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What are the Rarest WWII USMC Patches


BOB K. RKSS
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F 106 Pilot

I have had this patch for more than 25 years found it in my stuff tonight. I was wondering where you guys think this patch was made. I really am not up to speed on anything but USAF patches. Patch is sewn to a red piece of wool. Did the Marines ever have a combat jump or not. Thank you for the help. Ben

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Hey Guys !!

 

Awesome patches !! I'm not a patch collector but I do have these two patches that are in a medal grouping I have in my collection...

 

Not as rare as some of the beauties on this thread but they're awfully nice !!

 

Thanks !!

 

Vic

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Garth Thompson

Here are a couple of mine I consider fairly scarce.

 

#1 Australian made Defense Bns with an Austrailian made 1st Marines tab on shirt material.

 

Garth

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  • 2 weeks later...
teufelhunde.ret

MAGNIFICENT USMC 9th MARINES PATCH-SILK-HAND EMBROIDERY. This patch is one of the collection made, during the mid 1940s to early 1950s, by the Hashimoto's Insignia Shop located in Osaka, Japan. More details about the entire Hashimoto collection are available from The American Society of Military Insignia Collectors (ASMIC) Quarterly publication, The Trading Post in the January-March 2008 issue. Sold on 3.22.09 for $180.

 

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According to Chris Brown in his book, there is no definitive explanation for the gold guns:

 

"Some suggest it is an officer's version and others claim it was worn by HQ personnel. Other theories are more obscure. I have yet to see any convincing support for these claims" (Brown 121).

 

Are there other theories of where the gold guns came from?

 

Regardless, it is a sweet patch. Brown prices it at $175-225. Interesting it went for double that price.

 

~Rabbit

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  • 1 month later...
teufelhunde.ret

From the sale narrative:

 

You are bidding on an authentic EXCEPTIONALLY RARE WWII USMC Squadron Pocket Patch for VMSB-234. The patch is approximately six inches in diameter and appears to be in excellent unworn condition, except for what appears to have been three small nibbles from a moth in the past (one on the Bulldog arm in what could be called the tricep area, one in the white star at the right wingtip of the Eagle and the last smallest one on the Eagle's right wing). As background, VMSB-234 was commissioned 01May42 at Ewa, saw two combat tours in Guadalcanal, saw action in Bougainville, etc. The squadron returned to the states in late 1943 and was redesignated in late 1944 to VMTB-234. This patch, found between the pages of a 1952 first edition book on Marine Corps Aviation in the Pacific, was purchased with the book from an elderly lady at a community sale. She related that prior to marriage to her late husband, he had been a Marine Aviation Mechanic in the Pacific during WWII. I wish I would have gotten his name, but didn't as the special nature of the patch wasn't realized until after some research.

 

Your thoughts?

 

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IMO 100% Original. Millstein's book refers to the second issue of this patch being "American fully embroidered". The first issue was Australian embroidered on wool as depicted in the book. There is another member on the forum who acquired his Aussie original from a veteran who also has a roster from the first tour. The veteran did not recall seeing a US version, but has indicated that "it may have been issued stateside prior to the unit's second tour". Millstein's book also states that the squadron switched to the winged fist insignia in 1944 which was also American fully emoroidered. The fact that the widow says her husband was a mechanic for the USMC in the Pacific during WW2 is about as good as it gets without the name (absolutely no reason to lie about any of it, because number one she'd be very unlikely to get the war, theater and specialty correct and I'm certain she wasn't paid $900 for the patch and book!). If it were me, I'd make sure I went back to that community sale the next time they have one and I'd do my darndest to find her again and get the name! Of course, the book purchased with the patch may have something underlined or written in it too. By the way, in 26 years of collecting, this is only the second example of the American fully embroidered version that I've seen for this squadron, so I agree that it's very rare. As for the unit designation, the USMC Flying Leathernecks didn't seem to mind letting the Japanese know what squadron they were with as much as their AAF counterparts did. Perhaps since so many of the USMC patches were produced in Australia, there was more freedom to put whatever they wanted on them? Or maybe the USMC did not have to submit their design proposals to the Heraldry division back home for design approval? From what I've read in different sources, often times the designs evolved from a squadron-wide contest and were approved by popular vote within the unit. With design in hand, someone designated to obtain patches usually did so on the next R&R to Sydney or back home stateside without any stateside red tape to untangle along the way. Awesome patch!!

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teufelhunde.ret

I like your reasoning & explanation... here is one that just popped up on ebay... Aussie original?

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Barefoot Marines! Some one had mentioned this earlier and I finally pulled this grouping out. 1st Samoan Marine Battalion USMCR, patches with lava-lava, garrison cap and sash. My dad actually had the opportunity to see these guys in his travels. Nothing but respect from him!! jpstout

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VMB-613: The officially submitted insignia, purportedly not used, but apparently made and a few samples kept in the possession of C F Coers. There were two sheets of cloth with

silkscreened blocks of 4 designs. jpstout

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VMB-413: Officially silk screened on canvas ( I do not have one), this is an unusual painted on jacket from Ed Naparkowsky. Unusual, but confirmed by one of his best buddies, Sgt. Aiken, tailgunner. There is an embroidered on wool (not used by VMB-413) available and relatively common, also pictured. jpstout

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