A 1141st USAF Special Activities Squadron patch

[Patchcollector]

Happy Friday to all,
I came across this patch,found it interesting and added it to my collection.This piece appears to be German made.

I've found precious little info about this unusual unit,but do believe that it was headquartered in Vaihingen Germany,

with some "Dets" scattered around Europe.

I also believe that the unit was involved in some sort of Top Secret Surveillance activities,hence the dearth of info about them.

If anyone knows more about this unit,please add it here.

Thanks!

[Patchcollector]

Back view

[TrenchfootJoe66]

I think Lee Jackson has some info on those guys on his website. Definate Air Force spooks. Flying into serious indian country for god knows what purpose. I think some of those SEA based "Special Activities" outfits flew into China and North Vietnam and I think others were involved in HUMINT operations but I could be mistaken about that.

[Teamski]

Now that is a patch you won't find too often....and a pretty one to boot! Nice.

 

-Ski

[TLHorstead]

The 1141st was the unit assigned with supporting the Air Attache Offies and Air Attachee Missions at the all United States Embassies and Consulate

Offices throght out the world The Headquarters for the Squadron was at Bolling AFB, DC.

 

Terry L Horstead.

[TLHorstead]

While the above information is correct

 

A earlier Declassified Historical Document (SS=OL1) Dated in 31 Oct 1960

 

The 1141st was the unit assigned with supporting the NATO Air Staffs and reported to the 1020th Special Activities WIng at Bolling AFB and the

1130th Special Activities Group located at Ft Myers, VA.. The Headquarters for the Squadron in 1961 was at Louveciennes, France (APO 55 New York) Det 1 was located at Marly-le-Roi, France (colocated with HQ SHAPE) Det 2 was located at Fountainbleau, France (colocated with HQ Allied Tactical Air Forces-Central Europe) Det 3 Oslo, Norway (colocated with HQ Allied Tactical Air Forces-North) Det 4 Naples, Italy (colocated with HQ Allied Tactical Air Forces-South) Det 5 / TUSLOG Det 15 Izmir,, Turkey (colocated with HQ 6th Allied Tactical Air Force) Det 6 Ramstein AB, Germany (colocated with HQ 4th Allied Tactical Air Force) Det 7 Camp Des Loges, France (colocated with HQ European Command) Det 9 Vicenza, Italy (colocated with HQ 5th Allied Tactical Air Force)

 

Terry L Horstead.

[Patchcollector]

Thanks guys for the comments and info.I like collecting the "Special Activities" unit patches and enjoy reading about the units and their mission,even though the info about them is hard to come by.

[CLSwann]

I was in the 1141st Special Activities Squadron in Det 5 (Turkey), Hq 1141st (Louveciennes, France), Det 2 (Fountainbleau, France) and lastly 1141st Hq (Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany)

and would like to obtain a 1141st patch if anyone can tell me how to get one. My name is Clyde Swann, MSgt USAF Retired. My email is: [email protected]

[CLSwann]

Happy Friday to all,

I came across this patch,found it interesting and added it to my collection.This piece appears to be German made.

I've found precious little info about this unusual unit,but do believe that it was headquartered in Vaihingen Germany,

with some "Dets" scattered around Europe.

I also believe that the unit was involved in some sort of Top Secret Surveillance activities,hence the dearth of info about them.

If anyone knows more about this unit,please add it here.

Thanks!

No, Patch collector, the 1141st was not involved in any sort of Top Secret Surveillance activities. The main purpose of the 1141st was to give support to all the JUSMAGs and embassies in the European Theater. I was in the 1141st on 4 different occasions: Hq 1141st (twice), Det 5, Turkey and Det 2, Fontainebleau. However, I would like to obtin a 1141st patch if you can tell me where to get one. My email is: [email protected]

 

Thanks

[Patchcollector]

From what little I've been able to find online,the 1141st did a variety of duties,including some being Signal related,including support for Mobile,static,and Tributary signal centers.Many Signals related activites involved eavesdropping on our opponents.

 

I also found a reference to the unit at the "Tuslog" website:

 

TUSLOG Det 15 (Det 5, 1141st Special Activities Sq., USAF) ---Izmir

 

Here is a link to the site where I found the info:

 

http://www.merhaba-usmilitary.com/TUSLOGdetachments.html

 

"TUSLOG" units were basically spies,and engaged in top secret activities.

 

Perhaps you were not aware of these activities due to the nature of your position,and you may not have had contact with these aspects of the units' mission.

 

As for obtaining a patch,sorry but I have none for sale.

