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WWII Uniform Patches


jiro90
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Ive owned many uniforms, but have not seen two different color sleeve patches / stripes before. This unifrom came right from the vets house today.

 

Has anyone seen this before?

Thanks

post-9620-0-95968900-1543015851_thumb.jpeg

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Different sleeve patches is common. Left sleeve is the current unit of assignment and right sleeve is the FWTS (Former Wartime Service) patch (most often just referred to as a "combat patch" indicating that the soldier served in a combat theater.)

 

The different color stripes almost look like one side just got faded more than the other. May have happened in the quartermaster's supply room (maybe the lighter colored stripes were on top of a stack that was exposed to sunlight and faded.)

 

Patch on the left sleeve should have a number 4 in the yellow field indicating 4th Armored Division. All armored divisions wear the same patch, they just use different numerals to indicate the specific division. After WWII some armored divisions also added a "nickname" underneath the patch, but 4th Armored never had a "nickname" as far as I know. (1st is "Old Ironsides", 2nd is "Hell on Wheels", 3rd is "Spearhead", 49th, which is a Texas National Guard unit was "Lone Star.")

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They used what was available, something didnt match, who cared? Many had been months in combat, going home was all that mattered. Remember, the focus was to win the war, not to nit pick about patches, uniforms or vehicles, whatever worked.

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