MattD Posted October 15, 2008 Share #1 Posted October 15, 2008 Does anyone have an identified OSS/Jedburgh wing that was worn on uniform after WW2? A friend of mine was in 77th SFG in the 1950's and he said there were several OSS vet's who worn the "SF" jumpwing on their dress uniforms. I was wondering, was there any of these wings made/produced after WW2? If so, were they different than the WW2 types? Anyone have one in their collection? On a uniform? Thanks in advance............Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oss.capt Posted October 16, 2008 Share #2 Posted October 16, 2008 I have an SF wing but it's not on a uniform (anymore, unfortunatly). I also have an original document from the Chief, SO Branch, London. The subject of that letter was the wearing of the uniform which was dated 28 October 1944. Only 15 of these documents were distributed. Point 3 of that letter reads the following; Upon release from SO Branch, OSS, ETOUSA, personnel will remove the SF (Special Force) sleeve insignia. This means as from that date they weren't authorized to wear the SF wing anymore. Perhaps these OSS vet's were retired and not in active duty anymore? Otherwise I don't know, there is not much information regarding the SF wing. There is also no exact number of produced SF wings known as far as I know (estimated around a 1000). Of course there are the modern day reproductions, I have no idea when they started producing them and in how many numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattD Posted October 16, 2008 Author Share #3 Posted October 16, 2008 I have an SF wing but it's not on a uniform (anymore, unfortunatly). I also have an original document from the Chief, SO Branch, London. The subject of that letter was the wearing of the uniform which was dated 28 October 1944. Only 15 of these documents were distributed. Point 3 of that letter reads the following; Upon release from SO Branch, OSS, ETOUSA, personnel will remove the SF (Special Force) sleeve insignia. This means as from that date they weren't authorized to wear the SF wing anymore. Perhaps these OSS vet's were retired and not in active duty anymore? Otherwise I don't know, there is not much information regarding the SF wing. There is also no exact number of produced SF wings known as far as I know (estimated around a 1000). Of course there are the modern day reproductions, I have no idea when they started producing them and in how many numbers. These guys were still in the military, Ft Bragg in 1950's. I'm quite sure he would know what they (SF wings) looked like and he is a reliable source. This guy was an SF officer and CIA officer as well as a collector of US militaria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oss.capt Posted October 16, 2008 Share #4 Posted October 16, 2008 I'm just telling you what I know. Here is a scan of the document I was talking about. It would be interesting to find out more about this subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101combatvet Posted October 16, 2008 Share #5 Posted October 16, 2008 Usually, insignia is not resended so more then likely the "SF sleeve insignia" was never actually authorized. Point 3 of that letter reads the following; Upon release from SO Branch, OSS, ETOUSA, personnel will remove the SF (Special Force) sleeve insignia. This means as from that date they weren't authorized to wear the SF wing anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tredhed2 Posted October 16, 2008 Share #6 Posted October 16, 2008 Sir, beg your pardon, Sir, but as with the thousands of GIs who procured and wore unauthorized and then non-local approved patches while in a particular unit, or after leaving the unit if still on active duty, would imply that thousands of GIs ignored orders, whether verbal or GO or Branch Order or memo or whatever! I doubt these OSS vets were any different. How many folks in the 1970s, in a position to enforce it, would have known about an Oct 28 1944 (effective) Branch Order? The best example I can think of are the WW II Ranger battalions. None of the red, black and white scrolls were ever authorized, but they were worn well into the 60s by active duty personnel (Bull Simon wore his 6th Ranger Bn scroll into the 80s). I have seen RVN- period WW II and KW Ranger scrolls, both in color and subdued. I am personally aware of a WW II 5th Ranger Inf Bn officer, a career man, who had VN-made subdued scrolls made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101combatvet Posted October 17, 2008 Share #7 Posted October 17, 2008 Yeah.... even today it is estimated that 