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

[seanmc1114]

First style Army Recruiting Service SSI from a 1940 magazine. 

[seanmc1114]

40 year veteran of the Army and Air Force wearing the Army Air Forces SSI with a tab. The article refers to his assignment to the Continental Air Command, but it looks like the first word on the tab is AIR. Perhaps AIR DEFENSE COMMAND, AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND or AIR MATERIAL COMMAND?

[seanmc1114]

Army Ground Forces SSI worn by paratroopers, two of whom are wearing ovals behind their jump wings. From the August 1948 issue of Army Life magazine.

[seanmc1114]

Korean Military Advisory Group from the April 1948 issue of Army Life. According to wikipedia, the Korean Military Advisory Group did not exist under that name until July 1, 1949 when it replaced the Provisional Military Advisory Group which itself was only established on August 15, 1948. As best I can tell, when this photo was published, General William F. Dean on the left was the commander of military forces in South Korea, deputy to Lieutenant General John R. Hodge, commander of the United States Army Military Government in Korea. So I'm not completely sure of the exact designation of this particular SSI at this particular time. 

[seanmc1114]

Longer serving Master Sergeant of the Army Service Forces in 1946. 

[Ranger-1972]

53 minutes ago, seanmc1114 said:

40 year veteran of the Army and Air Force wearing the Army Air Forces SSI with a tab. The article refers to his assignment to the Continental Air Command, but it looks like the first word on the tab is AIR. Perhaps AIR DEFENSE COMMAND, AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND or AIR MATERIAL COMMAND?

 

MSGT Horst Tittel (or Tittle) was born in Leipzig in 1884.  Enlisted in the Coast Artillery Corps in 1908. Transferred to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps in 1917.  Served as a captain in WWI (reverting to MSG at the end of that war).  Served as a lieutenant colonel in WWII (reverting to MSG at the end of that war).  This photo must have been taken before 1948, when overseas service bars were moved from the left sleeve to the right sleeve of the uniform jacket.  Tittle continued to serve during the Korean War, retiring in 1958 at the age of 74, after completing 50 years' service in uniform.  He was at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, as his last duty assignment.  General LeMay (then Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force) presided over his retirement ceremony at the Pentagon.  Died in 1975 at age 90.

 

[seanmc1114]

Army Air Forces with ARMY AIRWAYS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM tab

[seanmc1114]

First Army SSI worn by what I believe to be a Master of the Army Mine Planter Service.

 

 

[seanmc1114]

Member of a Constabulary unit wearing the 4th Armored Division SSI from which command many of the Constabulary units derived.

[seanmc1114]

Troop Carrier Command

[Ranger-1972]

6 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

First Army SSI worn by what I believe to be a Master of the Army Mine Planter Service.

 

 

 

Spot on.  It's extremely rare to find a photo of a Warrant Officer in the Mine Planter Service wearing their service dress uniform.  He is wearing the pre-war (1940) version of the officer's service coat, with the side plaits from the shoulder seam down on each side of the rear of the coat (this was done away with in 1942 to save cloth as the Army expanded).  He is also wearing the cloth belt on the coat.  I know that British, Canadian, and Australian Warrant Officers wore the Sam Browne belt, and that the 1921 US Army uniform regulations called for it to be worn by "all officers," but I've never seen a photo of it being worn by a U.S. warrant officer.  In any event, wear of the Sam Browne belt was rare by 1941 and officially discontinued as of 1942.

 

The Army Mine Planter Service (AMPS) was formally established in January 1920 under the Army’s Coast Artillery Corps (CAC). Its job was to maintain and emplace command-detonated sea mines in defence of strategic US coastal waters -- such as the approaches to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, or San Francisco Bay. For this it had boats and shore stations around those locations. It was technically not a "minelaying" service, because their mines were laid only on demand and were cabled for retrieval; friendly ships could even pass over them under watch of the AMPS operators.  The official Mine Planter Service emblem itself was authorized in August 1920. In Army heraldry it was a “submarine mine with maneuvering ring up,” attached under the crossed-cannons-and-shell insignia of the Coast Artillery Corps.  Warrant officers in the AMPS wore this as collar insignia (1" high) from January 1920. However, all Army warrants were ordered to take off their branch insignia that same November, leaving only the “U.S.” letters.  In 1921 the AMPS warrant officers were ranked by cuff stripes like those of maritime officers, and likewise divided into line and engineer duty.  The AMPS was disestablished in 1951.

 

It's odd that he is wearing the First Army SSI rather than the SSI of one of the Coast Artillery districts.

 

US Army Mine Planter Frank (MP-12) was commissioned in 1943. The overseas service bar worn on the left sleeve of the Master Mine Planter was not approved for wear until June 1944 (and was switched to being worn on the right sleeve in 1948). The Ike jacket didn't become standar issue until November 1944.  This photo must date between the end of 1944 and 1951.

 

[seanmc1114]

Infantry sergeant wearing the U.S. Army Alaska SSI in 1946. Note the article from the January 1947 issue of Army Life identifies his rank as Technical Sergeant and his position as post Sergeant Major of Fort Richardson, Alaska. Also note that his World War II service was as First Sergeant of the 78th Infantry Division Defense Platoon.

[seanmc1114]

First Sergeant Lawrence Lambert wearing the Army Air Forces SSI and Parachutist Badge with background oval while serving with the Personal Equipment Laboratory at Wright Field, Ohio in 1947. Any idea what the oval would have been?

[seanmc1114]

First sergeant and combat infantryman recruiter of the 2nd Service Command

[seanmc1114]

Air Force NCO wearing the Fourth Army SSI on his left sleeve and first style Army Recruiting Service patch on his pocket in a photo from December 1950 magazine issue. 

[seanmc1114]

Col. Julian B. Lindsey, CO of the 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War, wearing the SSI of the 3rd Infantry Division to which the 65th was attached along with a 3rd ID bib

[seanmc1114]

Several senior NCO's reenlisting in the Regular Army. Photos from the September and October 1945 issues of Army Life. First photo shows the 9th Service Command; second photo shows U.S. Army Alaska; third photo shows the 3rd Service Command and the last photo shows Army Service Forces.

[seanmc1114]

Hawaiian Division from a 1938 issue of Army Recruiting News.

[seanmc1114]

Hawaii Coast Artillery Brigade

[seanmc1114]

1st Infantry Division SSI from a 1939 issue of Army Recruiting News.

[seanmc1114]

Army Reserve officer wearing the 99th Infantry Division SSI from a 1938 issue of Army Recruiting News.

[seanmc1114]

3rd Infantry Division from a 1938 issue of Army Recruiting News.

[seanmc1114]

2nd Infantry Division from a 1938 issue of Army Recruiting News.

[seanmc1114]

8th Infantry Division from a 1935 magazine. The photo ID's the soldier as being assigned to thew 12th Infantry Regiment, but the 12th was only assigned to the 8th ID until 1927 after which it was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division.

[seanmc1114]

Corporal of the 31st Infantry Regiment wearing the Philippine Department SSI. From a 1935 magazine.