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


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First Allied AIrborne Army. Note the officer has a combat jump star on his jump wings. I can't make out the colors of his oval. The information I have says he previously served with the 101st Airborne Division.

First Allied Airborne Army.2.jpg

First Allied Airborne Army.1.jpg

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14 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

Unknown Chinese Army patch.

 

"Captain Robert E. Erisman wearing a military uniform. He spent 13 months of duty attached to the Chinese Army. He was assigned as a veterinary officer to look after the pack mules and horses used by General Li's army. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Erisman. Captain Erisman played halfback on the Ernest Parker Junior High football team in 1925-1926, was on the Polytechnic High team in 1927-1928, and was graduated in 1929. He worked his way through Texas A&M and was graduated there in 1937, practicing at Ennis as a veterinarian until he was called to active duty in the Army in 1912. He went to China in September, 1943. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram morning edition, November 5, 1944."

Date Created: 1944-11-03

Unknown.Chines.1.jpg

Unknown.Chines.2.jpg

Do believe that there is the Ledo Road patch Sean, the Theater Made types came in a lot of different variations.

 

Here are but two of the many seen.

ledo.jpgwwii-patch-bullion-ledo-road-patch_1_717ab415bff42507806d893430c3e7c1.jpg

And your Standard U.S. Made Fully Embroidered Version.36587-1.jpg.7dda0827cdedd545a1e837cf0d05b0b5.jpg

 

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BILL THE PATCH

The one in the picture had a dark bdr, it may be the o'd bdr varietion.

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easterneagle87
2 hours ago, patches said:

Do believe that there is the Ledo Road patch Sean, the Theater Made types came in a lot of different variations.

 

Here are but two of the many seen.

ledo.jpgwwii-patch-bullion-ledo-road-patch_1_717ab415bff42507806d893430c3e7c1.jpg

And your Standard U.S. Made Fully Embroidered Version.36587-1.jpg.7dda0827cdedd545a1e837cf0d05b0b5.jpg

 

 

I don't agree. I believe it is a CBI patch. The object on the left is a circle (Nationalist Chinese symbol, the object on the right is a star) 

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9 hours ago, patches said:

Do believe that there is the Ledo Road patch Sean, the Theater Made types came in a lot of different variations.

 

Here are but two of the many seen.

ledo.jpgwwii-patch-bullion-ledo-road-patch_1_717ab415bff42507806d893430c3e7c1.jpg

And your Standard U.S. Made Fully Embroidered Version.36587-1.jpg.7dda0827cdedd545a1e837cf0d05b0b5.jpg

 

 

6 hours ago, easterneagle87 said:

 

I don't agree. I believe it is a CBI patch. The object on the left is a circle (Nationalist Chinese symbol, the object on the right is a star) 

I considered both, but I don't think it's either. The photo caption says he served with General Li's army. I'm thinking it may actually be an SSI for a Chinese Army formation, but I can't find any good online references for those.

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Theater made 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion

 

"Private First Class Paul F. Wheeler is a cannoneer with the the 83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion. He spent three years in Europe and captured a German colonel in Mannheim, Germany. Private Wheeler won the Bronze Star for the outstanding performance. He recently returned from Germany to spend leave with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Wheeler, in Fort Worth, Texas. After leave, Private Wheeler will report to San Antonio, Texas, for discharge. He is shown standing against a wall, dressed in his military uniform.

Date Created: 1945-09-17"

83rd_Chemical_Mortar_Battalion.1.jpg

83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion.2.jpg

83rd Chemical Mortar Battalion.3.jpg

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My first thought wa that these soldiers are wearing the SSI for Merrill's Marauders. However, the photo caption indicates the picture was taken at the June 1945 ceremony in Texas where the Medal Of Honor was posthumously awarded to Lt. Jack L. Knight who earned the medal while serving with the 124th Cavalry Regiment attached to the Mars Task Force. Assuming these are soldiers who served with him, I guess these would be Mars Task Force patches they are wearing. But note that the green and blue segments of the shield on the patch appear to be reversed from the standard version shown below. Also note that all three are wearing different style khaki shirts, including the one in the middle without flaps on the pockets.   

Mars Task Force..1945.Medal Of Honor Ceremony.jpg

Mars Task Force.2.jpg

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Soldier on the right is wearing a 36th Infantry Division SSI with the France War Aid patch on his right sleeve. He also seems to be wearing an officer's khaki shirt.

 

"Participating in the Elks Club Bond Rally were Private Robert Borden and Technical Sergeant Odell Collins, of McCloskey Hospital. Both men are wearing their military uniforms. There are trees in the distance. Date Created: 1945-06-14"

36th Infantry Division.France Patch.jpg

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Master Sergeant William C. Coleman, a liaison pilot assigned to the China-Burma-India Theater, at home on leave - March 1945.

