This Airman (in post #36) is none other than Ben Kuroki who was from Hershey, NE. I believe he was with the 8th AAF while in the ETO. After VE Day, he requested a transfer to the PTO which was granted.

 

 

He looks like somebody that has seen a lot.3 DFC's, and a lot of AM's plus 2 campaigns for the A-P & 4 in the EAME.Seems like a lot for an aerial gunner.

follow up: If this photo is in fact from 1964, it would be after the "Combat Commands" were reorganized into Brigades. So our five options for his DI are 1st Brigade, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Brigade, Support Command and Artillery.

 

-Vance

He was artillery.

follow up: If this photo is in fact from 1964, it would be after the "Combat Commands" were reorganized into Brigades. So our five options for his DI are 1st Brigade, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Brigade, Support Command and Artillery.

 

-Vance

That's some great info there Vance, important Info.

 

Here are the post 1964 DIs, of note in the picture in this collage on the left we see a "Tab" under the 4th Armd Div Triangle that says

? BN 35th Armor (there were 3 Battalions of the 35th Armor in the Division back then, the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Battalions 35th Armor)

 

And yet another 3rd Inf Div PTC seen on this IKE, note the Battle Patrol patch on the pocket. I gather the IKE is legit, I found it from a redirected Antiques Road Show page, from last year.

 

 

 

And yet another 3rd Inf Div PTC seen on this IKE, note the Battle Patrol patch on the pocket. I gather the IKE is legit, I found it from a redirected Antiques Road Show page, from last year.

 

phpTPWzuGPM.jpg

 

 

The BP patches have been reproduced.....and I'm not crazy about this BP patch (3rd Recon Co BP)

Here's a WWII soldier wearing the 1st Infantry Division PTC on the pocket of his Ike jacket. The photo identifies his as being assigned to the 18th Infantry Regiment.

Vietnam Medal Of Honor recipient Chaplain Charles T. Watters wearing the PTC of the 101st Airborne Division. His ribbons indicate he had prior service with the Air Force and he earned the MOH while later assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

General George Parker, Philippine Division, November 1941

(photo courtesy Time-Life archives. photo by Carl Mydans)

General George Parker, Philippine Division, November 1941

(photo courtesy Time-Life archives. photo by Carl Mydans)

Another great example of the type being worn Pre War, remembering that alot of us thought the type was something that came out, and only started to be seen from the immediate post WWII period on.

Here's a bad photo of a collection that I have in storage right now. When I come across it, I'll post some better shots.

 

The Philippine Division DI was made by C.Zamora in the Philippines and used almost exclusively by Headquarters staff. As it was introduced in 1941, few ever made it out of the Islands before the fall of Corregidor.

That is a beautiful pin. Thanks for showing it and explaining its origin. It must be extremely rare!

Thanks Vostoktrading. The 12th Division DI is a difficult one to fine. It took me about 20 years to acquire the one pictured, and the great thing is about this particular, I can trace it back to the boy who originally got the DI when his father was station in the Philippines in 1941. He and his family shipped stateside the summer of 1941 and he and his collection of DI's on an old fowl came home with him. That aside, they were made in the Philippines and only used by the Headquarters staff starting in 1941. Headquarters staff would not have been large to begin with, and if you assume men serving in 1941 rotating out to Hawaii or Stateside would have been a small number, few ever made it out before the outbreak of the war. Likewise, I have had folks looking for examples in the Philippines but unused and dug versions and have not had any turn-up over the years. So I am not sure how many made it to the US, but its safe to assume not a large number.

A follow up to post #51 in showing an actual photo of the Army Air Corps Aircraft Marking DIs in use and in the post war pre 1947 Air Force period, a fella named Wackhammer of Penna, a vet of the recent war, a Corporal, he seems to have been both in the ETO and PTO, with what looks like a poorly colored Purple Heart on the first ribbon on the top row, an Aircrewman? but where's his Wings, ah, at any rate a superb period foto showing this particular crests.

 

BG Charles J. Girard, Assistant Division Commander of the 3rd Armored Division in 1966, wearing his rank over leadership tabs that appear to have embroidered 3rd AD DUI's on them.

A follow up to post #51 in showing an actual photo of the Army Air Corps Aircraft Marking DIs in use and in the post war pre 1947 Air Force period, a fella named Wackhammer of Penna, a vet of the recent war, a Corporal, he seems to have been both in the ETO and PTO, with what looks like a poorly colored Purple Heart on the first ribbon on the top row, an Aircrewman? but where's his Wings, ah, at any rate a superb period foto showing this particular crests.

 

mswackhammer.jpg

Ah on further viewing the first ribbon most likely is a Good Conduct ribbon rather than a Purple Heart.

BG Charles J. Girard, Assistant Division Commander of the 3rd Armored Division in 1966, wearing his rank over leadership tabs that appear to have embroidered 3rd AD DUI's on them.

Kinda odd way of wearing his rank, in actuality he was wearing them in an unautherized manner.

Another NCO wearing the 3rd Armored Division PTC. 1st Sergeant Schultz of the 503rd MP Company. 1964-1965.

What unit would you say this fella was in? He has Crossed Rifles without Blue Backing plus no Blue Rope, with the PTC. A Soldier still holding his Infantry MOS, if in fact photo from the late 50s early 60s, before ROAD, then perhaps he's in one of HHCs of the Combat Commands?

The more I look at his branch insignia, the more it looks like artillery to me. It's looks like crossed cannons instead of muskets. And I can't make out whether there is a rocket in the middle or it's just a reflection.

Here's a couple of shots of a soldier from the 4th Armored Division in Germany in 1964 wearing the patch type crest on his pile cap. The crest appears to have a tab while his shoulder sleeve insignia does not. I have seen tabs for both "Breakthrough" and "Name Enough" for the 4th. Any thoughts?

 

 

His crests don't have some out-dated WWII nickname. Each brigade within the 4th AD during this 1960's time period had it's "own" patch type DI but with the brigade designator across the bottom (Artillery, 1st BDE, 2nd BDE, 3rd BDE, and Support Command, Division Trains, Combat Command A, Combat Command B, etc, etc depending on the time period).

 

For proof, check this out: http://www.usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm?http&&&www.usarmygermany.com/units/4th%20Armd%20Div/USAREUR_4th%20Armd%20Div.htm

 

-Vance

Here's a picture from another thread on this forum showing a soldier wearing an Armored triangle PTC on his cap similar to these from the 4th Armored Division. I believe the soldier in this picture is from the 3rd Armored Division. Note there is no tab on the crest.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/192015-50s-60s-photo-collection-of-wolfgang-scherp-us-army/

Major General W. G. Dolvin, commander of the 3rd Armored Division from 1966 to 1968

Major General Major General Berton E. Spivey Jr., commander of the 3rd Armored Division from 1964 to 1965

 

It's hard to be sure, but this looks like an 8th Infantry Division PTC worn on the overseas cap of a WWII veteran with the 8th SSI as his combat patch

From another topic on this forum, SSG John R. Sicinski wearing the 1st Cavalry Division patch type crest on his cap as well as a small version of the patch on his bib. Note the crest on his cap is a reversed version of the SSI that probably came from a mirrored pair of DUI's where each crest is designed for the horse's head to face forward.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/126127-sfc-john-r-sicinski-uniform-grouping/

Armored Forces PTC and SSI worn by Hupert H. Dawdy who served with the 426th Armored Field Artillery Battalion in the Philippines

 

http://www.tankdestroyer.net/honorees/d/569-dawdy-hupert-h-663rd