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Uncommon and Obscure Combat Patches Being Worn.


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Nothing Uncommon and Obscure about this being worn in 1953, but it is a great shot of Mark Clark wearing his 5th Army as a "Combat Patch"

546_ClarkSigns-tight.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
seanmc1114

Here is a member of Company K 75th Infantry, the LRRP unit assigned to the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. He served a previous tour in 1968 with the provisional LRRP unit attached to the 3rd Brigade 82nd Airborne Division after its arrival in Vietnam in 1968 that subsequently became the 78th Infantry Detachment until being redesignated Company O 75th Infantry in February 1969. He is wearing a theater made subdued 82nd Airborne SSI with a subdued LRRP tab over it and unknown pocket patch.    

 

I believe that's a 75th Infantry Regiment DUI patch on the folded up brim on the side of his Aussie hat. 

Combat Patch.82nd Airborne Division.LRRP Tab.Vietnam.jpg

Combat Patch.82nd Airborne Division.LRRP Tab.Vietnam.2.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not sure this has been posted. General Westmoreland presenting awards to Thai soldier. Typically we see Westmooreland wearing the 187th RCT  team. Here he is wearing the 9th Infantry patch from his service in WW2 with the 34 Field Artillery Battalion and  later 9th ID staff.

 

image.png.2223bb9ec9069108f3e31d1fd56889b3.png

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seanmc1114

Major Clarence R. Bess, a 1939 West Point graduate, wearing the Philippine Division SSI worn as a combat patch. He was a Bataan Death March survivor and POW from 1942 to 1945. What I find interesting is that by the time this photo was taken in 1946, he had been liberated, attended jump school and made a battalion commander of the Airborne Command.

Combat Patch.Philippine Division.Airborne Command.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
seanmc1114

1st Cavalry Division with AIRBORNE tab worn by a non-jump qualified artilleryman who had served with the 2nd Battalion 19th Field Artillery as a forward observer with the 1st Battalion 12th Cavalry.  

Combat Patch.1st Cavalry Division.Airborne.Non-Parachutist.jpeg

Combat Patch.1st Cavalry Division.Airborne.Non-Parachutist.2.jpeg

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Philippine Division as a Combat patch once again.

 

254929417_robertbesson359.jpg.9f4a46b2eb26046ccf46a9268e5af69b.jpg

He is Robert Besson, West Point 1937, with 2 years prior EM service,  in the PI he was initially in the 57th Infantry (Philippine Scouts) Philippine Division, but was transferred out and became a officer in the Philippine Army that was juuuust forming up, despite him being still a Captain, he was a battalion commander in one of the regiments of Filipino 21st Infantry Division, maybe the 1st Battalion 21st Infantry Regiment of that division, and was with this unit when he became a prisoner.

At this time these two photos are taken he was the Skipper of the 2nd Battle Group 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Benning Georgia. Besson has a 2nd Award of the CIB, he was the C.O. of the 2nd Battalion 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division in Korea 1950-51.

685615383_robertbesson.jpg.0c53eb7bd8f78c39f4d6d6eb8c0154bf.jpg

 

His BIO.

 

19721292_robertbesson1.jpg.d816be0174c1ba42b270614810db0700.jpg1303877325_robertbesson20003.jpg.7efe2c5f9a3f7221f24487948e0bb5ae.jpg

 

 

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Just now, patches said:

The Philippine Division as a Combat patch once again.

 

254929417_robertbesson359.jpg.9f4a46b2eb26046ccf46a9268e5af69b.jpg

He is Robert Besson, West Point 1937, with 2 years prior EM service,  in the PI he was initially in the 57th Infantry (Philippine Scouts) Philippine Division, but was transferred out and became a officer in the Philippine Army that was juuuust forming up, he  despite him being still a Captain, he was a battalion commander in one of the regiments of Filipino 21st Infantry Division, maybe the 1st Battalion 21st Infantry Regiment of that division, and was with this unit when he became a prisoner.

At this time these two photos are taken he was the Skipper of the 2nd Battle Group 9th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division at Fort Benning Georgia. Besson has a 2nd Award of the CIB, he was the C.O. of the 2nd Battalion 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division in Korea 1950-51.

685615383_robertbesson.jpg.0c53eb7bd8f78c39f4d6d6eb8c0154bf.jpg

 

His BIO.

 

19721292_robertbesson1.jpg.d816be0174c1ba42b270614810db0700.jpg1303877325_robertbesson20003.jpg.7efe2c5f9a3f7221f24487948e0bb5ae.jpg

 

 

Besson's Award Citations for The Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star and Legion of Merit, Besson passes away in 1976.

 

https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/6025

 

Also found this for sale.

 

https://www.ima-usa.com/products/original-u-s-wwii-colonel-robert-besson-pow-japanese-interrogation-phonograph-recording-dated-december-1943

 

And he apparently is the younger brother of Lieutenant General Frank S. Besson Jr.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_S._Besson_Jr.

 

 

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The next guy in line to the soldier in the post above is seen here wearing the 9th Service Command SSI as a combat patch.

