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17th TCS Leather Patch Questions


onereader
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Hi all!

 

I'm a total newbie here. Found this patch today in a bin of items I collected long ago. I don't remember where I found it or why I tossed it into the bin (racking my brain to no avail!). Anyway, researched a bit and found a thread on this forum that helped me ID it as a WW2 Squadron patch for the 17th Troop Carrier Squadron.

 

It is leather, 5 1/2"D (5" if measuring the outer circle of the patch), painted or dyed. The black lines are actual cuts into the leather. Is it authentic (sure looks real). Shows a mad Donald Duck wearing a pilots cap stomping away from a 2 seater outhouse that is being struck by a lighting bolt. On the back is a tiny inscribed A? (depends on what direction you look at it from).

 

I'm a total neophyte when it comes to old WW2 leather patches. Is it real? Is it a shoulder patch or would it have been worn elsewhere? Is it official? Who would have worn it? I'm a reseller on Ebay & Etsy, so I'm wondering if it would be best to sell at an auction, and if so what would be a reasonable starting price - totally clueless on value, or would it be best to determine value and do a buy it now kind of listing on Etsy?

 

Any info. you can give me would be SO appreciated!

 

Sue

post-174167-0-68703400-1511143424.jpg

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17th TCS was not a CBI unit, although an air echelon (detachment) was stationed in India briefly. It was in N Africa, the ME and Italy, and this is an Italian made patch.

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I agree with my good friend tredhed2 its a classic incised leather Italian made patch and it is a tough one to find.Scotty

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Yes, it is a classic original incised leather patch, aka a "Capri patch" for many of this style and craftsmanship were made in Capri. (Incised, meaning the detail is carved, or etched, into the leather.)

 

ASSIGNMENTS. 64th Transport (later Troop Carrier) Group, 11 Dec 1940-31 Jul 1945. 64th Troop Carrier Group, 19 May 1947-10 Sep 1948. 64th Troop Carrier Group, 14 Jul 1952-21 Jul 19%. Tactical Air Command, 24 Oct 1960; 64th Troop Carrier Wing, 8 Feb 1961; 516th Troop Carrier Wing, 1 Jan 1963-. STATIONS. McClellan Field, Calif, 11 Dec 1940; Hamilton Field, Calif, 11 Jul 1941; Westover Field, Mass, 13 Jun-31 Jul 1942; Ramsbury, England, 18 Aug-Nov 1942 (operated from Maison Blanche, Algeria, 11 Nov-Dec 1942); Blida, Algeria, c. 12 Dec 1942; Kairouan, Tunisia, 28 Jun 1943; El Diem, Tunisia, 26 JuI 1943; Comiso, Sicily, 3 Sep 1943 (operated from bases in India, Apr-Jun 1944); Ciampino, Italy, 8 Jul 1944 (operated from Istres, France, 8 Sepi 1 Nov 1944) ; Rosignano Airfield, Italy, 10 Jan-23 May 1945; Waller Field, Trinidad, 4 Jun-31 Ju1 1945.

AIRCRAFT. C-47, 1941-1945.

OPERATIONS. World War 11: Included airborne assults on Sicily and Southern France; support for partisans in Northern Italy, Jan-May 1945; aerial transportation in MTO, and briefly in CBI.

 

Maurer. Combat Squadrons of the Air Force in WWII.

 

 

The unit briefly saw service in the CBI, (India, Apr 7-Jun 15, 1944), instrumental in supplying Merrill's Marauders.

 

Official history:

 

Then suddenly, during the evening of April 1, 1944, the air echelon of the 64th Troop Carrier Group (and the 4th squadron of the 62nd group) were ordered to depart the following morning for the CBI (China-Burma-India) theater of operations. Since it was April Fools Day, our Group Operations Duty Officer did double verify the order, but it was true. Quoting from the official Air Force History "The 35th squadron, first to take off left the airdrome (Comiso, Sicily) at 0600 hours on April 2, 1944--other squadrons followed and the planes made the trip to India via Bengasi (Libya), Cairo (Egypt), Abadan (Iran), Karachi (Pakistan), and Gaya (India)." (Beginning operations in India on April 7, 1944)

The Group through April, May, and the first part of June was instrumental in supplying Merrill's Marauders, General Stillwell's American and Chinese Armies in the Naingkwan section of Northern Burma, and the 170,000 British troops besieged in the Imphal Valley, Burma. Quote continues "According to one authority the war in Burma was shortened by two years by reason of the troop carriers heroic contributions--this was an entirely different kind of warfare-always maximum loads--parachutes and pararacks removed--crews often consisted of only one pilot and a radio operator and engineer--every sortie was flown over Japanese lines--one of the Groups C-47s was jumped by two Zero's one of which crashed into the tail of the transport and sheared off all but a foot of the vertical stabilizer, the Zero crashed and the pilot (Hal Scrugham) received credit for downing one airplane."

Some of the Group operated out of Dinjan, India, in support of northern Burma operations and other elements of the Group participated in the invasion and capture of Myitkyina [myit'chinä] on May 17, 1944. Myitkyina was a key transportation center in ground combat operations. By June 15, 1944, the Air Echelon had returned to Sicily and to our personal mail, which had accumulated since early April.

 

Source, and more of this interesting account, go here.

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Thank you so much for the fabulous information everyone! It is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the slow response, but as a newbie my # of posts is restricted, so I couldn't post before now (and this one will max. me out again for another day I think).

 

Couple of quick questions. Where would this patch have been worn? Shoulder? Chest?

 

Any concept of value? I'm truly clueless!

 

Sue

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Thank you so much for the fabulous information everyone! It is greatly appreciated. Sorry for the slow response, but as a newbie my # of posts is restricted, so I couldn't post before now (and this one will max. me out again for another day I think).

 

Couple of quick questions. Where would this patch have been worn? Shoulder? Chest?

 

Any concept of value? I'm truly clueless!

 

Sue

It would have been worn on the left side of the chest.

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