Amphibious Patch

[FightenIrish35]

Greetings,

I am curious as to what Amphibious Fleet wore this patch. Is this patch a diferent variant for the 5th Amphibious ? I do not have my books on hand. Thanks all! :thumbsup:

[doyler]

Early Navy patch.

[sigsaye]

Greetings,

I am curious as to what Amphibious Fleet wore this patch. Is this patch a diferent variant for the 5th Amphibious ? I do not have my books on hand. Thanks all! :thumbsup:

It was the original shoulder patch for all USN amphibious force personnel. It came between the gator cuff patches and the red "tombestone" style shoulder patch. Very nice.

 

Steve Hesson

[FightenIrish35]

Thank you kindly for the information guys. Was there a specific year that they stoped wearing these completly or did they continue wearing these to the end of ww2?

[chcole1]

I'm not as familiar with US Naval insignia but I do know that this was replaced by the red, Naval Amphibious Forces patch below. The patch was based on the design of the British Combined Operations patch. There is also a version that is blue with gold design that is the Army Amphibious Forces patch.

 

According to the site: www.combinedops.com

 

 

The American Naval Amphibious forces shoulder insignia is embroidered on a scarlet background of the same colour as the scarlet chevrons of a rating badge. The badge was approved by the Secretary of the Navy in BUPERS Circ LTR-44 on June 15th 1944. It was worn at the top of the left arm only. The authorisation to wear the insignia terminated with the individuals detachment from the Amphibious Forces.

 

So I believe your patch was worn until sometime after the Sec of Navy approved the new design on June 15th, 1944.

 

 

Chris

[FightenIrish35]

Thank you Chris. I appreciate the help here. I find these amphibious patches very interesting.

 

Has anyone ever seen the patch I first posted on a discharged ww2 naval uniform jumper before?

 

I'm not as familiar with US Naval insignia but I do know that this was replaced by the red, Naval Amphibious Forces patch below. The patch was based on the design of the British Combined Operations patch. There is also a version that is blue with gold design that is the Army Amphibious Forces patch.

 

According to the site: www.combinedops.com

The American Naval Amphibious forces shoulder insignia is embroidered on a scarlet background of the same colour as the scarlet chevrons of a rating badge. The badge was approved by the Secretary of the Navy in BUPERS Circ LTR-44 on June 15th 1944. It was worn at the top of the left arm only. The authorisation to wear the insignia terminated with the individuals detachment from the Amphibious Forces.

 

So I believe your patch was worn until sometime after the Sec of Navy approved the new design on June 15th, 1944.

Chris

[J_Andrews]

In 1979, I was visiting the Atlantic Fleet Amphib school at Little Creek VA. Among OTHER emblems they had decorating the halls and auditorium was the round gator patch. There was a retiring Chief on the staff, who was hailed as "an almost 50-year veteran". Huh?? He was 60 years or so, but what the heck? So I accosted him at a break and asked about such long service. Well, it turned out that he had FIRST joined the Navy when 15, in 1933; but that was short-lived as his parents tracked him down and he was OUT (fraudulent enlistment)in about a year (meanwhile going to sea and having liberty in Panama and Cuba). But he soon thereafter went to sea again, in the merchant marine, then REjoined the USN in 1938 (age 19).

 

Anyway, somewhere in our chat he pointed to the gator emblem and said he was one of the first sailors to wear it, and that it was AWARDED for graduating from the amphib Bosun school. He THOUGHT he had worn it from summer 1942, but was SURE he wore it after TORCH. He was unsure because they were busy, on base and afloat, wearing dungarees and HBTs, not Class A or B dress. He said it was not uncommon for sailors to make up stencils of at least the alligator and paint it one the backs of their HBTs and/or deck jackets. They LIKED the emblem. He went on to say that he wore his (the one awarded to him in 1942) on his CPO "reefer" jacket when back in the States for Christmas 1943. He said the red tombstone patch was "late war" and he did not switch until he needed his reefer Class A's again while in Philippines-China-Japan in 1945. He had BTW two tours in VN as advisor to the VNN.

[FightenIrish35]

:thumbsup: What a great encounter you had with that Ambhibious Vet and even better great information that you learned from him. Thanks for shareing that information as that was just what I was looking to hear regarding this patch being worn. Thank so much!

In 1979, I was visiting the Atlantic Fleet Amphib school at Little Creek VA. Among OTHER emblems they had decorating the halls and auditorium was the round gator patch. There was a retiring Chief on the staff, who was hailed as "an almost 50-year veteran". Huh?? He was 60 years or so, but what the heck? So I accosted him at a break and asked about such long service. Well, it turned out that he had FIRST joined the Navy when 15, in 1933; but that was short-lived as his parents tracked him down and he was OUT (fraudulent enlistment)in about a year (meanwhile going to sea and having liberty in Panama and Cuba). But he soon thereafter went to sea again, in the merchant marine, then REjoined the USN in 1938 (age 19).

 

Anyway, somewhere in our chat he pointed to the gator emblem and said he was one of the first sailors to wear it, and that it was AWARDED for graduating from the amphib Bosun school. He THOUGHT he had worn it from summer 1942, but was SURE he wore it after TORCH. He was unsure because they were busy, on base and afloat, wearing dungarees and HBTs, not Class A or B dress. He said it was not uncommon for sailors to make up stencils of at least the alligator and paint it one the backs of their HBTs and/or deck jackets. They LIKED the emblem. He went on to say that he wore his (the one awarded to him in 1942) on his CPO "reefer" jacket when back in the States for Christmas 1943. He said the red tombstone patch was "late war" and he did not switch until he needed his reefer Class A's again while in Philippines-China-Japan in 1945. He had BTW two tours in VN as advisor to the VNN.

[Bob Hudson]

Picked up one of these today in a collection I bought:

 

[topdcnut]

This almost 50 year Chief sounds like someone All Hands would have interviewed in the late 70's Many of the insignia issues he talks about were things that his superiors were dealing with and are documented in John Staceys book on Navy rating badges. I cannot recall this insignia on a uniform to date but it was the most popular and to this day has out lived the official insignia. His story is possible from a deckplate perspective but has to be compared to the official record as noted in Johns book. I suppose that the summer of 44 would count as late war to him and I look forward to seeing the round patch on a uniform. He also modern up's his terminology in that he qualified as an amphibious coxwain and not an amphibious bosun.

 

Wish I would have met him....