swag Posted March 30, 2017 Share #1 Posted March 30, 2017 I've been searching in vain trying to find out what unit this is. It's on a WW1 enlisted uniform with signal corps collar disks. I think the roundel is for an Air Park Squadron. The cat has me stumped though. The only patch I could remotely like it is the 3rd Radio Research Unit, but that unit didn't come into being until the Vietnam era. Any thoughts? Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted March 31, 2017 Share #2 Posted March 31, 2017 Kevin, here's a possibility ... The period photo, that was sold in the not too distant past by Bay State Militaria was described as being from the 248th Aero Squadron. When an enlargement of that shoulder patch is compared to the insignia you posted there is a remarkable resemblance. The cockade, the patch's overall shape, the approximate shadowy shape of the cat's body and the location of the bow tie are all similar. The cat's head however, does not appear to be an exact match. Nevertheless, overall the insignia in the period photo, from the neck down, is not unlike your bow-tie wearing feline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted March 31, 2017 Share #3 Posted March 31, 2017 Wow! The more I look at WWI period patches, the more impressed I am with their diversity. I am beginning to think there are a lot of them out there yet to be discovered. That is a unique photo as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAW Posted March 31, 2017 Share #4 Posted March 31, 2017 It is the 248th aero squadron. I'm curious where you obtained the photo of that patch...since I have an identical grouping. ....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
world war I nerd Posted March 31, 2017 Share #5 Posted March 31, 2017 MAW, thanks for confirming my observations. Any chance of posting a photo of your 248th patch for comparison? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAW Posted March 31, 2017 Share #6 Posted March 31, 2017 I will post a pic of mine for comparison. There are minor variations in the cat design compared to the one posted above, but it looks like they were crossed stitched by the same hand. The group I am fortunate enough to have came directly from the veteran's family...and I was told the veteran passed away in 1937. The group had been packed away since then...and his name and 248th squadron are inked on the gas mask bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swag Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share #7 Posted March 31, 2017 Thanks for the info and picture. I'll see if I can get/find more pictures of the uniform. It's in an Army museum. The sleeve has a discharge stripe and two overseas chevrons on it. I don't think it is named. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cthomas Posted March 31, 2017 Share #8 Posted March 31, 2017 In my humble opinion, what makes this patch extremely rare is it's one of the little known squadron insignia of a unit who flew active combat missions. Also, I've collected WWI aviation photos for many years and have never seen a marked fuselage bearing this black cat. Very cool! “A black cat wearing a broad grin and decorated with a large bow neck-tie made of an American flag. The 248th Aero Squadron was a Corps Observation squadron. It was assigned to the 7th Corps Observation Group, 1st Army, on September 10, 1918, and reached the Front at Luxeuil on September 19th. It was engaged in operations in the Vosges Sector.” The above was from an entry in the March 1920 issue of the “Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine". It is the very reference that appears in any books covering WWI Aero Squadron insignia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Signor Posted March 31, 2017 Share #9 Posted March 31, 2017 248th Aero Squadron emblem image from Wikipedia ....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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