Correct US Arm Band/Brassard Flags?

[silasgore1]

I'm researching flag brassards for D-Day, and it's confusing...

 

WHO wore them? 101st, 82nd, both or just one, but which one?

 

WHAT were they made of? Muslin, coated canvas, plain cloth?

 

Were Market Gardens brassards different than D-Day ones?

 

I had read that everyone was issued one, then I read that only the 101st had them, THEN I read that the actual use of them is greatly overblown, that period photos don't show them much at all before the jumps and just after? Every book I've read is different, every web page has someone's opinion, so who's correct?

[manayunkman]

They wore several different flags including the brassard.

 

I got flags from several vets and I'll find them and post pictures.

[manayunkman]

Here is Ned Moore's group with a flag he was issued but never worn.

 

He was an officer in the 101st.

[manayunkman]

The flag was a larger printed gauze.

[groserm]

I have a picture of a army vet think he was airborne and he was holding up the armband he wore on D-Day. It was the usual oilcloth version. The picture was from a local newspaper. I just bought another with sewn edges around it. It has writing on the back that is barely legible but it says worn when we took Casablanca and a date of Nov 18th 1942. Here is a web site with some information.

 

https://www.paratrooper.be/articles/invasion-arm-flags/