[firefighter]

Det. 6 1141st SAS was located in Stuttgart, GE. They were responsible for orders, assignment, all necessary paperwork for personnel assigned to
Peacetime headquarters HQ Allied Forces Central Europe, Ramstein AB,
Peacetime Headquarters HQ 4th Allied Tactical Air Force, Ramstein AB, and the
Static War Headquarters HQ 4th ATAF Kindsbach Underground Facility.

I was assigned as a Flight Chief at Kindsbach providing security for the facility working 6 days on 2 days off.

 

 

http://www.usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm?http&&&www.usarmygermany.com/Units/USAFE%20Units/USAREUR_HqUSAFE.htm

 

It's always fun to think you have a 'spy' patch but there are more paper pushers than spy's.

[Patchcollector]

I'm kind of confused here..FF are you stating that you were a Flight Chief for Det 6 at Stuttgart?When I went to the site that you linked to I found that the info that you posted is attributed to this individual:(Source: Email from Ben Sawbridge, Det 6, 1141 SAS, 1979-82)

 

Mr.Sawbridge also stated that"At the time I served, 1979 to 1982, everything was classified."

 

In my first post I stated"that the unit was involved in some sort of Top Secret Surveillance activities".Involvement can include "paper pushing".Perhaps many of the personnel assigned to the 1141st were "paper pushers"Most of the employees at the CIA could be classified as "paper pushers",with only a few being being field operatives.

 

As prior stated,the 1141st was involved with the Embassies and Tuslogs.This alone tells me that the unit was linked to units and Agencies that are involved with surveillance,or "spying".

 

There is a definite lack of info online for a unit that just "pushed paper",but I did manage to find some additional info.Before the unit was named the 1141st,it was the 5th Radio Relay Squadron.

 

Here is a link to the 5th RRS/1141st connection:

http://usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm?http&&&usarmygermany.com/units/signal/USAREUR_SignalCorps%201.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Det. 6 1141st SAS was located in Stuttgart, GE. They were responsible for orders, assignment, all necessary paperwork for personnel assigned to
Peacetime headquarters HQ Allied Forces Central Europe, Ramstein AB,
Peacetime Headquarters HQ 4th Allied Tactical Air Force, Ramstein AB, and the
Static War Headquarters HQ 4th ATAF Kindsbach Underground Facility.

I was assigned as a Flight Chief at Kindsbach providing security for the facility working 6 days on 2 days off.

 

 

http://www.usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm?http&&&www.usarmygermany.com/Units/USAFE%20Units/USAREUR_HqUSAFE.htm

 

It's always fun to think you have a 'spy' patch but there are more paper pushers than spy's.

[firefighter]

That is not me.I copy and pasted the information that had the name.
Just because the say 'Classified' does not mean they did spy work.The military is full of CLASSIFIED stuff.I took a class that only people with a SECRET clearance could attend.It had nothing to do with spying.He states tat the unit dealt with orders & assignments.It pretty much sounds like a CBPO, Consolidated Base Personnel Office.

[Patchcollector]

I too was in the Air Force,and had a "secret" clearance.A few things I dealt with were "classified",but most was'nt.The individual from the 1141st that is quoted in my post stated"everything was classified".This indicates to me that this guy was in a much more "secure" setting.

 

And as I stated earlier,even "paper pushers" can be in units involved with Surveillance.

[Teamski]

I too was in the Air Force,and had a "secret" clearance.A few things I dealt with were "classified",but most was'nt.The individual from the 1141st that is quoted in my post stated"everything was classified".This indicates to me that this guy was in a much more "secure" setting.

 

And as I stated earlier,even "paper pushers" can be in units involved with Surveillance.

 

 

"Secret" clearance is extremely common. Anybody working on or around aircraft have to have secret clearance. It doesn't mean much. A lot of people have it. Now if you had "Top Secret" clearance, then you had some special job that specifically needed it. I was happy I didn't have it as keeping up with the requirements was a royal pain in the arse.

 

-Ski

[Patchcollector]

 

 

"Secret" clearance is extremely common. Anybody working on or around aircraft have to have secret clearance. It doesn't mean much. A lot of people have it. Now if you had "Top Secret" clearance, then you had some special job that specifically needed it. I was happy I didn't have it as keeping up with the requirements was a royal pain in the arse.

 

-Ski

 

 

You are correct.Many Military personnel have a "Secret" clearance,so they tend to view that rating as "common".Where I worked within the Military many of us had a "Secret" clearance,so it was regarded as no big deal to those of us that had it.However,there is a lower,and even more "common" classification than "Secret",and it is called "Confidential".

 

Here are the "Official" levels of Security Clearance within the DoD:

 

CONFIDENTIAL:

Applied to information or material the unauthorized disclosure of which could be reasonably expected to cause damage to the national security.

 

 

SECRET:

Applied to information or material the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security.

 

TOP SECRET:

Applied to information or material the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security.

