46th Infantry Division (Ghost)

[BigDogMilitaria]

I picked up this shirt a while back with a large grouping. I didnt think much of it at the time, the patch is in bad shape and the shirt was only $4. In my travels around this great website, i believe i saw this patch listed as a "46th Infantry Division" or "Ghost Division" patch. Was interested in opinions on this, i dont know anything about patches and when i pick something up, half the fun is researching the unit it came from! Thanks!

 

 

 

[2Dogs]

The patch on the right shoulder is the United States Strategic Air Force in Europe, Was active from 27th Dec 1944 thru 1 Aug 1945. The 46th Div ( Ghost ) patch was used for a short time by the Michigan National Guard in 1946. I would say that is what you have.

[P38]

Information extracted from the book "US ARMY PATCHES" by Barry Jason Stein

 

 

Date approved: 3 August 1944.

A blue six-pointed star upon a yellow square with point up all placed on a khaki disk. The number of points on the star and the square suggests the division number. Used unofficially by the Michigan National Guard in 1946 until their own insignia could be designed, this is the only known incident of anyone wearing a phantom division insignia.

[StevenL]

It looks like the patch was never finished but they used it anyway. Nice top, I never knew that SSI was actually used at one point.

[Teamski]

It looks like the patch was never finished but they used it anyway. Nice top, I never knew that SSI was actually used at one point.

 

It wasn't. It was added to the shirt.

 

-Ski

[BigDogMilitaria]

Im not sure what you mean by added?

[vostoktrading]

I think what Ski means is that it was added to the shirt much later.

 

I don't think it's time period (put on the shirt '45-'46) mainly for two reasons:

First, it's an un-finished patch. I don't think anyone would put an error patch like that

on and expect to pass inspection.

He must care how he looks if he goes to the trouble to crease his shirts, right?

Second, the sew job looks poorly done. People brought up in the 1930's & '40's knew how to hand sew.

This job looks like something someone from this generation would do.

I may be wrong. Anyway, for $4 bucks you can't go wrong!

By the way, have you blacklighted the ghost patch yet? There were some good looking copies

made way back.

Jon.

[JimmCapp]

I tend to agree, factory errors would have been either thrown away or taken home by workers. It's pretty unlikely one would have made it onto a uniform.

[Jeeper704]

I beg to differ; error patches were indeed used on uniforms.

I have a few error patches which came from uniforms, one being a 7th Armored Division patch.

 

As for this patch being added later ... I thought the same thing when I saw the photos appear.

 

Erwin

[Allan H.]

I beg to differ; error patches were indeed used on uniforms.

I have a few error patches which came from uniforms, one being a 7th Armored Division patch.

 

As for this patch being added later ... I thought the same thing when I saw the photos appear.

 

Erwin

 

I agree with Erwin that there are lots of examples of error patches getting out of the factory and being used by soldiers. USUALLY nobody noticed. As an example, many years ago, one of my classmates wore his grandfather's Ike jacket to school and gramps had served in the 3rd Armored division. When I saw the patch on the jacket, I thought it was REALLY cool because, unlike the majority of these that I had ever seen, this one was missing the lightning bolt. Other than that, the patch looked fine. I got the opportunity to meet the grandfather shortly after his grandson wore the Ike jacket to school. I asked him about the "special" patch. He just replied "Son of a B____, I never noticed that!"

 

I had another instance where an 82nd AB SSI had come out with the back leg of the second "A" had been left off, so the patch looked sort of like the center of the Allied Forces "AF" SSI. It created quite a buzz at the ASMIC convention until (and I think it was Scotty) somebody, said that it was simply an unfinished patch.

 

Allan

[BigDogMilitaria]

Thanks for the info everyone. Still not sure why the Vet would have added the patch.

 

A little more background on the shirt. Its from an estate in Franklin, Mi. It came as part of a group from the same Vet who as a Lt in the Army. I picked up his boots, Officers dress tunic and Ike jacket, helmet, and some various gear. The shirt in question is also named. While the front of it looks great, the back of it is actually blown out and has a large rip right down the middle of it.

[2Dogs]

Still not sure why the Vet would have added the patch.

 

IMO. The Vet may have been a member of the Michigan NG in 1946. If you know the man's name, check for service records or contact his family members.

[Teamski]

Thanks for the info everyone. Still not sure why the Vet would have added the patch.

 

A little more background on the shirt. Its from an estate in Franklin, Mi. It came as part of a group from the same Vet who as a Lt in the Army. I picked up his boots, Officers dress tunic and Ike jacket, helmet, and some various gear. The shirt in question is also named. While the front of it looks great, the back of it is actually blown out and has a large rip right down the middle of it.

