"Smoking Snake" Brazilian Division in 5th US Army Patch

[Ricardo]

Hi,

 

My new italian made "Smoking Snake" patch from a great and nice collection in USA:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, Mort!

 

Regards,

 

Ricardo.

 

[Garandomatic]

I don't think I had ever heard about this. Very interesting.

[Ricardo]

Original Brazilian Expedicionary Forces uniform with both italian made patches:

 

[Patchcollector]

Beautiful pieces.I've wanted to add one of the patches for my collection for awhile.One of these days.. Thanks also for the info.I had heard another story told about the origin of the design.

 

 

Here it is:

 

Nickname
Due to the Brazilian dictatorship's unwillingness to get more deeply involved in the Allied war effort, by early 1943 a popular saying was: "It's more likely for a snake to smoke a pipe, than for the BEF go to the front and fight." ("Mais fácil à uma cobra um cachimbo fumar, do que à FEB (para a Frente) embarcar."). Until the BEF entered combat, the expression "a cobra vai fumar" ("the snake will smoke") was often used in Brazil in a context similar to "when pigs fly". As a result, the soldiers of the BEF called themselves Cobras Fumantes (literally, Smoking Snakes) and wore a divisional shoulder patch that showed a snake smoking a pipe. It was also common for Brazilian soldiers to write on their mortars, "The Snake is smoking ..." ("A cobra está fumando..."). After the war the meaning was reversed, signifying that something will definitively happen and in a furious and aggressive way. With that second meaning the use of the expression "a cobra vai fumar" has been retained in Brazilian Portuguese until the present times, although few in the younger generations realize the origin of the expression.

 

 

 

Here are some other comments about the slogan I found online:

 

Dear friends. May I add a comment to your words? The phrase ¨brazil will go to war when a snake smokes¨ was currently said by brazilian military. Despite government declaration of war against Axis forces, he did not actually manage to prepare his armed forces for the task ahead. This provoked a public opinion mobilization, the press mainly, that forced Vargas to fulfil his commitment. Thence, the snake ¨has smoked¨...

 

In actual fact, the FEB's flash was in reaction to a contemptuous remark by Adolf Hitler himself. When first told that Brazil was sending troops against him, Hitler sneered unbelievingly, "We'll see Brazilian troops in Europe when cobras smoke pipes!"
That inspired the Brazilian Army to design the insignia of its overseas division, which they named COBRAS FUMAS -- "Smoking Cobras." They fought effectively against German troops in Italy.

 

1. In Brazil, there’s a consensus that it was not Hitler’s statement, but our former President’s (Getúlio Vargas) instead;
2. Allow me to correct your Portuguese. Actually the lemma of Brazilian Expeditionary Force was "The snake is going to smoke" (A COBRA VAI FUMAR). It’s a Brazilian popular expression meaning that a big trouble is about to come and things are going to worsen to someone (Germans, in this case). Anyway, the snake really smoked!
Greetings from Brazil!

 

It seems that there are many reasons for the snake to smoke!

[Ricardo]

Hi,

 

There are two versions for the origin of the drawing "Smoking Snake", these are:

1 . Brazil was neutral until 1942. Up to this point, the President of Brazil, Getúlio Vargas, said "snakes would smoke" before Brazil entered the war. This is an expression in Brazil as "pigs will fly" in the United States and Europe, u are, never.

Later a series of incidents involving the sinking in the Atlantic by Brazilian ships by the Nazis, Brazil declared war on Germany August 22, 1942.

Provided that the President of Brazil said "snake smoking" before Brazil entered the war, the Brazilian Expeditionary Force adopted the slogan "Smoking Snake", turning motto of his unit.

After this motto became the symbol of unity through a cloth badge that was sewn into the uniform of soldiers.

2. Dictator A. Hitler said it would be easier to see a snake smoking a pipe you see Brazil fighting in Europe. Few months after the Brazilians were incorporated in 5th U.S. Army and the Major Vernon Walters, U.S. Army Officier linked to Brazilian command, suggested that troops from Brazil should have their own distinctive divisional as Americans wore .

Brazilian troops had embarked for overseas with a distinctive simple that had only the name of their country of origin "Brazil" in a cloth in the shape of a heart in green .

This distinctive green was created in 1943:

 

 

 

 

 

The American Major Vernon Walters (left image below) is expected to create a badge itself to Brazilian troops would serve to boost the morale of the division, and he was correct .

 

 

...

[Ricardo]

Brazilian Troops in "Stars and Stripes":

 

[Ricardo]

Using the phrase that supposedly Hitler or quoted Vargas, was created the project that was first designed by the studios of Disney and sent to Italy.

 

 

The only top rare "patch" with the original design of the Disney studios, today the collection of a friend:

 

 

[Patchcollector]

Wow.That smoking snake with the guns piece is amazing. I love that design!