 

There is no "Above Top Secret" per se,however there are additional "layers" of Clearance that can be added to "Top Secret".Here is some info regarding this:

 

In addition to the above, some classified information is so sensitive that even the extra protection measures applied to Top Secret information are not sufficient. This information is known as "Sensitive Compartmented Information" (SCI) or Special Access Programs (SAP), and one needs special "SCI Access" or SAP approval to be given access to this information.

 

Some additional info:

 

"For Official Use Only" is not a security classification. It is used to protect information covered under the Privacy Act, and other sensitive data.

In the military, only United States Citizens can be granted a Security Clearance.

 

For more information regarding Security Clearances,here is a link to a site where I got the info above:

 

http://content.taonline.com/securityclearances/security-clearance-overview

[firefighter]

 

 

"Secret" clearance is extremely common. Anybody working on or around aircraft have to have secret clearance. It doesn't mean much. A lot of people have it. Now if you had "Top Secret" clearance, then you had some special job that specifically needed it. I was happy I didn't have it as keeping up with the requirements was a royal pain in the arse.

 

-Ski

 

 

It maybe more common now, but it wasn't when I was in.I was a Medic and was surprised that I had it, I was an Airman Barely.There were a LOT in my class that didn't have it.Then when I went to the Army Guards hardly anybody had it, even NCO's.

[Patchcollector]

 

 

It maybe more common now, but it wasn't when I was in.I was a Medic and was surprised that I had it, I was an Airman Barely.There were a LOT in my class that didn't have it.Then when I went to the Army Guards hardly anybody had it, even NCO's.

 

 

I think it depends alot on what your job was.When I was in(mid to late 80's),alot of us had the "secret" clearance,but I believe it was because of where we worked,and what we did.Nobody made a big deal about it,many even played it down kind of jokingly,probably because when one thinks of someone having security clearances,it's usually of someone doing something more "glamorous" than what most of us did.

[bluemesa159]

Nowadays, damn near everyone in the USAF has at least a SECRET clearance. Hell, they use the same process/investigation "rules" to allow folks access to Privacy Act information.

[Pheasantplucker]

I was researching the 1141 SAS Online today ran across this patch. I was an Air Force illustrator (1968 to 1989) and I designed and created the art work for this patch while assigned to headquarters SHAPE in Mons, Belgium in the late 1970's. It was an 1141 sas wide competition and I was awarded $100.00 by General William Y. Smith for having the winning design. I still have the original art work in a box in storage somewhere. There might have been a previous patch design used for the 1141sas but I don't recall one.

I was assigned to the 1141 sas three times. Det 6 with 4ATAF and AAFCE at Ramstein ab 1969-1975, Det 1 at Mons, Belgium 1977-1981, and det 1 again at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany 1983-1989.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Joe Watkins MSgt USAF Ret.

[email protected]

[firefighter]

Nowadays, damn near everyone in the USAF has at least a SECRET clearance. Hell, they use the same process/investigation "rules" to allow folks access to Privacy Act information.

 

 

Maybe they do nowadays, but like I said before, Not when I was in.There were a LOT of people that didn't have it.

[firefighter]

I was researching the 1141 SAS Online today ran across this patch. I was an Air Force illustrator (1968 to 1989) and I designed and created the art work for this patch while assigned to headquarters SHAPE in Mons, Belgium in the late 1970's. It was an 1141 sas wide competition and I was awarded $100.00 by General William Y. Smith for having the winning design. I still have the original art work in a box in storage somewhere. There might have been a previous patch design used for the 1141sas but I don't recall one.

I was assigned to the 1141 sas three times. Det 6 with 4ATAF and AAFCE at Ramstein ab 1969-1975, Det 1 at Mons, Belgium 1977-1981, and det 1 again at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany 1983-1989.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Joe Watkins MSgt USAF Ret.

[email protected]

 

 

Joe that is an awesome story.Thank you for sharing it.

[Patchcollector]

I was researching the 1141 SAS Online today ran across this patch. I was an Air Force illustrator (1968 to 1989) and I designed and created the art work for this patch while assigned to headquarters SHAPE in Mons, Belgium in the late 1970's. It was an 1141 sas wide competition and I was awarded $100.00 by General William Y. Smith for having the winning design. I still have the original art work in a box in storage somewhere. There might have been a previous patch design used for the 1141sas but I don't recall one.

I was assigned to the 1141 sas three times. Det 6 with 4ATAF and AAFCE at Ramstein ab 1969-1975, Det 1 at Mons, Belgium 1977-1981, and det 1 again at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany 1983-1989.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Joe Watkins MSgt USAF Ret.

[email protected]

 

Thanks for the info Joe!It's great to hear from the "creator" of this patch.Great design!