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NORMASH Norway SSI during the Korean War


TMBN
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The Norwegian "NORMASH" Mobile Surgical Hospital was under the Korean War under the US Eight Army.

So i hope it is allright that i show here some reset finds during my patch hunting, if not Mods can remove and im sorry for the inconvenience.

 

The Norwegian used the Eight Army on the right shoulder and the Norwegian national shield on the left.

 

Some of what i found you can see in the picture.

 

My question is are those two Norwegian theater made shields made in Japan or are they Korean made ?

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And here's one "In Action", Korea 1952.

 

It's interesting that the men are wearing U.S. ranks and Medical Corps Branch of Service, why not Norwegian Insignia??? Perhaps a standardization? But the other UN contingents wore there National Army Rank, curious huh!

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Ah ha found another, though we're posting it to really show another example of the wear of U.S. Officer insignia, here a nurse, in this case we see she's not wearing the Noway shield and tab patch but a tiny Norway flag.

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Ski-

The Norwegian national armshield was first used and worn in 1951 when the NORMASH deployed to Korea. It was used up until 1992 when it was disbanded. It looked to much like the Crusader shield, you might say it was not political correct.

 

patches-

Yes they wore for the most American equipment and insignia. At this time the Norwegian Armed forces used mostly English/America equipment and it was not before 1955 we got a Norwegian standard on SSI and other insignia. The use of American clothing and insignia might be that they where supplied by US Quartermaster. One other aspect is that it was not the Army by it self that sent the Mobile Surgical Hospital but the Norwegian Red Cross on request by the Defence Department. But they again recruited personnel from the armed forces. That is why on every picture from Korea i see the sign reads Mobile Surgical Hospital, left out the Army. But when shorten it is always referred to NORMASH.

 

So Korean or Japanese made ?

 

Here is a close up of the armshield on the photo that Patches posted. The patches is not in my collection, so still searching for that one. I believe it is Japanese made.

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Thanks TMBN.

 

On the U.S. insignia (Not the Uniforms, we know the Norwegian Army used U.S. uniform items and personnel equipment) The Norwegian Army did not have their Pre 1940 Rank and Branch Insignia no more? Meaning at Home Stations in Norway, Norwegian Army personnel wore U.S. Rank and Branch insignia as well?

 

And one more question if I may. The second foto I posted, with the nurse with the GI Khaki shirt and small Norwegian flag badge, this one will be a foto taken sometime in 1951 before the adoption of the NORWAY shield patch?

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  • 3 years later...

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