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

[patches]

I've actually written a brief paper that I have somewhere on them. Yes, the separate battalions were corps level units! Even at reduced availability one battalion (as organized the ones in the reserves had four/five companies) could just about equip the infantry battle groups of a leg infantry division.

 

However, those divisions were also to have a tactical carrier company along with the truck companies in the division transportation battalion that could provide apcs for one battle group

Were these Carrier Companies within the Divisional Trans Battalions to provide APCs for Non Mechanized Infantry Battle Groups of Infantry Division? One think that Mechanized Infantry BGs specficallty the ones in Armored Divisions, would have APC organic too them, they would need to right, to tain with them constantly

[mysteriousoozlefinch]

Were these Carrier Companies within the Divisional Trans Battalions to provide APCs for Non Mechanized Infantry Battle Groups of Infantry Division? One think that Mechanized Infantry BGs specficallty the ones in Armored Divisions, would have APC organic too them, they would need to right, to tain with them constantly

 

Not too many mechanized infantry battle groups Army-wide in 1960 though. The whole tactical carrier unit concept was highly stop gap and caused constant problems, from what I've read. That's also why the two separate personnel carrier driver MOSes, I believe. One for mechanized BGs (the old armored infantry battalions and the new mechanized infantry) and one for the tactical carrier flagged units.

[patches]

 

Not too many mechanized infantry battle groups Army-wide in 1960 though. The whole tactical carrier unit concept was highly stop gap and caused constant problems, from what I've read. That's also why the two separate personnel carrier driver MOSes, I believe. One for mechanized BGs (the old armored infantry battalions and the new mechanized infantry) and one for the tactical carrier flagged units.

Check.

[patches]

Battle Babies. Though more like before they got that moniker as this photo was taken stateside before the 99th Inf Div shipped out overseas.

 

[seanmc1114]

Here's a new one to me showing once again that General Patton continued to wear the I Armored Corps SSI while in command of the Seventh Army during the campaign in Sicily. The photo caption reads: "Sicily Invasion, July 1943. Senior Army Commanders on board USS MONROVIA (APA-31) en route to Sicily, 7 July 1943. they are (l-r): Major General Geoffrey Keyes, Brigadier General Hobart Gay, Lieutenant General George S. Patton, CG, 7th Army. They are examining a 7th Army flag that had been presented to Patton and a first armored corps standard that had been presented to Major General Keyes.”

 

[seanmc1114]

Here's another anomaly. Major General Geoffrey Keyes raised and commanded the 9th Armored Division stateside from July to September 1942 before going to North Africa in November as deputy commander of the I Armored Corps under Patton. He remained under Patton as deputy commander of the Seventh Army during the invasion of Sicily and also commanded a provisional corps created ad hoc during that battle. Yet here is General Keyes wearing the 9th Armored Division SSI while talking with Italian Brigadier General Giuseppe Molinero at Palermo, Sicily, during the city's surrender ceremonies which would have been been July 22 0r 23, 1943. Why is he wearing the SSI of a unit that he had not served with in a year and which was still stateside?

 

[patches]

Here's another anomaly. Major General Geoffrey Keyes raised and commanded the 9th Armored Division stateside from July to September 1942 before going to North Africa in November as deputy commander of the I Armored Corps under Patton. He remained under Patton as deputy commander of the Seventh Army during the invasion of Sicily and also commanded a provisional corps created ad hoc during that battle. Yet here is General Keyes wearing the 9th Armored Division SSI while talking with Italian Brigadier General Giuseppe Molinero at Palermo, Sicily, during the city's surrender ceremonies which would have been been July 22 0r 23, 1943. Why is he wearing the SSI of a unit that he had not served with in a year and which was still stateside?

 

Wow remember seeing this photo in a book years and years ago, not a close up like this, the photo might of even been from a differat angle or something, the one thing I remember is what looked like the 9th Armd Div patch and always wondered why, note too the ribbons worn as well, in a field setting like most atypical.

 

 

Hey on a serious guess, maybe he was ordered to wear the patch or did it on his own accord to throw Axis Intelligence off, to make them think the 9th Armd Div was in the theater

[patches]

KMAG, 1963, South Korea, with a visiting Nat King Cole, I guess Cole was doing a USO gig.

 

 

[mconrad]

Grouping of related 2nd Army photos, probably from 1942-43, judging by the M1 helmet and campaign hat. I like how that one guy can switch from summer to winter without missing a beat.

[patches]

Excellent group of photos mconrad,

[mconrad]

44th Division, a New York and New Jersey organization, around 1925. I don't know the unit insignia, but it looks the same on everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

[patches]

44th Division, a New York and New Jersey organization, around 1925. I don't know the unit insignia, but it looks the same on everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

That has to be thee Youngest Top Sergeant we ever did see in he Interwar Period, Regular or National Guard, considering one sees old timers as both Privates and Sergeants with 20 or more years of service then, in fact they're all quite young .

