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KMAG Patches


Brigade-Piron
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Brigade-Piron

Just a quick question from me.

 

I don't have any particular interest in KMAG as a unit, but over the years I've noticed that KMAG patches are unbelievably common. Now that I'm thinking of getting one, I'd like to just ask the question that presents itself:

 

Are there large numbers of repros/fakes of this patch? If so, how do you recognise them?

 

Wikipedia says that KMAG disbanded in December 1950, so I find it unlikely that all these patches could have been produced in such a short time. However, I also don't believe that KMAG has the same appeal to fakers as, say, 101st Airborne.

 

Any light you can shed would be much appreciated!

 

BP

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Wikipedia can be "iffy" sometimes. Over the years KMAG became JUSMAG-K and maybe KMAG again and then back to JUSMAG-K, same SSI with a different lower tab (KMAG and JUSMAG-K). At least when I was in Korea in 1983-84 the SSI for JUSMAG-K was being worn. I have never found either to be hard to find. As far as I know they are still in Korea.

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Just a quick question from me.

 

I don't have any particular interest in KMAG as a unit, but over the years I've noticed that KMAG patches are unbelievably common. Now that I'm thinking of getting one, I'd like to just ask the question that presents itself:

 

Are there large numbers of repros/fakes of this patch? If so, how do you recognise them?

 

Wikipedia says that KMAG disbanded in December 1950, so I find it unlikely that all these patches could have been produced in such a short time. However, I also don't believe that KMAG has the same appeal to fakers as, say, 101st Airborne.

 

Any light you can shed would be much appreciated!

 

BP

 

Hi,

Do not worry about repro of this patch; very common and easy to find. Only way you would find this as fake would be if it was in bullion and had added tabs. Mort

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Wrong topic but here's what I meant to post here:

I was in Korea as a kid in '61~'62 and I guess if you were to begin collecting "KMAG" patches you might try for the earliest era when even distances within that small country were not easily covered. The war had been over just a few years and the American advisors at KMAG and the USAF 6146th where my Father was were the ones rebuilding the Korean armed forces so we, the US would not have to garrison so many troops on the peninsula.

I think by collecting earlier stuff you might gather some intersting stories about life and leisure among the troops during that time.

Good luck.

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Hi,

Do not worry about repro of this patch; very common and easy to find. Only way you would find this as fake would be if it was in bullion and had added tabs. Mort

 

 

Thats right Morty, these OD bordered KMAG patches must have been one of that had, for whatever reason a very large number made, there are a few like this, in example 9th Corps, and the 75th Infantry Division, very large numbers can be found of these in unissed condition, whether loose (in piles or half dozen looseys ) or in their original small boxes. The OD bordered KMAG with it's matching inverted Tab were worn for a few years from 1949 to around 1953 maybe sometime in 1952, it was then that the OD bordered one was superceaded by the indentical KMAG patch with the White border, the KMAG tab continued to be worn, here though I not sure when it was superceaded by the new tabs with the unit new designation.

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infinitig35
Just a quick question from me.

 

I don't have any particular interest in KMAG as a unit, but over the years I've noticed that KMAG patches are unbelievably common. Now that I'm thinking of getting one, I'd like to just ask the question that presents itself:

 

Are there large numbers of repros/fakes of this patch? If so, how do you recognise them?

 

Wikipedia says that KMAG disbanded in December 1950, so I find it unlikely that all these patches could have been produced in such a short time. However, I also don't believe that KMAG has the same appeal to fakers as, say, 101st Airborne.

 

Any light you can shed would be much appreciated!

 

BP

Hi Brigade-Piron,

 

Now this goes back to the days of The Patch King and his 20 patches for $1 plus a "Korean War" or "Atomic Bomb" patch free, with illustrated patch catalog and price lists. Mine came with the white border, it was several years later I found the OD bordered patch. I believe another patch may have predated it, it was the Korea symbol for good luck, similar to the 29th Infantry Division patch, except blue and red with an OD border. This was sometimes referred to as Korean Military Government, but it may have been KMAG's first design. I think the KMAG tab (blue and gold) came later on. I do believe you may find some nice bullion pieces and some machine embroidered by local tailor shops. Later versions, some probably worn even today have the white merrow edge and use the new tab that someone else mentioned.

 

These obscure units, often small in number and light on personnel have always caught my attention.

 

As an example of a Korean made patch by a local tailor or patch shop is included for reference. It has nothing to do with KMAG and is for 7th Field Artillery part of the 7th Infantry Division (1958-1959).

 

If I can find some reference photos to post of KMAG and variations I will do so.

 

post-9136-1343209884.jpg

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infinitig35
Hi Brigade-Piron,

 

Now this goes back to the days of The Patch King and his 20 patches for $1 plus a "Korean War" or "Atomic Bomb" patch free, with illustrated patch catalog and price lists. Mine came with the white border, it was several years later I found the OD bordered patch. I believe another patch may have predated it, it was the Korea symbol for good luck, similar to the 29th Infantry Division patch, except blue and red with an OD border. This was sometimes referred to as Korean Military Government, but it may have been KMAG's first design. I think the KMAG tab (blue and gold) came later on. I do believe you may find some nice bullion pieces and some machine embroidered by local tailor shops. Later versions, some probably worn even today have the white merrow edge and use the new tab that someone else mentioned.

 

These obscure units, often small in number and light on personnel have always caught my attention.

 

As an example of a Korean made patch by a local tailor or patch shop is included for reference. It has nothing to do with KMAG and is for 7th Field Artillery part of the 7th Infantry Division (1958-1959).

 

If I can find some reference photos to post of KMAG and variations I will do so.

 

post-9136-1343209884.jpg

 

One other thought, since the circular patch is essentially the same as the 29th, it is possible that the government used the same design since it is a Korean symbol and appears in the center of the ribbon for the Korean citation. I may have been rescinded and replaced with the bell design.

 

Korea like other war zones breed a variety of insignia in their own right. A local DJ Tony Booth was a member of the small but infamous AFKN (American Forces Korea Network), these are the same people who brought you the film, "Good Morning Vietnam" with Robin Williams.

 

Obscure, for sure, but equally important to the study of units and military history.

 

The patch shown is theater made, and almost everyone I have seen looks similar to this photograph. Why the bias tape around the edges? Maybe this was the Korean way of doing a merrow edge.

 

post-9136-1343212873.jpg

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Brigade-Piron

I'm aware of the patch, you're referring to. Indeed, I also believe there is a version on everyone's favorite auction site currently going for big bucks.

 

Bullion or unofficial insignia are common from the Korean War from all UN contingents, not just the US one. The common consensus is that they were made for "returning home" uniforms (or souvenirs). A surprising number of the SSI that you see do not have stitch marks on the back.

 

Here's one of mine, a US 8th Army patch made with bullion thread in Japan.

 

US8A.jpg

 

 

So the consensus is that the Green-edged KMAG patches are the earlier type, superceeded by the white edged ones at some point following 1952? I assume the correct tabs from each type are the identical blue-with-yellow-text arcs that are quite common?

 

All the best,

BP

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