Unusual 1st Cav patch. Looking for input.

[Chris]

I just bought this and don't have it in hand yet. So these are the best photos I have right now. I am not sure if this is a Japanese made variation, or an unofficial division sub unit patch, or what? Has anyone seen one of these before? 

[tredhed2]

1st time seen for me.  It is JM for certain ca. 1951

 

You have a couple of ways to look at this one - as a war dog (ISDP) patch or 112th RCT. There are some not-realistic-looking horses for the 112th. 

[Airborne-Hunter]

For whatever reason, this one reminds me of 112th Cav Reg

[vintageproductions]

There is a chemical sentry dog unit that looks very similar

[ocsfollowme]

Sold by a collector/dealer with a German made Kelly Green 45th Division patch in the mix = random patches. Maybe email the seller if they have any info on the grouping. For size references, here is a photo of the lot. I doubt it is a 1st Cav variation as they like their large patches. 

 

Neat pick up. JM for sure. 

[Chris]

Yup, that's the lot I bought. I just found this one really intriguing. I never thought about a dog unit. Since it was accompanied by the 1st Cav, I just thought maybe this was a JM example where a lot of artistic license was taken. But the dog suggestion is a great thought. I'll see if the seller has any info.

[Chris]

Bob, do you have any photos of the chem dog type you are referring to? Thanks

[Chris]

Maybe the 267th Chem Co.?

[Airborne-Hunter]

I'm not sure what the unit is, but Bob speaks truth.

[Chris]

I think Bob nailed it. It looks like this was the patch for security-dog platoon members of the 267th Chem Co. It is early 60s. The 267th was involved in the top secret biological weapons activities in Okinawa. etc. They earned a MUC for 18 operations they either conducted or supported in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Attached is a picture of the sign outside their dog / handler training area. Thanks for the lead. 

[ocsfollowme]

 

[Chris]

That patch actually appears on the web too. I think there is likely variation in these patches depending on who made them (locally), and when. The 267th moved around some in the Okinawa region. They were there for many years, and deployed to Vietnam twice. So, these could very well be variations of the same patch made by different makers. 

[Ray42]

Not an expert, but my 2 cents I think it looks more like the 112th cav patches I have seen. The yellow cav background probably has some influence in that opinion but it seems more similar to a 112th missing the rest of the horse body than the dog plt example that was shown. Either way the maker took liberties with the design and it’s an amazing patch.

[Chris]

You may be right. But the enlongated neck seems deliberate. If you look at a doberman in profile, the resemblance is very, very strong. And the head is narrower, top to bottom, than a horse. Excluding the bulk of the horse ( chest and outstretched front legs) seems a ptetty radical and unlikely departure from the 112th design. Sadly, seller had no info at all. He bought these at an estate auction in PA. So, another one of those mysteries to work on...

[Ray42]

To be fair I’m pretty sure there are varieties of the first Cav patch that people say looks more like a dog than a horse. The silhouette ends up pretty similar even on a good design.
I do agree that this would be a pretty extreme departure from a normal 112th patch to exclude the rest of the body. It would also be a departure from the “1” square patch with a German Shepard head”, too bad we don’t know if anyone in the unit had a larger one made to look like a unit patch. 

[Chris]

Well, it arrived today, and after actually seeing it, I'm even more stumped. Here are sime better pics. And the last one shows it beside a standard 1st Cav SSI for scale. It's a beautiful patch, but I have no idea what it could be.