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Selection of Navy Sub Patches and Others


Corpsmancollector
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Corpsmancollector

Hi folks,

 

These came as part of a larger patch grouping earlier this year. I really have no idea on their vintage at all and was hoping some other members might be able to shed some light. They're great designs if nothing else!

 

Any input appreciated.

 

Will

 

First one, SSN 669:

 

post-5339-1311883366.jpg

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Corpsmancollector
The two Sub patches look to be from the late 60's early 70's.

 

Thanks Dhodak! Any idea on the third one?

 

Will

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Corpsmancollector
604th Direct Air Support Squadron (USAF)

 

Thanks 48, had a feeling that one was USAF after doing a quick Google search :thumbsup:

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Patchcollector
Hi folks,

 

These came as part of a larger patch grouping earlier this year. I really have no idea on their vintage at all and was hoping some other members might be able to shed some light. They're great designs if nothing else!

 

Any input appreciated.

 

Will

 

First one, SSN 669:

 

post-5339-1311883366.jpg

 

 

I agree with you,some of the nicest patch designs I have seen are from the Navy.Alot of the older ones were made in Japan,and the quality was excellent.

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Corpsmancollector
I have a few variations of that 604TH,I think they were stationed in Korea(?)

 

 

Thanks Patchcollector. I agree, they just have the 'cool' factor! I think the above examples are US made (?) but some of the SEA made examples are of a really high quality like you say.

 

Will

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Patchcollector
Thanks Patchcollector. I agree, they just have the 'cool' factor! I think the above examples are US made (?) but some of the SEA made examples are of a really high quality like you say.

 

Will

 

Yes,but I'm wondering about the Canopus one,it has that "wavy" stitching on the front that looks like some of my Japanese ones :think:

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The USS "Can O' Piss" as we called her, patch looks like a 70's vintage there are quite a few on Ebay with the same construction.

Not sure of where it was manufactured though!

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Patchcollector

Here's something else.Some patch companies that were based in the USA had their patches made offshore,so sometimes it's tough to judge where the patch actually was fabricated.

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The thing to keep in mind is that the Navy did not manufacture nor have these patches manufactuered. Individual commands created the designs and went out on the local economey to have them made. Now, of course, big out fits like Vanguard and Gemsco cranked out a bunch of them, but many were cranked out by mom & pop shops. It has only been recently with the huge "PC" push that the Navy has decided they need to have final approuval of designs to insure no one is offended by crass or tasteless designs. That has also crimped the style of the artists and caused a lot of the ore recent patches to look pretty much alike in shape, desigh and style. Sad.

 

Great collection of Pre-PC patches.

 

Steve Hesson

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  • 2 weeks later...
Corpsmancollector
The thing to keep in mind is that the Navy did not manufacture nor have these patches manufactuered. Individual commands created the designs and went out on the local economey to have them made. Now, of course, big out fits like Vanguard and Gemsco cranked out a bunch of them, but many were cranked out by mom & pop shops. It has only been recently with the huge "PC" push that the Navy has decided they need to have final approuval of designs to insure no one is offended by crass or tasteless designs. That has also crimped the style of the artists and caused a lot of the ore recent patches to look pretty much alike in shape, desigh and style. Sad.

 

Great collection of Pre-PC patches.

 

Steve Hesson

 

Steve,

 

Thanks for your input as always. Much appreciated! I had no idea that commands could once create and have their own designs produced. I bet there's some really interesting pre-PC patches out there. I picked these up simply because they looked good and had unique designs and colours.

 

Will

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Steve,

 

Thanks for your input as always. Much appreciated! I had no idea that commands could once create and have their own designs produced. I bet there's some really interesting pre-PC patches out there. I picked these up simply because they looked good and had unique designs and colours.

 

Will

In the beginning, each ship made up it's own crest design for plaques and patches. They had these made on the local economey whereever they happened to be, so you get lots of manufactuering variations. These designs would change over the years as "History" happened to the command. Old WW 2 ships would be rebuilt with new equipment for a new mission, so often the design would change to incorporate the "Newness". Ot something significant might happen and that would be added. Or, more often, a new patch would be made up to "commemorate the event such as picking up a space capsule or something. Very often ships had "Cruise" patches made up for each cruise (deployment) they made. These patches would generally have something from the original crest (or not, just the name) and some thing unique about the cruise. WE would often have contests for designs of New ships patches and cruise patches. The artists would draw up their designs, color them in and post them on the bulitin board. Then during a noon meal (most crew), they would vote. Generally it was as simple as some one standing there with a note pad and marking down choices ("Yeah, I like that one"). The design would then go up to the CO for final approval. The Supply Officer would then get the official "Okie Dokie" to spend some money to have them made up and sold in the Ships Store. Some times the system is a complete flop. I remember when USS Vulcan (AR-7) had women put into her crew they changed the patch. Originally it was the Greek (Roman?) god Vulcan working at a Forge. This was "modified" to havein a female Sailor holding the tongs. I don't think it was a very popular design, but it was at the beginning of the PC craziness.

