Jump to content

Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces


ehrentitle
 Share

Recommended Posts

Folks,

 

I just spent the past few hours going through this incredible book on Desert uniforms and patches.. Once you have it in hand it will be very difficult to put this book down until you read it from cover to cover. Each page I turned in anticipation left me looking forward to what the next pages had to offer. The book is filled with amazing pictures, detailed information and variations of insignia that was produced. Halfway through the book I found myself getting my desert shoulder patches out and comparing them to the variations in this book. I just could not put this book down.... It is that Awesome!!!

 

This is without a doubt a top notch and top shelf book written by 2 great Militaria enthusiasts (Kevin and Al) with a passion for preserving and recording history. This book is going to be at the forefront of Desert insignia and uniforms for a long time coming without any doubt in my mind, and it will be the go to reference book for the short lived Desert uniforms and insignia worn by the Armed Services..

 

This area of collecting of DCU uniforms and insignia with the printing of this book will once again gain much attention and popularity, and those looking to start collecting desert insignia will need to arm themselves with this book for knowledge and information..

 

Kevin and Al, once again, your tireless efforts are well appreciated for this area of collecting that up until your book, very little was known or printed in such a vast quantity all in one source for the collector of Desert insignia and ephemera.

 

For those members who are considering buying this book but have not yet done so, I might suggest that you get yours ordered quickly before they sell out.

 

Thank you again for a great reference book.... and Kevin, you were right, I thought page 121 was incredible. It was almost as if you knew those 2 units that I served in were my passion, and to have both of them on the same page was a tribute...

 

My best Christmas gift this year and the best overall Militaria addition to my collection for the year 2016...

 

Leigh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leigh--thank you for the kind words---coming from you, they carry significant weight.

 

Best regards for the New Year.

 

Al

Folks,

 

I just spent the past few hours going through this incredible book on Desert uniforms and patches.. Once you have it in hand it will be very difficult to put this book down until you read it from cover to cover. Each page I turned in anticipation left me looking forward to what the next pages had to offer. The book is filled with amazing pictures, detailed information and variations of insignia that was produced. Halfway through the book I found myself getting my desert shoulder patches out and comparing them to the variations in this book. I just could not put this book down.... It is that Awesome!!!

 

This is without a doubt a top notch and top shelf book written by 2 great Militaria enthusiasts (Kevin and Al) with a passion for preserving and recording history. This book is going to be at the forefront of Desert insignia and uniforms for a long time coming without any doubt in my mind, and it will be the go to reference book for the short lived Desert uniforms and insignia worn by the Armed Services..

 

This area of collecting of DCU uniforms and insignia with the printing of this book will once again gain much attention and popularity, and those looking to start collecting desert insignia will need to arm themselves with this book for knowledge and information..

 

Kevin and Al, once again, your tireless efforts are well appreciated for this area of collecting that up until your book, very little was known or printed in such a vast quantity all in one source for the collector of Desert insignia and ephemera.

 

For those members who are considering buying this book but have not yet done so, I might suggest that you get yours ordered quickly before they sell out.

 

Thank you again for a great reference book.... and Kevin, you were right, I thought page 121 was incredible. It was almost as if you knew those 2 units that I served in were my passion, and to have both of them on the same page was a tribute...

 

My best Christmas gift this year and the best overall Militaria addition to my collection for the year 2016...

 

Leigh

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leigh - We wholeheartedly appreciate your kind words about "Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces". At 344 pages and over 1,000 color photographs there is something for everyone. And you are right about the book starting to sell out. Amazon has had to restock the book twice and some online booksellers have already sold out. Kevin

 

Folks,

 

I just spent the past few hours going through this incredible book on Desert uniforms and patches.. Once you have it in hand it will be very difficult to put this book down until you read it from cover to cover. Each page I turned in anticipation left me looking forward to what the next pages had to offer. The book is filled with amazing pictures, detailed information and variations of insignia that was produced. Halfway through the book I found myself getting my desert shoulder patches out and comparing them to the variations in this book. I just could not put this book down.... It is that Awesome!!!

 

This is without a doubt a top notch and top shelf book written by 2 great Militaria enthusiasts (Kevin and Al) with a passion for preserving and recording history. This book is going to be at the forefront of Desert insignia and uniforms for a long time coming without any doubt in my mind, and it will be the go to reference book for the short lived Desert uniforms and insignia worn by the Armed Services..

 

This area of collecting of DCU uniforms and insignia with the printing of this book will once again gain much attention and popularity, and those looking to start collecting desert insignia will need to arm themselves with this book for knowledge and information..

 

Kevin and Al, once again, your tireless efforts are well appreciated for this area of collecting that up until your book, very little was known or printed in such a vast quantity all in one source for the collector of Desert insignia and ephemera.

 

For those members who are considering buying this book but have not yet done so, I might suggest that you get yours ordered quickly before they sell out.