15% of enlisted soldiers and just under 10% of officers wear stuff that they are unauthorized.... or at least something to that effect. It really has more to do with the unit and the leadership then anything. Sir, beg your pardon, Sir, but as with the thousands of GIs who procured and wore unauthorized and then non-local approved patches while in a particular unit, or after leaving the unit if still on active duty, would imply that thousands of GIs ignored orders, whether verbal or GO or Branch Order or memo or whatever! I doubt these OSS vets were any different. How many folks in the 1970s, in a position to enforce it, would have known about an Oct 28 1944 (effective) Branch Order? The best example I can think of are the WW II Ranger battalions. None of the red, black and white scrolls were ever authorized, but they were worn well into the 60s by active duty personnel (Bull Simon wore his 6th Ranger Bn scroll into the 80s). I have seen RVN- period WW II and KW Ranger scrolls, both in color and subdued. I am personally aware of a WW II 5th Ranger Inf Bn officer, a career man, who had VN-made subdued scrolls made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Andrews Posted October 18, 2008 Share #8 Posted October 18, 2008 I ran into an SF MSG at Ft Bragg in 1970 who was wearing a No. 4 COMMANDO shoulder title as a combat patch. He said I was the first person to ever question the title or know what it was. He was born in Canada and was a cabin boy working on Cunard oceanliners in 1939. He voluntarily enlisted in the British army (Glasgow Highlanders IIRC) and wound up in the Commandos. In 1944 he was jump-qualified and (being fluent in French) sent into France as part of a Jedburgh team and was WIA. He went home to Canada, but a year or so later enlisted in the R Cdn NAVY to be on their post-war aircraft carriers! He flew as RTO/gunner on Grumman Avengers. When Korea erupted he tried mightily to go, but the RCN said no thank you. His hitch was up, so he went South and joined the US Army -- as a SGT because of his "prior service". He did not get to go to Korea from there either, so, to get out of the 82nd, he signed up for SF....77th and 10th Gps. When I met him he was just back from Laos (he wore Laotian jump wings). The next time I saw him, he was wearing his SFHQ wings -- and RCN wings -- over his right pocket, as well as his "full rack" of ribbons including WWII British ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattD Posted October 18, 2008 Author Share #9 Posted October 18, 2008 I ran into an SF MSG at Ft Bragg in 1970 who was wearing a No. 4 COMMANDO shoulder title as a combat patch. He said I was the first person to ever question the title or know what it was. He was born in Canada and was a cabin boy working on Cunard oceanliners in 1939. He voluntarily enlisted in the British army (Glasgow Highlanders IIRC) and wound up in the Commandos. In 1944 he was jump-qualified and (being fluent in French) sent into France as part of a Jedburgh team and was WIA. He went home to Canada, but a year or so later enlisted in the R Cdn NAVY to be on their post-war aircraft carriers! He flew as RTO/gunner on Grumman Avengers. When Korea erupted he tried mightily to go, but the RCN said no thank you. His hitch was up, so he went South and joined the US Army -- as a SGT because of his "prior service". He did not get to go to Korea from there either, so, to get out of the 82nd, he signed up for SF....77th and 10th Gps. When I met him he was just back from Laos (he wore Laotian jump wings). The next time I saw him, he was wearing his SFHQ wings -- and RCN wings -- over his right pocket, as well as his "full rack" of ribbons including WWII British ones. That is a great story. Sounds similar to one my buddy told me-they guy that was in 77th. I wonder if it was same guy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Andrews Posted October 19, 2008 Share #10 Posted October 19, 2008 He told me that he had photos of him in his Jedburgh days, wearing a GREEN (Cdo) beret with Scottish badge (IIRC the Glasgow HL were a Territorial element of the Highland Lt Inf -- is that right?), in BD and in camo (his description could have been a Denision or an SAS-style anorak). His Jed team leader BTW was an American, with whom he stayed in touch and who "lured" him into the US Army SF during the Korean fracas. IIRC he stayed on in the US service, and became a US citizen, because he married an American in the 1950s, while with the 10th Gp in Germany. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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