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"It's a Gemsco" USN & USCG Patch Manufacturers


Salvage Sailor
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  • 2 weeks later...
Salvage Sailor

USS OKANOGAN (APA-220) three war Haskell class Attack Transport in service 1944 to 1973

Okinawa, Inchon, Wonsan, Chinampo, Koje-Do, Danang, Chu Lai, Qui Nhon

Vietnam era patch made after 1966

APA 220 USS OKANOGAN Gemsco 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS HOLLAND (AS-32) Hunley class Submarine Tender in service 1963 to 1996

AS 32 USS HOLLAND Gemsco 001.jpg

 

This is her Poseidon patch circa 1972-1978. The Poseidon ICBM replaced the earlier Polaris ICBM system used by SSBN's serviced by the tender

AS 32 USS HOLLAND Gemsco 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS SIMON LAKE (AS-33) lead ship of her class of Submarine Tenders in service 1964-1999

AS 33 USS SIMON LAKE Gemsco 001.jpg

AS 33 USS SIMON LAKE Gemsco 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER (CVN-69) Nimitz class nuclear aircraft carrier in service since 1977

Communications Division - CR & CS. The patch is larger than the newer Gemsco card.

CVN 69 USS DD EISENHOWER Gemsco 001.jpg

 

This patch also comes in a darker blue

CVN 69 USS DD EISENHOWER Gemsco 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS BENNER (DD/DDR-807) Gearing class Destroyer (Radar Picket) in service 1945 to 1970

This patch made between 1966 and 1970

DD 807 USS BENNER Gemsco 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS MC CAFFREY (DD/DDE-860) Gearing class Destroyer in service 1945-1973

This patch made between 1966 and 1973

DD 860 USS MCCAFFERY Gemsco 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS BIGELOW (DD-942) Forrest Sherman class Destroyer in service 1957 to 1982

DD 942 USS BIGELOW Gemsco 001.jpg

DD 942 USS BIGELOW Gemsco 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS PATTERSON (DE-1091) Knox class Destroyer Escort in service 1970-1991.

Redesignated Fast Frigate (FF-1091) in 1975 This patch made between 1970-1974

 

DE 1061 USS PATTERSON Gemsco 001.jpg

DE 1061 USS PATTERSON Gemsco 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS BOWEN (FF-1079) Knox class Fast Frigate (ex-DE-1079) in service 1971-1994

Reclassified FF so this patch made 1975-1980

FF 1079 USS BOWEN Gemsco 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Naval Air Rework Facility - NARF Quonset Point, R.I.

Active between 1967 and 1974 at QP

NARF Quonset Point Gemsco 001.jpg

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Great thread and many thanks for sharing these photos. There was two sizes available for the US Navy Chuting Stars patch manufactured by GEMSCO. You mentioned civilian patches produced by GEMSCO on a light blue card. These two patches look like they are civilian scuba diver patches but are on the dark blue cards. So since these scuba patches are on dark blue cards are they considered military for a Naval dive unit?

post-1389-0-96554800-1452017957.jpg

post-1389-0-08957900-1452018032.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

They're 'generics' which can be put on cruise jackets, etc.

 

Gemsco Diver 001.jpg

 

Here's the second Scuba Diver card you posted showing the back side.

Thanks for posting the other scuba diver, I've never seen that one.

 

Gemsco Diver 002.jpg

 

There are also other generic patches on the dark blue card - Eagles, Wildcats, Devils, etc. The lighter blue cards are usually made by Gemsco/Sembler and are typically sports, military atheletics or hunting related. This Moose example is from an ebay auction photo

 

Gemsco Moose.jpg

 

More generics - White Wildcat, Surfer Girl, Green Devil - which also comes in Red and Gold

 

Gemsco Devil Green 001.jpg

 

The Wildcat may have been made for a USN command as it's on the darker/larger card, but I doubt this without any period examples in wear.  The Surfer Girl and the Devil are on the 1966 lighter blue card (it replaced the Sembler baby blue card)

 

Gemsco White Cat 001.jpg

 

Gemsco Surfer Girl 001.jpg

 

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They're 'generics' which can be put on cruise jackets, etc.

 

Here's the second Scuba Diver card you posted showing the back side. Thanks for posting the other scuba diver, I've never seen that one.

 

Thanks for the explanation.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Salvage Sailor

More 'generics' for cruise jackets including the Navy's 200th Birthday Bicentennial in 1975. We celebrated our 200th year in 1975, and then the country's in 1976. I might start a thread on these 1975-1976 Bicentennial patches too.

 

UNITED STATES NAVY Gemsco 001.jpg

 

US NAVY 200th Birthday Gemsco 001.jpg

 

USN Generic Gemsco 003.jpg

 

USN generic - this one was also made in different color combinations

 

USN Generic Gemsco 001.jpg

 

USN Generic Gemsco 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

The other Department of the Navy outfit.....they have something to do with collecting seashells on hostile shores. They also guarded the Naval base gates and hassled us, all in good fun of course.

 

USMC Gemsco 001.jpg

 

USMC Military Police Gemsco 001.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

Naval Air Station Willow Grove, PA

NAS WILLOW GROVE PA Gemsco 001.jpg

 

Reverse - The Reserves and the Liberty Bell Squadron

NAS WILLOW GROVE PA Gemsco 002.jpg

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Salvage Sailor

USS SEAHORSE (SSN-669) Sturgeon class nuclear attack submarine in service 1969-1995

SSN 669 USS SEAHORSE Gemsco 001.jpg

 

cut edge circa 1970 - "the Thoroughbred of the Fleet"

SSN 669 USS SEAHORSE Gemsco 002.jpg

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Awesome collection of patches! Please don't hurt me but I remember digging thru my dads Navy stuff when I was a kid and pulling patches off these cards.

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Salvage Sailor

Thanks Adam,

 

Members, feel free to post any examples you may have in the original packaging (carded) along with a loose patch if you have one.

 

US Navy 200th Bicentennial 1775-1975

USN Bicentennial 000.jpg

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