Patches in action: Photos of SSI being worn by the troops.

[Forum Manager]

I will make this short and to the point so that there is no mis-understandings.

If you post a image that you have "lifted" out of a book or off of a different website, give them credit.

If the photo is from ASMIC, list the Trading Post, the issue it is in, and the author of the article.

If you pull a image off of a dealers website, credit the website.

When you pull images out of a military yearbook or Veteran's website, give them credit.

This should be common sense. The person(s) have worked hard on writing & publishing their books, websites, blogs, etc. Give them the credit they are due.

[seanmc1114]

Via vetfriends.com, this shows SP5 Gary Johnson, HHC 2d Brigade 25th Cu Chi, RVN 1968 wearing all locally made insignia including a nice U.S. Army Photographer patch on his right sleeve.

 

You can see the faint outline of where a Specialist 4 patch used to be on the sleeve below the photographer patch. He probably removed the sew on rank patches when he was promoted to SP5 and replaced them with the beer can insignia seen in the picture.

[2Dogs]

South East Asia Command.

[Wailuna]

This Doughboy’s patch was worn by officers and enlisted men assigned to AEF Regulating Stations and Railheads. This SSI was elaborately color-coded to geographically denote the locations of specific stations and railheads but that’s no help with a black and white picture (see H. Ross Ford’s book for more on SSI of the AEF 1918 − 1919).

 

 

Although its not another SSI, this soldier also wore an insignia of rank on his right sleeve that is rarely seen on the hoof. He was longtime railroad man before the war who evidently knew his stuff as indicated by this high Army rank: Master Engineer (junior grade), which was at the second highest grade of enlisted rank at that time (see Emerson’s book on chevrons).

 

 

Link here for source of pictures.

 

 

 

 

[patches]

The 1st Coast Artillery District as seen on this 181st Infantry Soldier. This from the Name that Patch topic, after a bit of a back and forth and an error on my part, the patch has been IDed as the 1st CA Dist.

 

 

[Wailuna]

Here is another G.I. from an “orphaned” Infantry regiment that temporarily was assigned to the WWII version of “homeland defense” before being sent into actual combat in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The regiment was 111th Inf. which was triangularized out of 28th ID ca. Feb. 1942, and assigned to Eastern Defense Command and then attached to Chesapeake Bay Frontier Defense Sector until ca. Oct. 1943 when it shipped out the PTO (this pix. is reposted from here).

 

[patches]

Thats an interesting version of that patch, Wool? Solid Yellow background? isn't this the standard version?

 

3rd Coast Artillery District (Chesapeake Bay) approved like all the rest of the CA Dist patches June 1941.

 

[Salvage Sailor]

From my Hawaiian Division photo archive - Don't believe I've posted this one before

 

64th CAC telegraphy training at Fort Shafter, Territory of Hawaii, 1925 (note instructor at left foreground sending message to be copied).

 

[Salvage Sailor]

Detail from photo - both officers and enlisted personnel wearing the 'HD' patch

 

[Salvage Sailor]

US Army Air Corps - 6th Aero Squadron

Luke Field, Territory of Hawaii, 1920

 

[firefighter]

US Army Air Corps - 6th Aero Squadron

Luke Field, Territory of Hawaii, 1920

 

 

 

Very cool shirt.I wouldn't mind having that one.

[Wailuna]

Thats an interesting version of that patch, Wool? Solid Yellow background?

 

Here is the opinion of the person who I.D.ed the patch in the original post:

 

"The SSI in the photo does appear to be either emb on melton wool or printed on some other type of background material." (link here)

 

And here is an enlargement of the patch, which supports the observation (above) that it was made of nonstandard materials. As for the color scheme weirdness, that seems to have been a common outcome in a lot of old B&W photos (something to do with the type of film and processing techniques in those ancient times).

 

[patches]

 

Here is the opinion of the person who I.D.ed the patch in the original post:

 

"The SSI in the photo does appear to be either emb on melton wool or printed on some other type of background material." (link here)

 

And here is an enlargement of the patch, which supports the observation (above) that it was made of nonstandard materials. As for the color scheme weirdness, that seems to have been a common outcome in a lot of old B&W photos (something to do with the type of film and processing techniques in those ancient times).

 

DSCN5651.jpg

 

Right Wailuna, but I not seeing that Trefoil Motif under the Shells, could this be blanked out because of the angle, it does seem that the shells are embroidered on a Solid Disc, a Yellow one I imagine.

[seanmc1114]

Here's an interesting one. A full color Americal Division SSI worn on the left shoulder of a soldier of the 196th Infantry Brigade whose full color SSI is worn on the right pocket. Also note he is wearing full color rank stripes and the gold on black U.S. Army tape, all on an OG-107 utility shirt. This is a very unusual insignia/uniform combination for this late in the war, which is late 1967 at the earliest.

[patches]

Bob Hope taking a break back stage on the European leg of his 1970 Christmas Tour has a light moment and a smile with a 15th Military Police Brigade Policeman, Frankfurt or Mannheim (I forgot where)West Germany.

 

 

[heftaa01]

Wailuna amazing picture of a wartime 111th soldier while assigned to Coastal Defense duty! There was a similarly badged tunic such as this for sale on ebay for a member of the 111th regiment's band about a year ago. This is the first picture of a soldier from the regiment wearing this SSI I have ever seen.

[Wailuna]

Another visitation from the strange afterlife of the Hawaiian Cadre patch: The Tec. 5 seated far right is wearing one at the Military Intelligence Training Center, Camp Ritchie, Maryland, where this picture was taken ca. January 1946, some 2-½ years after the Hawaiian Cadre was permanently disbanded at Camp Mackall, North Carolina, in July 1943. The Hawaiian Cadre was an Infantry unit (and no women were assigned Hawaiian Cadre while it existed).

 

 

[patches]

XIX Corps - 3rd design. The officer appears to have a combat jump star on his Master Parachutist wings and is only wearing ribbons for Vietnam service. Maybe he jumped in Operation Junction City with the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Yep, this officer is Allen C. Dixon Jr. he listed as being in Co A (admin), 173rd Abn Bde, not sure what that means.

 

He's listed here

 

 

Co A (Admin), 173d Abn Bde

 

 

 

 

Dixon, Allen C. Jr

MAJ

077363

Co A (Admin), 173d Abn Bde

[Wailuna]

This WAC wears SSI for Africa-Middle East Theater ca. 1945. She was a truck driver in Egypt, hauling cargo between Alexandria and Cairo (link here).

 

 

[seanmc1114]

SP5 Bernhard Broker wearing a huge shoulder cord and white bib with 8th Infantry Division SSI and either an Airborne or Honor Guard tab while a member of the 1st Brigade (Airborne) 8th Infantry Division Honor Guard. He was assigned to the 1st Platoon 8th Military Police Company. Not sure if that's the unit represented by the Airborne oval.

[firefighter]

Sean.Great pic.The oval looks yellow and green.Probably for the 8th MP CO? Para badge, CMB and Svn SF wings, wow.Looks like the tab on the scarf has HONOR GUARD.

[seanmc1114]

WAC assigned to the First Allied Airborne Army

[seanmc1114]

A couple of females wearing the Fourth Air Force SSI

[seanmc1114]

WAC wearing the Fifth Service Command SSI

[seanmc1114]

WAC assigned to the Ninth Air Force