17 minutes ago, atb said:

That's the 11th Infantry Brigade SSI.

Yes. My mistake. That's why I couldn't find the fact that I had posted these same pictures six years ago. I had searched for "Americal" and "198th" instead of "Americal" and 11th".

These photos come from the personal collection of General Melvin Zais, who commanded the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969. These were taken in December 1970 during a trip of his to Fort Bragg, NC. It is possible that it is just a result of the flash photography, but these two subdued 101st combat patch both look to me like they have black eagle's heads with olive green beaks and outlines on black shields along with olive green AIRBORNE tabs with black letters and black borders. 

IX Engineer Command combat patch worn by Col. Gerald W. Homann, commander of the Polar Research & Development Command - August 1962

I’ve seen this done before on other WW2 Army uniforms, but I still wonder how they thought this deserved to be worn on the right shoulder. This uniform is / was on a FB Mkt Place sale page. 

11 minutes ago, easterneagle87 said:

I’ve seen this done before on other WW2 Army uniforms, but I still wonder how they thought this deserved to be worn on the right shoulder. This uniform is / was on a FB Mkt Place sale page. 

There were apparently support units overseas that fell under the Army Service Forces, we seen this patch in books being worn in photos over there, we'll keep our eyes open for online ones.

13 hours ago, easterneagle87 said:

I’ve seen this done before on other WW2 Army uniforms, but I still wonder how they thought this deserved to be worn on the right shoulder. This uniform is / was on a FB Mkt Place sale page. 

It's like today, where the FORSCOM (US Army Forces Command) Combat Service Identification Badge, or SSI may be worn to show service in the appropriate location. In WW2, many unit's only authorized SSI was that of a fairly high level unit like the Army Air Forces, or the Army Service Forces if they weren't assigned to a smaller or different organization overseas.

Here's an MP of the 783rd Military Police Battalion. England 1943 wearing it as an organizational patch, though we think by D-Day they wee now in 1st Army.

On 9/28/2023 at 11:53 PM, JrBfloNY said:

I've seen this one before, it's actually a color photo from a reenacting event very recently. So either he's a Vietnam vet who was with the fourth cav. Or he's in character as a WWII former fourt cav grp member & didn't want to put qn original on his uniform. I've only seen woven and woolen forms from WWII for the fourth cav. But the FE patch looks just like the 15th, 17th cav squadrons so I thought mine being a red border variant was from like 1946 or so, I've also read that it was from Nam, so now idk.

 

Just now, JrBfloNY said:

 

If you look closely you'll see that he's wearing DUI for the 1st Cavalry Recon Troop, 1st Inf. Div. "Premonite"

Captain R. C. Rogers, Commanding Officer of Troops, Eighth Army Honor Guard, wearing a Philippine Division combat patch in September 1958.

Sgt. 1st Class William Peglerr a Vietnam War Vet of the Americal Division, Florida National Guard in Afghanistan 2010.

I can't make this one out. Any ideas? He's an Ordnance Corps officer and the photos are from a 1959 scrapbook.

 

Lt. Gen. Charles D. Palmer, deputy commanding general of Eighth Army and commanding general of U.S. Army Japan wearing a reversed 1st Cavalry Division - July 1957

General Headquarters Southwest Pacific, Philippine Division and Caribbean Command. Probably at Fort Sam Houston, Texas around 1946/1947 since the officer saluting is General Jonathan Wainwright, commanding general of the Fourth Army. 

Col. Robert H. Akers, CO of the 15th Infantry Regiment 3rd Infantry Division, is seen greeting Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge in Korea - 7 August 1953. I am not sure what the SSI is he is wearing as a combat patch.

10 hours ago, seanmc1114 said:

Col. Robert H. Akers, CO of the 15th Infantry Regiment 3rd Infantry Division, is seen greeting Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge in Korea - 7 August 1953. I am not sure what the SSI is he is wearing as a combat patch.

It's probably one of those Greek patches with the tab, remembering that the Greek Battalion was attached at one or more times to the 15th Infantry 3rd Infantry Division, with a big battle at Outpost Harry in June 1953.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outpost_Harry

 

Correct name for this Officer is Russell F. Akers Jr, he was in command of the 15th at Harry.

 

https://15thinfantry.org/1953yearbookpdf/introduction.pdf

FORT SILL, Oklahoma (Jan. 18, 2022)

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Rolando Rios, (L) the new CWO for the Field Artillery, talks with CWO Kenneth Pressley, (R) the outgoing Chief Warrant Officer of the Branch, after the change of responsibility ceremony Jan. 18, 2022 in the Kerwin Auditorium of Fort Sill’s Snow Hall. (Photo Credit: Monica Wood)

*NOTE: CW5 Rios wears the 5th Infantry Division (Mech) shoulder patch, who was in Operation Just Cause, Panama, Dec. 1989-Jan 1990.

 

On 8/27/2024 at 12:12 AM, patches said:

It's probably one of those Greek patches with the tab, remembering that the Greek Battalion was attached at one or more times to the 15th Infantry 3rd Infantry Division, with a big battle at Outpost Harry in June 1953.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outpost_Harry

 

Correct name for this Officer is Russell F. Akers Jr, he was in command of the 15th at Harry.

 

https://15thinfantry.org/1953yearbookpdf/introduction.pdf

Here are the two photos in the group, the second showing a Greek officer wearing the 3rd ID SSI and tab. Note the period photos from 1953 misname Akers.

James A. Van Fleet served in combat in World War II as a regimental commander and division commander in the 4th Infantry Division, assistant division commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, division commander of the 90th Infantry Division and corps commander of the XXIII and III Corps. In Korea he commanded Eighth Army.

 

So why is he wearing the U.S. Army Europe SSI as a combat patch as a full general? 

1 hour ago, seanmc1114 said:

James A. Van Fleet served in combat in World War II as a regimental commander and division commander in the 4th Infantry Division, assistant division commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, division commander of the 90th Infantry Division and corps commander of the XXIII and III Corps. In Korea he commanded Eighth Army.

 

So why is he wearing the U.S. Army Europe SSI as a combat patch as a full general? 

He is a four-star general and perhaps he figures that SSI covers all the ETO units in which he served.

Well, allow me to blow your (right arm patch) mind

 

James Van Fleet in Korea - From post #19 -->> HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

and....

 

 

 

1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, Vietnam.

 

196th Light Infantry Brigade, Vietnam. 

 

Two NCOs wearing II Corps combat patches with tab in Italy in 1946. The tab probably says "91st Cav. Rcn. Sqn." as the first soldier is wearing the DUIs of the 91st Cavalry Regiment. However, notice the orientation of the DUIs are reverse the approved Institute of Heraldry version.

 

Also note the colors of the tabs are reverse of each other. The first is gold with black letters and border while the second is black with gold letters and border. 

On 5/8/2024 at 7:14 PM, seanmc1114 said:

Several shots of Major General William S. Biddle wearing the SSI of the 113th Cavalry Group (Mechanized), which he commanded during World War II, as a combat patch. These were taken at various times between 1954 and 1956 when he was first commanding general of the 1st Armored Division followed by Chief, Military Assistance Advisory Group - Japan. 

 

The last photo with 113th insignia was borrowed from this topic on the forum: 

 

More shots of General Biddle wearing the 113th Cavalry Group combat patch from 1957 and 1958.