 

Thank you again for a great reference book.... and Kevin, you were right, I thought page 121 was incredible. It was almost as if you knew those 2 units that I served in were my passion, and to have both of them on the same page was a tribute...

 

My best Christmas gift this year and the best overall Militaria addition to my collection for the year 2016...

 

Leigh

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Al and I are excited that tomorrow, 28 December 2016, is the official release date of our new book "Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces"! Amazon here in the US has sold out their stock of our book twice and are of the verge of selling out again. The book is available from all major booksellers both here in the US and World Wide. The link to the book on Amazon is in my signature block.

 

 

29270964981_a6f83f7b82_c.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I received my (signed) copy yesterday and boy is it impressive! Huge, filled with excellent photos and lots of text. I have only just started reading, but I find it hard to believe that there will ever be a better, more thorough book on this topic. Very nicely done gentlemen!

Pete Belmonte

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Received my copy yesterday and was super pleased when I opened my farm size mailbox and saw the size of the cardboard book shipper inside!!

 

This book is HUGE!

 

Well bound and super impressive.

 

Stayed up half the night reading and LEARNING!

 

I thought I knew quite a bit about the US Desert uniforms, but I have increased my knowledge 10 fold in just one night of reading.

 

The photos are fantastic. It is hard to catch the correct color hue of those rust-brown patches and this book is the best by far.

 

There is no doubt this will be the stand alone reference on these, will increase the desirability to collectors and historians, and surely cause the prices to go up on them.

 

Congrats to the 2 authors for a job well done and thanks to all who contributed to the book so that we all could be better educated on, not only the uniforms of this period but the whole military/politico record of the modern desert wars.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

tidballman - Thank you for your kind remarks about Desert Uniforms, Patches and Insignia of the US Armed Forces, it makes the months of hard work on the book all worthwhile. If you bought the book on Amazon or E-bay please leave us feedback there as well. Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tidballman---thanks for the kind words---I'm glad you like it. Our goal was to gather as much information as we could and then lay it out in a way that collectors or historians could find what they need.

regards,

Al

Received my copy yesterday and was super pleased when I opened my farm size mailbox and saw the size of the cardboard book shipper inside!!

 

This book is HUGE!

 

Well bound and super impressive.

 

Stayed up half the night reading and LEARNING!

 

I thought I knew quite a bit about the US Desert uniforms, but I have increased my knowledge 10 fold in just one night of reading.

 

The photos are fantastic. It is hard to catch the correct color hue of those rust-brown patches and this book is the best by far.

 

There is no doubt this will be the stand alone reference on these, will increase the desirability to collectors and historians, and surely cause the prices to go up on them.

 

Congrats to the 2 authors for a job well done and thanks to all who contributed to the book so that we all could be better educated on, not only the uniforms of this period but the whole military/politico record of the modern desert wars.

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Is there much coverage on theatre made (particularly unofficial) patches being worn?

 

Yes, we do include examples of theater made patch variations for many units that's part of the reason why the book is 344 pages and nearly 5 lbs! We have a small selection of novelty and moral patches and tabs, but since there are so many we couldn't do justice to them all. However we have several interesting photos of sew shops in the book which show some of the vast array of patches one could purchase or have sewn on backpacks, hats, jackets, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Military Trader's Review:

 

Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces, by Kevin M. Born & Alexander F. Barnes. (ISBN 9780764352065. Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310; 610-593-1777; www.schifferbooks.com. Hardcover, 8.5” x 11”, 400 pages, 1,035 color and black-and-white images, 2016, $79.99)

Collecting uniforms and insignia from the War on Terror with an emphasis Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom is one of the fastest growing areas in the militaria hobby. While the material seems to be readily available, no systematic order that details time of issue /wear, construction origin, and technique, or attempts to organize seemingly endless variations. That is, until now.

Kevin Born and Alexander F. Barnes, both of whom have deep Army roots, have painstakingly assembled their detailed research into a ground-breaking treatise. And while the title, Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces, would appear self-explanatory, it fails to capture the amount of comparative research and analysis that went into compiling a unique perspective of a previously unexplored area of militaria: Desert combat uniforms, patches, and insignia worn by the US Armed Forces in combat from Desert Storm through Somalia and in the more recent hard-fought campaigns of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Remarkably, this book can be considered “comprehensive.” Using more than a thousand photos of actual uniforms and insignia along with a host of “in-country” supporting shots, his extraordinary reference book provides a detailed picture of field uniforms and insignia of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard units. Calling upon original source documents and extensive public and private collections, the authors have assembled a volume that will serve collectors, historians, and veterans.

Photos of insignia are clear and well-lit. In most cases, reverses of patches are not shown—given the number of images in the book, I understand this, but it is always nice to see the reverse, even if representative of several patches. I found some of the appendices covering patch and uniform manufacturers to be extremely helpful. Another useful appendix covered cloth headgear and the insignia worn on it—whether a helmet cover or a Boonie hat.

