M24 Chaffee Posted August 7, 2016 Share #1 Posted August 7, 2016 Hello, I'm hoping some of you may be able to help identify 2 patches. I appreciate your time! My Father was in the 8th Armored Division and these photos were taken after the war during their occupation duty. In the 1st photo what is the patch above his T5 rank? Thanks, Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share #2 Posted August 7, 2016 In this photo he was serving as a prison guard with this Polish soldier. The patch looks like it has a white circle in it. Is it an ETO patch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share #3 Posted August 7, 2016 Last photo. The Staff Sgt. is wearing a similar patch with the white circle. My Father is wearing the same patch as the 1st photo. Sorry that the pictures aren't clearer. I'm hoping these may look familiar to some of you. Thanks for looking! Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 7, 2016 Share #4 Posted August 7, 2016 The one there is the European Theater of Operations Advanced Base, though the first foto looks a bit weird, can't tell what is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted August 7, 2016 Share #5 Posted August 7, 2016 It took me a minute to adjust my eyes, but I believe that is the panther of a Tank Destroyer patch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tank_destroyer_patch.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 7, 2016 Share #6 Posted August 7, 2016 It took me a minute to adjust my eyes, but I believe that is the panther of a Tank Destroyer patch. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tank_destroyer_patch.jpg I was thinking like a real odd ball 34th Div patch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted August 7, 2016 Share #7 Posted August 7, 2016 I second the tank destroyer patch. Good eye! -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share #8 Posted August 7, 2016 Thank you gwb123.Yes, it does look like a Tank Destroyer patch. I didn't see that before. It looked like a patch with wings of some sort. I do have his Ike jacket and the TD patch is on the left sleeve and his 8th AD on the right sleeve. But I thought that in this photo (and a couple others that I have) it looked like he was wearing a different patch. I couldn't make it out or understand why he would have another patch. I remember him telling me that in order to be shipped home some of them had to be transferred to another unit (he was an assistant driver of an M24 light tank during the war). That's why he had the TD patch added with his 8th AD patch. Patches, does it look like he's wearing the ETO Advanced Base in the 2nd Photo? It looks a little like the one the Staff Sgt. is wearing in the 3rd photo. Maybe it's also the TD? What was the ETO patch and who wore them? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted August 7, 2016 Share #9 Posted August 7, 2016 Patches, does it look like he's wearing the ETO Advanced Base in the 2nd Photo? It looks a little like the one the Staff Sgt. is wearing in the 3rd photo. Maybe it's also the TD? What was the ETO patch and who wore them? Yes the guy in the second photo is wearing it. What is the ETO patch? And who wore it? The commonly called ETO Advance Base was also called Advanced Section, ADSEC or Advanced Section/ Communication Zone, ADSEC/COMZ, but when seen it usually is referred to as just COMZ, both ETO Advanced Base and COMZ are used by members interested in this period when describing the patch or the function of this unit. COMZ, it was a High Command Organization under Supreme Allied Expeditionary Headquarters or SHAEF, after D-Day it controlled the rear areas of the battle zone, Logistics etc, it included a host of Support Units not assigned to Armies or Corps. Troops in these units as well as the HQ and Staff of COMZ wore the patch. It's counterpart in Italy was North African Theater of Operations United States Army or NATOUSA later redesignated as Mediterranean Theater of Operations United States Army or MTOUSA. Out in the Pacific is a bit tricky, there were at least three, one, US Army Forces, Central Pacific Area, later redesignated US Army Forces, Pacific Oceans Area, and South West Pacific Area SWPO. Then towards the end of the war the Western Pacific Command, believe all these units functioned like the ETO Advance Base in some shape or form. Here's more on it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADSEC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share #10 Posted August 7, 2016 Patches, thanks for all the information! There would be no reason for my father to wear the ETO patch since he wasn't involved with those units. The patches in his photos that are not clear to see must be all TD. Best regards, Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawdog Posted August 7, 2016 Share #11 Posted August 7, 2016 Soldiers returning to France and England at the end of hostilities in the ETO were also assigned this patch as they prepared to ship back to the states. I have my wife's grandfather's (D-day veteran)1944 pattern Ike jacket that he was issued in England on his way home in 1945. It bears the advanced base patch on the left shoulder and his 3rd Army patch on his right shoulder. Sent from my LG-LS995 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Signor Posted August 8, 2016 Share #12 Posted August 8, 2016 The first image could be the Tank destroyer unit emblem, the other , no , the patch is too big and too much white area on them , they're the ETO patch as described. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M24 Chaffee Posted August 8, 2016 Author Share #13 Posted August 8, 2016 Thanks Lawdog and Johnny for the additional comments. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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