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

[Rhscott]

6 hours ago, easterneagle87 said:

Nice shot of a 1st Field Force soldier in VN with a modified M-1 Carbine. 

 

1st FF was a Corps like command element of various Divisions and separate battalions each having its own SSI.  Why would a unit adopt the 1st FF SSI in place of the one they had going into theater?

[atb]

14 minutes ago, Rhscott said:

1st FF was a Corps like command element of various Divisions and separate battalions each having its own SSI.  Why would a unit adopt the 1st FF SSI in place of the one they had going into theater?

Units assigned directly to the 1FF wore that SSI even as they were OPCONed to other units. Many artillery units were assigned as "corps" artillery to 1FF.

[patches]

To add to  atb, the two Field Forces were essentially Corps, like the Tactical Corps outside of Vietnam, ie I Corps in South Korea, the V and VII Corps in West Germany, and like them the I and II FFV commanded and control a host of Separate Combat Support and Support units, to include the mentioned Artillery, this would be like a Corps Artillery.

 

In fact II Field Force was originally XXII Corps reactivated at Fort Hood Texas in January 1966, for whatever reason it was given that new designation and sent to the RVN, the I Field Force on the other hand was activated in Country as a Corps level type unit. That was the odd thing about the high command structure in Vietnam, once the buildup began in the summer of 1965, you figured the Army would of reactivated lets say the 10th Army as thee high field army, and later reactivated Corps', lets say the XXII Corps, and perhaps activated one of the Reserve Corps in the states, lets say XIV Corps, and sent them there, but they didn't, they just made MACV the big unit commanding, and then these two new named corps type units.

 

By 1968, it was decided they needed another Corps type unit, here up in the northern reaches of South Vietnam, so the Army reactivated the old XXIV Corps, and it was kept with that title and wore the old Blue and White Heart patch, why they didn't just make the III Field Force Vietnam is anybody's guess LOL.

[easterneagle87]

7 hours ago, Rhscott said:

1st FF was a Corps like command element of various Divisions and separate battalions each having its own SSI.  Why would a unit adopt the 1st FF SSI in place of the one they had going into theater?

 

I believe this is the SAME soldier as I posted in the forum topic: M3 M3A1 Grease Guns in Vietnam on 03/2024 #158. 

[mysteriousoozlefinch]

7th Army on the right.  "Staff Sgts. Danieto Bacchus, left, and Robert Newman, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army Europe, drink chai tea at an Afghan National Army outpost near Forward Operating Base Baylough, Zabul, Afghanistan, March 18, 2009."

[lamarhooten]

The 2nd from the right, back row. Young officer is wearing the 1st style 45th Div patch. The old 'good luck' style patch. Might have to zoom in some.

 

[General Apathy]

.

Hi lamarhooten,

 

great photo, managed to correct the orientation of the image but unable to enlarge the officer mentioned  sufficient to see the patch 

 

 

 

regards lewis.

 

...

[Haze99]

July 19, 2025

Army Maj. Gen. Kelly Dickerson conducts a battlefield circulation, during WAREX-RM25 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Trenton, NJ. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Justin Hardin)

Note:

MG Dickerson wears the 84th Training Command (Rail Splitter) SSI.

Soldier on far right wears the 86th (Black Hawk) Training Division. *A subordinate unit of the 84th TC. 

[JrBfloNY]

On 5/10/2022 at 11:55 AM, seanmc1114 said:

Warrant Officer of the 11th Airborne Division post-Korean War. What's the DUI he's wearing?

I'm more concerned with the W/O JG rank insignia with rounded ends. I know that it was worn from 1943-1954 but even as late as '56.

[JrBfloNY]

On 5/12/2022 at 11:53 PM, Ranger-1972 said:

 

The 1SG is not wearing the Airborne patch on his overseas cap. That would have been worn by soldiers in the 11th Airborne Division during occupation duty in Japan, but not if this was taken during the time it was the 11th Air Assault Division, since it was no longer an airborne unit.

 

The 1SG appears to be wearing black paratrooper boots.  The Army began changing from brown to black shoes / boots in 1956-57, and the black leather combat boot was adopted in 1958.

 

The photo below shows what a corporal of the 11th Airborne Division would look like during the Occupation period (note the brown boots and the [wrong] airborne patch on the overseas cap).  The correct patch on the overseas cap would only have the parachute, not the combination parachute & glider. While the 82nd Airborne Division adopted that cap patch before it shipped out to North Africa, the 11th Airborne Division didn't adopt it until well after the war.

 

The transition date for senior NCOs to switch to the gold on AG stripes was initially set as 30 June 1962, but it was later extended to 30 June 1968.  Per a post from Patches (2019), the OD on khaki stripes were still being worn by senior NCOs in the 1960s.  1SG Dempsey is shown in the photo below.

