I spent some quality time with a small file cleaning up the demilling melted metal from the op rod channel on the receiver halves this evening. The op rod now slides back and forth.  I also cleaned up the clip latch recess area.  It’s getting there slowly but surely.   

It is authentic.  

Here's a description of the MT's:   "...the Transportation Corps devised...the use of converted Liberty ships as motor transport vessels to carry trucks and drivers to Normandy. The conversion, which was accomplished by U.S. military railway shop battalion detachments, involved ballasting and flooring off the lower hold, so as to provide space for vehicles in four of the hatches; the installation of deck latrines; and the conversion of the fifth hatch into living quarters for the drivers who accompanied each shipment. The average vessel lifted approximately 120 loaded vehicles and 500 men on each outbound voyage. The 14th Port at Southampton took the lead in dispatching MTV's to support the invasion force. At first, vehicles were discharged on the far shore by barge or lighter, using the ship's own gear."  (ref. 1)   "On 22 March 1945, MTV John Stevenson was loaded with 182 vehicles and 31 personnel and was the last such vessel to be loaded by 14th Port, the MTV loadings originally having started on 7 June 1944. This took the total vehicles loaded on MTV's at Southhampton to 240,900 since D-Day, which with general cargo totaled 542,173 deadweight tons and these MTV's also carried 298,988 persons across the channel. There was considerable praise heaped on the black Port Companies which had handled some 97 percent of the MTV loadings - this was from a start on 7 June 1944, without any training how to load these vessels, but within a few weeks had developed a very efficient methodology, including a record loading of three hours with about 120 vehicles."  (ref. 2)   Not all MTV's were Liberty ships.   (ref. 1)  U.S. Army in WWII / The Transportation Corps / Operations Overseas / Chapter VI / The Invasion of Normandy / p. 258   (ref. 2) 14th Major Port US Army: Southampton / Operational History / p. 11

Good evening, everyone. I'm writing from Bolivia. A few days ago, I found this patch in a store, but I'm not sure if it's authentic or not. That's why I'm asking you to help me verify it. Thank you very much.

His CMB orders. He is listed under Co B, page 2:  

Colonel Daryl George Jaschen was born September 10, 1935, in Iowa and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1958. He served in the US Army for 26 years. During the Vietnam War, he was a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade where we was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal and Bronze Star Medal w/2 Oak Leaf Clusters. He passed away in 2020 at age 84. His war trophy was a Chinese Type 53 Presentation rifle. Plaque translation is “Gift to Captain D.G. Jaschen Battalion 1/3 1965”.

I'l start off by saying I dont know. I guess back in the day they used these? Was the hole for some kind of charge? Looking at it, it does not seem practical as a training device as it has no pin, no spoon and no fuse. Training grenades when I was in were painted blue, but they had a pin a spoon and a fuse that popped like a firecracker when it went off. Seems like the right color blue for a training device....  

Great grouping.   My friend (passed) is to left and behind  him in picture (as the story goes). My friend mentioned these guys in his stories about 20 yrs ago but fortunately don't remember those stories. 

MT stands for Motor Transport.  (Also MTV, for Motor Transport Vessel, same thing.) They were developed to transport motor vehicles, and personnel, for the invasion.     MT 225                                                                                                                                                                      USN Photo   Note the sign up by the stack, MT 225.  The bottom line, under the numbers, is a convoy code. The MT's all had these signs, one on each side of the ship.