Teamski Posted January 29, 2013 Share #1 Posted January 29, 2013 Hey guys, We have discussed the patch in the past without any definitive answers, so here goes. I finally got this pair of 55th Command Headquarters patches today. Either or both could very well be repros, but I got them on a hope and a prayer anyways. The unit existed from December 1964-July 1968 (Aleck) with the Florida National Guard, so we know that the patch should be cut edged. So which one if any are original? My guess would be the one on the right, but without concrete evidence, there could be a third version out there that is the true original. Any ideas? -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted January 29, 2013 the reverses.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyDevil117 Posted January 30, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 30, 2013 IMOH I think the one on the right is a repro. The reason i think this is because I have a few of what i call "color cut edge patches" and none of them have the mesh stabilizer ( white screen shaped stuff poking out on the edges) showing. plus to generally tell if a ww2 patch is a repro they have the mesh stabilizer showing I have a 2 marine division patch that was known not to be made in the color cut edge style but it is and it also has the mesh stabilizer. it's more clear in person but It has the same edge as yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted January 30, 2013 Author Share #4 Posted January 30, 2013 IMOH I think the one on the right is a repro. The reason i think this is because I have a few of what i call "color cut edge patches" and none of them have the mesh stabilizer ( white screen shaped stuff poking out on the edges) showing. plus to generally tell if a ww2 patch is a repro they have the mesh stabilizer showing I have a 2 marine division patch that was known not to be made in the color cut edge style but it is and it also has the mesh stabilizer. it's more clear in person but It has the same edge as yours. Thanks for the response. Remember, there are no absolutes in collecting. Having mesh as a backing to the base material doesn't automatically make a patch a repro. There are many fully embroidered patches made in WWII, for example, that use the mesh to re-enforce a wool base and were 100% original. Ribbed stitched patches from the era almost all have a mesh backing (do a search on ribbed stitch patches to find past discussions on them). However, that is apples and oranges. The 55th patch was produced in the mid 1960's for an pretty obscure unit. We don't know if the unit locally procured the patch or if the QM department had them ordered for them. We have no idea right now how the patch was actually made. I would love to see some more variations other than Asian made ones. -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyDevil117 Posted February 1, 2013 Share #5 Posted February 1, 2013 I'm sorry i should have been more clear, when i was talking about the stabilizer sticking out i ment fully embroideried ww2 patches. But your right that doesn't 100% of the time mean it's a repro. I feel too that this patch could have been a locally made piece. We may never know for a 100% if it was locally made but anyways nice patch none the less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted February 1, 2013 Share #6 Posted February 1, 2013 It would be great if someone posted a 100% original attributed example of one of these. I would like to add this patch to my collection, but I don't know what exactly I'm looking for. Some examples are obvious repros, but others are not. I'm never sure enough to roll the dice on one. I guess I just need to find an old Army fatigue shirt with one on it at the local flea market for 50 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted February 1, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 1, 2013 It would be great if someone posted a 100% original attributed example of one of these. I would like to add this patch to my collection, but I don't know what exactly I'm looking for. Some examples are obvious repros, but others are not. I'm never sure enough to roll the dice on one. I guess I just need to find an old Army fatigue shirt with one on it at the local flea market for 50 cents. The odds are that there are unissued stacks or even boxes of those somewhere stuck way back in a dark corner of an old armory or in storage shed in the backyard of a retired supply sergeant somewhere in Florida. Just the thought of that makes your head spin and your mouth drool, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted February 1, 2013 Share #8 Posted February 1, 2013 Here is the previous topic discussing this patch: http://www.usmilitar...ers-divisional/ One of the posts in that topic links to this article about the actual unit: http://www.floridaguard.army.mil/1657 And in that article itself is this photo of a soldier that is wearing what could possibly be a 55th patch although I think it is more likely the Florida National Guard HQ patch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted February 1, 2013 Share #9 Posted February 1, 2013 By the way, here is an e-Bay BIN auction with what appears to be repros of the patch if anyone needs