Wake1941 Posted October 24, 2019 Share #1 Posted October 24, 2019 Just picked this up at a show this weekend, from what I understand the 505th was shortly connected to the 11th ABN. Can anyone tell me what Le Clerc Team means? Also im assuming this is german made, is that correct? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wake1941 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share #2 Posted October 24, 2019 ........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted October 24, 2019 Share #3 Posted October 24, 2019 At this time the 11th Abn Div indeed still in Germany, it wont be for long, it's inactivated 1 July 1958, Le Clerc, maybe something t do with training in France?? France was still in NATO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wake1941 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share #4 Posted October 24, 2019 Thanks, guess its safe to say its german made then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QED4 Posted October 24, 2019 Share #5 Posted October 24, 2019 The Prix Le Clerc was (maybe still is) a NATO shooting competition for small arms. This is a patch for a US team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptCav Posted October 24, 2019 Share #6 Posted October 24, 2019 The LeClerc Trophy was the annual NATO infantry rifle team competition in those years (very similar to NATO tank competion in later years). In 1958, the 36th Inf (Butzbach)/3 AD represented all US inf teams in USAREUR and won the overall competition. Somewhere, I've got some pix - must dig them out. Stand bye....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptCav Posted October 24, 2019 Share #7 Posted October 24, 2019 And yes - that patch was made at what I refer to as "the patch place in Graf". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wake1941 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted October 24, 2019 Thank you ! Makes much more sense now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptCav Posted October 24, 2019 Share #9 Posted October 24, 2019 Some of you may remember COL Bill Dillingham, who was very active in ASMIC, for decades. In those years (1956ish), he served in the 11th Abn Div. One night over "a few beers" we got into a discussion over his soldiering in the 11th in Germany - he remarked it was THE best Abn unit he ever served in - said family life was non-existent - 110% hard corps soldering. They would come home from Graf - his wife was lucky if she could get his fatigues washed; then it was out to the field again for NATO field exercises. Ahhhh..... sweet memories of the old "brown shoe Army" I grew up in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted October 24, 2019 Share #10 Posted October 24, 2019 Thanks QED4 and CaptCav, Do we take it the LeClerc Trophy was named in memory of General LeClerc, the Nom de guerre of Philippe François Marie de Hauteclocque who died in an air crash in the line of duty in Africa in 1947? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptCav Posted October 24, 2019 Share #11 Posted October 24, 2019 Yes. I'm scrambling to find documents, re: Le Clerc trophy. It was a NATO competition, and I vaguely remember my dad was an evaluator in '58. US, Brits, Norway, France, and the brand new German Heer participated. After the 2/36 Inf won the competition, you would have thought they had won WWII again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptCav Posted October 24, 2019 Share #12 Posted October 24, 2019 My Bad.... it was 1957. The 1LT (to the right of the trophy) was the team CDR and was our next door neighbor. Can't remember his name.... 1957 was a long, LONG time ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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