311th Support Class A Army 1980's

[P-59A]

I don't normally buy post Vietnam, but this 311th Support uniform was complete. I'm not sure why he rated the Agulette or what the badge above the name tag is all about.

[P-59A]

tags

[patches]

You will have to ID that DI to see what unit it is, it may have been one that was awarded the rope in WWII, but having said that, QM units awarded the french ropes would be nill, unless they were part of one of the divisions that were awarded them, are are the lineal descendants of these divisional QM Companies.

[P-59A]

You will have to ID that DI to see what unit it is, it may have been one that was awarded the rope in WWII, but having said that, QM units awarded the french ropes would be nill, unless they were part of one of the divisions that were awarded them

I will look into it. Thanks

[Dakota]

The DI above the nameplate is the Quartermaster Regimental Corps. Great Uniform!

 

D

[patches]

The DI above the nameplate is the Quartermaster Regimental Corps. Great Uniform!

 

D

Thank Dakota, indeed it is,

 

The DIs on the shoulder loops are the key, a Color Bearing Unit.

[patches]

Would need a close up of one of them to see the motto and stuff, the ASMIC guys will help then as the TIOH is offline permanently, so therefor can not do an ID with them anymore.

[P-59A]

Full text of "History of the 311th Support Command (Corps) and fortieth ...

https://archive.org/stream/historyof311thsu00wash/historyof311thsu00wash_djvu.txt

10 311th COSCOM Unit Crest The 31 1 th COSCOM's symbolic crest was ... gold scroll containing the words PROVIDE, SUSTAIN, and MAINTAIN written in blue ...

You visited this page on 2/11/19.

[P-59A]

DUI

[patches]

Seems in the more current period, the 311th is affiliated with the 79th Sustainment Support Command, the old 79th Infantry Division redesignated, redesigneted from the 79th Army Reserve Command, which is odd at first seeing that the 311th is in Los Angeles and the 79th is traditionally associated with Pennsylvania, but as I found and you'll see, it's was relocated and allotted sometime in the past to the reserves in California.

 

In WWII, the entire 79th Inf Div was awarded two Croix de Guerre with Palm, thus the award of the French Fouraggere, one of only two or three division to be so honored. Not certain with the lineages here, but maybe it's the 79th connection???

 

But on the other hand, when the old remaining Reserve Infantry Divisions were inactivated in 1965 (the ones that were not training divisions, but full combat divisions), most were reactivated as Army Reserve Commands, here they just wore the shoulder patch and did not inherent the old divisions linage nor awards and had no sub units that were traditional to the old divisions.

[P-59A]

I still don't get it, seems like they really shouldn't have it if you have to wiggle through that many holes.

[atb]

Seems in the more current period, the 311th is affiliated with the 79th Sustainment Support Command, the old 79th Infantry Division redesignated, redesigneted from the 79th Army Reserve Command, which is odd at first seeing that the 311th is in Los Angeles and the 79th is traditionally associated with Pennsylvania, but as I found and you'll see, it's was relocated and allotted sometime in the past to the reserves in California.

 

In WWII, the entire 79th Inf Div was awarded two Croix de Guerre with Palm, thus the award of the French Fouraggere, one of only two or three division to be so honored. Not certain with the lineages here, but maybe it's the 79th connection???

 

But on the other hand, when the old remaining Reserve Infantry Divisions were inactivated in 1965 (the ones that were not training divisions, but full combat divisions), most were reactivated as Army Reserve Commands, here they just wore the shoulder patch and did not inherent the old divisions linage nor awards and had no sub units that were traditional to the old divisions.

While the old ARCOMS were authorized to wear the SSI of inactive WW2 infantry divisions (like the 97th and the 79th) they did not inherit the lineages and honors of those WW2 units, only the SSI. Perhaps when the ARCOMS were redesignated as something else that was changed.

[patches]

While the old ARCOMS were authorized to wear the SSI of inactive WW2 infantry divisions (like the 97th and the 79th) they did not inherit the lineages and honors of those WW2 units, only the SSI. Perhaps when the ARCOMS were redesignated as something else that was changed.

Thats what I was thinking, that it changed in some way in the recent or fairly recent past, now they can claim Decorations??, at least ones awarded to the old divisions, that is if the divisions had them.

[Martinjmpr]

OK I know it's pedantic but that's not an aigulette it's a fourragere. Aiguelettes are worn by aides to General Officers and are much more elaborate. AFAIK an aigulette is only worn by a commissioned officer, at least I've never heard of an EM wearing one.

 

I can think of at least a couple of other possibilities for how the Fourragere might have gotten on that uniform:

 

1. The soldier was previously in a unit that rated the fourragere (maybe 2nd ID or 3rd ID) and simply didn't remove it when he left active duty

 

2. Someone at the reserve unit mistakenly told the soldiers they were authorized to wear the fourragere when in fact they weren't.

 

Many reserve units undergo frequent shifts and changes in name, organization, and lineage. It can be very confusing! So it is possible that for a short time, the reserve unit was attached/assigned to another unit that rated the fourragere and was thus authorized to wear it.

 

You have to remember that while Army uniform regs are "written", they're not "written in stone." In fact, they change a LOT (too often in my opinion but that's a topic for another day...) So it's possible that the fourragere is "legitimate" for a specific period of time.

 

 

 

what the badge above the name tag is all about.

 

In the late 1980s the Army came up with a "regimental affiliation" system. Soldiers were supposed to have a "regimental affiliation" that would be their "home" regiment. In combat arms units (infantry, armor, artillery) the regimental affiliation was a specific regiment, usually (but not always) the first regiment that soldier was assigned to. So, for example, if an infantryman went through basic and AIT and then jump school and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Divisions 2-504 Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), he would "affiliate" with the 504th and then later, say he PCS's (transfers) to the 5 - 6 Infantry in Germany, he would still wear the 504th Infantry regiment DUI above his nametag to show his regimental affiliation.

 

Of course, on the shoulder straps he would wear the DUI of his current unit, whatever that was.

 

For non-combat units, there wasn't really a "regimental affiliation", instead, each non-combat arms branch had it's own branch-specific "regimental" crest and all soldiers in that branch would wear the same one (I was in Military Intelligence and Military Police so those were the crests I wore above my nametag.) For non-combat arms units the "regimental affiliation" should match the Branch of Service insignia on the lapel (so if he's Quartermaster, he should be wearing the QM regimental badge, if he's Transportation he should be wearing the Transportation badge, if he's chemical he should be wearing the chemical badge, etc.)

 

As I said, this practice started around 1986 or 87 and as far as I know, still continues today with the new ASU (blue) uniform.