United States Army shoulder patches and related insignia : from World War I to Korea : Army groups, armies and corps

162 Pages·2004·33.272 MB·English

by  William Keller, Kurt Keller

United States Army
Shoulder Patches
and Related Insignia
BytheAuthor
UnitedStatesArmyShoulderPatchesandRelatedInsigniaFromWorldWarItoKorea
1stDivisionto40thDivision
UnitedStatesArmyShoulderPatchesandRelatedlnsigniaFromWorldWarltoKorea
41stDivisionto I06thDivision
United States Army
----
Shoulder Patches
and Related Insignia
From World War I to Korea
Army Groups, Armies and Corps
William Keller
& Kurt Keller
SchifferMilitaryHistory
Atglen, PA
Acknowledgments
Oursincerestgratitudegoesouttoallthathelpedandmadethe us photos and patches to photograph. Rather than mentioning only
productionofthis volumepossible.Wewishto thankthemfortheir those who contributed to this particular volume, all who have con
hospitalityandcooperation.Itwasauniqueprivilegetobeinvitedto tributed to the series will be acknowledged. Special thanks to: Dan
viewtheircollectionsandphotographthebesteachhadtooffer.With Alloggio, KurtH.Andariese, David S.Angle, PeterM. Bennethum,
outexception,eachvisitwas awonderfullearningexperience.Their Gary Castellino, Rocco Collura, RobertA. Erickson, David Fisher,
dedication, notjust to collecting, but to the preservation ofhistory, JohnFoley,MikeFurey,BobFord,ScottGlemby,RichardT.Graney,
made this project ajoy to work on, and the photographs contained Daniel Griffin, Lt. Col. James E. Mullin (Ret), Charles B. Oellig,
withinspeakvolumestothelifetimecommitmentithasbeenformany Clifford Orth, Bruce J. Pitre, Jr., Gus Radle, James F. Rudy, Garth
ofthem. Wearealsograteful to theindividuals whograciouslypro Thompson, Charles Van Der Eems, John B. Wright, and finally to
videdusidentificationforsomeofthemoreunusualpieces.Onelast RandyHackenburgandJayGraybealattheU.S.ArmyMilitaryHis
note;wewouldliketoespeciallythankthosebravesoulswhomailed toryInstitute.
Toallthesoldierswhoserved,bothrememberedandforgotten.
Bookdesign byRobertBiondi.
PrincipalphotographybyKurtKeller; additionalphotographybyWilliamKeller.
DustjacketphotobyRobertBiondi.
Copyright©2004byWilliamKeller& KurtKeller.
LibraryofCongressCatalogNumber:2003115389
All rights reserved. No partofthis workmay bereproduced orused in anyforms orby any means
- graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or information storage and retrieval
systems- withoutwrittenpermissionfromthecopyrightholder.
PrintedinChina.
ISBN:0-7643-1921-3
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Contents
Use Guide and Abbreviations Key 6
Introduction 7
United States Army Shoulder Patches and Related Insignia
Armies 9
1 Ailied Airborne Army 87
st
Army Groups 91
Corps 95
Bibliography 159
Use Guide and Abbreviation Key
Use this section as aquick referencepointfor the listing WorldWarI= 1918to approximately 1923
and description ofeach patch. Unlike the first two volumes, Interwar= 1920'sto 1941
eachfigure now has aheading, and they are as follows: WorldWarII=1941 to 1945
PostWorldWarII=1945 Occupation -early ColdWarera
A=Army Bullion=Any spun, woven orwrapped metallic thread.
IAAbnA=I AlliedAirborneArmy
st
AGp =Army Group CS=ChainStitch: 2topthreadsattachedtobasematerialbya
C=Corps single pick up or backing thread. Under close examination
this embroidery type resembles a chain. This.,technique is
Eachphotocaptioncontainsalltheinformationabouteach usuallydonewithahandguidedembroiderymachine. Ahand
patch:thefigureandpatchnumber;theperiodthepatchisfrom; embroidered technique also exists that resembles this stitch
the country oforigin; the specific identification ofthe patch; pattern.
andfinally theconstruction description.Allpatches withouta DI=DistinguishedUnitInsignia:Metalinsigniawithenameled
countrylisted,withtheexceptionofWWI's,arebelievedtobe or painted designs commonly found for regimental units.
made in the United States. Information not covered by the Occasionally these can be found in miniature patch form for
introduction willbediscussedin thecaption when thetopicis wearon overseascaps, lapels and shoulderstraps.
reached. Please see the sample entries below. Forfurther and ET =Embroidered on Twill: Any patch where exposed twill
more detailed information about period and styles of basematerial is partofthe design ofthepatch.
manufacturepleaserefertotheIntroductionsectionofUnited FE =Fully Embroidered: The embroidery covers the entire
StatesArmyShoulderPatchesandRelatedInsigniafromWorld surfaceofthepatch.
WarI to Korea (1StDivisionto40th Division). Felt=Pressedwoolenmaterial thathas no weave.
HE = Hand Embroidered: The design of the patch is
Fig. A1.61. World War I. 1st Army Signal Corps. embroidered with needleand threadby hand.
Felton wool. ME =Machine Embroidered: The design is embroidered on
Translation: 1stArmy,patch61,manufacturedduring material with amachineguided byapreparedpattern.
the World War I period, 1stArmy Signal Corps, felt ODB =OliveDrabBorder
and wool construction. TM=Patchisbelievedtobetheatermadebutisofanunknown
onglll.
Fig. AGpI5.3. WorldWarII,England. HEonfelt. Wool =Wool thatis awoven cloth with orwithouttexture.
Translation: 15thArmyGroup,patch3,manufactured ?= Thepossibilityexists thatthe patch is from this period or
during World War II, made in England, hand countryoforigin.
embroideredonfelt.
6
Introduction
Thesubjectmatterofthisvolumearethepatchesthatwerewornbymembers
ofArmyGroups,Armies,Corps,and the 151AlliedAirborneArmy.Thepatchesof
someunits, suchas theArmyGroups,haveonlyafew variations pictured.Thisis
mainlyduetothefact thattheyexistedfor ashortperiodoftimeanddidnothave
as many personnel assigned to them. Other units, such as the I Army, with its
Sl
greaternumberofpersonnel and much longer life spanfrom World War I to this
day, has over 100examples. Overall wewerepleased to find atleastafew varia
tions for each to give the collector as complete a picture as possible. Altogether
this volume shows that the men ofthese units had as muchpride in theirpatches
andcreativityasdidthesoldiersoftheInfantryDivisions.Thereadermaynotethe
book begins with Army patches and not those oftheArmy Groups. Although an
ArmyGroup wasorganizationallyabove an~rmy and assuchshouldbefirst, the
1 Army was thefirstAmericanArmy organizedin the modernera. Additionally,
st
the shear nl!mber ofArmy patches pictured made for a much better beginning.
Originally we had planned to release this volume first, however, the amount of
materialcompiledatthetimedid notallowforit.We willleaveittoyouto decide
which volume you putfirst on your shelf! We would like to thank again all who
helped,in whatevercapacity, with theproductionofthis book.With this said, we
hopeyou arejustassatisfiedwith this volumeas with theprevious ones.
WilliamKeller
KurtKeller
January 8, 2003
7
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United States Army
Shoulder Patches and Related Insignia
Army Groups, Armies and Corps