 

The corporal appears to be wearing the closed face brass buckle on his belt, which was not worn during WWII / occupation.

 

 

 

 

 

Nothin like seeing a big rump 1st Cav patch from WWII & Korea

[seanmc1114]

General James K. Woolnough, commanding general of the Continental Army Command, while on an inspection tour of the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam - May 1969. 

[USNDVR]

[Haze99]

December 4, 2022

Liberty Warriors contributed to the multi-organizational color guard at JFK-Airport in support of the Snowball Express Event hosted by the Gary Sinise Foundation.

Snowball Express charters flights traveling through 22 cities for over 2000 family members of Fallen Heroes to enjoy a five-day Disney World experience and provides opportunities to connect with other Gold Star Families. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Anthony Steglik)  316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

NOTE: 77th Sustain Brigade SSI on ascots. *PFC Worlds ribbons are reversed, easy to do when you only have a couple ;-D

[easterneagle87]

8 hours ago, Haze99 said:

December 4, 2022

Liberty Warriors contributed to the multi-organizational color guard at JFK-Airport in support of the Snowball Express Event hosted by the Gary Sinise Foundation.

Snowball Express charters flights traveling through 22 cities for over 2000 family members of Fallen Heroes to enjoy a five-day Disney World experience and provides opportunities to connect with other Gold Star Families. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Anthony Steglik)  316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary)

NOTE: 77th Sustain Brigade SSI on ascots. *PFC Worlds ribbons are reversed, easy to do when you only have a couple ;-D

 

Sorry (not sorry) to be the grumpy old vet. This is not easy, it's LAZY. If you see something ... SAY something. If you see something, DO SOMETHING. They should've checked each other out. There are two NCO's behind her!! RRRRR

[Ranger-1972]

6 hours ago, easterneagle87 said:

 

Sorry (not sorry) to be the grumpy old vet. This is not easy, it's LAZY. If you see something ... SAY something. If you see something, DO SOMETHING. They should've checked each other out. There are two NCO's behind her!! RRRRR

Attention to detail is what you expect of NCOs.  And if you walk past a problem without correcting it, that then becomes your problem.  Don't need to be crass about how you correct something that is wrong ("Say private, I noticed that your ribbon bar is upside down; let me help you correct that").  But you should correct it. 

[easterneagle87]

Interesting colorized photo I saw offered on Goodwill/com

Washington DC Military District

 

[Haze99]

September 2022

Army National Guardsmen of the 404th Manuver Enhancement Brigade, Illinois Army National Guard. 

[JrBfloNY]

On 5/6/2016 at 12:26 AM, patches said:

 

The Anti Aircraft Artillery Command Central, believe this GI is launching a toy airplane for gunnery training purposes.

Oh well, believe it. If it was on TikTok you'd believe anything they tell ya there....💩🤢🤮

[seanmc1114]

Fourth Army SSI worn by members of the 522nd Infantry Battalion (Separate) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. From a 1954 unit yearbook. Apparently the battalion carried the lineage and authorized DUI of the 1st Battalion 368th Infantry Regiment and was assigned to the 17th Field Artillery Group at Fort Sill, probably for post support and training.  

[seanmc1114]

On 2/10/2020 at 1:24 PM, seanmc1114 said:

Tab-type "PROVOST MARSHALL GENERAL CENTER" patch. The photo caption indicates it was taken at Fort Gordon in 1951.

Another photo showing the PROVOST MARSHALL GENERAL CENTER tab without an SSI beneath it.

[seanmc1114]

Members of the Georgia Army National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade wearing both the 48th SSI on their left sleeves as well as the the SSI of the 24th Infantry Division for which the 48th was a round out brigade. Note the different locations in which the 24th SSI is worn. 

[seanmc1114]

Fort Benning, Georgia - 30 April 1942. Note the colonel on the right is wearing a 4th Infantry Division SSI with an Infantry School DUI on his cap. 

[Haze99]

U.S. Army Reserve Drill Sergeant Staff Sgt. Marcus A. Gamba, assigned to Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, mentors trainees during “The Forge” at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, Aug. 27, 2025. The Forge is the culminating field training exercise of Basic Combat Training, testing everything trainees have learned before graduation. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by Lt. Col. Xeriqua Garfinkel)

Note: 165th Infantry Brigade SSI

[milihfra]

A variation of the MDNG 135th Squadron/ Group is being worn in this original photo. Not sure which title is attached to the patch being worn, as there were multiple. 

 

Photo Credit: Merle T. Cole, Maryland Air Commandos: Special Air Warfare in the Air National Guard, 1963-1975

[seanmc1114]

2nd Infantry Division SSI worn by a South Korean soldier in 1975 at the change of command ceremony for the 1st Battalion 23rd Infantry. 

 

In the first photo, on the left is LTC Carmen J. Cavezza (assuming command) while in the center is LTC Howard W Clark (relinquishing command).