USFA Insignia - US Forces Austria

[SARGE]

Gentlemen,

 

I thought I would start a thread on US Forces Austria (USFA) insignia. US Forces Austria occupied Austria for ten years from 1945 until 1955. The final USFA forces departed Austria on 31 October 1955 and Austria regained her independence.

 

Here is a standard US made SSI for the US Forces Austria. The red/white/red background are the Austrian national colors that are seen in the Austrian flag and the cockade. The blue sword and olive branch seem to indicate readyness for war or peace and probably speak to the goals of the occupation at the end of World War II.

 

 

A view of the back of this used patch showing the embroidery. This is the most commonly encountered USFA shoulder patch.

 

[SARGE]

These shoulder patches will also be found in other variations. Here is an example of the same SSI with a white or silver border instead of the normally seen one above. I do not know why this patch border is different.

 

 

There are "Vienna" tabs that can be found with these USFA shoulder patches. They are found with blue borders that seem to be associated with the standard shoulder patch when they are seen on uniforms.

 

 

Interestingly, there are also "Vienna" tabs that have a white border. I have never seen one of these white bordered tabs or USFA patches on a uniform so I don't know if they are associated or not. Their association does seem logical but the reason for the existence of either is unknown to me.

 

[SARGE]

Here is another variation that appears to be German made. It is slightly larger than the standard US manufactured USFA shoulder patch. This patch is sometimes called the "Bevo" style embroidery but this embroidery seems somewhat thicker than machine embroidery that is typically made on German Bevo style machines. It may well have been made on a similar machine to that used by Bevo or the rayon (Perlon) backing or thread may have been heavier.

 

 

This style patch has a separate cloth backing to seemingly stiffen the embroidery.

 

[SARGE]

Yet another variation appears to be an Austrian made patch with a ribbed ribbon backing. These patches are also bullion stitched and bordered and are larger than the standard US made SSI. The aluminum wire accents are found on the sword and the olive branch as well as around the edges of the patch. These patches are backed with a very thin paper.

 

 

Any other variations out there?

[SARGE]

No interest?

 

How about variations of USFA distinctive insignia?

 

[KurtA]

Here are a couple more.

Kurt

[SARGE]

Kurt,

 

Thanks for the reply and showing your two variations. These are very nice threatre made patches. Did you by chance get them at SOS or have them for sale there? I thought I saw a couple like this in a riker mount.

[APO472]

Kurt,

 

Thanks for the reply and showing your two variations. These are very nice threatre made patches. Did you by chance get them at SOS or have them for sale there? I thought I saw a couple like this in a riker mount.

Sarge...interesting thread and thanks for sharing. Is it possible to get a picture of the back of that DI you posted a picture of?

 

Thanks in advance.

[SARGE]

"Sarge...interesting thread and thanks for sharing. Is it possible to get a picture of the back of that DI you posted a picture of?

 

Thanks in advance."

 

 

APO472,

 

This USFA DI is an interesting Austrian made DI with the scroll on the top. It is a pinback but I will have to get a photo of the back as it is still on the jacket that the pair came on. I will post it for you when I can get a good pix.

 

Here is a similar Austrian made (I presume) USFA DI that is also paint on aluminum. This one does not have the scroll and is made differently.

 

 

This one without the scroll is a screwback. It has an interesting aluminum roller as well.

 

[KurtA]

Kurt,

 

Thanks for the reply and showing your two variations. These are very nice threatre made patches. Did you by chance get them at SOS or have them for sale there? I thought I saw a couple like this in a riker mount.

Sarge-

I wish that was me at the SOS. But, sadly, it wasn't.

Kurt

[SARGE]

Sarge-

I wish that was me at the SOS. But, sadly, it wasn't.

Kurt

 

 

Kurt,

 

Thanks for showing these bullion patches. I saw a couple very much like them at SOS but unfortunately the dealer packed up and moved to the gun show next door before I was able to talk to him about them.

 

APO472,

 

Here is a better shot of the USFA DI with the scroll.

 

 

And, here is a shot of the back of this DI showing the pin back.

 

 

Hopefully, this is the view you wanted.

[mortaydc60]

Most of what has shown here are the pins with scrolls;thought I might show a cloth patch with a scroll which was an add on to the patch.

[SARGE]

Most of what has shown here are the pins with scrolls;thought I might show a cloth patch with a scroll which was an add on to the patch.

 

 

Mort,

 

Thanks for showing the Engineers Bn. scroll. I have not seen that one before.

 

Here is another with an "Italy" scroll. Interestingly, the USFA maintained three small bases in Italian territory for supplies and signals.

 

[KurtA]

This is the only US Forces Austria tab I've ever seen. The yellow border on the tab and patch is the embroidery thread that was used to affix both to the Ike Jacket they're on. All the insignia (including chevrons) is "sewn" on in this manner. It would be just about impossible to remove the patches (not that I would want to).

Kurt

[SARGE]

Kurt,

 

That is a unique way of attaching the patches. Can you show a photo of the jacket showing the rest of the insignia?

 

There seems to be no end to the unique manner with which soldiers sewed on their insignia. Cross stitch, snaps, velcro, direct embroidery...

 

Here is what the USFA Italy jacket sleeve looks like with all cross stitched insignia.

 

[KurtA]

Sarge-

Here's a shot of the entire Ike.

Kurt

[KurtA]

The 9th Army tab is unusual. The branch disk is Quartermaster.

[SARGE]

Kurt,

 

That jacket has style!

 

The use of two tabs is very neat and the contrasting sewing is great. Thanks for showing this one. If you ever get tired of it let me know.

[Stony]

Here is my USFA patch. 

[Stony]

Two DIs or just pins that I recently acquired. The shadowing makes one look larger than the other, but they're both the same size.

Pin back with roller catches. Both unmarked. 

[SARGE]

Very neat Stony.  I have not seen this patch before.  Looks to be a locally manufactured patch to me.  Do you have any history on it?

 

 

[Stony]

52 minutes ago, SARGE said:

Very neat Stony.  I have not seen this patch before.  Looks to be a locally manufactured patch to me.  Do you have any history on it?

 

 

I do not. I got it at the national ASMIC show in Portland recently. 

[tredhed2]

There are some tabs for the UDFA patch:

[SARGE]

Very nice!  

 

 

[easterneagle87]

This is a very cool thread. Here's a shot of a M! helmet liner with the Austrian Occupation Forces logo on the front of it. This is pulled from the FB collectors page:  US Constabulary Memorabilia.