max0073 Posted June 19, 2020 Share #1 Posted June 19, 2020 Gentlemen, I recently added this jacket to my collection. The airborne tab was in one pocket and there is the trace of a round chest patch as well as a laundry # H-3890 I wonder if someone would help me in identifying the soldier by looking in the regiment that had a round chest patch. I could provide the size of the patch if that could be of any help. I've looked into the roster I have Thanks in advance, Best, Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted June 19, 2020 Share #2 Posted June 19, 2020 Let's see if I can help you narrow it down a little. The following units had round pocket patches- 502nd PIR 504th PIR 506th PIR 507th PIR 508th PIR 511th PIR 513th PIR 541st PIR 542nd PIR 460th PFA 462nd PFA 307th Engineers Not to mention the generic "US Army Paratrooper" patch. There are some rarer pocket patches too, but let's stick with the more common to start. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share #3 Posted June 19, 2020 Hello Allan thank you for yoyur reply. Much appreciated. As I am not a patch guy, all had patches of similar size ? I did not find a match into the 507th, 511t & 513th but I don't have the rosters for the others. Do you know where I could find them online by any chance ? thanks, Best, Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share #4 Posted June 19, 2020 Not found in the 82nd : http://marketgarden1944-2014.pre-jump.nl/82-airborne-men.html Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InfantryCollector Posted June 19, 2020 Share #5 Posted June 19, 2020 Hi Max, You may want to take a look here as well. http://wwii-enlistment.com/search/?asn=&laundryNumber=H-3890&forename=&surname=&state=&county=&birthYear=&search=Search Good Luck! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share #6 Posted June 19, 2020 Hi John indeed, I built an excel file crossing the name+surname from this website with the rosters I have. Then if I have a match, I go to the 2nd surname to see but no match so far on the rosters from 82nd (complete ?) and 17th. thanks, Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kadet Posted June 20, 2020 Share #7 Posted June 20, 2020 The link that was posted for the 82nd is a great resource but is far from complete. It only covers the infantry formations, and even those are missing names, especially later war guys. You should also look at the 13th Airborne Division. There is a searchable version of the unit history online. As Allan said, the round "United States Paratroops" patch was often worn on the M42 jacket and these came in blue for infantry and red for artillery. Additionally, officers used the same type of laundry number sequence as enlisted men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted June 20, 2020 Share #8 Posted June 20, 2020 Looking at the tab also, because it is black and yellow, it would either be 13th, 17th, or 101st Airborne Division or Airborne command. That should help narrow it down some more. Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 22, 2020 Author Share #9 Posted June 22, 2020 Hello Hunt, all this is a very logical thought and I must admit that looking into the 82nd roster could have been a waste of time indeed. I have 2 questions here - is the blue or red paratrooper generic patch the same size than regimentals ones ? I don't have any in my collection so I was thinking the size could help to narrow down - do tabs differ between divisions ? I need to take better pictures of this one but it does not look like any of the 101st patches variant from M. Bando website. best, Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted June 22, 2020 Share #10 Posted June 22, 2020 Yes they are the same sz, here are two examples of generic abn patches. They also come with gliders. Abn regt patched could be a little larger I suppose. Depends on mfg.Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan H. Posted June 22, 2020 Share #11 Posted June 22, 2020 On 6/20/2020 at 5:00 PM, huntssurplus said: Looking at the tab also, because it is black and yellow, it would either be 13th, 17th, or 101st Airborne Division or Airborne command. That should help narrow it down some more. Hunt I don't know how big a "waste" of time it would be checking 82nd units as both the 507th and 508th were assigned to the 2nd Airborne Brigade prior to being attached to the 82nd for Operation Overlord. The patch features a black and yellow tab. As an aside, the tab doesn't look like a "full size" tab that would fit over a 101st eagle, so you might rule out the 101st and the 17th. Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted June 23, 2020 Share #12 Posted June 23, 2020 Are 13th Airborne Rosters online? Definitely would be worth it to look there, like Allan said, it does look a little smaller. 13th Airborne would probably be the best next step. Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share #13 Posted June 23, 2020 Hello, nothing in the 13th airborne roster found online Any idea where I could find the 13th by any chance ? thank you, Best, Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted June 23, 2020 Share #14 Posted June 23, 2020 Abn tab looks like maybe abn cmd? Or the 13th.Sent from my moto g(7) play using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share #15 Posted June 23, 2020 Hello, thank you ! the tab really looks like this one: Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray42 Posted June 23, 2020 Share #16 Posted June 23, 2020 4 hours ago, max0073 said: Any idea where I could find the 13th by any chance ? https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/180/ Here is a link to the 13th Airborne unit history is that what you were looking for? The book is searchable although I believe that it does not include all members only those who were present at the time the Unit history was published in 1946. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share #17 Posted June 24, 2020 Hello Ray, this is the one I have spent some time on yesterday, thank you ! There was almost a match but unfortunately only an homonym from another state thanks Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zad82nd Posted June 26, 2020 Share #18 Posted June 26, 2020 Max, Hold the patch side sleeve up to the light, and see if there is a trace/outline or stitch marks below where the tab was. That could possibly help with narrowing it down. v/r James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max0073 Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share #19 Posted June 26, 2020 Hi James, thanks for following-up on that ! I've already tried that but let me check once again ! Best Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuts44 Posted June 26, 2020 Share #20 Posted June 26, 2020 Unfortunately you may be looking for a needle in a stack of needles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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