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US Infantry School


Tonomachi
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Based on the design of this patch it has something to do with the US Army Infantry School. I don't have dimensions but it looks to have the older flatter profile merrowed edge. Did the Infantry School field a marksmanship team or maybe ROTC?

post-1389-0-15836000-1577340720.jpg

post-1389-0-90732400-1577340751.jpg

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Tonomachi,

 

I have only ever seen this patch used as a parachute oval (background trimming) from the 1960's-70's. Cadre wore this with an Infantry School SSI with a blue nd white airborne tab above.

 

The Airborne School cadre became 1/507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the early 1980's as I recall and the cadre went to the blue and white oval (instead of using the original colors of black with an orange border).

 

Allan

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I have this patch in two sizes, I was told when I got them that the larger one was worn on the hat and the smaller one was worn on the blue scarf at the Infantry School. Can't confirm that any farther than what I was told but have no reason to doubt it.

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Tonomachi,

 

I have only ever seen this patch used as a parachute oval (background trimming) from the 1960's-70's. Cadre wore this with an Infantry School SSI with a blue nd white airborne tab above.

 

The Airborne School cadre became 1/507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the early 1980's as I recall and the cadre went to the blue and white oval (instead of using the original colors of black with an orange border).

 

Allan

Allen, this item has been listed in every Oval reference book I have ever owned. However, I have never seen one with pin holes or ghosting of wings on them. And I have never seen a photograph of the Blackhats wearing this. Do you have any photos or reference material to help support the notion that this is a background trimming.The only other "story" I have ever heard was that they worn sewn on the ball caps of supporting instructors at the Infantry Center. Would like to resolve this one once and for all some day.

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Tonomachi,

 

I have only ever seen this patch used as a parachute oval (background trimming) from the 1960's-70's. Cadre wore this with an Infantry School SSI with a blue nd white airborne tab above.

 

The Airborne School cadre became 1/507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the early 1980's as I recall and the cadre went to the blue and white oval (instead of using the original colors of black with an orange border).

 

Allan

Allen, this item has been listed in every Oval reference book I have ever owned. However, I have never seen one with pin holes or wing ghosting on it. Do you have any reference material or photographs showing the Black Hats (or anyone else) wearing this as an Oval? The only other "story I have ever heard about it is that it was sewn on the ball caps of supporting instructors at of the Infantry Center. Would like to resolve this one once and for all one day.

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Member the Bear would know, he was a Instructor at the jump school in the 70s-early 80s, he hadn't been online in a long time, came back briefly in October, but not again since then.

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Member the Bear would know, he was a Instructor at the jump school in the 70s-early 80s, he hadn't been online in a long time, came back briefly in October, but not again since then.

He logged in today, but is offline now, shot him a PM on this, hopefully he'll be checking in soon again, and will look in.

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Hi Patches, thanks for the PM.

The Airborne Department didn't wear them, they wore the standard light blue oval with jump wings. I do remember seeing this patch on the light blue scarfs and on the side of helmet liners worn by some Infantry School Instructors but I can't say where they worked, it was a big brigade. I don't remember seeing it displayed on hats although they might have it on hats from an earlier time frame before they wore pin-on rank. Not knowing the size of the posted patch, I would hazard to guess that it was displayed on the hat and the wearer put his jump wings on the top of the oval. There is no impression of pin-on rank which leads me to the theory that it was used before the rank was required.

 

BEAR

I will not be able to respond to any further inquiries for a couple of weeks, my wife has been hospitalized.

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Hi Patches, thanks for the PM.

The Airborne Department didn't wear them, they wore the standard light blue oval with jump wings. I do remember seeing this patch on the light blue scarfs and on the side of helmet liners worn by some Infantry School Instructors but I can't say where they worked, it was a big brigade. I don't remember seeing it displayed on hats although they might have it on hats from an earlier time frame before they wore pin-on rank. Not knowing the size of the posted patch, I would hazard to guess that it was displayed on the hat and the wearer put his jump wings on the top of the oval. There is no impression of pin-on rank which leads me to the theory that it was used before the rank was required.

 

BEAR

I will not be able to respond to any further inquiries for a couple of weeks, my wife has been hospitalized.

We Thank You for the detailed reponse, and we hope your wife gets better and everything works out.

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I belong to a couple of facebook groups of old Blackhats. I posted the picture of the oval requesting any knowledge of this oval at Ft. Benning. We will see what they have to say.

 

Wife is undergoing surgery tomorrow to remove her gall bladder so I will be busy next couple of days.

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I guess my vague memory of seeing this insignia at Benning is just the disjointed ramblings of an old fool.

So I posted an inquiry about this patch on two sites dedicated to former and current Blackhats (Airborne Instructors). I received 15 responses from former instructors going back to the 60s. NO ONE remembers seeing this patch. Most think it was created by a civilian company to be worn on off duty clothes but there were some guesses about what it could have been used for.

One particular theory was very intriguing. All instructors assigned to Ft. Benning are required to go through the Trainer Development Course (TRADEP) to be considered as qualified instructors. Upon graduation they are awarded a badge that hangs from their shirt pocket (shown below). No instructor could teach or demonstrate in Infantry Hall without this badge. It was nick-named the "Push to Talk" badge. One of my old friends suggested that the oval shown could possibly have been a predecessor to this badge. Purely speculation, but interesting speculation.

post-15-0-71387600-1578446689_thumb.jpg

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Thanks for everyone's input in their efforts to identify and/or confirm the identification of this patch. Here is a photo showing the size of this piece which is approximately 2 1/2" by 1 3/4".

 

 

post-1389-0-53134600-1578516136_thumb.jpg

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