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

[patches]

5 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

 

I know the original is an old post, but I finally figured out what the deal is. On February 15, 1963, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 124th Infantry were assigned as elements of the 53rd Separate Infantry Brigade of the Florida National Guard. The members of the brigade ceased wearing the SSI of the 48th Armored Division and began wearing the Florida National Guard SSI. On March 1, 1964, the 53rd Infantry Brigade was redesignated the 53rd Armored Brigade, and members of the 124th presumably kept wearing the Florida National Guard SSI. The Institute of Heraldry shows a new SSI was approved for the 53rd Armored Brigade on December 4, 1964. However, The Florida Guardsman newsletter first mentions the approval and wearing of the new SSI in January 1966, so it's not clear how quickly the members of the 53rd switched from the Florida National Guard SSI to the new 53rd SSI. At any rate, based on all of that, I'm going to guess this soldier was assigned to the 53rd Infantry or Armored Brigade and the photo was taken sometime between February 1963 and January 1966. 

 

 

 

 

Good find Sean, now why no Blue Stuff? Seems in the 50s and 60s some Infantry in the NG wore it, seems some didn't. Or maybe as per the WAG, in that he didn't yet under go his formal training yet.

 

[patches]

3 hours ago, patches said:

Good find Sean, now why no Blue Stuff? Seems in the 50s and 60s some Infantry in the NG wore it, seems some didn't. Or maybe as per the WAG, in that he didn't yet under go his formal training yet.

 

I'll have o look in a few of those 50s National Guardsman Magazines I got. In example here's one Calif NG wearing the Blue. But in the mean time here's an example here's one Calif NG wearing the Blue in the early 60s.

 

 

 

While this whole Inf unit of the Ind NG in 1967 doesn't.

[BILL THE PATCH]

On 7 Dec 1941, a Congressman from Texas introduced a motion that the flag flying over the Capitol was to be preserved - and flown over Tokyo once the U.S. had defeated them.  When Germany and Italy declared war on the United States, the motion was amended to include Rome and Berlin.  This flag was subsequently raised over Rome (on 4 July 1944), Berlin (on 25 July 1945), and Tokyo (in September 1945) - as each was occupied by the U.S. Army.  President Truman raised the flag over what later became Clay Kaserne in Berlin when he was in the city for the Potsdam Conference.

In this photo (6 Apr 1948), "men of the Third Infantry Division [should read 3rd Inf Regiment], all World War II veterans, present the flag at the Capitol Plaza, Washington, D.C. It is being accepted by Senator Arthur Vandenberg."  The flag was 'lost' for several years, but later recovered and is now in the Smithsonian. 
 
Second photo (25 Jul 1945) shows Truman, Stimson, Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton, etc. at the flag raising ceremony in Berlin.
 
Third photo (4 Jul 1944) shows the flag being raised in Rome.
 
Fourth photo (early Sept 1945) shows the 1st Cavalry Division raising the flag over the reopened US Embassy in Tokyo.  It was not the 'first US flag' raised in Tokyo after the war - that was done several days earlier (3 Sept) by LT Bud Stapleton, who was chewed out by MacArthur for upstaging his planned event.  See last image for that 'first' flag raising in Tokyo.

Any info on the lieutenant?, He's wearing a jump jacket. Was he Airborne?

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[mysteriousoozlefinch]

59 minutes ago, BILL THE PATCH said:

Any info on the lieutenant?, He's wearing a jump jacket. Was he Airborne?

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11th Airborne Division Signal Corps officer.  Bernard Stapleton of Syracuse, NY.

[seanmc1114]

Ordnance Corps PFC wearing an Expert Infantryman Badge with the Seventh Army SSI. Note he also wears a Bronze Star ribbon. I would be interested in knowing the story of his military service. 

[Ranger-1972]

On 8/13/2020 at 1:59 PM, BILL THE PATCH said:

Any info on the lieutenant?, He's wearing a jump jacket. Was he Airborne?