While the term “bible” is thrown around rather loosely in our hobby, “Definitive” retains its significance as an expression of honor and endorsement. I do not hesitate to say, “Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces by Born and Barnes is the definitive volume for anyone who is collecting the shortest-lived—but some of the most distinctive—uniforms in U.S. military history.” Not only is it a stand-alone reference for the collector and historian, it is also a tribute to the men and women of the US Armed Forces during this chaotic time in history.

All future research and publishing on this subject will, undoubtedly, reference this book. Be sure that this definite work is on your shelf. As time rolls on, we will all be encountering more and more cloth militaria from these conflicts. This book will provide us with the information to understand what all of it means.—JAG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

John, Thanks for posting your review of “Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces", your kind words are most appreciated!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
hooahmp2010

I just received my book today and can tell that it is worth every dollar spent. I am excited to have my copy, and it appears to be a very well researched book that any serious collector should have in their references collection. Thanks for a great product!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just received my book today and can tell that it is worth every dollar spent. I am excited to have my copy, and it appears to be a very well researched book that any serious collector should have in their references collection. Thanks for a great product!

 

Glad you liked the book---the MPs played a huge role in OIF and we tried to reflect that in the picture selection and text.

s/f

Al

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just received my book today and can tell that it is worth every dollar spent. I am excited to have my copy, and it appears to be a very well researched book that any serious collector should have in their references collection. Thanks for a great product!

 

Thank you for your kind remarks about our book, Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces. I can see why my co-author Al commented specifically about MPs. He spent a lot of time with the MPs, most of it unwillingly. Seriously though, we spent a lot of time, especially in the Army Separate Brigades, Groups and Regiments chapter, documenting patches and uniforms worn during the Desert period.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Thank you for your kind remarks about our book, Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces. I can see why my co-author Al commented specifically about MPs. He spent a lot of time with the MPs, most of it unwillingly. Seriously though, we spent a lot of time, especially in the Army Separate Brigades, Groups and Regiments chapter, documenting patches and uniforms worn during the Desert period.

 

 

 

 

That's not funny Kevin---every time I thought we had finished a section, you showed up with more.....and who knew there were so many variations to every patch---even the dawgone Dept of the Army Civilian patches had beacoup variations....

 

Al

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ehrentitle

 

That's not funny Kevin---every time I thought we had finished a section, you showed up with more.....and who knew there were so many variations to every patch---even the dawgone Dept of the Army Civilian patches had beacoup variations....

 

Al

 

 

Al, that's because there was always one more desert patch or uniform I thought I could squeeze into the book to make it better. ;-)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just found this thread a few days ago and I'm happy to say I ordered my copy from Amazon today. Can't wait to get it, the book looks fantastic gents.

 

I've got a couple dozen DCU tops I haven't looked at in awhile and I'm sure this book will have me pulling them out and revisiting them! I have a rare (?) 2nd ID patched CCU top - are those CCU uniforms discussed in the book?

 

-Derek

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ehrentitle

I just found this thread a few days ago and I'm happy to say I ordered my copy from Amazon today. Can't wait to get it, the book looks fantastic gents.

 

I've got a couple dozen DCU tops I haven't looked at in awhile and I'm sure this book will have me pulling them out and revisiting them! I have a rare (?) 2nd ID patched CCU top - are those CCU uniforms discussed in the book?

 

-Derek

 

Derek - Thank you for buying our book, I hope you enjoy it. Yes the Army Close Combat Uniform (CCU) is discussed in Chapter 2 of the book. I was fortunate enough to find someone who works just down the hall from who served as a Field Artillery Captain in the 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. His CCU is featured in the book. And yes, they are rare and getting harder to find. Kevin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Here is a recent review of our book "Desert Uniforms, Patches, and Insignia of the US Armed Forces" by Dave Johnson that appeared in the July- September 2017, American Society of Military Insignia Collectors (ASMIC) Trading Post Magazine. For some reason the page says Apr-Jun, but it is the Jul-Sep issue.

 

 

34686512984_195f38f3a4_b.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
panzerbait

We purchased this as a reference work for the military museum I work at, and honestly it's been a very valued part of our library. I won't go on and on about how great a book it is, but suffice to say I'll just echo the other positive reviews I've read here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ehrentitle

We purchased this as a reference work for the military museum I work at, and honestly it's been a very valued part of our library. I won't go on and on about how great a book it is, but suffice to say I'll just echo the other positive reviews I've read here.

 

Panzerbait, Your kind words are much appreciated. Al and I had hoped that that museums and libraries would purchase this reference, along with collectors and veterans. Kevin

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

panzerbait

We just installed a new permanent exhibit on the Global War on Terror, and your book was quite useful in getting the correct patches put in place. Now for a book on the uniforms and field gear used.....hint!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

vietvet7071

Received my copy a couple of weeks ago from Amazon. This is excellent educational reference for collectors.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...