50th Supply Squadron Patch-USAAF or early USAF?

[SSI Guy]

Picked this one up at a junk store this weekend for $3.00.  Have not been able to locate much information...fully embroidered, cut edge, snowy back.  

 

Any info on unit, era, and area of operation is greatly appreciated.

[Bluehawk]

Not 100% certain, but I think that unit must/could have been attached to the 50th FBG or 50th TFW, stationed at Hahn AB, West Germany. To me, an comparative amateur, the patch "reads" correct to that era... nice heraldry, whatever it turns out to be.

 

"United States Air Forces in Europe

North American F-86F-30-NA Sabres of the 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron flying over Germany. Serial 52-4656 is in front.

Airmen of the 50th Field Maintenance Squadron pose in front of one of their aircraft, North American F-86H-10-NH Sabre serial 53-1451 of the 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, Toul-Rosières Air Base, Summer 1956

 

The 50th FBG deployed to Hahn on 10 August 1953, during Operation Fox Able 20. This marked the first mass flight of an entire tactical fighter wing from the United States to continental Europe. The ground echelon of the wing sailed from Galveston, Texas, to Bremerhaven, West Germany aboard the USNS General M. B. Stewart, From Bremerhaven, ground echelon moved by rail to its new home at Hahn AB, completing the journey in August 1953 and rejoined the air echelon.

At Hahn Air Base, the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing was assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), Twelfth Air Force (12th Air Force). The 50th FBW became the first tactically operational Air Force wing in Twelfth Air Force's jurisdiction.

 

Arriving at Hahn AB, the 50th delayed unpacking all but its mission-critical cargo and put off other routine activities to participate immediately in Exercise Monte Carlo. The purpose of this staged combat employment drill was to illustrate the power and capability of the European allies' air defense forces. During the brief operation, 50th FBG's air crews flew 124 simulated aggressor combat sorties, including 52 in only four hours.

 

In line with a stepped-up training program, which USAFE initiated in 1954, 50th FBW aircrews spent six weeks at the Wheelus Air Base range in Tripoli, Libya, to improve their air-to-air combat and ground attack skills. Demonstrating their prowess in both facets of their mission, the F-86F crews of 50th FBW flew 3,062 effective sorties in those six weeks and scored higher in both air-to-air and air-to-ground events than any other unit assigned to 12th Air Force.

By 1955, USAFE had initiated an annual, command-wide aerial gunnery competition at the Wheelus Field ranges. During the first such event, held July 30, 1955, the "straight shooting" pilots of 50th FBG more than duplicated their achievements of the previous year, taking top honors in the command.

 

While the victory at the gunnery competition was still fresh, the group began modernizing its aircraft fleet. The first of the new F-86H Sabres arrived at Hahn AB Oct. 21, 1955. Conversion continued throughout the winter of 1955 and spring of 1956, ending in May.

 

New aircraft would not be the only change for the personnel of the 50th, however. With the conversion to the newer F-86H nearly complete on April 15, 1956, the wing began a move to Toul-Rosières Air Base, France. The 417th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, under the command of Lt. Col. Charles "Chuck" Yeager, was the first of the group's squadrons to relocate. This movement took most of the summer of that year.

 

The Group reported it was mission-ready at Toul-Rosiere August 1. Almost immediately, USAFE chose the 50th to represent the command at the Air Force Fighter Weapons Meet at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Personnel returned to more routine duties, training and participating in various air defense exercises. The sense of normality, however, was brief: The 50th Fighter-Bomber Group inactivated on 8 December 1957. USAFE reassigned the group's subordinate squadrons—the 10th, 81st and 417th Fighter Squadrons—directly to the wing. Similarly, the 50th Maintenance and Supply Group inactivated, and its squadrons were reassigned to the wing. Only the 50th Combat Support Group remained intact, later expanding its responsibilities to include transportation, comptroller and procurement functions..." 

 

Source:

https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/50th_Operations_Group 

 

 

[SSI Guy]

Bluehawk:

 

Thanks for the thought-provoking reply--this does seem like a likely scenario.  I appreciate the link.  While I love the actual collecting and acquisition of insignia, there is a whole bunch of knowledge acquisition that might be just as fun and interesting.

[Randy]

This is 50th Tactical Fighter Wing era at Hahn, circa 60s-70s. The TFW replaced the FBW in July of 1958.  The history provided above pre-dates this patch, though it is informative of the early years. The patch is German made, and was worn in the color format until 1980, when subdued patches were mandatory.

[SSI Guy]

Thanks, Randy!

 

I love the fact that such an old school design lasted so long.  Is that typical for USAF patches  ( I don't collect them and am used to seeing the shield shaped, Command type patches )? 

I am curious:  did the USAF move to merrowed edges in the same approximate time frame as the Army?  Would this patch also come in a merrowed version?

 

Regarding the German origin:  What about this construction points to that fact?  Did German manufacturers ever move to merrowed edges?

 

Thanks for your help!

[Randy]

Yes, many USAF patches are still using WW 1 designs, though somewhat modified. I have seen USAAF patches using merrowed edges in WW 2, and have lots of 1950s units with them. Though yours in a cut edge patch, never saw this one merrowed. I know it's German as I have handled these before, it would be hard to explain correctly without a whole tutorial though. German patches were rarely merrowed until they started doing some computer makes in the early 90s as far as USAF goes, though one company in Augsburg did do merrowed USAF unit patches since the 60s. A you can probably see, there are no black/white answers, it's all gray!

 

Randy

[SSI Guy]

The hardest part of this hobby certainly is the "gray area"...but the quest for clarification and enlightenment is enjoyable.  I know about the BeVo patches and their obvious differences but the fully embroidered German patches look to be an interesting rabbit hole.  Thanks again for the info on this particular patch.

[Randy]

Go to: https://usmilitarypatches.com/us-air-force/ 

I run the USAF part, and you can view all the patches in the gallery (over 30,000) without registering. You'll see all kinds of variations there.

 

Randy

[Steindaddie]

I bought a couple of these color 50th Supply Squadron patches at the Hahn military clothing sales store in the early 80's. Even though they had already gone subdued, there were apparently at least a few color ones still in stock. It was dirt cheap, so no doubt they were just selling off what was left. (Note: this gives me an idea for a USAF patch topic)

[SSI Guy]

Steindaddie:

 

Don't leave me hangin'--what's your idea for the USAF topic?  Are you gonna run with it?

[Randy]

Here's the subdued one BTW...

 

Randy