Salvage Sailor Posted May 19, 2018 #1 Posted May 19, 2018 Aloha Everyone, This is a USN/USCG/USNS reference topic for patches made between 1970 and 1989 by Swiss-Tex for ships and stations of the United States Naval Services. They began making patches for Naval Vessels at the end of the Vietnam Era.when Hilborn-Hamburger and Gemsco ceased their production. If you have any Swiss-Tex patches in the original packaging, please post them along with a loose patch if you have one. Swiss-Tex was the brand name used by the Leonard Corporation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who manufactured patches for the USN, USCG & the MSTS (USNS) in the post Vietnam Era. They were the primary suppliers for USN ships stores and commissioning patches during the 600 ship Navy buildup in the latter years of the Cold War. Unfortunately, they ceased manufacturing in 1990 due to the recession just prior to Desert Storm. Production Line Employee Patch from the Swiss Tex factory in Philadelphia, PA
Salvage Sailor Posted May 19, 2018 Author #2 Posted May 19, 2018 The initial Swiss Tex packaging circa 1970-1975 had a stylized S on the packaging with a yellow stripe on the cellophane wrapped card
Salvage Sailor Posted May 19, 2018 Author #3 Posted May 19, 2018 The patches made for the USNS ships during 1973-1975 also had the stylized S but were cellophane wrapped with no card
Salvage Sailor Posted May 19, 2018 Author #4 Posted May 19, 2018 In 1975 when the USN reclassified many of their vessels (DE to FF, CVA to CV, DLG/CLG to DDG/CG, etc) the Swiss Tex logo and cards were changed to this style (also note the USCGC HARRIET LANE, bottom left)
Salvage Sailor Posted May 19, 2018 Author #5 Posted May 19, 2018 Many patches were sold through the onboard ships' stores and purchased in bulk by the box. These patches were distributed on a blank card to reduce the cost to the stores. They were the same size cards used to distribute these patches in the Navy Exchanges and commissioning packages but without the Swiss-Tex logo and printed info. (examples below) Note the same USS DUPONT patches on the blank and printed cards (bottom right)
Salvage Sailor Posted May 19, 2018 Author #6 Posted May 19, 2018 In addition to ship patches, Swiss-Tex also made cruise patches on both blank ships' store cards and the printed cards
Salvage Sailor Posted May 19, 2018 Author #7 Posted May 19, 2018 So if you've got any examples of Leonard Corporation SWISS-TEX patches in your collections, please feel free to post them on this reference topic 1973 Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #8 Posted May 20, 2018 Swiss-Tex Memorial patches were also distributed in a cellophane wrapper with no card Arizona Memorial circa 1973-1975
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #9 Posted May 20, 2018 ...as were US Naval Academy Annapolis patches USNA circa 1973-1975
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #10 Posted May 20, 2018 ....and US Flag patches for the 200th Birthday of the United States Navy Bicentennial Flag 1975
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #11 Posted May 20, 2018 USS WRIGHT (CC-2) Command and Control vessel, in reserve during 1973-1975, struck in 1977 USS Wright (CVL-49) was a Saipan class light aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy, later converted to the command ship CC-2 serving with the 6th Fleet in the Med and 7th Fleet in the Pacific. She was the second ship named Wright. The first Wright (AV-1) was named for Orville Wright; the second honored both Wright brothers: Orville and Wilbur. NECPA duties - Wright operated out of Norfolk, training to perform her assigned mission as the National Emergency Command Post Afloat. Regular overhauls performed at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard saw the ship receiving the repairs and alterations that continually improved her capabilities to carry out her task. She operated primarily off the Virginia Capes, but ranged as far north as Bar Harbor, Maine, and as far south as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Punta del Este, Uruguay. Her other ports of call included Newport, Fort Lauderdale and Port Everglades, Florida; Boston; New York City; Annapolis; Philadelphia; Norfolk; and Guantánamo Bay. As part of NECPA duties, she alternated on alert status with Northampton (CC-1)
