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

[patches]

U.S. Army Pacific.

 

Robert C Richardson Jr

[patches]

Bruce Clark when he was commander U.S. Army Pacific.

[patches]

John E. Hull when he was commander U.S. Army Pacific.

[seanmc1114]

106th Cavalry Group in World War II

[seanmc1114]

Maroon berets with flashes and DUI's of the 327th Infantry worn with the SSI of the 6th Infantry Division with AIRBORNE tabs. The Facebook caption by the member who posted this photo states: "A shout out to all my brothers in arms that served with me in Charlie Company, 2nd Batallion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska '84-'85." 

 

Wikipedia's entry for the 327th Infantry states: "In Alaska the existing infantry battalions of the 172nd Infantry Brigade were reflagged as the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions, 327th Infantry, with the three "C" companies' back on airborne status, thus reactivating the lineages of the former companies D, E, and F, 327AIR. The rotational program was later abandoned and the Alaska-based battalions were reflagged again, leaving only the Fort Campbell-based battalions with 327th designations.

 

When the 172nd Infantry Brigade (Separate) was inactivated and replaced by the newly re-activated 6th Infantry Division (Light) in 1986; the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions, 327th Infantry were also inactivated and replaced by the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry (Fort Richardson, AK); and the 4th and 5th Battalion, 9th Infantry (Fort Wainwright, AK)."

 

Two points. First, if Wikipedia is correct, the Facebook reference to the 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry would be incorrect. If you look closely, the flashes in the photo do appear to have tick marks more reflective of those shown in the second photo for the 4th, 5th or 6th Battalions. They look like 5th Battalion to me.

 

Second, it would appear that the lineage of the 327th Infantry units in Alaska continued for some period after the 172nd Infantry Brigade was replaced by the reactivated 6th Infantry Division. 

[Ranger-1972]

20 hours ago, patches said:

John E. Hull when he was commander U.S. Army Pacific.

 

The very long ribbon he is wearing on the bottom row is the Republic of China's Order of the Cloud and Banner (Grand Cordon), also known as the Order of the Resplendent Banner.  It is red on each end and white in the center.  General Hap Arnold, General Chenault, General 'Chesty' Puller, and General Westmorland earned one as well, but I've never seen a picture of that being worn on a U.S. Army officer's uniform.

 

He had also earned (but is not wearing) the Brazilian Order of Military Merit (Grand Officer), the Most Excellent order of the British Empire (Commander), the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, the Philippine Legion of Honor (Commander), and the Peruvian Military order of Ayacucho (Commander).

 

By 1955, he had earned five Distinguished Service Medals, the Silver Star, and the Legion of Merit (the first three ribbons he is wearing in the top rows).  He is wearing four campaign stars on his WWI Victory Medal.  He also wears the Meritorious Service Medal, American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Korean Service Medal, and what appears to be the Good Conduct Medal (he and his football teammates and football coach at Miami University enlisted in 1914 -- Hull was commissioned after completing Officer's School in 1917), though it is out of order.

[Buffalo Grunt]

19 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

 

 

Some Charlie Airborne pictures (C 1-17 Infantry .. Circa 1987)

 

 

 

19 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

Maroon berets with flashes and DUI's of the 327th Infantry worn with the SSI of the 6th Infantry Division with AIRBORNE tabs. The Facebook caption by the member who posted this photo states: "A shout out to all my brothers in arms that served with me in Charlie Company, 2nd Batallion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 172nd Infantry Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska '84-'85." 

 

Wikipedia's entry for the 327th Infantry states: "In Alaska the existing infantry battalions of the 172nd Infantry Brigade were reflagged as the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions, 327th Infantry, with the three "C" companies' back on airborne status, thus reactivating the lineages of the former companies D, E, and F, 327AIR. The rotational program was later abandoned and the Alaska-based battalions were reflagged again, leaving only the Fort Campbell-based battalions with 327th designations.

 

When the 172nd Infantry Brigade (Separate) was inactivated and replaced by the newly re-activated 6th Infantry Division (Light) in 1986; the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions, 327th Infantry were also inactivated and replaced by the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry (Fort Richardson, AK); and the 4th and 5th Battalion, 9th Infantry (Fort Wainwright, AK)."

 

Two points. First, if Wikipedia is correct, the Facebook reference to the 2nd Battalion 327th Infantry would be incorrect. If you look closely, the flashes in the photo do appear to have tick marks more reflective of those shown in the second photo for the 4th, 5th or 6th Battalions. They look like 5th Battalion to me.

 

Second, it would appear that the lineage of the 327th Infantry units in Alaska continued for some period after the 172nd Infantry Brigade was replaced by the reactivated 6th Infantry Division. 

 

[Buffalo Grunt]

3 hours ago, Buffalo Grunt said:

 

3 hours ago, Buffalo Grunt said:

Some Charlie Airborne pictures (C 1-17 Infantry .. Circa 1987)

 

 

 

 

 

[seanmc1114]

This photo came from a Facebook group showing members of the 39th Infantry Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard, which was paired with the 101st Airborne Division in the 70's and 80's as a training partner. I'm not sure if the 39th was technically a roundout brigade of the 101st, but its members did wear their authorized SSI on their left sleeve and the 101st SSI on their pocket. 

