IKE JACKET

[BILL THE PATCH]

i found this ike among a bunch of ike's i have laying around. all patches have been removed looks like there was a sewn on ribbon bar also. master sargeant stripes. not sure of unit. but on the sleeve i noticed a strange shape patch that was sewn on the cuff. looks like a red ball express patch. i never noticed before. i wish i could i'd this jacket. did not notice any ser #'s either. what would make someone do this. crazy people in this world :w00t:

[BILL THE PATCH]

another

[BILL THE PATCH]

another

[BILL THE PATCH]

one more

[atb]

What prevents the veteran or the family from removing the insignia to keep, but not hang on to the jacket? This general teeth knashing and whining about what people do with their own property gets old sometimes. It would be great if everything could stay as it was (like groups and uniforms), but that is wishful thinking. This is directed at nobody in particular, but to all of us including me. I think it is worse to add items to "improve" them or make them "complete" or "correct." It may be done for altruistic reasons to start, but one or two owner's down the road and who knows what is original and what is not?

[elbertson]

Many veterans consider what is on their uniform as personally earned by them and a reflection of their service and themselves. They may not want to keep the jacket, or the patches either, but will not leave them together even if tossing in a dumpster as they don't want others to have it, wear it, or sell it. It's an individual thing that veterans understand. Then again, some kid could have picked it up in a surplus store or from a distant relative in the '60s and either wanted just the patches or the jacket...who knows.

[atb]

Exactly. I think I might have one stripped dress green coat up in the attic from my service. I took everything off and the patches and other insignia sit in a drawer in a plastic bag. Am I to be condemned later for "destroying" my own uniform? (I did, however, keep a fully badged up Army Green coat and Army Blue coat. I am, after all, a collector and really would like uniforms and groups to to stay together, but I know how the real world works.)

[tsakers85]

I have both my Grandfather's and Great Uncle's Ike Jackets. All patches and insignia were removed, apparently by them, long before I ever received them. It makes me think they might have worn them as work attire or something similar after the War.

[everforward]

I have both my Grandfather's and Great Uncle's Ike Jackets. All patches and insignia were removed, apparently by them, long before I ever received them. It makes me think they might have worn them as work attire or something similar after the War.

 

I just received a 4-pocket service uniform where the vet-owner did exactly that---removed all of his patches and other decorations/insignia, and put them in a display case in his house....

 

I have a pic of him wearing the uniform when he was discharged, and I am about finished with getting replacement insignia to re-install on the uniform as it was.

 

When my Dad came back from Fort Knox in 1946, my Grandfather wore out most of my Dad's army duds on the farm.

[Red_Nek]

i found this ike among a bunch of ike's i have laying around. all patches have been removed looks like there was a sewn on ribbon bar also. master sargeant stripes. not sure of unit. but on the sleeve i noticed a strange shape patch that was sewn on the cuff. looks like a red ball express patch. i never noticed before. i wish i could i'd this jacket. did not notice any ser #'s either. what would make someone do this. crazy people in this world :w00t:

 

I have personally bought ike jackets and stripped the patches off of them simply because the value of the patches outweighed the value of the jacket. I'm not a fan of the ike jacket, as I believe that it's the ugliest dress uniform the US ever had in that era. I can understand where you're coming from but I can't understand why you're grieving over an ike jacket, especially one that can't be ID'd to a particular individual.

 

Dave

[BILL THE PATCH]

thanks for all the input. i guess i'm pissed because i did not get that red ball express patch( still lacking one for my collection). as far as ike's are concrened i think there the best looking ww2 american uniform, i love the look. even though they take after a brit battle dress jacket.

[Red_Nek]

thanks for all the input. i guess i'm pissed because i did not get that red ball express patch( still lacking one for my collection)....

 

That explains it all. Thanks for the clarification, I totally understand where you are coming from now.

 

Dave

[Bob Hudson]

This general teeth knashing and whining about what people do with their own property gets old sometimes.

 

Probably best then to not open threads with titles such as "WHO WOULD DESTROY THIS JACKET."

 

What is old and tired to some is still news to others.

[BigJohn#3RD]

I have seen Vets from all wars take their patches, ribbons, pins and patches and put the items on their VFW Caps, Ball Caps and Motor Cycle jackets to wear on special occasions as they cannot fit into the old uniform, used the uniform for work etc. That is just the way it is.

Regards,

John

[atb]

Probably best then to not open threads with titles such as "WHO WOULD DESTROY THIS JACKET."

 

What is old and tired to some is still news to others.

Not open an intriguing title like that? Hard to resist.

[COOKIEMAN]

Speaking of stripped uniforms, obtained the following several years ago. At least the insignia, discharge and phot0 were preserved. Also have his CIB and ribbon bars.

 

I might add a point of clarification about the Ike jacket. It was never a 'DRESS" uniform, I believe it was part of the "SERVICE" uniform.

[COOKIEMAN]

Insignia removed from Ike jacket

[COOKIEMAN]

Insignia removed from Ike jacket

[COOKIEMAN]

Photo of PFC Wendel Hull, Cook, 137th Infantry, 35th Division.

 

Apologize for the extra pictures in previous post. Still working on how the forum works.

[M60 Driver]

I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but I have several patch collectors who come into my store on a regular basis who always ask me to cut patches off of uniform items.

[brad k]

peaple, especially kids have been collecting patches ever since the war, uniform collectors (at least the larger majority of them) came alot later. that has made the uniforms alot more expensive and there is a lot more bogus stuff out there but at least there arent as many of them being stripped or thrown in the dump now.

[currahee506]

Just picked up a 101st Uniform with the patches ripped off. No clue who it belonged to.

 

Rich

[giconceptsjw]

This jacket may look "destroyed" but it is still worth keeping. I've seen patch collectors / dealers go through rag mills and literally cut big holes out of uniform sleeves with a razor blade just to get the patches. They would do that because they could hide (steal) the patches and get them for free that way. Otherwise they would have to buy the whole jacket if they left them on. These guys were always in too much of a hurry to even cut the threads to remove the patches. Believe me, there is nothing worse than seeing a pile of what was perfect, intact uniforms with palm size holes cut out of them everywhere. Over the years I've seen hundreds of cut up uniforms like that. Very sad. :crybaby:

[DaveP]

Once I ran into an old retired colonel and when I asked about military items, he told me he had a couple of old flight suits full of patches (vietnam era or earlier) but he threw them in the trash. When I inquired further he said he double wrapped them in garbage bags first and then put them in the trash. His theory was he didn't want some kid to find them and wear them down on the beach or as a Halloween costume...