CBI.Liaison Pilot.jpg

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General Jonathan Wainwright wearing the Eastern Defense Command SSI in December 1945 and the Fourth Army SSI in March 1946. 

Eastern Defense Command.Wainwright.2.jpg

Fourth Army.Wainwright.jpg

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"Pictured here are five wounded veterans from McCloskey General Hospital at Temple, Texas. From left to right, are First Lieutenant (Lt.) Cullen E. Cole, First Sergeant (Sgt.) Harry J. Banan, Private (Pvt.) Robert Thank Knittel, Corporal (Corp.) Lee W. McBride and Private First Class (Pfc.) Thomas F. McNeely. All are dressed in military uniforms and wearers of the Purple Heart. Corporal (Corp.) McBride is standing with the aid of a walking cane. They are lending their help Fort Worth back the attack in the Fourth War Loan campaign. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram morning edition, February 7, 1944."

 

Note the Army first sergeant wearing a first design of the 2nd Marine Division SSI and a parachutist wearing an 82nd Airborne Division SSI with no AIRBORNE tab.

2nd Marine Division.Army.jpg

 

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BILL THE PATCH
Soldier on the right is wearing a 36th Infantry Division SSI with the France War Aid patch on his right sleeve. He also seems to be wearing an officer's khaki shirt.
 
"Participating in the Elks Club Bond Rally were Private Robert Borden and Technical Sergeant Odell Collins, of McCloskey Hospital. Both men are wearing their military uniforms. There are trees in the distance. Date Created: 1945-06-14"
1501268309_36thInfantryDivision.FrancePatch.jpg.9f75b58a6086e8ca92e6c937dc7ec122.jpg
The other guy is wearing a 96th div patch with 6th army. Nice photo

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BILL THE PATCH
"Pictured here are five wounded veterans from McCloskey General Hospital at Temple, Texas. From left to right, are First Lieutenant (Lt.) Cullen E. Cole, First Sergeant (Sgt.) Harry J. Banan, Private (Pvt.) Robert Thank Knittel, Corporal (Corp.) Lee W. McBride and Private First Class (Pfc.) Thomas F. McNeely. All are dressed in military uniforms and wearers of the Purple Heart. Corporal (Corp.) McBride is standing with the aid of a walking cane. They are lending their help Fort Worth back the attack in the Fourth War Loan campaign. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram morning edition, February 7, 1944."
 
Note the Army first sergeant wearing a first design of the 2nd Marine Division SSI and a parachutist wearing an 82nd Airborne Division SSI with no AIRBORNE tab.
1740974420_2ndMarineDivision_Army.jpg.d2807a2ad7330f17cafd1bd97ff45c57.jpg
 
Another great pic, if you look three of them have abn wings.

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You been posting some incredibly fantastic photos lately Sean, can not believe the diversity of services and units, as well as the sensational crispness and overall quality of the photos.

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Pvt.McNeely ,82nd Airborne appears to have lost all his fingers on his left hand.Except for the cane on Cpl.McBride you can not tell they are fresh from hospital.They made it home.

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20 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

Soldier on the right is wearing a 36th Infantry Division SSI with the France War Aid patch on his right sleeve. He also seems to be wearing an officer's khaki shirt.

 

"Participating in the Elks Club Bond Rally were Private Robert Borden and Technical Sergeant Odell Collins, of McCloskey Hospital. Both men are wearing their military uniforms. There are trees in the distance. Date Created: 1945-06-14"

36th Infantry Division.France Patch.jpg

 

15 hours ago, BILL THE PATCH said:

The other guy is wearing a 96th div patch with 6th army. Nice photo

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If the date of the photo - June 1945 - is correct, neither the 96th nor 36th Divisions had returned to the U.S. yet. Both soldiers are wearing Purple Heart ribbons. I'm betting they were home on convalescent leave.

 

I did notice the patches worn by the soldier on the left. He is wearing a Combat Infantryman Badge as well as an Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbon with three campaign stars and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two battle stars. The 96th Division was only entitled to two campaign credits - Leyte and Ryukyus (Okinawa). I'll bet the Sixth Army combat patch signifies service with the Alamo Scouts in the Philippines and that he later transferred to the 96th while it was in the Philippines then went with the 96th to Okinawa.

 

Also note the soldier on the right is wearing large Navy style ribbons and has the Legion of Merit, a medal rarely awarded to NCO's.  Maybe he served as some sort of liaison between the 36th Division and French troops during and after the invasion of Southern France.

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