1st armored/44th infantry division Ike

[STALAGLUFT1]

Just wanted to post this WWII 1st armored/44th division Ike jacket that I picked up last week. Over the past couple of years I have become good friend with a veteran who served in the 44th division in WWII. He really enjoyed seeing this jacket as it brought back a lot of memories. He had his ike jacket cut off of him when he was wounded in the arm and shoulder by shrapnel near Mannheim, Germany.

 

Regards,

 

Brian

[Jim Baker]

That is actually a I Corps patch.

[STALAGLUFT1]

That is actually a I Corps patch.

 

Thanks for the correction.

 

Regards,

 

Brian

[seanmc1114]

Thanks for the correction.

 

Regards,

 

Brian

That's an interesting patch combination. The I Armored Corps was commanded by George Patton and participated in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, in November 1942. On July 10, 1943, the day the invasion of Sicily began, the headquarters was re-designated as the Seventh Army, still under the command of Patton. After Sicily, the Seventh Army regrouped and next participated in the invasion of Southern France in August, 1944, fighting its way though France into Germany by the end of the war.

 

The 44th Infantry Division fought in Europe and served under the Seventh Army. My bet is that your guy served in some sort of support unit attached or assigned first to the I Armored Corps and later to the 7th Army. Is that the Signal Corps branch insignia on his collar?

 

If he had been in action since late 1942/early 1943, after the war ended, he probably had enough points to go home pretty soon. Since the Seventh Army stayed on in Germany for occupation duty until early 1946, either he or perhaps his entire unit were probably reassigned to a unit that was returning to the U.S. The 44th returned in July, 1945.

 

By the way, the 1st Armored Signal Battalion was attached to the I Armored Corps and participated in the invasions of North Africa and Sicily. It was then re-designated as the 1st Signal Battalion and served with the Seventh Army for the remainder of the war. It received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for the period 15 August 1944 through 16 April 1945.

 

Based on his three overseas bars, he served somewhere between 18 and 24 months overseas. If he was discharged in July, 1945 when the 44th returned home, that would place him overseas in early 1943, clearly within the timeframe the I Armored

Corps was in North Africa.

 

The reason for the I Armored Corps SSI instead of the Seventh Army as his combat patch was probably for the novelty aspect since it was probably not seen very often and it may have been a way for the veterans to signify they had served with their unit all the way back to North Africa.

[atb]

I Armored Corps was constituted 10 July 1940 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, I Armored Corps at Ft. Knox, KY. It was activated at Ft. Knox 15 July 1942 and inactivated at Ft. Knox 11 Sep 1942. The unit was reactivated 09 Jan 1943 in Morocco and again inactivated at sea off the coast of Sicily 10 Jul 1943. The I Armored Corps received Campaign Participation Credit for European-African-Middle Eastern Theater, Streamer without inscription (no credit for Algeria-French Morocco Campaign or invasion).

[Guest Hellcat053]

That is a really nice ike jacket with an unusual patch combination but i like it!!

[STALAGLUFT1]

That's an interesting patch combination. The I Armored Corps was commanded by George Patton and participated in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa, in November 1942. On July 10, 1943, the day the invasion of Sicily began, the headquarters was re-designated as the Seventh Army, still under the command of Patton. After Sicily, the Seventh Army regrouped and next participated in the invasion of Southern France in August, 1944, fighting its way though France into Germany by the end of the war.

 

The 44th Infantry Division fought in Europe and served under the Seventh Army. My bet is that your guy served in some sort of support unit attached or assigned first to the I Armored Corps and later to the 7th Army. Is that the Signal Corps branch insignia on his collar?

 

If he had been in action since late 1942/early 1943, after the war ended, he probably had enough points to go home pretty soon. Since the Seventh Army stayed on in Germany for occupation duty until early 1946, either he or perhaps his entire unit were probably reassigned to a unit that was returning to the U.S. The 44th returned in July, 1945.

 

By the way, the 1st Armored Signal Battalion was attached to the I Armored Corps and participated in the invasions of North Africa and Sicily. It was then re-designated as the 1st Signal Battalion and served with the Seventh Army for the remainder of the war. It received a Meritorious Unit Commendation for the period 15 August 1944 through 16 April 1945.

 

Based on his three overseas bars, he served somewhere between 18 and 24 months overseas. If he was discharged in July, 1945 when the 44th returned home, that would place him overseas in early 1943, clearly within the timeframe the I Armored

Corps was in North Africa.

 

The reason for the I Armored Corps SSI instead of the Seventh Army as his combat patch was probably for the novelty aspect since it was probably not seen very often and it may have been a way for the veterans to signify they had served with their unit all the way back to North Africa.

 

Thanks for all the information and analysis, I really appreciate it :thumbsup: Yes, that is the signal corps branch insignia on the collar. Thanks again.

 

-Brian

[1perazzi]

Really nice jacket. I aiways like 44th Div. as my uncle was in it during the war. A pair of @#$@&s stole all his medals. Well anyway nice jacket well done :thumbsup: