On 8/16/2016 at 9:21 AM, Salvage Sailor said:

Killer Dave,

 

Here's another rare one that wouldn't fly in today's military

 

The first 12 Nurses who passed the NASA astronaut training course in 1973 although they were never cleared to fly in the space program.

I think they were Air Force? Still need more research on this one

 

Thanks for the verification of the NASA nurses training program

 

You've Come a Long Way Baby - 12 USAF Nurses trained by NASA in1973 for Space Flight

 

 

 

First 12 USAF Nurses training with NASA for space flight, 1973

 

 

Some patches I've had for a long time, probably not really rare but nice anyway.

 

A 29th Div with reversed blue/gray colors (on left).

 

 

 

Locally made Aviation Engineers.

 

 

As it says, US Army Remount Service. Never seen another, don't know anything else about this one.

 

 

Probably post WW1?

 

 

Italy tab. I think this is military?

 

 

Bullion 100th Chemical Bn, 4.2 inch mortars.

 

 

 

WW1 Artillery School. Years ago I bought a WW1 tunic with this exact patch on it. Too my surprise, there was another in the pocket (this one). The patch Gods smiled on me that day!

 

 

 

I believe this is a Flying Tigers on a black background facing in the reversed direction. I thought I've seen this referred to by another name and can't remember. Either way it's a beautiful bullion patch.

 

 

 

 

540th Engineer Group, appears to be locally made.

 

 

100th MP Det. Sentry Dogs. My first field jacket issued to me in basic training was used. We were told to remove all the insignia. I did, and kept this pocket patch all these years.

 

Is post WW2;  Italy is typical of many "location" tabs worn separately or with another patch:  Arty School is real;  is reversed 14th AF;  540th Engr Gp all were locally made, still rare insignia.

Written on tape on the back of this patch says "Civilian Air Instructor, Chickasaw, OK". I don't anything else or if they trained military pilots or not?

 

 

608th Trans. Co. Aircraft Direct Support. "Wrench Benders". Looks to be locally made in Vietnam.

 

 

5307th Composite Unit. Locally made on blue silk(?). Has a foreign newspaper under the back material.

 

USS PRESERVER (ARS-8) The fourth Diver class Salvage ship constructed at Basalt Rock Company shipyard.  She had a very long career with service during 3 wars, Arctic ops and she was the lead ship in the space shuttle Challenger recovery

 

Korean War USS PRESERVER (ARS-8)

Japanese Silk, 7" high Frogman patch received from a Korean War era crewman

 

 

 

11th Engineer Battalion

 

931st Engineer Aviation Group

Here's a Aussie made 158th ( bushmasters) patch

On 8/14/2016 at 4:57 PM, Salvage Sailor said:

Where did the first USN Astronauts train in their high altitude pressure suits?

 

U.S. NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND - SPACE TRAINING UNIT (1959)

 

This one goes with my other USN space training patch posted earlier (Post #302)

 

U.S. NAVAL PHYSIOLOGICAL TRAINING UNIT (1959) Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia

 

 

Another early Astronaut Training Patch

 

NAS SAN DIEGO (North Island) Martian Test Pilot

 

I dont think I've shown this one.

917th Field Training Detachment. These guys trained the SVNAF. They were in Vietnam Jan 1963.

 

In January 1963, eleven officers, commanded by Lt. Colonel Jimmy Hamill, were sent to South Vietnam to organize a helicopter pilot school. The 917th Field Training Detachment established a training course in one month and began training Vietnamese officers to become helicopter pilots. This school is the first USAF Helicopter Course ever set up in a foreign country. During their 18-month tenure, the 917th FTD trained 95 helicopter pilots and 92 mechanics.

 

 

I dont think I've shown this one.

917th Field Training Detachment. These guys trained the SVNAF. They were in Vietnam Jan 1963.