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #12 Posted May 20, 2018 USS WISCONSIN (BB-64) The last of the Iowa class battleships built during WWII - All four Iowas were recommissioned as centerpieces of the Cold War 600 ship Navy build up under Navy Secretary John Lehman in the 1980's The patch on the left in cellophane is her Philadelphia reserve fleet patch circa 1973-1975. The larger patch in the center is her 600 ship Navy pre-commissioning reactivation patch circa 1986 and the other is her shipboard recommissioning patch circa 1988. She was again decommissioned in 1991 after Desert Storm
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #13 Posted May 20, 2018 USS IOWA (BB-61) Iowa class leader recommissioned in 1984 Swiss Tex recommissioning patch 1984 - Our Liberties We Prize, Our Rights We Will Maintain USS Iowa (BB-61) fires her 16-inch/50 caliber guns on 15 August 1984 during a firepower demonstration after her modernization
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #14 Posted May 20, 2018 USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) Recommissioning patches & ships's store patch 1982 (Note: If anyone has the Swiss-Tex USS MISSOURI patch please post it)
Salvage Sailor Posted May 20, 2018 Author #15 Posted May 20, 2018 USS SPEAR (AS-36) Spear class leader submarine tender circa 1973-1975. She was in service from 1970 to 1996
Salvage Sailor Posted May 27, 2018 Author #17 Posted May 27, 2018 Commander Service Group Two Atlantic Fleet http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/299471-servgru-servron-service-groups-and-squadrons/
Salvage Sailor Posted June 4, 2018 Author #18 Posted June 4, 2018 USS SAMUEL GOMPERS (AD-37) The Fat Sam - Gompers class leader Destroyer Tender in service 1967 to 1995. In 1972 the ship was deployed to Da Nang Harbor, the only repair ship sent into hostile waters in the Vietnam War. The ship carried very few large weapons, which left her constantly vulnerable to enemy attack. In that deployment the ship was nicknamed "FAT Sam", a humorous suggestion that she was a "Fast Attack Tender" SERVICE SUPREME - Swiss Tex ships' store patch circa late 1970's - Photo: SAMUEL GOMPERS (AD-37) tending Destroyers in Subic Bay, P.I.
Salvage Sailor Posted June 9, 2018 Author #19 Posted June 9, 2018 USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (CV-42) Midway class aircraft carrier in service 1945 to 1977. There were only three carriers of this class, Midway, the Rosie, and the Coral Sea Swiss Tex Cruise Patch - Final Med Cruise 76-77 Photo: 1976 - The aircraft carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) at anchor during her last Mediterranean cruise.
Salvage Sailor Posted June 28, 2018 Author #20 Posted June 28, 2018 Indian Ocean Yacht Club 1982-1983 (Gonzo Station) USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) - Swiss Tex patch
Salvage Sailor Posted July 21, 2018 Author #21 Posted July 21, 2018 USS GARCIA (FF-1040) Garcia class leader n service 1964 to 1989, a larger version of the Bronstein class destroyer escorts. Reclassified from DE-1040 in 1975. The dark blue merrowed edge Swiss Tex version sold in the ships' store circa 1975
Salvage Sailor Posted July 21, 2018 Author #22 Posted July 21, 2018 VXE-6 PUCKERED PENGUINS - Antarctica, Operation Deep Freeze 1970's * A Note of caution for the USN collectors. This hard to find patch is now being knocked off in Vietnam by the 'usual suspects' who have been using our site as a reference for their repros. Caveat Emptor
Salvage Sailor Posted August 4, 2018 Author #23 Posted August 4, 2018 Blue Version of NATO ALLIED FORCES SOUTH (NAVAL) Naples Italy, Swiss Tex circa early 1970's and CTF 502, also by Swiss Tex STRIKFORSOUTH's primary mission is to execute maritime power projection operations during peace or crisis in support of NATO objectives. It does this principally through the assets resident in Carrier Battle Groups, amphibious forces, and finally through its many cruise missile capable platforms. STRIKFORSOUTH is the only Headquarters in the Southern Region which may be assigned the triad of air, naval, and land forces, all of which are capable of responding immediately to the entire risk spectrum facing NATO. Subordinate commands include Task Force 502 (Carrier Forces), Task Force 503 (Amphibious Forces), Task Force 504 (Landing Forces), Task Force 505 (Logistics Forces), and Task Force 506 (Special Operations Forces).
Salvage Sailor Posted September 8, 2018 Author #24 Posted September 8, 2018 USS RICHMOND K TURNER (CG-20) Circa 1975-1990 Cold War
Salvage Sailor Posted October 7, 2018 Author #25 Posted October 7, 2018 USS SAMPSON (DDG-10) Charles F. Adams class guided missile destroyer in service 1961 to 1991 Swiss Tex circa mid 1970's Fortes Fortuna Juvat - Fortune Favors the Brave
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