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Notice on the 6 April 1948 color photo of the return to the Capitol of the national flag which had flown there on 7 Dec 1941, and then been raised over Rome, Berlin, and Tokyo, that the Army colonel on the far right (with back to the camera) is wearing riding breeches and riding boots with spurs.  The other officers in the same row on the steps of the Capitol all have on Military District of Washington SSI, and I presume he does as well - though I cannot blow up the picture with enough clarity to be sure.  Below is a photo from the other side of the Capitol, showing the officer on the right.  His SSI seems to be the Allied Force HQ patch (white AF on a blue background in a red circle).

 

In 1938, breeches were eliminated except for soldiers performing mounted duties (horse cavalry and horse artillery).  Once the cavalry and horse artillery were motorized / mechanized in 1942, breeches / riding boots were no longer authorized.  (Exceptions for general officers, like Patton, and for the US Constabulary in occupied Germany).  None of the officers are wearing Sam Browne belts, which had also been phased out at the start of the war.

 

[patches]

9 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

Ordnance Corps PFC wearing an Expert Infantryman Badge with the Seventh Army SSI. Note he also wears a Bronze Star ribbon. I would be interested in knowing the story of his military service. 

Those look like two American Flag pins on the lower lapels right!

 

[Ranger-1972]

On 8/17/2014 at 2:38 PM, seanmc1114 said:

Soldier of the 2nd Battalion 4th Infantry wearing the 56th Field Artillery Command SSI along with the PERSHING tab as well as Infantry blue shoulder chord and collar disc backing as well as the cloth 4th Infantry Regiment DUI.

 

The 56th Artillery Group (later 56th Artillery Brigade; later 56th Artillery Command) was the Pershing missile unit in Germany from 1964 until the missiles were withdrawn from service after the INF Treaty was signed.  The 56th consisted of three Pershing missile battalions (1-41 FA in Schwabisch-Gmund, 3-84 FA in Neckarsulm and Heilbronn, and 1-84 FA in Neu Ulm), plus an infantry battalion for local defense (2-4 Inf with companies in Heilbronn, Kornwestheim, and Neu Ulm), a chemical decon detachment, and a maintenance battalion.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the 2-4 Inf was one of only two infantry battalions attached to an artillery brigade in the entire US Army.  In the 1970s/80s, the 4-31 Inf was assigned to the Field Artillery School at Ft Sill, OK to support the combined arms training program for Field Artillery officers (there was also an armor battalion, and Marine officers attending the Field Artillery course commented that the Army had more tanks at Ft Sill than the entire USMC had at that time).  The 4-31 Inf was assigned to the Field Artillery School from 1971-78, then to the III Corps Artillery HQ at Ft Sill from 1978-82, then to the FA School's training support organization, the 214th FA Bde, from 1982-95.

[Ranger-1972]

On 8/18/2014 at 11:29 PM, patches said:

Right, on the NON wear of full color AA patches in the 70s up till the BDUs came out is something I never understood given the esprit de corps of the 82nd, even the lowly but dependable 5th Infantry Division continued wearing their famous Red Diamond patch in full color on fatique items when it was reactivated at Polk in September 1975, and continued to do so up till late 1981 when BDUs came out.

 

The 82nd Airborne Division tended to march to its own drumbeat.  In the mid-1970s, the 82nd Abn Div was wearing maroon berets, though they were not authorized by AR 670-1.  I (along with three other officers) was sent TDY to the Field Artillery Survey Officer's Course at Ft Sill, OK (target acquisition and surveying in artillery batteries were taught there) in spring 1974.  All of us young lieutenants from the 82nd Abn DIVARTY were told when we arrived that we were not permitted to wear the maroon berets while at Ft Sill.  We initially told them to pound sand - we were TDY and not assigned to Ft Sill.  When the Ft Sill IG called the 82nd Abn DIVARTY commander (who was then-Colonel "Mad Max" Thurman) to complain, COL Thurman told the IG to pound sand -- his paratroopers definitely WERE going to wear the beret.  In 1979, when General Bernard Rogers (CSA) rescinded the authority for the 82nd Abn Div to wear maroon berets, there were funeral ceremonies on the parade ground to bury those berets before donning the dreaded baseball caps.  That only lasted until November 1980, when the maroon berets were authorized once again.