 

In the early 1980s, the Navy started creating the designs through the office of hearldry. They set a standard desigh for all ships patches and killed the creativity. After that, all patches had to be PC and the cruise or divisional patches just sort of died away. I remember they had all sorts of cool things on them that "civilized company" would find offensive. On one ship I was on, we had a ships flag that was made in the Philipeenes. It featured a naked girl wearing a white hat and red high heels wrapping herself around a big golden number 7 (ships hull number) with the words "Willson Men Get it Free" and a beutiful embroidered Charles F. Adams class DDg in the back ground. The flag had been there for years and we flew it during un-reps and when entering and leaving port. We were eventually told we were not allowed to fly it. Any way. On another ship, I had patches made up (again in Subic) which had an aligator in whites leaning against a 12 inch searchlight, holding a coffee cup and giving a "Charlie" (the "I got it signal") with a semaphore flag. I gave these out to my boys on the St. Louis (LKA-116) between 82-82. We wore them on our working jackets. Only 11 ever made. Yeah, I should have gotten doubles, but they were just for those guys in that crew. I lost mine somewhere, so if any one ever sees one turn up give me a yell.

 

Steve Hesson

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  • 2 weeks later...
Corpsmancollector
In the beginning, each ship made up it's own crest design for plaques and patches. They had these made on the local economey whereever they happened to be, so you get lots of manufactuering variations. These designs would change over the years as "History" happened to the command. Old WW 2 ships would be rebuilt with new equipment for a new mission, so often the design would change to incorporate the "Newness". Ot something significant might happen and that would be added. Or, more often, a new patch would be made up to "commemorate the event such as picking up a space capsule or something. Very often ships had "Cruise" patches made up for each cruise (deployment) they made. These patches would generally have something from the original crest (or not, just the name) and some thing unique about the cruise. WE would often have contests for designs of New ships patches and cruise patches. The artists would draw up their designs, color them in and post them on the bulitin board. Then during a noon meal (most crew), they would vote. Generally it was as simple as some one standing there with a note pad and marking down choices ("Yeah, I like that one"). The design would then go up to the CO for final approval. The Supply Officer would then get the official "Okie Dokie" to spend some money to have them made up and sold in the Ships Store. Some times the system is a complete flop. I remember when USS Vulcan (AR-7) had women put into her crew they changed the patch. Originally it was the Greek (Roman?) god Vulcan working at a Forge. This was "modified" to havein a female Sailor holding the tongs. I don't think it was a very popular design, but it was at the beginning of the PC craziness.

 

In the early 1980s, the Navy started creating the designs through the office of hearldry. They set a standard desigh for all ships patches and killed the creativity. After that, all patches had to be PC and the cruise or divisional patches just sort of died away. I remember they had all sorts of cool things on them that "civilized company" would find offensive. On one ship I was on, we had a ships flag that was made in the Philipeenes. It featured a naked girl wearing a white hat and red high heels wrapping herself around a big golden number 7 (ships hull number) with the words "Willson Men Get it Free" and a beutiful embroidered Charles F. Adams class DDg in the back ground. The flag had been there for years and we flew it during un-reps and when entering and leaving port. We were eventually told we were not allowed to fly it. Any way. On another ship, I had patches made up (again in Subic) which had an aligator in whites leaning against a 12 inch searchlight, holding a coffee cup and giving a "Charlie" (the "I got it signal") with a semaphore flag. I gave these out to my boys on the St. Louis (LKA-116) between 82-82. We wore them on our working jackets. Only 11 ever made. Yeah, I should have gotten doubles, but they were just for those guys in that crew. I lost mine somewhere, so if any one ever sees one turn up give me a yell.

 

Steve Hesson

 

 

Hey there Steve,

 

Only just read your response to my post above. That's some really fascinating stuff and I bet a whole field of collecting in itself! I imagine there's some really wonderful designs out there, like those you mentioned. A sailors creativity coupled with the talented (and some not so!) tailors in the far east, I bet there's some great patches floating around. I like the sounds of your custom patch with the aligator! Did you manage to take any pictures of it by any chance? I'll keep an eye out and let you know if I ever come across one. I'm not planning to hold onto these but thanks so much for contributing some really interesting information to the thread :thumbsup:

 

Will

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Hey there Steve,

 

Only just read your response to my post above. That's some really fascinating stuff and I bet a whole field of collecting in itself! I imagine there's some really wonderful designs out there, like those you mentioned. A sailors creativity coupled with the talented (and some not so!) tailors in the far east, I bet there's some great patches floating around. I like the sounds of your custom patch with the aligator! Did you manage to take any pictures of it by any chance? I'll keep an eye out and let you know if I ever come across one. I'm not planning to hold onto these but thanks so much for contributing some really interesting information to the thread :thumbsup:

 

Will

I do not have any photos of the patch, but we had it painted in life size on the side of the Signal Shack and took several group and individual shots. They are in an album some where. It is my intention to eventually post a bunch of photos of the ships I was on showing the various uniforms and ariations of such over the years. Sadley, my computer crapped out and I need to get a new photoshop program so I can scan and resize them for posting.

 

Steve Hesson

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Corpsmancollector
I do not have any photos of the patch, but we had it painted in life size on the side of the Signal Shack and took several group and individual shots. They are in an album some where. It is my intention to eventually post a bunch of photos of the ships I was on showing the various uniforms and ariations of such over the years. Sadley, my computer crapped out and I need to get a new photoshop program so I can scan and resize them for posting.

 

Steve Hesson

 

No worries Steve, technology can be a pain sometimes! Seems a real shame that the Government cracked down on non-PC designs and stamped out the creativity of Sailors. But, it seems refelctive of the society we currently live in!

 

Will

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