1st Marine Guadalcanal patch

[Duke113p]

I bought a rough falling apart WWII Marine green jacket I guess you would call it, the dark brown class A unifrom. I am not familiar at all with the Marine dress uniforms. Had this patch on it that I salvaged off the uniformed. Patches are always collectable so I figured why not. If anything I can always keep since my unit Army unit was assigned to 1st Marine for 6 months in Ramadi. Anyways, can you guys help me out on this, if this a WWII patch or post WWII, I have been referencing Marine patches and trying to read it all but there is just so much information to dig through. Thanks for your assistance in advance.

[Duke113p]

Backside,

[Brig]

It's WWII

 

The Marine Corps officially ceased used of SSI in 1947...all of the soldiers you see running around with USMC patches on their cammies are technically wearing unauthorized patches, but it doesn't seem the Army particularly cares about USMC Division patches being worn as I've seen quite a few guys running around with 1st and 2nd MarDiv patches on their combat patch shoulder

[Allan H.]

Brig,

 

The Army actually authorizes the wear of these SSI as a "combat patch." I have seen 1st, 2nd, 3rd Marine Division SSIs as well as MAW. SSI's being worn. There is also a big circular patch with an EGC&A design in the center that I see from time to time.

 

Allan

[Brig]

From what I've read, as it's a Marine Corps insignia, and obsolete, the Army technically can't authorize it's use. Not sure the authority/control behind all that, though the EGA is copyrighted by the USMC now (shirts, stickers, etc now have to be approved, hence why Sgt Grit had to get rid of a bunch of patterns of their shirts when the copyright went into effect), so I assume that for an EGA patch to exist, it would have to be with the Marine Corps' blessing

[gomorgan]

I think many of these Army units were authorised by Marine Divisional commanders in writing to wear these patches as their combat assignment.

[vzemke]

From what I've read, as it's a Marine Corps insignia, and obsolete, the Army technically can't authorize it's use. Not sure the authority/control behind all that, though the EGA is copyrighted by the USMC now (shirts, stickers, etc now have to be approved, hence why Sgt Grit had to get rid of a bunch of patterns of their shirts when the copyright went into effect), so I assume that for an EGA patch to exist, it would have to be with the Marine Corps' blessing

 

From Army Regulation 670-1, dated 15 April 2015:

 

Paragraph 21-17:

 

"Soldiers who served with the 1st Marine Division between 19 March 2003 and 21 April 2003 during combat operations in support of OIF are authorized to wear the 1st Marine Division SSI as their SSI–FWTS. "

[Brig]

I think many of these Army units were authorised by Marine Divisional commanders in writing to wear these patches as their combat assignment.

When I was in Diyala, the National Guard units repeatedly gave us their combat patches...I must have 2 or 3 different ones with certs. The CO told us it was because they wanted us to reciprocate, but that as patches are out of regs for us he could not

 

But, our CO certainly wasn't divisional. In fact, we technically didn't even belong to the Division, we belonged to a MEB, then a MEF, then finally Division.

[RedLegGI]

The guys in the Army I ran into who had a Mardiv combat patch told me one of two things:

 

1. Marine that changed branches who was showing their combat deployment without looking like a slick sleeve

 

2. "Got this because the Marines needed our help, so we went" worded very similarly to this with more or less focus on how much 'help' the Marines needed. I chalk it up to inter-service rivalries.

 

While not specifically authorized beyond what is listed in AR 670-1, there were plenty of these patches around. No one really cared what your combat patch was, just that you had one.

[vzemke]

Yes, both of those instances listed above are completely outside of regulation and not authorized, but you do see it. The Army (particularly Regular Army units) have really cracked down in the past few years, and the newest version of AR 670-1 is pretty clear about what constitutes authorization for a combat patch. For a while there EVERYONE seemed to be figuring out a way to wear SF, 101st, or Marine combat patches, but now unless it was YOUR patch at the company level, you are not supposed to do it.

[Brig]

The guys in the Army I ran into who had a Mardiv combat patch told me one of two things:

 

1. Marine that changed branches who was showing their combat deployment without looking like a slick sleeve

 

2. "Got this because the Marines needed our help, so we went" worded very similarly to this with more or less focus on how much 'help' the Marines needed. I chalk it up to inter-service rivalries.

 

While not specifically authorized beyond what is listed in AR 670-1, there were plenty of these patches around. No one really cared what your combat patch was, just that you had one.

 

Ran into #1 a lot when I asked guys with it about it. Never had anyone tell me #2

[Brig]

Yes, both of those instances listed above are completely outside of regulation and not authorized, but you do see it. The Army For a while there EVERYONE seemed to be figuring out a way to wear SF, 101st, or Marine combat patches, but now unless it was YOUR patch at the company level, you are not supposed to do it.

Yeah....saw A LOT of 101st on the combat sleeve in 2005-06 over there. Active, reserves, Guard...seemed the 101st took over the Army for the invasion, and then reactivated the rest of its divisions. Or someone got a great wholesale price on surplus 101 SSI

[Duke113p]

I was with 1st Bn 9th IN (M) 2nd ID, I love my 2nd ID Combat patch. Especially the unauthorized desert pattern Combat patch reversed looking forward patch. We got away with wearing those for about 3 months of so. Then the Brigade commander then Colonel Patton put out a blanket order of preventing further use of the nonauthorized 2nd ID patch. Thanks for the help on the Id of my patch.

[Teamski]

Chris Aleck shows that USMC SSI were authorized for wear in 2008, so yes, they are authorized if the soldier served in a unit directly assigned to a Marine unit. He refers to Para 28-17, AR 670-1.

 

-Ski

[warcollect1942]

Your patch is made of wool. This is what it would have looked like

before it was washed. Yes it is WWII.