101st patch identification

[turko]

I was wondering if anyone could help me with some details about these 101st patches....

 

I picked this up in a "junk box" at a surplus store for maybe $2. I'm not sure if the tab is original to the patch (actually I'm pretty sure it's not). My question is, what era is this patch from? Knowing the kind of stuff that's in this surplus store, I believe it could possibly be Vietnam era, but for all I know it could have been made 5 years ago. It does seem a lot "flimsier" that more recent patches, though, which is why I think it's fairly old...

 

 

 

These next few I picked up in Iraq in 2003. I'm almost 100% sure the eagles are theater-made, but any idea about the tabs?

 

 

 

Thanks for any help....

 

 

[vzemke]

None of the desert subdued patches you posted are theater made. The eagle patches and the tabs are basic US made with a merrowed edge.

[turko]

None of the desert subdued patches you posted are theater made. The eagle patches and the tabs are basic US made with a merrowed edge.

 

Huh, interesting... I always thought the patches that had that white cloth backing were theater made. Or at least non-U.S. Also, I compared these to other desert patches I have which I bought in the U.S., and they are slightly smaller than "official issue" ones and the colors are slightly off. Guess they just came from a different manufacturer.

[Patch History]

Vance is correct that the desert subdued patches are U.S. made. The white backing looks less like cloth to me than some material like Tyvek. It could be that the manufacturer uses the white material between the actual patch and the velcro used to attach the patches to the sleeve these days.

To address your first question about the full-color 101st--It would be very difficult to pin the era down except that it is post-1968. I don't see a "pigtail" on it but it could have been trimmed off. It looks like the ones I wore in 1977 and those look like the ones worn in 1970 and 1999.