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When did the US Army begin wearing the EOD insignia?


Siamundo
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1957, thats why one also sees them White on OD cloth, those were from the late 50s up till 1968-70.

 

http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Catalog/Heraldry.aspx?HeraldryId=15455&CategoryId=9361&grp=2&menu=Uniformed%20Services&ps=24&p=0

 

The example you posted are nice late 60s to mid-ish 70s made, note the OG Cotton Sateen material they are embroidered on, a signature backing cloth of them days, the same material the fatiques were made of.

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Thank you patches! These came together with MACV and US Army Vietnam patches and a South Vietnamese Ordnance patch, but I wasn't sure if they were from the same era or not.

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I don't think the MASTER designation came out until the 80's? If I remember right there was the basic badge then the SUPERVISOR (star on the bomb).I think when the master came out that one was changed to senior.

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I don't think the MASTER designation came out until the 80's? If I remember right there was the basic badge then the SUPERVISOR (star on the bomb).I think when the master came out that one was changed to senior.

1969 would be the date Masters came out FF. You are correct FF on only the two though. For example in my Evans E. Kerrigan book on American Badges and Insignia which came out in 1967, lists and depicts only the two, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Supervisor, no Master as of yet since he was going off current 1966-67 Insignias that were on the books at that time

 

 

As copied from the above TIOH page.

 

The Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, approved the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Supervisor Badges on 31 July 1957. In June 1969, the Master EOD Badge was authorized. At the same time, the designation of the supervisor’s badge was changed to Senior EOD Badge and the EOD Specialist Badge was changed to EOD Badge.

 

 

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Patches.Thank you for the info.I didn't think the master designation was that old.

You got it, no problem.

 

I would point out to Sigamundo, that his Masters are very nice indeed, as they came from a guy who was in Nam as an EOD man, and that they are on OG 107 Cotton Sateen, they are among the first made I would say in late 69 into 1970-71.

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Navy EOD designation began about the same time frame? I've not seen any uniform earlier than late 60s jungle jackets with Navy EOD, but I've not seen it all.

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River Patrol brings up a very good observation. It occured to me that the Air Force wore the Army Design, I have one sewn to a 1968 dated short sleeve PACAF fatique shirt, a Supervisor EOD.

 

post-34986-0-36356900-1388023378.jpg

 

So are we to gather that the AF adopted the badge in 1957 too, or did the AF adopted the Army badge alittle later in the 60s, cant find info on this. The example above though would be one worn by the AF from around 1965 on, as the AF as far as I've found didn't wear cloth badges of the White on Blue type prior to 1965, maybe stretching alittle back into 1964, late 64. As far as the Navy's EOD badge, like the AF, I cant find hard copy on adoption date

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

Has anyone seen a Master EOD in sterling? I have not but 1969 is right at the transition to 1/20th silver filled. Any thoughts?

Thanks

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  • 2 months later...

Army (1969 dated) direct embroidered jungle jacket with EOD

Uniforms with EOD badges would have to be pretty rare because I doubt that overall very many people ever qualified for the badgeunlie for instance the CIB or Parachutist badge.

 

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Here are a few screenshots of full color EOD badges being worn from a 1960s training film I found on youtube.

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post-1761-0-72805300-1436901522.jpg

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Looks like he's wearing Nickle collar brass, if so then maybe the cap device too, of note is the embroidered version on Khaki twill.

 

post-1761-0-72805300-1436901522.jpg

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  • 1 year later...

EOD started in 1941. Then is was called BD (Bomb Disposal). BD personnel wore a patch with a red bomb with gold trim on a black back ground on their left shirt pocket. EOD continued to wear the same patch on brassards up until 2003-04 time frame when the velcro "EOD" patch was worn on the shoulder eliminating the old brassard that wrapped around and was held up by a safety pin. Similar to the "SDO" (Staff Duty Officer) brassard.

 

Smitty

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  • 3 months later...

Here is a sterling pinback EOD badge that I acquired many years ago. It was made by HAYWARD and has a nice frosted look on the reverse side that I will post below.

post-48217-0-53968800-1484061128_thumb.jpg

 

The HAYWARD Sterling hallmark is one of the scarcer makers. I have seen this hallmark on CIB's also. The frosted reverse is adds another attractive feature to this older EOD badge.

post-48217-0-33976100-1484061328_thumb.jpg

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Here is a senior level EOD Badge in sterling. It is also a pinback, so I am thinking it is an early one. The reverse side is shown in the next post.

post-48217-0-33011900-1484061694_thumb.jpg

 

Reverse side of the Senior EOD Badge. This one does not have a makers mark, but is marked Sterling and has that same nice frosted appearance. Letter size in STERLING is different than the HAYWARD example.

post-48217-0-76811300-1484061790_thumb.jpg

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For the Army, you are awarded the "Basic" (A.K.A. Slick Badge) Badge upon graduation from NAVSCHOLEOD. After serving 3 years in an EOD coded billet being recommended by the Commander and are in good standings (not in trouble! LOL!) you are awarded the Senior Badge. The difference is the star on the bomb. Then after 8 years in an EOD position, you are awarded the Master EOD Badge. Addition of the wreath and star on top of the bomb. Other services do it different. Navy has boards and Air Force has tests.

 

The Badge and its parts have meaning.

 

The Wreath is for the achievements and laurels gained by minimizing the accident potentials by the ingenuity and devotion to duty of its members. It is in memory of EOD personnel who have given their lives while performing EOD Duties.

 

The Bomb was copied from the design of the WWII Bomb Disposal Badge; the Bomb represents the historic and major objective of the EOD attack, the unexploded bomb. The three fins represent the major areas of nuclear, conventional, and chemical/biological warfare.

 

The lightning bolts symbolize the potential destructive power of the bomb and the courage and professionalism of EOD personnel in their endeavors to reduce hazards as well as to render explosive ordnance harmless.

 

The shield represents the EOD mission which is to protect personnel and property in the immediate area from inadvertent detonation of hazardous ordnance.

 

Smitty

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  • 9 months later...
VolunteerArmoury

Has anyone seen much use of the later (1980s-2000s) brassard with the WW2 insignia on it? There was an EOD unit on Ft. Gillem when I was there in the late 90s but I never saw anyone wearing that brassard until ACUs came out.

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