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Need help with Alaska Defence Cmd. Ike .


davekj
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Picked this up the other day and have been looking for the article I read some time ago about the the ribbon on the shoulder strap . I can not remember what it was for . Guess I'm getting old . Any help would be Great !!

Thank You !!!

Dave

post-1733-0-33075900-1577724271.jpg

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Trevor M. Larson

4th infantry regiment. All three battalions had different deployments in Alaska in ww2. The Alaska tab Im not sure if its a ww2 thing

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Thank You Both very much !! I was thinking unit crest but was not sure . I think it was in a ASMIC catalog I saw it .

Thanks Again !!

Dave

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It probably was worn when the 4th Infantry was in Alaska in the late 40s into the 50s, before it was assigned to the 71st Infantry Division. At this time it was a Regimental Combat Team, it had on the books it's own shoulder patch HERE, but like most Regimental Combat Team patches I don't think it was worn.

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notinfringed

Here are a few photos from my collection showing members of the 4th infantry stationed here in Fairbanks Alaska. While I am not sure of the exact dates, I believe these are early to mid 1950s photos. In the first picture, you can see the shoulder insignia being worn on a shirt. The Clipboard on the left reads "Status Report 3rd Bn 4th Inf". The second photo shows a sign with the unit insignia.

post-2011-0-75036200-1577927345_thumb.jpg

post-2011-0-04277800-1577927358.jpg

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Here are a few photos from my collection showing members of the 4th infantry stationed here in Fairbanks Alaska. While I am not sure of the exact dates, I believe these are early to mid 1950s photos. In the first picture, you can see the shoulder insignia being worn on a shirt. The Clipboard on the left reads "Status Report 3rd Bn 4th Inf". The second photo shows a sign with the unit insignia.

attachicon.gif4th inf.jpg

attachicon.gif4th inf2.jpg

Fairbanks, then this would be Ladd correct?

 

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notinfringed

Fairbanks, then this would be Ladd correct?

 

That is correct. In the late 40s to late 50s, Ladd was occupied by both the Army and the Air Force. The land Ladd was on was owned by the Army, and from what I have heard, the Air Force paid rent to the Army. At the same time, the Air Force was building up Eielson Air Force Base (a short distance away, past North Pole, Alaska). The Air Force made the official switch over to Eielson in 61, and Ladd was renamed Fort Wainwright by the Army.

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notinfringed

Here is another shot from the same group of photos. This shows a parade in downtown Fairbanks. The helmet liners bear the insignia of the 4th Infantry Regiment as well.post-2011-0-72585900-1577949843_thumb.jpg

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notinfringed

Thanks notinfringed, great photo of the parade, maybe the Golden Days Parade, I marched in the 1981 one :D

 

That is possible. I'm not sure how far back the "Golden Days" parade goes, but it still happens every year. I did have an old timer tell me that in Fairbanks used to have a "military appreciation" day in the 50's or 60's. It was complete with a parade and military equipment being set up downtown. I have a few photos of what I believe to be this event. It looked amazing, and I wonder why the quit doing it.

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Yep ! They had $99 on it but came down to 60 . I bought a few things that day ( not military related ) .

Did you see the constabulary uniform there also ? It was ( If I remember right ) $80 on it just for the jacket .

Dave

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...

Hello fellows. I am a casual collector of Korean war and early Cold War militaria and I have need of your expertise. I hope this is appropriate as it involves an Alaskan Army defense command “bear patch.”

 

Maybe some of you could explain how this happens!

 

How did an Army patch end up on an air

force Ike jacket? Also, I never saw these transitional enlisted prop/wing insignia in silver before. At list one of them is definitely sterling. The only ribbon on the uniform was the army good conduct. 
 

I am no expert but this does not have the look of feel of a “frankenjacket.”  The only thing I added was the US collar insignia.  I await the debate!  Thanks fellas!

 

 

51742477-C9CD-46CE-9DA9-EC9010AA59E0.jpeg

9C013B33-F652-4433-A9C5-59C06815C107.jpeg

EDFCF1E3-AE75-4899-86B7-4D6EBEE25E56.jpeg

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What year is that Ike, 1949? Could be a legit transitional, SSIs were authorized for several years after the introduction of Air Force blue. 

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easterneagle87

There are a lot of examples of army patches being placed on these early AF transitional jackets. In the early days as the AF set their standards for how the uniform should look there was a bit of a mis-mashing of insignia. + I think it looks cool. Some even had overseas bars on the cuffs.  There are other forum posting that show these examples, I just can't locate it quickly.  Is this an Ike style or full length jacket. 

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easterneagle87

I just saw the other post and , yes, it is an ike. A good looking jacket. With addition of the patches, it sure makes it look pretty!   

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7 hours ago, InchonJoe said:

Hello fellows. I am a casual collector of Korean war and early Cold War militaria and I have need of your expertise. I hope this is appropriate as it involves an Alaskan Army defense command “bear patch.”

 

Maybe some of you could explain how this happens!

 

How did an Army patch end up on an air

force Ike jacket? Also, I never saw these transitional enlisted prop/wing insignia in silver before. At list one of them is definitely sterling. The only ribbon on the uniform was the army good conduct. 
 

I am no expert but this does not have the look of feel of a “frankenjacket.”  The only thing I added was the US collar insignia.  I await the debate!  Thanks fellas!

 

 

51742477-C9CD-46CE-9DA9-EC9010AA59E0.jpeg

9C013B33-F652-4433-A9C5-59C06815C107.jpeg

EDFCF1E3-AE75-4899-86B7-4D6EBEE25E56.jpeg

Check out these two large topic here Joe, lots of great stuff, and with ones with the shoulder patch. On yours this man maybe just assighned to Alaska Air Command, and wears this patch as an alternative organizational shoulder patch. Those bottom colar discs are rare, these are usually seen only in Brass not Silver, the Brass ones were worn in what is called the "Transitional" period.

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/5846-post-wwii-50s-60s-us-air-force-uniform-photos/

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/57923-part-ii-early-us-air-force-transitional/

 

 

 

 

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