 

In January 1963, eleven officers, commanded by Lt. Colonel Jimmy Hamill, were sent to South Vietnam to organize a helicopter pilot school. The 917th Field Training Detachment established a training course in one month and began training Vietnamese officers to become helicopter pilots. This school is the first USAF Helicopter Course ever set up in a foreign country. During their 18-month tenure, the 917th FTD trained 95 helicopter pilots and 92 mechanics.

 

 

That is a very nice patch thanks for showing

firefighter, your USAF 917th FLD TNG DET is quite nice. Don't believe I've ever seen one. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

Ed

firefighter, your USAF 917th FLD TNG DET is quite nice. Don't believe I've ever seen one.  Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

Ed

Thank You

Italian made

 

Chinese Language school or 15th Inf Rgt Chinese Language graduate

 

8th Naval Beach Battalion.

I've had this for the last 30+ years. I always thought it was a novelty 8 ball patch. Then I bought a copy of MILITARIA MAGAZINE, Aug 1994. There was an article about the unit and the patch. According to the article only 450 of these patches were made in 1943. The commander of the base thought they made the men look "Too Army" and ordered them not to be worn.

 

313th BOMB WING.

Looks Japanese made

The 8th Naval is a very rare find and ranks up there with Harbor Net Tender in my opinion and should be on want lists for a killer patch collection.

413th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Around for one year Jul 1954- Aug 1955 at Travis AFB, CA with F-86s.

 

Randy

 

561st Strategic Fighter Squadron, 1953-1957 at Turner AFB, GA with F-84s. Lineage taken from the 83 Bomb Squadron. Japanese made.

 

Randy

The 8th Naval is a very rare find and ranks up there with Harbor Net Tender in my opinion and should be on want lists for a killer patch collection..

Thank you Mort.

Since we had a beautiful 84th CMB, here are two from the 89th CMB. Both are TM.

 

Hard to see, but this is the 3rd CMB, in bullion, also TM and on the other side of the world, the 85th CMB.

 

My favorite, 1st Plt, A Co, 86th CMB. A GI designed this, and told me that it's really the Disney character, Flower. 4.2 refers to the size of the mortars they used. There were only 48 made.

tredhed2, interesting history behind the 86th CMB.

 

Ed

Modern but rare none the less.

USS FLORIDA (SSBN-728)

Ohio class Boomer commissioned in 1983, redesignated in 2006 and still in service as (SSGN-728)

 

1976 USS NO NAME (SSBN-728) Keel Laying patch

 

When her keel was laid down on Bicentennial Day, July 4th, 1976, she was as yet unnamed and the scuttlebutt was she would be the USS IOWA........This patch was designed by the pre-commissioning crew, prior to the naming. Rumors said the boat was to be named Iowa. so Corn, Barn, Windmill, pitchforks.......instant collectors item patch.

 

 

For the Navy patch collectors, this one is the rare fish in the sea.....

 

N.A.I.T.F. POINT PINOS - Naval Air Intercept Training Facility, Point Pinos, California was established at the extreme tip of pine-covered Monterey Peninsula, overlooking the Pacific (June 1954 to November 1961) at NAF Monterey, also the grounds of the US Naval Post Graduate School.

 

 

"A particularly well named outfit is the Naval Air Intercept Training Facility, Point Pinos, Calif. Pinos is Spanish for pines. That’s appropriate, too, for the facility’s radar station is at the extreme tip of pine-covered Monterey Peninsula, overlooking the Pacific. As for the functional part of the name, that’s just what the facility does. Its main role is to train pilots and air controllers in the latest techniques of radar-controlled intercepts. (An intercept in this case means vectoring a fighter plane to a target plane.) In another role the facility assists carriers operating off the northern California coast by tracking their aircraft and relaying the plane’s flight plans to interested shoreside officials." All Hands magazine, March 1961

 

 

and here is my favorite patch in my collection. It's a Disney design, there are only two known to be in captivity, and they did a heck of job at Dibrugarh, India. This is for the 758th Railway Shop Bn. It shows Jiminy Cricket, dressed like a civilian engineer, putting some oil into a broken down steamer. The GI who inked these up on leather for the battalion gave it to me.