a filler for his collection: http://www.ebay.com/...h-/400320422943 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted May 8, 2013 Share #10 Posted May 8, 2013 Here is a photo of the command staff of the Florida National Guard's 260th Engineer Group from 1964. Note that even though the photo caption identifies the group as part of the 55th Command Headquarters, they all seem to be wearing the Florida National Guard State Area Command SSI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted May 8, 2013 Share #11 Posted May 8, 2013 Here's a shot of Troop E 153rd Cavalry that also identifies it as part of the 55th Command Headquarters. It's hard to see which SSI they are wearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted July 25, 2013 Share #12 Posted July 25, 2013 Here's one for sale on e-Bay that looks different than Teamski's in the first post. This definitely looks like a legitimate period piece to me. http://www.ebay.com/itm/VIETNAM-ERA-RARE-55th-HEADQUARTERS-COMMAND-THE-RAREST-OF-THE-60s-BRIGADES-/310711714053?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:3160 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share #13 Posted July 25, 2013 Yep, that would be the original one! This is the first original I have seen. -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted October 17, 2017 Share #14 Posted October 17, 2017 Here is a link I found online to a booklet discussing the effects of the 1962 Army reorganization of the Reserve components. Eight National Guard and Reserve divisions were to be eliminated. I believe this particular text is describing the creation of these Command Headquarters and their purpose with regards to creating slots for general officers whose command assignments were being eliminated. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007884804?type[]=all&lookfor[]=army national guard&ft= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tredhed2 Posted October 17, 2017 Share #15 Posted October 17, 2017 It's on the TIOH website: http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=16453&CategoryId=9424&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services approved 20 Nov 64 five wavy and five pointed rays refer to unit number (55) The first ones had to be cut edge/flat edge like the one on the left that begins this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted August 12, 2020 Share #16 Posted August 12, 2020 I just ran across this photo of Major General Robert A. Ballard in the January 1967 issue of The Florida Guardsman monthly newsletter. As you can see, it identifies him as the commanding general of the 55th Command Headquarters(Divisional), but he is clearly wearing the SSI approved for the headquarters of the Florida National Guard. Assuming the photo was taken sometime right around late December 1966-early 1967, it begs the question of whether the SSI for the 55th was ever actually worn if even its commander was not wearing it during this timeframe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted August 12, 2020 Share #17 Posted August 12, 2020 Here's another photo from the July 1967 issue of The Florida Guardsman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted August 12, 2020 Share #18 Posted August 12, 2020 Here's some more information on the 55th Command Headquarters from the March 1963 Florida Guardsman newsletter. The headquarters was created with the deactivation of the 51st Infantry Division and the removal of Florida elements from the 48th Armored Division. The Florida National Guard would have had three or possibly four general officers (commanding general, assistant CO and commander of the division artillery along with a possible second assistant commanding general) from the 51st and at least one and possibly two general officers serving with the 48th who would no longer have slots available for them due to the reorganization of the 48th and inactivation of the 51st. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted August 12, 2020 Share #19 Posted August 12, 2020 I don't mean to hijack a thread about a SSI, but here is some more info on the unit itself which is sort of an enigma itself. These are also from May 1963 Florida Guardsman newsletter. Note the 55th apparently consisted not only of the 55th Operational Headquarters but also the 55th Brigade Headquarters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted August 12, 2020 Share #20 Posted August 12, 2020 Here is a photo of Brigadier General Robert A. Ballard, commander of the 55th, in a 1963 photo. Note he is wearing green leadership tabs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmc1114 Posted August 12, 2020 Share #21 Posted August 12, 2020 Just to add another element to the story, here is now Major General Robert A. Ballard from the May 1969 Florida Guardsman newsletter wearing the Florida National Guard SSI. Note that here he is identified as Commanding General, Emergency Operations Headquarters. I wonder if that was some sort of successor to the 55th Command Headquarters? At any rate, these photos lead me to believe that the 55th SSI may never have actually been worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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