Korean War Era Armor Patch - Any Guesses??

[GLM]

I acquired this Armor patch approx. 10 years ago in a large lot of WWII and Korean War era US patch collection. Over half of the patches were Japanese Occupation made and there is no doubt this Armor patch is also Japanese made.

 

My question? Does anyone have a clue as to which unit this would have been? My guess is it's definately a US unit, because of it's green and gold Armor branch colors. 38 could possibly refer to the 38th Parallel, but what was a DENT unit? The tank is the M48 "Patton" with 90mm gun manufactured between 1952 and 1958 for the US Army.

 

Thanks,

Gary

[Jim Baker]

Hey Gary,

 

Never seen one. Still checking around though.

[GLM]

Hey Gary,

 

Never seen one. Still checking around though.

 

Hey Jim,

 

Thanks for trying to help me get an ID on this patch. It would be really nice to put an ID to it. So far, I've posted it on every US forum I belong to with no success. I also tried for 24 months with my last and final two year subscription to ASMIC to get the Adjutant there to post it in that organization's "What Is It" section with absolutely no success.

 

I am confident that it's a Japanese made patch and would have been made for a US Armor unit. A well read professor friend of mine here at the local college says that somewhere along the line, he read something about DENT units during the Korean War, but can't remember which book or reference it was in. That's the only lead I've had on it so far and why I'm sticking to the Korean War period, plus the obvious M48 and green - gold US Armor branch colors, of course.

 

Gary

[Jim Baker]

Gary,

 

Per Dave Kaufman, "The patch is for the Tank Co, 38th Infantry and DENT is the GI's name. Nametape "insignia" became real popular in Korea c. 1952, and apparently migrated to Army units, at least in the US. Have never seen any that are German-made, from this time period, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

 

I also have one for the 38th Inf Tank Co that is completely different w/ WHITE.J.V. on it.

 

I also have a US made pair for a GI in the 208th Tank Bn here in the US."

 

 

Hope that helps, and thanks Dave!!!

[GLM]

Gary,

 

Per Dave Kaufman, "The patch is for the Tank Co, 38th Infantry and DENT is the GI's name. Nametape "insignia" became real popular in Korea c. 1952, and apparently migrated to Army units, at least in the US. Have never seen any that are German-made, from this time period, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

 

I also have one for the 38th Inf Tank Co that is completely different w/ WHITE.J.V. on it.

 

I also have a US made pair for a GI in the 208th Tank Bn here in the US."

Hope that helps, and thanks Dave!!!

 

Hey Jim,

 

The 38th Infantry connection makes perfect sense for a couple of reasons. First, the 38th Infantry was attached to 2nd ID during the Korean War and secondly, the patch is Japanese made (not German), so it all pretty much falls into place. Many of the embroidered Japanese patches made for US troops were for soldiers serving in Korea during the war, so the Japanese made connection also ties in. If it is an embroidered nametape, it's a short one. It only measures a little over 3 inches long by 1-3/4 inches tall.

 

Now all I have to do is research 38th Infantry Tank Company during the Korean War and see if they were equipped with the M48 and if any of the soldiers were named Dent.

 

That is a very good lead! Thanks, buddy!

 

Gary

[Steve B.]

Gary-

 

Wow! Great to finally get an ID on this one! I remember you posting it elsewhere a couple years ago with no success.

 

I must say that I think the tank is supposed to represent an M-26 Pershing, and not an M-48. The M-26s first saw action late in WWII, and served through the Korean War era. The M-48s were too late for the Korean War IIRC.

 

Congrats on the identification!

 

Steve

[GLM]

Gary-

 

Wow! Great to finally get an ID on this one! I remember you posting it elsewhere a couple years ago with no success.

 

I must say that I think the tank is supposed to represent an M-26 Pershing, and not an M-48. The M-26s first saw action late in WWII, and served through the Korean War era. The M-48s were too late for the Korean War IIRC.

 

Congrats on the identification!

 

Steve

 

Steve,

 

Yeah, I've been trying to get it IDed for awhile now. A very good feeling to get something pegged.

 

Thanks for the update on the type of tank. I'm not much of an armor guy, so get allot of the older tanks confused. I did a quick Google on the M48 before I posted this patch and saw that the M48 was adopted in 1952 through 1958 so automatically assumed it was that model. I remember having a plastic model kit of the "Patton" tank as a kid and it seemed to me the turret and body silouette was lower than what is shown here, but probably artistic license by the embroiderer.

 

Gary

[Jim Baker]

The tank is an M-26. (IMHO)

[Jim Baker]

Hey Jim,

 

The 38th Infantry connection makes perfect sense for a couple of reasons. First, the 38th Infantry was attached to 2nd ID during the Korean War and secondly, the patch is Japanese made (not German), so it all pretty much falls into place. Many of the embroidered Japanese patches made for US troops were for soldiers serving in Korea during the war, so the Japanese made connection also ties in. If it is an embroidered nametape, it's a short one. It only measures a little over 3 inches long by 1-3/4 inches tall.

 

Now all I have to do is research 38th Infantry Tank Company during the Korean War and see if they were equipped with the M48 and if any of the soldiers were named Dent.

 

That is a very good lead! Thanks, buddy!

 

Gary

 

 

Thank Dave. I just cut and paste.