Salvage Sailor Posted December 16, 2015 Share #1 Posted December 16, 2015 Aloha Everyone, This is a USN reference topic for patches manufactured by Gemsco, Inc. New York, NY for ships and stations of the United States Navy (and Coast Guard too!) Please post any examples you may have in the original packaging (carded) along with a loose patch if you have one. Dating a patch by the card color There were three (3) different cards used by Gemsco for USN patches (and a fourth lighter blue color for civilian patches). The oldest cards are off-white and have a Gold Border frame. These were used until 1961/1962. The second generation cards are white with a Red Border frame circa 1963-1966 with the later cards having a 10001 NYC zip code. The third generation cards are Dark Blue with a Gold Border frame which were used from 1966 to about 1980 when they ceased USN production orders (as did Hilborn-Hamburger, the slack being taken up by the Leonard Company's Swiss-Tex brand). First up, these examples are in the pre-1962 Gold border Gemsco packaging. USS SPRINGFIELD CLG-7 in service 1944 to 1974. She was redesignated from CL-66 to CLG-7 (1957 to 1975). In 1975 she became CG-7 This example: Gemsco manufactured between 1957 and 1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted December 16, 2015 USS FORRESTAL CVA-59 She was redesignated CV-59 in 1975 This example was made between 1955 and 1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted December 16, 2015 USS RANGER (CVA-61), also redesignated CV-61 in 1975 This example made between 1957 and 1962 ......and a bonus Written instructions from the Executive Officer to the crewmen purchasing these at the ships store on how to/not to wear them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sigsaye Posted December 17, 2015 Share #4 Posted December 17, 2015 ......and a bonus Written instructions from the Executive Officer to the crewmen purchasing these at the ships store on how to/not to wear them . Interesting. I wonder what the difference is (was) between a "Dungaree Jacket" and a "Blue Working Jacket"? I always read that the insignia of the ship your on goes on the left breadt, and any other acceptable patch o the tight breast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted December 19, 2015 USS SIERRA AD-18 in service 1944 to 1993. The off-white with gold border card is pre-1962 and the sealed blue with gold border card is post 1966 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted December 19, 2015 This is the second and third card used by Gemsco. The white with red border card is 1963-1966 and the blue with gold border card is 1967 (when ARL changed the name to NARL) Also of note is the plastic packaging. This is the earlier white card without the zip code. The off-white and white cards were tucked into unsealed plastic bags with the flap pulled over. Rarely was there tape on the bag. When the white card with the 10001 zip code came out, it was in a completely sealed bag, as were the following blue 1966 cards such as the NARL below. Also notice that the NARL patch in wider than the card. The blue cards are 1/2 narrower than either of the older cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted December 19, 2015 Commissary Store US NAVAL SUB BASE, New London, CT This is an example of the later White with Red border 1963-1966 card Notice that it has zip code 10001 and that the bag is completely sealed to meet the new Post Office shipping regulations of the time. (yes folks, we lived in a world without area or zip codes before the sixties) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted December 19, 2015 Our member and author dpcsdan's second ship USS COURTNEY (DE-1021) Dealey class destroyer escort in service 1956 to 1973 This example made pre-1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted December 19, 2015 USS JAMES C. OWENS (DD-776) Allen M. Sumner class in service 1945 to 1973 This example made pre-1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted December 19, 2015 USS HAROLD J. ELLISON (DD-864) Gearing class in service 1945 to 1983 This example made pre-1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted December 19, 2015 USS DAVIS (DD-937) Forrest Sherman class destroyer in service 1957 to 1982 Easy to date this one, made between 1957 and 1962 (probably 1957 when she was commissioned) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted December 19, 2015 ....and the easiest one to date on the older card. USS VALLEY FORGE was initially to be an 'long hull' Essex (Ticonderoga) class aircraft carrier, CV-45. Built too late for WWII, she was commissioned in 1946 and then converted first to CVA-45 (Korean War - Attack), then CVS-45 (Cold War - Antisubmarine) and was finally converted to be one of the first dedicated helicopter carriers, LPH-8 on July 1st, 1961 USS VALLEY FORGE (LPH-8) Amphibious Assault Ship (Helicopter) Patch made in 1961 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted December 19, 2015 USS SIERRA (AD-18) Dixie class destroyer tender in service 1944 to 1993 Example made pre-1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted December 19, 2015 DON'T TANGLE WITH THE U.S.S.WRANGELL AE-12 Mount Hood class ammunition ship in service 1944 to 1970 This example made pre-1962 New with a used one removed from 'been there, done that' deck jacket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #15 Posted December 19, 2015 Gator Freighter USS FREMONT APA-44 Bayfield class attack transport in service 1943 to 1969 Command ship of Amphibious Squadron 4, Task Force 61, US SIXTH FLEET in 1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #16 Posted December 19, 2015 Many of us who were with the Cruiser-Destroyer force went to Dam Neck for training Naval Guided Missiles School, Dam Neck, VA Knowledge for Defense, .....actually they were teaching us how to shoot down Commie Migs and Bears Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #17 Posted December 19, 2015 While we also went to Standard Missile school at the Fleet Anit-Air Warfare Training Center Dam Neck, VA. Patch circa 1962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #18 Posted December 19, 2015 Arctic Research Laboratory (established 1946) Office of Naval Research, Point Barrow, Alaska Territory ARL History http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/arctic1-2-97.pdf Gemsco Red border ARL, no zipcode made 1963-1966 Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (1967) Office of Naval Research, Point Barrow, Alaska NARL History http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic22-3-177.pdf Patch made when name was changed from ARL to NARL in 1967 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 19, 2015 Author Share #19 Posted December 19, 2015 USS OBSERVATION ISLAND (EAG-154), an "experimental miscellaneous auxiliary", i.e. secret testing platform for the then new fleet ballistic missile submarines being developed for the MAD Triad of the Cold War. She was EAG-154 from 1958 to 1968. This patch made between 1963-1966 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted December 20, 2015 Boomer USS LAFAYETTE (SSBN-616), christened by Jacqueline Kennedy in 1962 Lead boat of the Lafayette class of ballistic missile nuclear submarines Patch made between 1963 and 1965 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share #21 Posted December 20, 2015 USS STURGEON (SSN-637) lead boat of the Sturgeon class of nuclear attack submarines Patch probably made for her plankowner crew in 1966. She was commissioned in 1967 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share #22 Posted December 20, 2015 USS FRANCIS SCOTT KEY SSBN-657, Benjamin Franklin class ballistic missile nuclear submarine Commisioned in 1966 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh B. Posted December 20, 2015 Share #23 Posted December 20, 2015 Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (1967) Point Barrow, Alaska NARL History http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic22-3-177.pdf Patch made when name was changed from ARL to NARL in 1967 Great patch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share #24 Posted December 21, 2015 Destroyer Escort Squadron 10 - Served primarily in the Med and Atlantic (2nd and 6th Fleets) CORTRON 10 was based in Newport R.I. and the flagship was USS COURTNEY DE-1021 posted on page 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvage Sailor Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share #25 Posted December 21, 2015 DESRON 21- Destroyer Squadron 21 Solomons Onward Made around 1966 (note the zip code) DESRON 21- Destroyer Squadron 21 Solomons Onward Reverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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