[patches]

Best Candidate for the Sub Unit so far is the 156th Field Artillery Regiment New York National Guard.

 

 

 

[patches]

Best Candidate for the Sub Unit so far is the 156th Field Artillery Regiment New York National Guard.

 

 

 

That has to be thee Youngest Top Sergeant we ever did see in he Interwar Period, Regular or National Guard, considering one sees old timers as both Privates and Sergeants with 20 or more years of service then, in fact they're all quite young .

Here's a couple of Old Timers of the type we were talking about in the 30s, both Buck Sergeants of the 7th Infantry 3rd Division Vancouver Barracks Washington State.

 

[seanmc1114]

37th Infantry Division SSI worn by future Medal Of Honor recipient Rodger Wilton Young either prior to or very early in World War II. He served in the 148th Infantry Regiment, but it's hard to tell if that's the DUI's he is wearing.

[patches]

A John Farritor of the 3rd Marine Division, Farritor, who turned 100 in the summer, served 30 years in the Marines, 20 Active 10 Reserves to include Korea as an Artilleryman.

[patches]

phpltwIaYPM.jpg

A John Farritor of the 3rd Marine Division, Farritor, who turned 100 in the summer, served 30 years in the Marines, 20 Active 10 Reserves to include Korea.

 

 

 

 

 

After Korea

 

[patches]

After Korea

 

cmeom.jpg

And Today.

 

[seanmc1114]

143rd Transportation Command (formerly 143rd Transportation Brigade and later 143rd Sustainment Command). Note the sergeant is not wearing branch insignia and hi name tag is worn incorrectly above the pocket flap.

[patches]

Der Bingel on the USO, with some 7th Army and 4th Infantry Division troops in Germany circa 1952, 4th Inf Div patch can just be ascertained on the jovial Sergeant with the 1948 Reg stripes on.

 

[seanmc1114]

Third Army SSI worn by a member of the 320th Airborne Field Artillery. Although most of its lineage was with airborne divisions, from 1951 to 1957 the 320th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia. I assume that this photo dates from that period.

[seanmc1114]

A jump qualified engineer assigned to the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.

[patches]

Third Army SSI worn by a member of the 320th Airborne Field Artillery. Although most of its lineage was with airborne divisions, from 1951 to 1957 the 320th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia. I assume that this photo dates from that period.

Hmm No AIRBORNE tab over the 3rd Army patch, you figure there would of been right, considering the two or three what have you non airborne division units in the 50s that were on jump status and wore the tab.

[468abnarm]

Third Army SSI worn by a member of the 320th Airborne Field Artillery. Although most of its lineage was with airborne divisions, from 1951 to 1957 the 320th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia. I assume that this photo dates from that period.

When first enlarged I thought the Oval was a plastic encased one but the more I look at it the more I think it is one of the stamped Aluminum ones. Maybe younger eyes can take a look and chime in.

[patches]

A Thunderbird Twofer for tonight.

 

First up one Walter S. Wells post war late 40s, an Oklahoma National Guardsmen since 1940, An Infantrymen we see, but seems to be wearing MP discs, trendred to the MPs post WWII? Not sure if he served in the division in WWII or Korea, in many cases in both wars these guys were transferred out after federalization, during Korea he may not of served in Korea at all, maybe sent to say the 2nd Armored Division etc etc, He becomes an Officer sometime in the 50s and incredibly according to his 2013 OBIT retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1983!

https://matthewsfuneralhome.com/walter-scott-wells/

 

 

And Philip De Witt Ginder when he was a Brigadier General as Assistant Divisional Commander of the division in Korea, Ginder would be promoted soon to Major General at take command of the division.

 

Ginder is a very very interesting study, according to his Bio;s he was rated as militarily incompetent as C.O. of the 90th Infantry Division's 357h Infantry Regiment, one person called him "obtuse" and "full of boast and posturing" William De Puy says of him, he's"as close to being incompetent as it is possible to be." Ginder, he's relived of command under guard, whatever that means, YET, he apparently remains in the theater and is soon given command of another regiment!, you figure if he stunk up the place so badly he would of been shipped home right, given command of some ZI back water somewhere he SUXed so much, but no, he's given the command of the 121st Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division.

 

During the Battle of the Huertgen Forest the 121st Inf was mauled, mauled like all the rest of the units that went into the Forest, Ginder personally leads one attack himself at one point, and for that he wins the DSC, more over he takes over the 9th Infantry Manchu of the 2nd Infantry Division in 1945 in like March or April, doesn't sound like he SUXed that bad right

 

Well to see this and more on hm google his Bio.