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Uncommon and Obscure Combat Patches Being Worn.


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seanmc1114

MG George S. Patton IV wearing a full color reverse facing 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment SSI as a combat patch on his dress uniform.

Coincidentally, I just ran across this auction on e-Bay. I'm not sure if this is authentic or a current fantasy patch but being cut edge it leads me to believe it's fairly old. But the one worn by Gen. Patton may be merrowed edge because the black border looks wider to me.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Vietnam-Era-US-Army-11th-Armored-Cavalry-Regiment-Patch-Cut-Edge-Right-/350738682017?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a9a790a1

 

I wonder how widespread the wearing of the reversed 11th ACR patch was. Considering it was worn by a general officer, I doubt it was frowned on too much.

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Coincidentally, I just ran across this auction on e-Bay. I'm not sure if this is authentic or a current fantasy patch but being cut edge it leads me to believe it's fairly old. But the one worn by Gen. Patton may be merrowed edge because the black border looks wider to me.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Vietnam-Era-US-Army-11th-Armored-Cavalry-Regiment-Patch-Cut-Edge-Right-/350738682017?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51a9a790a1

 

I wonder how widespread the wearing of the reversed 11th ACR patch was. Considering it was worn by a general officer, I doubt it was frowned on too much.

Relatively common to see reversed 11th ACR patches Vietnam. Legit theater made examples exist in many varieties, and to be honest that's what I thought MG Patton's was when I first saw that photo.

 

 

 

This phenomena was brought back again after elements of the 11th ACR deployed to Iraq in support of OIF. When I was in Iraq in 2006-2007 matching pairs (left and right facing) 11th ACR patches were available at several of the theater made patch places, in ACU and DCU colors. The next year (2008), I spent a month at FT Irwin as an augmentee to the 11th during an NTC rotation. Wear of left and right facing ACU patches was widespread, especially with the Regimental staff officers and NCOs. The 11th CAV and FT Irwin Museum sold these in BDU, DCU and ACU if I recall correctly. They were not available at Clothing Sales on post due to their not being officially authorized by the Army.

 

If I had to guess, I'd say that based on the photos and the seller, the patch listed on ebay is actually a modern patch that was not finished with it merrowed edge for what ever reason.

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seanmc1114

Gen. Jonathan Wainwright wearing the Philippine Division SSI as a combat patch after his liberation from a Japanese POW camp at the end of WWII.

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seanmc1114

Major General John Homfeld, wearing a 106th Cavalry Group patch on his right shoulder. Commanded 121st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, 106th Cavalry Group during WW2. Postwar member of 33rd Division and 44th Division.

Here's a different angle of him wearing the same patch.

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One Lieutenant General Henry S. Aurand CG of U.S. Army Pacific at his retirement parade 31 August 1953.

We see he's wearing the 6th Service Command as a Combat Patch, which is odd given he had overseas service in at least two differant units in two differant theaters. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Aurand

 

 

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With Ike in the ETO, note the ASF patch being worn in one of the photos, I must post that one in the ASF patch topic.

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And Aurand in China. So it's real uncommon for him to wear an obscure Stateside unit patch as his choice for a Wartime Service Patch given he had two other choices for units that were actually overseas in which he served.In the post war period he wore the African Middle East Theater patch as the final CO of that High Command as well.

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The 3rd Mar Div for Vietnam service, worn by a S/Sgt at Benning's Pathfinder School, from the July 1979 issue of Soldiers, though the actual photo may be from 1977. Important narrative on the Army's Pathfinder School, I wasn't aware that Carter shut it down for 1978.

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  • 2 weeks later...
seanmc1114

China Burma India Theater. Nothing unusual about that except to my eyes the blue squares on which the two stars are placed look to be different shades. But it may just be the lighting.

 

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seanmc1114

Airman, probably from a Tactical Air Control Party, wearing the 82nd Airborne Division as a combat patch. I'm not sure if this was authorized.

