuna]

What Recon, ACR, or Cav units were with the 88th 1945 through the late 40s? What collar disc would have been worn by the unit?

Allied Occupation of Italy ended September 17, 1947, and 88th Infantry Division was disbanded. 351st Infantry Regiment was relieved from 88th Infantry Division May 1, 1947, and assigned to to "TRieste U.S. Troops" (TRUST), a command formed to occupy the Anglo-American zone of the U.N. mandated Free Territory of Trieste. 88th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) was part of TRUST (I've also seen it referred to as 88th Reconnaissance Company). The Anglo-American zone of Trieste was handed over the Republic of Italy on October 26, 1954, and the remanents of TRUST were disbanded and transferred to Italy. 351st Infantry and some other TRUST units returned to the U.S. to be stationed at Camp Rucker, Alabama. I do not know what happened to 88th Recon.

 

Here are a couple of pictures of TRUST armored cars and tanks.

 

 

[Wailuna]

Here is an 88th Recon armored recovery vehicle (ca. 1952):

 

[kiaiokalewa]

Allied Occupation of Italy ended September 17, 1947, and 88th Infantry Division was disbanded. 351st Infantry Regiment was relieved from 88th Infantry Division May 1, 1947, and assigned to to "TRieste U.S. Troops" (TRUST), a command formed to occupy the Anglo-American zone of the U.N. mandated Free Territory of Trieste. 88th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) was part of TRUST (I've also seen it referred to as 88th Reconnaissance Company). The Anglo-American zone of Trieste was handed over the Republic of Italy on October 26, 1954, and the remanents of TRUST were disbanded and transferred to Italy. 351st Infantry and some other TRUST units returned to the U.S. to be stationed at Camp Rucker, Alabama. I do not know what happened to 88th Recon.

 

Here are a couple of pictures of TRUST armored cars and tanks.

 

Sometime in mid-1951 the 350th and 351st Infantry Regiments consolidated into the US Forces Austria Tactical Command (USAFTC). The central design in the bullion patch attach represents this Command. I've seen various examples of bullion patches that had different tab/scroll identifications. This one is obviously is for the 351st Inf. Regt. at Salzburg, Austria. Camp Roeder was the US Post in that town. The other examples I speak of are "TANK" in place of Salzburg; No unit designation on the scroll ends and no scroll on the bottom of the USFATC patch; No unit designation on the scroll ends and bottom Scroll has "LINZ" in place of Salzburg, and of course just the USAFTC in bullion with on scrolls above or below.

[Wailuna]

Sometime in mid-1951 the 350th and 351st Infantry Regiments consolidated into the US Forces Austria Tactical Command (USAFTC)....This one is obviously is for the 351st Inf. Regt. at Salzburg, Austria....kiaiokalewa

Nope. 351st Infantry was the backbone of TRUST and it was on duty in Treieste continuously from 1947 until 1954 when TRUST was disbanded and the 351st was returned to the United States (see post of December 15th above). 350th Infantry played a similar role in USAFTC (look closely at your USAFTC patch again and you will see the tabs refer to "350th...INF"). The 351st Infantry and other TRUST units did go north from time to time for field training and maneuvers in Austria and undoubtedly worked with USAFTC and the 350th Infantry, but the 351st Infantry was never assigned to USAFTC.