An Interesting, But Not Very Good WW I, 2nd Div. Patch Photo

[world war I nerd]

I've had this one for a little while now, and I've always liked it. The un-posed snapshot captured an unaware General Pershing chatting with a group of female YMCA workers. The photograph was taken at either a 2nd Division or 3rd Army event that transpired sometime in 1919.

 

What I found interesting is that all of the YMCA women, I believe, were wearing different 2nd Division shoulder patches … only three of which are visible.

 

They are HQ, 2nd Division (black shield) - HQ or 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment (black or blue circle) - and an oval shaped patch, whose color I can't quite figure out; perhaps a very light purple, which would make it the insignia of the 2nd Trench Mortar Battery.

 

The far right woman on the platform with Pershing is wearing what appears to be a vertical, oval shaped shoulder patch. Its color, however, is difficult to discern. The hue is much lighter than the other two patches, which are black and either blue or black. Within the 2nd Division there were only two vertical, oval shoulder patches worn. Those patches were the insignia of: 2nd Trench Mortar Battery (purple vertical oval) & 2nd Artillery Brigade HQ (black vertical, oval). In general, both of those colors (black & purple) tend to be darker than the shade, value or hue of the patch in question, which to me looks how the color red would appear in a black & white image. If anybody has any thoughts or opinions, please sound off in the form of a written post.

 

The other thing interesting about this candid photograph is that it sort of confirms the rumor about Pershing being quite the "ladies-man". As a sidebar, here's a few facts: Pershing was reputed to loath attending formal functions and dinner parties, in the United States and abroad. According to one source, the only way to ensure the commander would attend was to make it a condition that the host ensured that he be seated next to a very attractive young lady. One book (The Doughboys: America and the First World War, by Gary Mead, pg. 112 - an excellent read, by the way) claimed that: "Pershing was a strongly sexual being, never at a loss for female company." With that in mind, it is known that he twice contracted venereal disease, while still a married man when he was posted to the Philippines. As a widower, Pershing, had a long term affair with a 23 year old woman, whom he met in France in 1917. That relationship lasted throughout his tenure as the Commander in Chief of the AEF. At 80 years old, Pershing quietly married her in 1946, just two years before his death.

 

Anyway, here is the overall shot that is labelled … "Gen. Pershing kidding the "y".

 

Thanks for looking … World War I Nerd

[world war I nerd]

A closer view of General Pershing and the "Y" ladies ...

[world war I nerd]

And the same again, only this time in grayscale ...

 

By the way, this image was part of a group of personal photos that were taken by a Doughboy who served in Company F, 2nd Supply Train, 2nd Division.

[gwb123]

Great photo... Looks like the general is regailing them with a story, to which they are responding with restrained laughter. Photos like this give us a really great perspective on such historical figures. Thanks for sharing.

[atb]

Here's an image I found of "Mr. A.W. Reynolds, YMCA Secretary, Nieder Mendig, Germany." The identification was inked on the reverse of the image. He's wearing a 3rd Division SSI.

 

 

[Allan H.]

The patch on the cape looks like the 17th Field Artillery to me.

 

GREAT photo. Thanks for sharing it.

 

Allan