[Ranger-1972]

On 9/23/2015 at 11:23 PM, Teamski said:

...

 

Colonel Thomas S. Gunby, Executive Officer, 17th Airborne Division Artillery (photo likely taken in the fall of 1944 in England, prior to the division deploying to fight in the Battle of the Bulge).

17th Division Artillery Commander was BG Joseph V. Phelps

 

[Ranger-1972]

On 9/23/2015 at 11:23 PM, Teamski said:

,

 

Colonel John W. Paddock, Commanding Officer, 155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 17th Airborne Division (photo likely taken in the fall of 1944 in England, prior to the division deploying to fight in the Battle of the Bulge).

[Ranger-1972]

Correction - Lieutenant Colonel John W. Paddock.

[seanmc1114]

Infantry School SSI with AIRBORNE tab. Note he is wearing the 75th Infantry DUI on a Ranger Department flash. This soldier's bio shows he served with the cadre of the 3rd Ranger Company of the Ranger Department from 1974 to 1975.

[seanmc1114]

Officers of the 33rd Infantry Division from the units 1941-1942 yearbook. Here is a link to a digital copy of the book: https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1181&context=ww_reg_his

 

Of interest is that all of the officers including the commanding general appear to be wearing DUI's of their respective units on their overseas caps in the photos in the book rather than their rank insignia. 

[seanmc1114]

Commanding general of the 33rd Infantry Division in World War I.

[seanmc1114]

Commanding general of the 33rd Infantry Division between wars.

[TFH]

On 8/16/2020 at 9:50 PM, Ranger-1972 said:

 

Colonel John W. Paddock, Commanding Officer, 155th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, 17th Airborne Division (photo likely taken in the fall of 1944 in England, prior to the division deploying to fight in the Battle of the Bulge).

Hi,

photo realized at Camp Mackall, circa 1943.

TFH

[Ranger-1972]

On 3/3/2017 at 8:58 AM, seanmc1114 said:

I understand they would now, but were women assigned to combat units, even in support roles, in the 70s?

In 1978, I had a female sergeant assigned to the Service Battery I commanded in Germany (1st Infantry Division Forward).  She was from the Division Support Command element -- and attached to my supply section.  She went with my unit to the field just like everyone else in the battery.

[seanmc1114]

Soldiers and sailors of a Joint Assault Signal Company wearing their respective services' Amphibian Forces SSI.

[Ranger-1972]

On 9/25/2017 at 7:57 AM, seanmc1114 said:

Soldiers wearing the 2nd Infantry Division SSI on their karate uniforms while meeting Muhammad Ali

In the 1970s, Tae Kwan Do was a mandatory part of physical training throughout the 2nd Infantry Division (along with the standard push-ups, sit-ups, and run).  At least in the direct support Field Artillery battalion I was in, we had one or more Black Belt KATUSA soldiers in each battery.  Soldiers could take additional Tae Kwan Do lessons on their own time after duty hours.  Many units had Tae Kwan Do teams, and there was competition across the division.  Guessing these two are winners of one of those tournaments.  Muhammed Ali made a 3-day trip to Korea in late June 1976, including a visit to Camp Casey in Tondgucheon.  The 2nd Division commanding general, MG Brady, gathered 2,500 soldiers in Camp Casey's Schoonover Bowl to hear Ali talk.  Ali then did a 5-minute round with SP4 Gerald Noble (age 28) who had been the heavyweight champion at Michigan State in 1967.  He also spared with PFC Larry Rice, a welterweight.  In this photo (from Stars & Stripes), Ali is presenting a trophy to winners of the Division's Martial Arts competition.

