Question about 82nd AB patches

[A82nd507th]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm a 82nd Airborne collector and I'd like to know when the nylon, the Subdued, the Merrow Edge, and the Tan patches appeared ?

 

I know some nylon patches were manufactured before 1946 but very few. Than the Merrow Edge replaced the Cut Edge : when ? Then the Sudbued arrived for combat uniforms : when ? And Tan ones arived too : when ? Please help me making a chronology of this patch.

 

I have every kind of 82nd patches from WWI to today but I'd like to an approximative date on each one.

 

Then do you know who created/draw the insignia in 1918 ?

 

Thanks for your help !

 

Aury

[Teamski]

Rough dates:

 

WWII- late 1950's: Cut edged, rayon return threads. With or without attached tab.

 

Late 1950's - 1967: Cut edged, synthetic return threads. May have matching twill backing. I know that one variation of the 82nd specifically had an attached tab with khaki twill backing from this period.

 

1967- 1980's: Merrowed edge

 

1980's-2000's: Merrowed edge with plastic backing.

 

Current: Merrowed edge with gray felt backing.

 

This is off the top of my head. I know there are others that maybe able to correct or add to the above.

 

-Ski

[A82nd507th]

Thanks a lot Ski ! It's going to help me for my chronology.

 

Any information about the Subdued patches ?

 

Aury

[Teamski]

Thanks a lot Ski ! It's going to help me for my chronology.

 

Any information about the Subdued patches ?

 

Aury

 

 

Authorized in 1968. I don't know the exact phase-out to ACU, but I would think it would have been around 2003ish. Multicam in 2011ish.....

 

-Ski

[vzemke]

ACUs were introduced/announced in June 2004, but ACU pattern patches were not widely available until the fall of 2005 when phasing in of ACUs really started to pick up steam. Woodland subdued unit patches were still a somewhat common occurance in many units through 2006, especially those units deployed to Iraq.

 

IIRC, the Army wear out date for the BDU was 1 OCT 2007.