WWII Invasion armbands

[oss.capt]

What is the average value of these armbands? And does anyone has pictures of them when in use either in Africa or France?

 

Armband for campaign in North Africa, Nov. 1942?

 

Armbband for campaign in France.

[Gregory]

No simple rules. I saw them for $200.00, I saw them for $800.00...

[oss.capt]

wow that is a big difference..

 

Anyone seen those cloth armbands before? I didn't even know they used those for the Africa invasion.

[doyler]

There is a picture in a National Geographic magazine showing the armband worn on the sleeve of a US 3rd Infantry Division soldier.He is also wearing the early HBT jacket.If I remember correctly the armband appears to be the oil cloth.The picture of your first one appears to me as if one of those small parade flags(on a wooden stick) was sewn to an armband.I would be highly suspect of it as I am only familiar with the oil cloth or thin gauze types.

 

RON

[Lawdog]

Your pics arent coming up for some reason. Is it one of these? I obtained this from a dealer on the last day of the Show of Shows in Kentucky about 3 years ago. It was hidden under a bunch of misc stuff that he hadnt sold. He told me that he had gotten it as part of a grouping with a "bunch of ohter airborne stufff", but had since parted it all out and this was the last item. I picked it up for $15.00. There are several photos of General Gavin and several sticks of 505th PIR paratroopers preparing to board C-47's for the jump into Sicily in 1943 and they are all wearing this armband.

[camelgreen44]

Not to cut in too much on this thread, but heres some pics of one I picked up last weekend, at a junk-pawn shop in town, Its white wool with a cotton flag sewn on. It does have some moth tracks with a couple of small moth holes. Also has evidence of where a couple of safety pins were attached. The shop owner said it came from the estate of Naval Officer from WWII. He had papers and other stuff from the same fella, but sold them already. (Price was 40.00) Denny

[camelgreen44]

some more shots

[oss.capt]

Thanks for showing your armband. That's pretty interesting.

 

Could the cloth version be more rarer than the later D-Day armband?

 

If possible I would like to see some pictures of 3rd Infantry Division GI's wearing any of these 2 armbands.

 

The 2 armbands in my first post are part of a grouping that both belonged to the same 1st Sgt, that was a member of the 3rd ID.

[glenm]

There are several photos of General Gavin and several sticks of 505th PIR paratroopers preparing to board C-47's for the jump into Sicily in 1943 and they are all wearing this armband.

 

The ones being worn sewn onto white cloth armbands (not felt) by the 82nd are the standard gauze armflag that was worn by the 82nd in Normandy and Holland as well. It isn't this one.

 

Cheers,

Glen.

[Lawdog]

Just to clarify, mine isnt wool. Its muslin, and of the same construction as the Geneva Convention medic armbands.

[Gregory]

does anyone has pictures of them when in use either in Africa or France?

Here is USAAF man from MTO period. Due to his collar USAAF winglets in all probability he is one of the glider pilots.

[oss.capt]

Thanks for posting! That's a nice picture.

[BOB K. RKSS]

Here's an OIL CLOTH with original pin.

[Johan Willaert]

Here is USAAF man from MTO period. Due to his collar USAAF winglets in all probability he is one of the glider pilots.

 

Are you sure that's a winged prop on his collar? Looks more like Artillery to me.... Also the 82AB SSI doesn't make sense for a Glider Pilot, nor does his equipment... With binoculars and what seems to be a map case, my best bet would be an Artillery FO...

[Gregory]

As always -- seeing the glider pilots nothing can be sure a hundred percent. Sometimes they look like elegant aircraft pilots, other time like overtired infantrymen. BTW -- in the early period of American Glider Program also artillery and military gliding do not exclude themselves. Somewhere in my AGP dedicated library I have clipping on former artilleryman trained to glider pilot. The AGP was too crazy many times -- if fighter pilots were forced to fly CG-4As then the rule is lack of rules.

 

But I am joking a little of course…

 

Yes, who knows, you may be right. I will not be defending like independence that no doubt he is a hundred percent glider pilot. His collar insignia are not visible ideally.

[Gregory]

does anyone has pictures of them when in use either in Africa or France?

One more time MTO and this time heavily used armband.

[dogface44]

45th div. Southern France

[oss.capt]

He wears the flag upside down?

 

Thanks for all the input!

[dogface44]

3rd Div. Southern France

[J_Andrews]

The man in the picture accused of being USAAF, with winglets", is CPT Jack Norton, then the S-3 of the 505th PIR. He (a protege of Gavin's since when Gavin was an instructor and Norton a cadet at USMA) he finsihed the war as G-3 of the 82nd. In later life, he commanded the 1st Cav Div in VN from May 66 to Apr 67.

 

I asked him why he is wearing "leg" gear in the picture and he said "I wasn't jumping that day", which underlines the fact that Parachute personnel did possess ordinary "leg" items of uniform and gear.

[Gregory]

You are Guru - not me.

Thank you very much for your corrections.

[Blake_E]

While we're at it, here's mine, a thumbs up if you can guess where it's from

Shot on the bed shows how off white it is

[Lawdog]

Please tell us that there arent any Spngebob sheets under that bedspread

[Blake_E]

Damnit, you got me, Teletubbies actually Lmao, nah it aint mine

[General Apathy]

 

Hi oss.capt, here's a shot of the front cover of the rifleman dated 1944, photo taken in Southern France, interestingly I have a second shot of the same guy taken at the same time still dressed identically but without the armband. I figure it was taken for instructional reasons or something similar.

 

Cheers ( Lewis )