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Army Rocket/Missile Badge


mortarman
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Does anyone recognize this badge? It's construction reminds me of the unauthorized combat artillery badges that were made in the 1950's.

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Emerson's Marksmanship in the U.S. Army - A History of Medals, Shooting Programs, and Training says: "....Beginning in December 1976 the 9th Group awarded soldiers silver-and-red enamel badges to show field artillery missile proficiency, although individual units such as the 1st Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, were using it in 1975. These silver-and-red rectangular badges (called the Field Artillery Missleman's Badge) bear a vertical missile with the words US ARMY, as shown... ...Badges come in three versions: basic, senior (with a star on the badge top), and master (a wreath surrounds the star)....."

 

I don't see a mention of when the badge was discontinued, although the books states that the last Pershing II missile was destroyed in 1991.

 

I sold a basic version of this badge on eBay last year for about $20.00. They aren't all that common, but apparently not all that desirable, either.

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Yes--I noticed after my reply. I have been considering getting that book for a while and now I've decided I can't live without it!!!!

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Good for you. I cheaped out and didn't get Emerson's Chevrons book for $60 when it first came out. Ended up getting one years later for a couple hundred! Egads.

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Rakkasan187

I have a few of the Pershing Pickle Badges.. They are not easy to find and just recently a few of them sold for about $275 each..

 

Here are a few shots of the Pershing badges I have..

 

Leigh

 

 

 

 

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Had an instructor at DINFOS back about 1978 who wore this badge. He had been an officer assigned to Pershing missiles.

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1SG_1st_Cav

For clarification regarding the 1-12th FA. The 3-32nd FA was an Honest John Rocket Bn at

Ft Sill. As a Senior Field Artillery Instructor, I re-enlisted out of the Gunnery Department in October 1970 to become the 3-32nd FA as the Chief of Bn FDC. I knew this unit was designated to be the Test Bn for the new LANCE Missile System. In July 1971, HHB and A Battery convoyed to Orogrande Range Camp

located 27 miles across the desert from the White Sands Missile Range. Our designation was 1st LANCE Bn, [TEST] {Provisonal}. We ran hundreds of practice Fire Missions bot night and day to wring out the equipment. During the next year we fired several live experimental missiles without live warheads. They were armed with deadheads that simulated the weight of an actual warhead. After a year of testing we returned to Ft Sill in the summer of 1972. On 25 August 1972, the 3-32nd was inactivated, and the unit was re-designated as the 1st LANCE Bn, 12th FA. I left the unit in December 1973. Later, the 2nd LANCE Bn, 32nd FA was Re-activated at Ft Sill. In Feb 1976, I was assigned as the First Sergeant of A Battery, 1st LANCE Bn, 333rd FA in Wiesbaden, Germany. I was awarded the Senior FA Missleman's Badge in 1977. There were slight variations of the badge made by different manufacturers. In my display below you'll see two of the variations. There were

two Lance Battalions at Ft Sill, and 6 LANCE Battalions in Germany. Due to the agreements of our government, all of our Nuclear units were inactivated and the systems were destroyed along with all of the warheads. These badges were worn in Germany and at Ft Sill. My badge is actually listed on my DD-214 although it is an un-authorized award.

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gunbunnyB/3/75FA

wow ! learn something new every day i've had one of those 56th FA BDG, insignia for almost 8 years now, got it in a bag of junk insignia for $2.00 to be honest i thought it was just a home made item.

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Excellent information First Sergeant. Can you tell us about your experience with the Combat Artilleryman's Badge and also the badge to it's left? Were you allowed to wear the "CAB"? What is the second badge and can we get a closeup of the two badges? I like collecting unofficial insignia -- especially if it was worn.

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1SG_1st_Cav

The US Army badge to the left of the CAB is a commercially available badge. The CAB is an unauthorized badge that many combat Field Artillery have in their shadow box, or a smaller version we wear on our ball caps. The CAB actually started during and after WWII when Forward Observers who served with Infantry Companies decided they would "create' their version of a CAB. Some were made in Italy and were basically a CIB with crossed cannons soldered to it. This controversy raged on for well over 50 years. There was a large group of us who signed petitions requesting that a CAB be approved. After the Gulf War the DOD decided to approve the Combat Action Badge instead. And if I remember correctly, it was made retroactive only as far back as 2001. There were 10 of thousands of soldiers who served in the Field Artillery in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Many of us wear the unauthorized CAB proudly. I can tell you that my unit, the "Hard Chargers" of the 1st Battalion, 30th Field Artillery fired 1,260,000 rounds of Timely, Accurate, and Deadly Airmobile Firepower from 1965 to 1971 in Vietnam. We suffered over 350 WIAs and 40 KIAs, and that doesn't include all of the guys we lost to cancer from Agents Orange, Blue, and White since they returned home. Field Artillery is "The King of Battle".'Nuff said! Top

PS: Check out our website at: WWW.hardchargers.com.