Combat Patch.9th Service Command.1.jpg

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Soldiers of the 372nd Infantry Battalion of the Ohio National Guard in 1950. The officer on the left appears to be wearing a 25th Regimental Combat Team SSI as his combat patch. 

Second Army.372nd Infantry Battalion.1950.jpg

25th Regimental Combat Team.1.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
seanmc1114

11th Air Assault Division SSI being worn as a combat patch by a PFC. You can tell it is Air Assault and not Airborne by the red lettering on the tab. I have no information on the photo but assume it is from Vietnam. Note the M-16's. That may be a 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion DUI on his cap.

Combat Patch.11th Air Assault Division.jpg

227th Assault Helicopter Battalion.DUI.1.png

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Here are members of the 1st Battalion 3rd Infantry from two different deployments wearing their Military District of Washington SSI with HONOR GUARD tabs as combat patches.

 

In the first photo, a soldier from Company B 1st Battalion 3rd Infantry is wearing a desert combat uniform with desert subdued insignia on his return from the unit's 2003-2004 deployment to the Horn Of Africa.

 

The second photo shows soldiers of Company C 1st Battalion 3rd Infantry returning from Iraq in 2010.

Combat Patch.Military District Of Washington.4.2004.jpg

Combat Patch.Military District Of Washington.3.jpg

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I can't identify this general, but I'm guessing this photo dates from the 70's or possibly the 80's. Note he is wearing the Alabama National Guard SSI as a combat patch. At first I thought the photo might be reversed, but it is not. 

Combat Patch.Alabama National Guard.1.png

Alabama National Guard.SSI.1.png

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12 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

I can't identify this general, but I'm guessing this photo dates from the 70's or possibly the 80's. Note he is wearing the Alabama National Guard SSI as a combat patch. At first I thought the photo might be reversed, but it is not. 

Combat Patch.Alabama National Guard.1.png

Alabama National Guard.SSI.1.png

Another odd one.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

The wearing of the 82nd and the XVIII Airborne Corps as a Combat Patch for the DOM REP 1965 (Operation Power Pack) is down on record,, in regulations, however we discussed the possibility of the 3rd Army being worn as one, because of the select support units of 3rd Army based at Fort Bragg North Carolina were in the Dominican Republic in 1965, while not in the regs it may be that the 3rd Army patch could of been worn by these guys.

 

Now lets add one more possible.

 

The JFK Special Warfare Center

 

This in a post made by member seanmc1114 in another forum sees a member of the JFK SWC in the DOM REP in 1965, could these be worn now by these members of the JFK SWC that were sent there for Operation Power Pack????

jfk swc dom rep seanmc1114.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Found floating around online, probably sold awhile ago.

 

We have no reason to think this a put together, but is a legit shirt from the mid-sh 50s,

 

A Double Patched 2nd Infantry Division shirt of a Sergeant First Class. .

il_1140xN.3440205773_6tbk.jpg

il_1140xN.3392541888_hd9e.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

U.S. Army Cooking School held at the Presidio, August 22, 1949. Private Allen Barrett in the white, serves food to Sgt Alice Goldych (l) and Sgt. Grace Preston. Sgt. Goldych is wearing the China Headquarters SSI as a combat patch.

Combat Patch.Female.Unknown.1949.jpg

Combat Patch.China Headquarters.jpg

China Headquarters.jpg

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7 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

U.S. Army Cooking School held at the Presidio, August 22, 1949. Private Allen Barrett in the white, serves food to Sgt Alice Goldych (l) and Sgt. Grace Preston. Sgt. Goldych is wearing the China Headquarters SSI as a combat patch.

Combat Patch.Female.Unknown.1949.jpg

Combat Patch.China Headquarters.jpg

China Headquarters.jpg

That's a first, great find Sean.

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A gathering of recent Vietnam returnees of the 3rd Brigade 82nd Airborne Division gather for a ceremony at Fort Benning, Georgia in January 1970. The second soldier from the right in the group photo is Max Donovan, who is the same guy in the first photo. He served with my father in A 1/505th Infantry January through December 1969. After five months at Benning he returned fir his second tour in Vietnam with Company G 75th Infantry.

7E038619-3AFF-4EAF-A60A-FF466769E7A0.jpeg

BDBFBAC5-867A-4BD2-955E-25B85360FD2D.jpeg

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  • 2 weeks later...

What has to be Bookends.

 

A unknown Nurse (Can't make out NAME Tape) in 1970 in the 44th Medical Brigade, wearing a 44th Medical Combat patch for an earlier tour, like 67-68.

bookends 1970.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

The 50th Infantry Brigade NJNG as a Combat Patch worn by Maj Gen Steve Ferrari commander of the 42nd Inf Div, Ferrri was commander of the 50th Brigade twice and deputy commander. The 50th has since been redesignated as the 44th Infantry Brigade and wears now the familiar 44 patch of old.

 

Jun 09 Dec 09 Commander, 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New Jersey Army National Guard,

Feb 08-Jun 08 Commander, 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Lawrenceville, New Jersey Army National Guard New Jersey

Oct 07-Jan 08 Deputy Commander, 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New Jersey Army National Guard

42nd div unknown combat patch.jpg50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team steve ferrari.jpg

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