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seanmc1114

Here's the Alaska Defense Command patch being worn by a soldier who served in the Army from 1968 to 1970 so it's definitely not based on WWII service.

 

http://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=AssignmentExt&ID=498334

 

Notice he is also wearing two Expert Badges, each with one qualification bar.

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Here's the Alaska Defense Command patch being worn by a soldier who served in the Army from 1968 to 1970 so it's definitely not based on WWII service.

 

http://army.togetherweserved.com/army/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=AssignmentExt&ID=498334

 

Notice he is also wearing two Expert Badges, each with one qualification bar.

 

I wouldn't call being a soup sandwhich "Uncommon and Obscure" :lol: There's at least one in every outfit!

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seanmc1114

 

I wouldn't call being a soup sandwhich "Uncommon and Obscure" :lol: There's at least one in every outfit!

It's impossible to tell from this picture, but based on the other information on the webpage where I found it, the patch on his left sleeve is most likely the 171st Infantry Brigade and not the Alaska Defense Command. If that's the case, maybe the patches were worn unofficially like this along the lines of the wearing of the First Allied Airborne Army SSI on the right sleeve and the 17th, 82nd or 101st Airborne Division patch on the left or the CBI Theater patch on the right sleeve and the 14th Air Force on the left during WWII.

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TheGermanCollector

MARSOC Marine raider patch. I bought these from a member of marine special operations command these were worn over in A-stan. One is subdued and one is similar to the WWII version Both are velco backed.

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It's impossible to tell from this picture, but based on the other information on the webpage where I found it, the patch on his left sleeve is most likely the 171st Infantry Brigade and not the Alaska Defense Command. If that's the case, maybe the patches were worn unofficially like this along the lines of the wearing of the First Allied Airborne Army SSI on the right sleeve and the 17th, 82nd or 101st Airborne Division patch on the left or the CBI Theater patch on the right sleeve and the 14th Air Force on the left during WWII.

 

Pardon my joke. I understand the stateside or unauthorized combat patches during WWII with the loose regulations. By the time period of the photo though it would've been a big no-no, as well as wearing two of the same marskmanship badge being a dead give away of a SPC getting a glamor shot to send home.

Also-in order to be a true combat patch, I am 99.9% sure there has to be an associated campaign ribbon or expeditionary service ribbon, he has only a national defense ribbon.

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seanmc1114

 

Pardon my joke. I understand the stateside or unauthorized combat patches during WWII with the loose regulations. By the time period of the photo though it would've been a big no-no, as well as wearing two of the same marskmanship badge being a dead give away of a SPC getting a glamor shot to send home.

Also-in order to be a true combat patch, I am 99.9% sure there has to be an associated campaign ribbon or expeditionary service ribbon, he has only a national defense ribbon.

Yeah I figured you were joking, but unless he just pulled out a needle and thread and tacked the Alaska patch on for a photo, odds are he had it sewn on permanently and in all likelihood it passed inspection at some point. With the exception of that and the Expert badges, everything else looks okay to me.

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  • 1 month later...

There is nothing particularly uncommon or obscure about the combat patches being worn by these soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division at the victory parade in New York City on January 12, 1946. I see the 13th, 17th and 101st Airborne Divisions represented. However, it has always been my understanding that in the immediate post-war period, the 82nd frowned on if not outright banned the wear of combat patches. Was that only true while the division was in Germany before returning home?

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There is nothing particularly uncommon or obscure about the combat patches being worn by these soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division at the victory parade in New York City on January 12, 1946. I see the 13th, 17th and 101st Airborne Divisions represented. However, it has always been my understanding that in the immediate post-war period, the 82nd frowned on if not outright banned the wear of combat patches. Was that only true while the division was in Germany before returning home?

What Sub Unit is this? none wear CIB, so I'm sure it is not one of the Infantry Regiments of the 82nd, the helmet Marking will tell right? you can see the officer in the forground but the area where his BOS is is blurry, they are either Jump Qualified or Glider Qualified, so Arty or Eng?

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