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


Teamski
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Chaplain Rev. George B. Zabelka assigned to the 46th Infantry Division of the Michigan National Guard. During WWII he served as chaplain of the 509th Composite Group, the unit that dropped the atomic bombs, on Tinian.

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508th Airborne Regimental Combat Team

 

Notice that he is wearing an Infantry BOS collar disc and his ribbons indicate he served in WWII, but he does not have a Combat Infantryman Badge. Also note that he has ribbons for both the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four campaign stars and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one campaign star as well as the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. That's and odd combination. He most likely served in an Air Corps or service unit in WWII.

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Hawaiian Separate Coastal Artillery Brigade. Appears to be pre-WWII.

 

I just noticed two things about this patch. First, it doesn't seem to be sewn on. You can notice a little shadow around the edge. Maybe a snap-on version?

 

Second, it sort of looks like it has a merrowed edge.

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...it doesn't seem to be sewn on....Maybe a snap-on version...it sort of looks like it has a merrowed edge.

 

The patch was prewar felt-on-felt construction, attached to the soldier’s uniform with a “No-So” fastener, which permitted easy removal of the patch for laundry and for uniform switching. These patches were not merrowed. The "border" of that HSCAB patch is actually a layer of yellow felt. Link here for more information the "No-So" system (note: The material at this Web page was based on ASMIC Trading Post articles which were authored by Forum member Kiaiokalewa).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Members of the First Special Service Force at Quisling Cove, Kiska Island, 15-16 August 1943, after spearheading the assault.

 

http://www.med-dept.com/unit_histories/29_fld_hosp.php

 

The soldier at lower right appears to have the FSSF patch sewn on his lower left sleeve near the cuff. (He also looks like Vincent Price.) The man standing second from right in the rear appears to have a FSSF patch halfway down his sleeve below the Kiska Task Force patch.

 

 

 

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Soldiers of the First Special Service Force wearing the red, white and blue shoulder cord.

 

The site where these pictures came from indicates the soldiers were Canadian and members of the Canadian Army but all of his insignia appears to be American. Was this standard?

 

http://www.firstspecialserviceforce.net/OJPedersen.html

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Engineer Amphibious Command SSI with Engineer Special Brigade pocket patches. Note the soldier on the left id wearing a First Army combat patch and the soldier in the center has some sort of patch on his cap.

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Wailuna, is this another example of a "No So" patch?

 

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This is a close call but the patch does not appear to be sewn directly to the coat sleeve. Gen. Menoher was commanding general of Hawaiian Department from August 1924 to January 1925, and before that he commanded Hawaiian Division from February 1922 to August 1924, hence, he was in Hawaii at the dawn of the "No-So" era. The officer who invented the "No-So" system was under Gen. Menoher's command and it seems likely that this budding entrepreneur would have comped the general's orderly with a generous supply of "No-So" devices for promotional purposes.

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Soldiers of the First Special Service Force wearing the red, white and blue shoulder cord.

 

The site where these pictures came from indicates the soldiers were Canadian and members of the Canadian Army but all of his insignia appears to be American. Was this standard?

 

http://www.firstspecialserviceforce.net/OJPedersen.html

 

I found the answer to my own question. According to this site http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/organization/specialforces/1ssf.htm, Canadians did typically wear American uniforms and insignia with the "U.S." collar devices being replaced by similar insignia reading "CANADA" instead as shown in the attached images. However, the third picture shows that some Canadian Force members did wear Canadian uniforms with the FSSF patch.

 

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An interesting one, what's the badges on the upper collar? Also could this be a photo taken after the unit was disbanded in late 1944, and this officer back in Canadian service?

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The collar insignia (for officers) go with the Canadian Parachute Corps cap badge. It is a hand with a dagger issuing from a cloud, with EX COELIS motto (From the Skies)...still/again used in recent years.

 

Other than that, this is an interesting picture. When and where was it taken and is the name of the subject known? THe CPC was a "War Service Only" (WSO) unit, with no pre-war existence, no immediate existence after the war. Before going overseas Canadians in the Force wore their PARENT (non-WSO) regimental badges -- but by that time they were wearing US clothing (even officers). Was this taken perhaps back home in Canada, AFTER the Force was broken up and maybe post-VE Day?

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The collar insignia (for officers) go with the Canadian Parachute Corps cap badge. It is a hand with a dagger issuing from a cloud, with EX COELIS motto (From the Skies)...still/again used in recent years.

 

Other than that, this is an interesting picture. When and where was it taken and is the name of the subject known? THe CPC was a "War Service Only" (WSO) unit, with no pre-war existence, no immediate existence after the war. Before going overseas Canadians in the Force wore their PARENT (non-WSO) regimental badges -- but by that time they were wearing US clothing (even officers). Was this taken perhaps back home in Canada, AFTER the Force was broken up and maybe post-VE Day?

Thank You John.

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Nice glider rider shot.

 

-Ski

 

 

Great pic.Looks like he has two assault stars on his badge?NO CIB so maybe artillery? Looks to also have a BSM & PH ribbon.

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