[Ricardo]

Since it was very difficult to use the version of Disney to the distinctive because of the complexity of the design, the concept was simplified and the first copies were purchased from sources Italian places in the area of Florence .

 

There were some variations of the distinctive "Smoking Snake", and the most hardy were done by next Italian women's front, especially at the beginning of its use. The most well made in Florence were made by a number of different artisans.

In Brazil, these distinctive machine were made in 1945, and were never made in Italy using machines, only by hand.

 

In Naples and Milan were made ​​a distinctive in metal called by "Febianos" of "cans":

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the war many badges were ordered to be given to wives, mothers, and girlfriends and in 1949 there was a regulation of the Brazilian Army to manufacture and use only by Brazilians war veterans, but this model did not follow the original design made in Italy, ie, was better prepared and lacked the characteristic drawing format "S" in the snake "neck".

 

Ricardo.

[Patchcollector]

Thanks for this info.This is good to know about the design change.Those metal pieces are interesting.How were they affixed to the shirt?By sewing,or snaps?

[Ricardo]

Hi,

 

The metal badge was sewn on the uniform.

 

Article from by Aguinaldo José de Senna Campos (official of headquarters of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force in Italy):

 

 

In english:

 

"At the end of the war we found one store in Milan able to fabricate the much desired distintive, but in metal. When boarding the various groups, the 4th Section gave a copy to every man*, so that would not be in Italy "Smoking Snake" as a souvenir. Thus, the badge was sported on arrival to Brazil by the victors of the Italian Campaign".

My note: *Officer veteran told me that each officer received 4 metal badge in a paper bag.

 

BTW, the brazilian patch made in postwar (without the S on the neck of the snake) in this right in this article (Figure 3).

Ricardo.

[Patchcollector]

Interesting.So there are variations of the design showing the snake smoking a cigar,or cigarette.

[Ricardo]

Hi,

 

The metal badge was sewn on the uniform.

 

 

Image from internet:

 

 

BTW, the Brazilian Air Force 1st Fighter Group "Senta Puá" patch*:

 

*It became part of the 350th Fighter Group of the USAAF, which in turn was part of the 62nd Fighter Wing, XXII Tactical Air Command, of the 12th U.S. Air Force in Italy.

 

 

 

 

Ricardo.

[Ricardo]

Interesting.So there are variations of the design showing the snake smoking a cigar,or cigarette.

 

 

Hi,

 

I've never seen an original patch with a snake smoking a cigarette, only smoking a pipe.

 

I saw only drawings only with her smoking cigarette.

 

Ricardo.

[Ricardo]

Hi,

 

The metal badge was sewn on the uniform.

 

Article from by Aguinaldo José de Senna Campos (official of headquarters of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force in Italy):

 

 

 

In english:

 

"At the end of the war we found one store in Milan able to fabricate the much desired distintive, but in metal. When boarding the various groups, the 4th Section gave a copy to every man*, so that would not be in Italy "Smoking Snake" as a souvenir. Thus, the badge was sported on arrival to Brazil by the victors of the Italian Campaign".

 

My note: *Officer veteran told me that each officer received 4 metal badge in a paper bag.

 

BTW, the brazilian patch made in postwar (without the S on the neck of the snake) in this right in this article (Figure 3).

Ricardo.

 

4th Section is responsible for logistics supply the Brazilian Army.

[Old Marine]

Ricardo,

 

That is an excellent post about a unique and rare patch. Thanks for posting all that great information. That is one of the patches I have to add to my collection someday.

 

Thanks

 

Dennis

[Ricardo]

Welcome, Dennis!

 

Regards,

 

Ricardo.

[1SG_1st_Cav]

Awesome looking patch, great story, and wonderful pictures. Thanks ~ Danny

[vintageproductions]

This is a killer reference thread and I think it should be pinned.

[Jim Baker]

This is a killer reference thread and I think it should be pinned.

 

You beat me to it. Excellent thread.

 

Thank you Ricardo.

 

[Patchcollector]

Hi Ricardo,

Thanks for posting an interesting,informative thread,I have always enjoyed all of your posts.Here is my "Brasil" arc,or tab.Were these worn during WW2?

[HOF]

My contribution ...

[HOF]

and the backs ...

[Ricardo]

Hi Ricardo,

Thanks for posting an interesting,informative thread,I have always enjoyed all of your posts.Here is my "Brasil" arc,or tab.Were these worn during WW2?

Hi,

 

Sorry the delay! Yes, it is WW2 Brazilian Air Force Tab.

 

Ricardo.

[Pat Daniels]

Here is my "Smoking Snake" SSI which is one of the nicest bullion examples I have ever seen. There are some really nice and rare insignia pictured in this posting!