 

The soldiers were assigned to Troop E 151st Cavalry and you can just make out the SSI of the 39th Infantry Brigade on the two soldiers on the left. However, note that the soldier in the center is wearing the SSI of the 48th Infantry Brigade of the Georgia National Guard on his left sleeve with the 101st SSI on his pocket. I'm not aware of any affiliation between the 48th and 101st as the 48th was a roundout brigade of the 24th Infantry Division.

[seanmc1114]

Two NCO's of Troop E 151st Cavalry of the 39th Infantry Brigade with 101st Airborne Division SSI on their pockets. Note that the sergeant on the left wearing the OG-107 uniform has a full color 101st SSI while the sergeant on the right wearing newly issued BDU's has a subdued 101st SSI.

[seanmc1114]

Battalion commanders of the 39th Infantry Brigade of the Arkansas National Guard.

 

[seanmc1114]

Battalion commander of the 39th Infantry Division of the Arkansas National Guard, probably in the mid-60's before the division was converted to a brigade and authorized a new SSI.

[seanmc1114]

278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (formerly the 278th Infantry Brigade between 1973 and 1977).

 

[seanmc1114]

3rd Infantry Division between World War II and Korea

[FlyNavy02]

Brigadier General Thomas Seelye Arms (1893-1970) was the Chief Instructor at the Infantry Training Center at Kweilin, China when he was photographed at his desk on 16 June 1944. He was wearing a khaki shirt with a locally made Chinese Combat Training Command SSI attached with snaps (see detail image). BG Arms became the first commander of the 5332nd Brigade (Provisional), the MARS Task Force, on 26 July 1944. He was injured in a motor vehicle accident and replaced by BG John P. Willey on 31 October 1944.

 

[seanmc1114]

Green beret with generic Special Forces flash worn by a colonel of the 165th Infantry Brigade.

 

 

 

 

 

[seanmc1114]

Members of Company A 1st Battalion 509th Infantry at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas wearing only RANGER and white on blue AIRBORNE tabs with no organizational SSI. 
 

Note the first sergeant is wearing the I Field Force Vietnam SSI with AIRBORNE tab as a combat patch.

 

[Rhscott]

On 1/6/2023 at 9:05 AM, seanmc1114 said:

Two NCO's of Troop E 151st Cavalry of the 39th Infantry Brigade with 101st Airborne Division SSI on their pockets. Note that the sergeant on the left wearing the OG-107 uniform has a full color 101st SSI while the sergeant on the right wearing newly issued BDU's has a subdued 101st SSI.

That photo makes my eye twitch. 1980 or later with white tapes and color patch plus the SSG that has a blouse too short and has never met a iron or starch.

[Rhscott]

10 minutes ago, seanmc1114 said:

Members of Company A 1st Battalion 509th Infantry at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas wearing only RANGER and white on blue AIRBORNE tabs with no organizational SSI. 
 

Note the first sergeant is wearing the I Field Force Vietnam SSI with AIRBORNE tab as a combat patch.

 

Sharp!!  Well done.

[seanmc1114]

23 minutes ago, Rhscott said:

That photo makes my eye twitch. 1980 or later with white tapes and color patch plus the SSG that has a blouse too short and has never met an iron or starch.

I don't think it's a white name tape. I think it's just an extremely faded olive green cotton tape. I have seen many like that before and sometimes the lighting can make them appear even lighter in a photo.

 

And in his defense, even the 101st was still wearing full color SSI on the left sleeves of their fatigues into the early 1980's.

[easterneagle87]

43 minutes ago, seanmc1114 said:

Members of Company A 1st Battalion 509th Infantry at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas wearing only RANGER and white on blue AIRBORNE tabs with no organizational SSI. 
 

Note the first sergeant is wearing the I Field Force Vietnam SSI with AIRBORNE tab as a combat patch.

 

 

Can you zoom in on the 1SG's name plate? Can you ID him? 

[easterneagle87]

49 minutes ago, easterneagle87 said:

 

Can you zoom in on the 1SG's name plate? Can you ID him? 

 

Confirmed! 1SG Guthrie was a senior ROTC instructor at Eastern Washington University. At the time he was MSG. That guy looked like he could kill you with his glare. Super knowledge! He got rotated out when he wanted to stay. We were fortunate to have him.    

[seanmc1114]

Ryukyus Command SSI worn by members of the 75th Infantry Regiment on Okinawa.

[easterneagle87]

24 minutes ago, seanmc1114 said:

Ryukyus Command SSI worn by members of the 75th Infantry Regiment on Okinawa.

 

 Looks like 2nd CIB awards as well on both of them. 

[Linedoggie]

10 hours ago, Rhscott said:

That photo makes my eye twitch. 1980 or later with white tapes and color patch plus the SSG that has a blouse too short and has never met a iron or starch.

When BDU's were first issued no starch was authorized and even hot iron was taboo, could only officially use a cool iron