 

In 14 months, the battalion repaired more than 4700 cars, converted 132 boxcars into low sided gondolas, and 46 boxcars into refrigerator cars and changed others into snack cars. They added several thousands sets of brakes to more cars and added vacuum brake systems to others. They repaired boilers, rebuilt fireboxes, and straigthened out railcars damaged in accidents. All this wrok was it ensure the ROBs in the CBI could get the supplies to the airbases on the west side of the The Hump, so they could be flown over to the Nationalist Chinese forces. The ROBs also provided rail transport for Merrill's Marauders and MTF.

 

The MRS GIs were not deified as have been airborne units, but throughout all theaters, especially in the ETO, they got the supplies and men through to turn the direction of the battle. Kinda hard to fight w/o ammo, food, etc.

Relatively new to the forum but this post came up when I was googling 758th RSB recently. My dad was in the 758th RSB & I always wondered if the Disney designed patch was ever made in any form. As I understand it there are no embroidered versions. So there are 2 of these ink on leather versions out there & you have one of them. Very cool! I'm glad to see your appreciation of what the ROBs & RSBs did in CBI. I don't think many folks outside of our "community" even know of CBI. My dad gave me his CBI stuff which I cherish..including one of the best gold bullion CBI patches I have ever seen. I will say half serious...half joking....if you ever wish to part with that patch..you know who to contact. Thanks for your time and happy collecting!!

I didn't see this one posted here, this is probably my most rare navy patch.

Harbor Net Tender

746th Tank Battalion - Mint

USS Burlington (PF-51) USCG in WWII (1944-1945) to USSR (Project HULA 1945-1949) in WWII to USN Korean War Gunboat 1951-1952.  Small crew and short combat service period in Korea, only patch I've ever seen or found for her.

 

 

Recommissioned 5 January 1951 at Yokosuka as USS BURLINGTON (PF-51) For immediate service in Korea - Wonsan Harbor, Songjin, Chongin, Task Force 92 and Task Force 77, bombarding shore targets, serving as harbor entrance control vessel, and performing patrol and escort duties. Placed out of commission in reserve at Yokosuka, 15 September 1952

 

Full history and photos here http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/301359-uss-burlington-pf-51-uscg-to-ussr-to-usn-korean-war-gunboat/

 

USS BURLINGTON (PF-51) Korean War

 

 

Not sure if this counts as RARE, but I've never seen another.

 

Palace Alert was an A.F. volunteer program between 1968-70. ANG F-102 pilots would volunteer for a 3 or 6 month 'front line' tour in either Europe or SEA.

 

 

Thai made VO-67

VO-67 was a very secret Navy flying squadron. They flew OP-2E Neptunes and dropped ADSID sensors along the Ho Chi Minh trail in Vietnam & Laos.

They were created in Feb1967 and deactivated July 1968.

The unit had the Norden bombsight installed in their aircraft, they had to get a few from museums.

 

Philippine made patch for the 31st ARRS & 9th AES, could be the 20 AES.

This was durn the Philippine Revolution in 1986, PEOPLE POWER MOVEMENT, to remove Marcos. I was there and remember them sending the Jolly Greens, I think 2, to evacuate Marcos, his family, & personal belongings(none of Imeldas shoes).

It was a crazy time on base. Personnel were told to stay on base, I was at a local bar & 2 buddies went to Manila.

I don't think a whole lot were made

 

U.S. Army helicopter acrobatic team.

 

6594th Test Group & 6593rd Test Sq.

A specialized unit that recovered spy satellite film canisters as the free fell to earth.

Unit was stated at Hickam from 1958-86. When they weren't recovering film they performed SAR.