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  • 1 year later...

I was a Pershing missile technician from 1978 to 1991. In 59th Ordnance Brigade, NCOs and officers wore a camo neck scarf. Technicians who participated in training launches were allowed to wear the 56th Field Artillery Brigade's Pershing Professionals Badge. In 1979 DA rescinded a lot of local uniform variations and awards and all that went away. I don't have details on the Field Artillery Missleman's Badge, but I expect it would have gone in 1979 as well so it would have been short lived.

 

The Pershing Professionals Badge was quite affordable on eBay at one point. I wrote the Wikipedia article and the photos are from ones I purchased (the badge went away before I could earn one). eBay sellers now quote the article and the price has increased quite a bit, so I may have inadvertently caused that.

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  • 7 months later...

Sharing a recent find that fits this topic. a 1968-70 US Army 7th Army Spec 5 uniform. It's complete except for the missing ribbon. I never knew this "Pershing pickle" badge even existed. This is one of the first series of badges that has "artillery group". Some of the bronze color has worn off. The DI's are for the 81st Field Arty Regiment which had the Pershing missiles. It had a $47 tag on it. I got it for $40. Cool uniform & the Pershing badge is a real bonus.

 

 

 

 

 

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Emerson's Marksmanship in the U.S. Army - A History of Medals, Shooting Programs, and Training says: "....Beginning in December 1976 the 9th Group awarded soldiers silver-and-red enamel badges to show field artillery missile proficiency, although individual units such as the 1st Battalion, 12th Field Artillery, were using it in 1975. These silver-and-red rectangular badges (called the Field Artillery Missleman's Badge) bear a vertical missile with the words US ARMY, as shown... ...Badges come in three versions: basic, senior (with a star on the badge top), and master (a wreath surrounds the star)....."

 

I don't see a mention of when the badge was discontinued, although the books states that the last Pershing II missile was destroyed in 1991.

 

I sold a basic version of this badge on eBay last year for about $20.00. They aren't all that common, but apparently not all that desirable, either.

 

If anyone is interested in getting the book, go to the University of Oklahoma Press (oupress.com) and get the book for only $12.99 (80% off). The sale is good until Jan 01, 2017

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  • 2 years later...
easterneagle87

Here is a member of the Georgia State Defense Force wearing the badge.

 

Saw this picture on the SSI page and jumped over to here to take a peak. I've seen pictures of the missile badge, but really neat to see it actually being worn!

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Pm sent

Sharing a recent find that fits this topic. a 1968-70 US Army 7th Army Spec 5 uniform. It's complete except for the missing ribbon. I never knew this "Pershing pickle" badge even existed. This is one of the first series of badges that has "artillery group". Some of the bronze color has worn off. The DI's are for the 81st Field Arty Regiment which had the Pershing missiles. It had a $47 tag on it. I got it for $40. Cool uniform & the Pershing badge is a real bonus.

 

 

 

 

 

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Here is a member of the Georgia State Defense Force wearing the badge.

Very unusual and interesting that he's wear a Red NAME Plate, though it seems with White lettering and border rather than Yellow. Wonder if this was a personal thing.

 

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  • 1 year later...
seanmc1114

Here's a soldier of the 1st Battalion 41st Field Artillery wearing the bronze Pershing badge around 1973-1974. 

Pershing Professional Badge.Bronze.2.jpg

41st Field Artillery.DUI.png

Pershing Professional Badge.Silver.png

Pershing Professional Badge.Bronze.png

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  • 5 weeks later...
easterneagle87

Been on the hunt for these and bit the bullet, now I got two! They just arrived yesterday. I'm impressed by the quality. 

IMG_2803 (1).jpg

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Rakkasan187

Great pickups..

 

These are hard to come by.. I have 3 and I am now looking for the cloth version..

 

Leigh

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