Can anybody ID this unit? AAA?

[mkychik]

Does anybody recognize this patch?

 

Thanks.

 

Mike

 

 

[ocsfollowme]

Can you post a photo of the back? Not sure if paper is on it

[1SG_1st_Cav]

With the Half-Track it could be Tank Destroyer or Armored Infantry, but not AAA. Danny

[mkychik]

Thanks Danny, but you may want to check out the 474th AAA.

[ocsfollowme]

This is the insignia that I had originally thought about when I saw you patch, however, the 474th has a hand grabbing and an airplane--signifying that it was an AAA unit.

 

Your patch has the same colors...however, more researching is needed. Maybe there is a DI that matches it that someone has in their books?

 

Can you post a back of the patch please? Did you get the patch with anything else that could help us ID it?

[tredhed2]

1) it could be an incompleted patch aka manufacturer's error

 

2) how exactly is a pic of the back going to ID this patch?

[ocsfollowme]

1) it could be an incompleted patch aka manufacturer's error

 

2) how exactly is a pic of the back going to ID this patch?

1. It appears that this patch was cut off from a uniform, which would mean that it would be unlikely that this patch was an incomplete patch, aka manufacturers error. I personally would have told any enlisted or officer in my battalion to go back to the PX and get a new patch before putting that onto a uniform. Maybe a pvt could get away with that in theatre, but it looks like it is US made so the supply sgt would have had ample stock.

 

2. If it was cardboard on the back or paper (nif not fabric), I was hoping to see if we could judge a time period if some of the back threads were visible. However, we only used half tracks for a short period so it would be safe to say that his was ww2 era no matter what.

[Bearmon]

it is on EBay right now

by WMcgaughey

 

[ocsfollowme]

I am not bidding. It is listed as theatre made Korean War SSI. When did we stop using half tracks?

[patches]

it is on EBay right now

by WMcgaughey

 

patch back td.jpg

That looks like it had a back panel that was removed to look at the actual rear of the patch, the panel being kinda like those German BEVO patches, 7th Army, 1st Division, USAEUR etc, though not saying it's German made.

[tredhed2]

1. It appears that this patch was cut off from a uniform, which would mean that it would be unlikely that this patch was an incomplete patch, aka manufacturers error. I personally would have told any enlisted or officer in my battalion to go back to the PX and get a new patch before putting that onto a uniform. Maybe a pvt could get away with that in theatre, but it looks like it is US made so the supply sgt would have had ample stock.

 

2. If it was cardboard on the back or paper (nif not fabric), I was hoping to see if we could judge a time period if some of the back threads were visible. However, we only used half tracks for a short period so it would be safe to say that his was ww2 era no matter what.

 

1) This is sloppily cut from the medium to which it was originally embroidered. It's certainly not embroidered to a sleeve. EM can get away with a great deal, that's why we have so many great patches to choose from to add to our collections.

 

2) This is a Japanese made patch, ca. 1950. Collectors can make that assertation because it's fully embroidered and the embroidery goes in different directions, as has been discussed numerous times here; those are two characteristics distinctive to fully embroidered Japanese made patches of the KW era. Many collectors assume they were made by Ace Novelty, even though Ace was occasionally a jobber.

 

How does cardboard or paper on the back ID a specific unit, which is the quest of the original post?

[vintageproductions]

I'm with Tredhed, it's a classis Japanese machine embroidered piece.

[Wailuna]

...It is listed as theatre made Korean War SSI. When did we stop using half tracks?

 

Try Google:

 

3rd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion, in Korea from ca. Nov. 1950 to July 1953.

 

 

[Bearmon]

Someone knows what is it is its up to $255 with 6 hours left!

[ocsfollowme]

I sent several (tank destroyer/armor) museums questions concerning this insignia and received only two responses back to date. None of them recognized the insignia.

 

The best comment was "Could be a post WW2. Looks like an M8 armored car on the patch. This is possibly a patch for a recon unit."

M8 on wikipedia

 

Hoping someone else knows something...maybe the buyer who paid $255 knows what it is and wants to chime in.

[mkychik]

Maybe somebody liked the patch and knew what unit it represented, or somebody like the patch, paid $255 for it hoping someone could identify it.

 

I thought it was a neat piece, but without an ID, I would not spend that kind of cash on the item.

 

Some of the most knowledgeable patch people I know were unable to ID the patch.

 

I appreciate your efforts. If you come up with an ID that would be awesome.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[tredhed2]

I asked the seller to ask the buyer, no response......

[mortaydc60]

I hope they can ID the patch because I have had it for 25 years without one and went thru every reference I could find.

[ocsfollowme]

I emailed so far:

 

http://museumofamericanarmor.com/exhibits/ (just emailed on 26 June 14)

 

WW2 Museum in New Orleans: no response

 

Responses from:

 

Gordon Baker (Director/Curator US Army Artillery Museum @ Ft. Sill). He is checking as of 26 June 2014.

 

emptyriver@comcast at http://www.fightingiron.com/ and Jon did not know what this patch was (mostly half tracks). "I have checked around and can’t find any reference to this patch. The brown piping on the edge goes along with WWII patches, I don’t know about Korea though."

 

C. Roberts at from CCR@robertsarmory.com "This does not look like a WWII patch. Could be a post war specialty patch for a unit since there are no numbers on it. Looks like an M8 armored car on the patch. This is possibly a patch for a recon unit."

[Johnny Signor]

The rear wheels look more like an armored car than a halftrack ......................

[lamarhooten]

I hope they can ID the patch because I have had it for 25 years without one and went thru every reference I could find.

This is not making me fell better! I bought the one posted and had really hoped the id would be found! Still think I did not waste my money on it. I still lean towards a Recon unit. Either occupation area. Will have to get moving and forward a pic to ASMIC for the ID section.