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Tank Destroyer SSI and Insignia


Jim Baker
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No, I don't have seen an 8-wheel OD back yet... Even Kurt Keller in his "Emblems of Honor" (Armored) doesn't show one. ...Only a 4-wheel OD back in that book.

 

Hans

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Question on the cat insignia. Just saw Antique Roadshow last night and they had a cool WW1 poster of the Tank Corps. The appraiser said that the black cat was nicknamed "Black Tom" for the tank corps. Any body ever heard this B4 and wouldn't you think that the TD cat is the same fellow?

 

Just curious.

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Question on the cat insignia. Just saw Antique Roadshow last night and they had a cool WW1 poster of the Tank Corps. The appraiser said that the black cat was nicknamed "Black Tom" for the tank corps. Any body ever heard this B4 and wouldn't you think that the TD cat is the same fellow?

 

Just curious.

 

 

Thats true about "Black Tom". Don't know about the TD cat. Maybe a connection.

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Thats true about "Black Tom". Don't know about the TD cat. Maybe a connection.

 

 

37th guy and Jim,

 

Believe that" Black Tom" refers to a 1916 ammunitions explosion in Jersey City that rocked New York harbor and was believed to have been the work of German saboteurs. This along with the Lusitania sinking further pushed the US to join the war against Germany.Seems a fitting name for the US tank force mascot. Mort

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Thought I would show some variations of Tank Destroyer patches for my friend Erwin.

 

If you have others, please feel free to add them.

 

A Camp Hood patch. Sold in PX's.

This is not truly a shoulder sleeve insignia.........it is in fact the back of a PX mirror that the GIs bought for their loved ones. The large amount of glue (and possibly black "material'") along with the glued on braid is the sure indicator. Even at that I have found some variants of other patches produced for the same purpose stripped of the mirror and used on the uniform........these coming from impeccable sources.

 

Will

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This is not truly a shoulder sleeve insignia.........it is in fact the back of a PX mirror that the GIs bought for their loved ones. The large amount of glue (and possibly black "material'") along with the glued on braid is the sure indicator. Even at that I have found some variants of other patches produced for the same purpose stripped of the mirror and used on the uniform........these coming from impeccable sources.

Will

Will,

 

Just "a little late" in coming, but here is a photo that backs up your statement.

 

Jim

 

post-78-0-92346100-1374707623.jpg

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Here is a graduation program from June 25, 1943. It belonged to Officer Candidate Edmund George Reuter. The staples are just about rusted away, otherwise it's perfect.

 

I'm unable to scan, or I would send the names to you.

 

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post-78-1234623211.jpg

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Jeeper704

For my TD / Armor School display;

Bracelet of a Private James Roche, 129th Tank Destroyer Training (?) Battalion - TD RTC.
With shipping box date marked 1943.

Bracelet.
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Shipping Box.
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I like the personal note on the inside of the box.

Erwin

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Hi all,
Here is the first SSI I recently bought. As a militaria-collector of just about everything, I am now switching to SSI. My wife found this one very nice to start with. I am new to this forum and I am new to SSI (and I really appreciate all the hard work that has been put into it and all the detailed information - it shows). So I need all the help I can get from you 'old vets'. Here's what I bought. Any comments? Any additional information? The seller (a museum) claims it's WWII. Colors aren't as crisp as in the real thing... but that is probably different in every monitor...

cya, thx,

Bocage.

Tank Destroyer SSI - top: front-side / bottom: back-side

post-5589-0-43179500-1402424706.jpg

 

post-5589-0-00943700-1402424711.jpg

 

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A nice pair of unissued WW2 period TD officers' collar brass still on the retailer's card. The detailing on the half-track is very crisp.

 

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Here's some pictures sent to me by a neighbor of my grandmother's in Alabama. He drove a Stuart in the 805th TD Bn, from N. Africa all the way to the end in Italy. His name was Lucian Kendrick. Notice his collar devices are the more typical armor instead of TD. Now, the thing I can't figure out is what the heck is the DUI on his collar? I'll try to get a close-up for better identification, but so far, I've been unable to find anything similar. The family doesn't seem to have the insignia anymore, either.

Thanks,

G

 

post-297-1257994566.jpg Lucian Kendrick

 

post-297-1257994584.jpg This was his Stuart, but the tanker is unidentified.

 

post-297-1257994601.jpg

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...Looks like 1st Cavalry Regt DI; the SSI appears to be I Armored Corps, not 1st AD...

Ditto. The vet must have been wearing his old teams' colors on his going-home uniform.

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OMG! That looks almost exactly like the one Mr. Kendrick wore! Very, very nice! Would you be able to post or PM me a close-up of the DUI, please?
Thanks,
Gary

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Looks like 1st Cavalry Regt DI; the SSI appears to be I Armored Corps, not 1st AD.

 

 

Thanks for the ID on that DUI! :thumbsup: I would never have figured that out. You are very correct about the SSI in the pic. He was assigned to the 1st AD, though, but for how long, I know not. I've been wondering if he would have had the TD patch on the right shoulder (not shown in any of the pics I've got). I did have the pleasure of meeting him when I was much younger. He gave me one of his 1st AD patches (a green back!), and a small booklet for the Division recapping thier exploits, along with a very tiny (2x1 inch) pic of him by his Stuart. I had asked his wife had any other items of his I could have, but she said they had all been claimed by other family members, which was fine as long as they keep them in the family. One of the items I really, really wanted was a captured German paratroopers' helmet. :pinch: I do have a photo copy of both sides of his discharge papers. He was awarded the Army GCM, ETO medal with 4 stars, and the WWII Vic, but no American Campaign Medal (??), and was authorized the Driver/Mechanics Badge with "operator-S" bar, and rifle marksman device. Odd that he isn't wearing both on his uniform. Anyway, I learned he never actually got his medals, so I filled out the paperwork, sent it to his widow for signature, and the gov't sent her his medals. She was very pleased to say the least.

 

Thanks for your help guys!

Gary

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Similar to this one.

 

post-78-1258034008.jpg

The 1st Cavalry Regiment became the 1st Armored Regiment in 1940. From he Army Institute of Heraldry website:

 

"Distinctive Unit Insignia. Description: On a heraldic wreath Or and Tenné (Dragoon Yellow) a hawk rising with wings addorsed and elevated Sable and membered Gules—charged upon an eight-pointed Dragoon Yellow star surrounded by a Black sword belt bearing the organizational motto “ANIMO ET FIDE” with the old Dragoon belt plate of 1836. The insignia is 1 1/4 inches (3.18 cm) in diameter.

 

Symbolism: This Regiment was organized in 1833 as the Regiment of United States Dragoons. Many of its officers and men came from the Battalion of Mounted Rangers which had taken part in the Black Hawk War. The color of the Dragoons was Dragoon yellow (orange-yellow) and a gold eight-pointed star on the encircling belt was the insignia of the Dragoons until 1851. The motto translates to “Courageous and Faithful.”

 

Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 1st Cavalry Regiment on 27 November 1923. It was redesignated for the 1st Armored Regiment on 7 September 1940. It was redesignated for the 1st Constabulary Squadron on 11 June 1947. The insignia was redesignated for the 1st Medium Tank Battalion on 13 August 1951. It was redesignated for the 1st Tank Battalion on 18 February 1955. The insignia was redesignated for the 1st Cavalry Regiment on 21 April 1958. It was amended to change the wording of the description on 20 October 1965."

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