 

The evidence of Ghost patches being worn is very scant. Only a handful of photos exist of soldiers wearing ghost patches themselves. Even if this patch was worn, it would have been only for a very short time when Operation Fortitude was in force in 1944. So, to have the patch being worn at the end of the war is highly unlikely.

 

-Ski

[BigDogMilitaria]

By the way, have you blacklighted the ghost patch yet? There were some good looking copies

made way back.

Jon.

 

 

Blacklighted it this afternoon, and its a non glow.

[JimmCapp]

I guess I stand corrected, I just think that's a pretty obvious manufacturer's error to be missed and then make it unto a uniform. I saw a whole collection of patches up for sale once that was from a woman who, as little girl, used to get the discarded errors from workers as they went home at the end of the day. Most of them had the unfinished spots like this one.

[seanmc1114]

Information extracted from the book "US ARMY PATCHES" by Barry Jason Stein

 

 

Date approved: 3 August 1944.

A blue six-pointed star upon a yellow square with point up all placed on a khaki disk. The number of points on the star and the square suggests the division number. Used unofficially by the Michigan National Guard in 1946 until their own insignia could be designed, this is the only known incident of anyone wearing a phantom division insignia.

The evidence of Ghost patches being worn is very scant. Only a handful of photos exist of soldiers wearing ghost patches themselves. Even if this patch was worn, it would have been only for a very short time when Operation Fortitude was in force in 1944. So, to have the patch being worn at the end of the war is highly unlikely.

 

-Ski

Teamski is correct that photographic evidence of ghost unit patches being worn is very scant. Here is an example from the Florida state archives by way of wikipedia. It shows members of the 48th Infantry Division of the Florida/Georgia National Guard in 1948 wearing the World War II created blue and white SSI of the ghost 48th Infantry Division. Why? Well presumably since the 48th was activated in 1946 and it's official SSI wasn't approved until 1949, the members just made do with stocks of the ghost 48th Infantry Division patches manufactured for Operation Fortitude during WWII.

 

This begs the question of whether there were enough stocks of these WWII ghost unit patches in the Army's supply system to outfit an entire division for three or more years. And if this was done for the 48th, then most likely the same was done for the other National Guard division, the 46th, whose number also corresponded to a WWII ghost division. This only strengthens my belief that the WWII ghost division patches were designed, approved and manufactured just like the SSI of other active units.

[BigDogMilitaria]

I actually was able to have this mans records pulled and unfortunately most of it was destroyed. He spent most of the war with the 27th ID as a jungle warfare instructor according to his obituary. I have one of his jackets with the 27th as a combat patch. Then onto the USSAF. I believe he spent time in the Michigan National guard after the war, I have his helmet and I think it's from that time period. It would make sense that it was the 46th ID he was with.

 

I tried contacting the family but didn't have any luck. The mans name was James Deneau of Franklin, Michigan.

[phillock]

Teamski is correct that photographic evidence of ghost unit patches being worn is very scant. Here is an example from the Florida state archives by way of wikipedia. It shows members of the 48th Infantry Division of the Florida/Georgia National Guard in 1948 wearing the World War II created blue and white SSI of the ghost 48th Infantry Division. Why? Well presumably since the 48th was activated in 1946 and it's official SSI wasn't approved until 1949, the members just made do with stocks of the ghost 48th Infantry Division patches manufactured for Operation Fortitude during WWII.

 

This begs the question of whether there were enough stocks of these WWII ghost unit patches in the Army's supply system to outfit an entire division for three or more years. And if this was done for the 48th, then most likely the same was done for the other National Guard division, the 46th, whose number also corresponded to a WWII ghost division. This only strengthens my belief that the WWII ghost division patches were designed, approved and manufactured just like the SSI of other active units.

Hi Patches

 

You might of answered a question I have had over this 48th SSI.

 

I believed this to a post WWII era (originally I thought WWII) produced with one exception, it glows like a xmas tree and I couldn't figure out why this patch should.

 

So the logic could be made for FL NG post WWII and washing detergent effect causing the glow or do people think a WWII patch used post WWII for FLNG (1946-49) washed and laundered creating the glow?

 

Any thoughts?

 

Phill

[patches]

Hi Patches

 

You might of answered a question I have had over this 48th SSI.

 

I believed this to a post WWII era (originally I thought WWII) produced with one exception, it glows like a xmas tree and I couldn't figure out why this patch should.

 

So the logic could be made for FL NG post WWII and washing detergent effect causing the glow or do people think a WWII patch used post WWII for FLNG (1946-49) washed and laundered creating the glow?

 

Any thoughts?

 

Phill

Did you do a Burn Thread Test?