501stGeronimo Posted January 5, 2013 Share #1 Posted January 5, 2013 Picked these up from the family of a Accordion player for the USO during WW2.She brought back alot of insignia and this is some of what she brought back. Fifth Army Airborne Training Center Sicily bullion officer Chest patches. First of this kind that I have ever seen in my 40 years of collecting. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted January 5, 2013 Share #2 Posted January 5, 2013 You struck gold my friend. Very scarce patches. I want to say that the AB training center was in Sicily, but likely migrated to Italy as the troops advanced. There was an article in an old ASMIC Trading Post on these patches. congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted January 6, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 6, 2013 I had one of these in bullion years ago and they are a piece of art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted January 6, 2013 Share #4 Posted January 6, 2013 Nice grouping.The insignia to the right of 'TC' look's like the British Physical Fitness Instructor insignia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36-tex Posted January 6, 2013 Share #5 Posted January 6, 2013 Very rare and VERY NICE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Scott Posted January 6, 2013 Share #6 Posted January 6, 2013 Absolutely stunning great score a fantastic group.Scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Andrews Posted January 6, 2013 Share #7 Posted January 6, 2013 The three-legged thing is a triskelion and is an heraldic symbol for Sicily. The pentacle stands for Morroco (Google for a Morrocan flag). The AF Abn TC began an Oujda, Morroco, in early 1943, then it moved to Trapani, located at the western tip of Sicily. In the run-up for the invasion of Southwern France (Aug 44), it moved to more than one airfiled in the Rome area. IIRC it went out of existence in Sep 44. One vet told me the earlier patch's glider was removed, in the Sicily period, because it no longer controlled glider qual -- the USAAF Troop Carriers took over any glider-related tng. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted January 6, 2013 Share #8 Posted January 6, 2013 The three-legged thing is a triskelion and is an heraldic symbol for Sicily. The pentacle stands for Morroco (Google for a Morrocan flag). The AF Abn TC began an Oujda, Morroco, in early 1943, then it moved to Trapani, located at the western tip of Sicily. In the run-up for the invasion of Southwern France (Aug 44), it moved to more than one airfiled in the Rome area. IIRC it went out of existence in Sep 44. One vet told me the earlier patch's glider was removed, in the Sicily period, because it no longer controlled glider qual -- the USAAF Troop Carriers took over any glider-related tng. Interesting.Cool to see the two different variations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted January 6, 2013 Share #9 Posted January 6, 2013 Forgot to ask.Anway we can see the back of the patches? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
501stGeronimo Posted January 6, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted January 6, 2013 I prefer not to show the backs of the patches. I don't want fakers to see what the backs of original bullion specimens of this caliber look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88thcollector Posted January 6, 2013 Share #11 Posted January 6, 2013 Incredible. The use of the Triskelion isan interesting addition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plick27 Posted January 6, 2013 Share #12 Posted January 6, 2013 Those are beauties. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Marine Posted January 6, 2013 Share #13 Posted January 6, 2013 Beatyufil and rare patches, great find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted January 6, 2013 Share #14 Posted January 6, 2013 Killer grouping...exceedingly rare! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88thcollector Posted January 6, 2013 Share #15 Posted January 6, 2013 actually, I just looked at some photos and see that the 3 leg symbol is normal, I always thought it was just for the Isle of Man. Best patches I have seen in a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camelgreen44 Posted January 6, 2013 Share #16 Posted January 6, 2013 I'm in AWE ! Simply Beautiful,Great Find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
501stGeronimo Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share #17 Posted July 21, 2014 Restoring the photos of the grouping: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
501stGeronimo Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share #18 Posted July 21, 2014 .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
501stGeronimo Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share #19 Posted July 21, 2014 ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted July 22, 2014 Share #20 Posted July 22, 2014 Thanks for restoring these. Missed this the first time around. Those patches are knockout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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