 

During the Vietnam War, Korea had been the forgotten theater (even though troops who ventured north of the Imjin River still got hostile fire pay).  MG Hank "The Gunfighter" Emerson worked to improve morale.  We ended up wearing the 2ID patch on all sorts of non-military articles of clothing (as well as full-color patches depicting DUIs).  Emerson earned his nickname by wearing a "Buntline special" revolver rather than the standard General Officer 9mm semi-auto pistol.  This is a photo of him as XVIII Airborne Commander after he left Korea.

[Ranger-1972]

On 10/27/2017 at 7:25 AM, seanmc1114 said:

124th Army Reserve Command worn in 1978. Either this guy earned his CIB with the 2nd Infantry Division on Korea during the 60s or he is older than he looks if it was earned during the Korean War.

 

By the way, he was posing for a picture for a story about his patch collection that appeared in the April 1978 issue of Soldiers magazine.

2nd Inf Div soldiers could earn the right to wear the division patch as a combat unit shoulder sleeve insignia from 1968 to 1973 if they served north of the Imjin River (e.g., adjacent to or within the DMZ).  In 1973, hostile fire pay was discontinued for Korea.  Soldiers qualified for HFP if they were assigned north of the Imjin River during a given month.  After six months of HFP,  they earned an overseas bar for wear on their Class A uniform, and the right to wear the 2nd ID patch on their right sleeve when they departed Korea.

[seanmc1114]

USARV SSI with a gold on black AIRBORNE tab worn on dress greens. The soldier, 2nd Lt. Tom Dostal, was killed in action on August 25, 1969. He was an artillery forward observer with Battery D 2nd Battalion 13th Artillery, a composite unit formed with three howitzers from B Battery 2/12th Artillery and three howitzers from A Battery 2nd Battalion 13th Artillery. D Battery supported the 3rd Mobile Strike Force Command a/k/a Mike Force, so that may be the reason for the AIRBORNE TAB. 

 

The second picture also shows him wearing the USARV SSI with no AIRBORNE tab and no jump wings. Since he was killed in action, it's possible he had the USARV SSI sewn on his greens before departing for Vietnam.

[seanmc1114]

Here's a confusing one. The soldier is assigned to the 194th Armored Brigade and is wearing the DUI of the 1st Cavalry Regiment. He appears to be wearing an Infantry blue shoulder cord and backing discs, but not he is wearing enlisted Ordnance Corps branch insignia on his collars and officer Cavalry branch insignia on his Stetson hat. He served 1969 to 1977 and had an 11B MOS, so this is definitely one of those crazy mid-70's uniform/insignia combinations.    

[patches]

3 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

Here's a confusing one. The soldier is assigned to the 194th Armored Brigade and is wearing the DUI of the 1st Cavalry Regiment. He appears to be wearing an Infantry blue shoulder cord and backing discs, but not he is wearing enlisted Ordnance Corps branch insignia on his collars and officer Cavalry branch insignia on his Stetson hat. He served 1969 to 1977 and had an 11B MOS, so this is definitely one of those crazy mid-70's uniform/insignia combinations.    

A weird one for sure, it was D Troop 10th Cavalry that was the brigade Recon elemt, see how he's also wearing the citation ribbons for the Navy PUC, the Korean PUC and the Filipino PUC, No elemts of the 1st Cavalry Regiment was awarded a Navy PUC, the unit's predecessor was in the MTO in the 1st Armored Division in WWII not out in the Pacific, 1st Cav Regt was not in Korea, then in Vietnam, no Navy PUC. Those other two foreign PUCs are only worn by old timers who where in when their unit was awarded them.

[seanmc1114]

Two pictures of Matthew Ridgway as a major general in command of the 82nd Infantry Division or perhaps early in his command of the 82nd Airborne Division, most likely sometime between June and August 1942. At any rate, the AIRBORNE tab is not yet being worn. Note the men in the khaki uniforms with Gen. Ridgway are wearing black ties and 82nd SSI on their chests along with some kind of patch on their caps. I'm guessing they are World War I veterans of the division visiting the division at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.