# Division patches of U.S. Army



## Corcovado (Nov 24, 2007)

I hope this isn't considered too off-topic. It is related to clothing in a tangential way, and it appeals to the same part of my brain that likes a nice tie. Anyway, I am fascinated by the many shoulder patches worn by U.S. Army soldiers, especially from WWII, that identified their units. They come in so many different designs and the more colorful ones especially add a lot of panache to the overall olive drab uniform. I made some photo montages from photos found on the internet including eBay, Google images, Wikipedia, and various websites. In particular I'd like to point out the page https://www.angelfire.com/md2/patches/branchI.html from which I made the montage of shoulder patches from the several "phantom units" or fictitious divisions created as a ruse. Wikipedia's article on the subject (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_insignia_of_the_United_States_Army) is good but many of their pictures are cartoon representations rather than photos, and to me the pleasure of seeing the actual embroidered patches is what it's all about.

OK enough preamble, here are the photos.









A selection of various division patches. I especially like the sun on the blue diamond.









Montage of patches representing fictitious or "phantom divisions."









One of the more interesting tidbits of history is that the U.S. 45th Infantry Division featured the swastika back in the pre-Hitler/pre-Nazi era. The swastika of course is an ancient symbol, found in the imagery of various cultures including some Native American tribes, and its presence on the Army patch reflected a desire to honor Native Americans. The later appropriation of that symbol by the Nazis naturally led the 45th Infantry Division to abandon the swastika and adopt another symbol, which as you can see also reflects Native American imagery.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

You're missing all the armored divisions that ran across Europe post-Normandy invasion. Like my old unit in Frankfurt.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...svg/200px-3rd_US_Armored_Division_SSI.svg.png


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## Corcovado (Nov 24, 2007)

Oldsarge said:


> You're missing all the armored divisions that ran across Europe post-Normandy invasion. Like my old unit in Frankfurt.
> 
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...svg/200px-3rd_US_Armored_Division_SSI.svg.png











And a fine insignia it is. My original post is not at all comprehensive of course. It is interesting how the armored divisions have a basic motif with variations while the infantry designs are more variable.

Here's another one that I like, from the 4th Infantry Div.


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## RM Bantista (May 30, 2009)

Gentlemen,
This topic reminds one that as a surviving relative, one once had a division patch worn by a grand uncle (paternal mother's brother) who was the primary, first male figure in one's paternal life experience, which had been beaded around the edges, most likely by himself or his mother, that one attached to an 'Ike' jacket of the period and wore to a shop where a gentleman ran up to me and asked if one had any knowledge of what happened to the members of the Division. Unfortunately, one actually did not have the 'true gen' on any of the history and all lines of communication with my grand uncle had been lost, and those guys didn't tend to speak about the trials and travails they had experienced. My paternal grandfather, one's only grandfather though not by blood but by love and respect and dedication (a man of great honor and due exceptional respect in his own service and life), for many years would wake screaming and fighting back against the ghosts of his dreams every night. These guys don't talk, but they all try to go forward and respect the intrinsic value of all life around them as well as prepare anyone in their charge for the vicissitudes of experience that may find them.
All respect is gladly extended to any that have served, and at the moment that question was asked, one realized that not having been there and done that, it was not respectful to wear any insignia that had not been personally earned. Sad to say, in the many moves and transitions since that day, one has lost track of the patch and the jacket somewhere, which is a great regret to this day and will always remain.
Most sincere regards to any that have served, and thanks to the OP for reviving the memory. One never forgets the loss of such persons as those guys in one's own life.
Be well, live long, respect life, honor the dead,
rudy


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## jkidd41011 (Jan 20, 2010)

I am into 1/6 scale figures (ie gives me an excuse to play with action figures like when I was a kid) and my main focus has been Operation Market Garden (A Bridge to Far was my fav war movie as a kid) and the main allied forces were the US 82nd and 101st Airborne and the British 1st Airborne (along with the Polish unit). You would be amazed at the variations of insignias worn within the different airborne units signifying companies and different tasks they perform.


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## Halbermensch (Mar 8, 2013)

You'll never miss this coming. Especially since it takes up half your sleeve. Seriously, biggest one they have, and it dosen't fit properly on the new uniforms.


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## Troglodyte (Sep 7, 2012)

Halbermensch said:


> You'll never miss this coming. Especially since it takes up half your sleeve. Seriously, biggest one they have, and it dosen't fit properly on the new uniforms.


A paratrooper will tell you that it is a compensation thing... :devil:

Cordially,
Trog


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## Semper Jeep (Oct 11, 2011)

Troglodyte said:


> A paratrooper will tell you that it is a compensation thing... :devil:
> 
> Cordially,
> Trog


A Marine would tell you _any_ patch is a compensation thing. :cool2:

Seriously though, I always found the Army unit patches as a pretty cool.


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## Corcovado (Nov 24, 2007)

Semper Jeep said:


> A Marine would tell you _any_ patch is a compensation thing. :cool2:
> 
> Seriously though, I always found the Army unit patches as a pretty cool.


Actually the WWII USMC had some cool shoulder patches too.









from https://m1pencil.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/marine-division-ssi-patches/


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## Troglodyte (Sep 7, 2012)

Semper Jeep said:


> A Marine would tell you _any_ patch is a compensation thing. :cool2:
> 
> Seriously though, I always found the Army unit patches as a pretty cool.


Touche! Love it!

Best,
Trog


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Troglodyte said:


> A paratrooper will tell you that it is a compensation thing... :devil:
> 
> Cordially,
> Trog





Semper Jeep said:


> A Marine would tell you _any_ patch is a compensation thing. :cool2:
> 
> Seriously though, I always found the Army unit patches as a pretty cool.


LOL. I cannot help myself...I cry BS! As one who opted out of a shot at West Point and went instead to Penn State on an AFROTC scholarship, the bottom line was/is that it's a comfort thing! Put your iron on target and go home to sleep in a real bed at night! At least that was the concept. It didn't work out quite that way, but I loved the concept! 

Corcovado, what a great photo montage of Command/Unit patches you have assembled and a great idea for a thread. Can there be anything more Trad than a man/woman in uniform? I honestly cannot recall when I have viewed a thread with greater interest! Thank-you for sharing it with us.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

I wore this one for quite a while . . .


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## ChrisSmith (Jan 13, 2014)

@Oldsarge - This is my first post, so please forgive my ignorance... I have seen a lot of military unit patches with swords and arrows like this one https://www.popularpatch.com/army/socom-patch and I'm wondering if you know what the significance is beyond the fighting aspects. Like are the swords always attributed to infantry and arrows to air combat?

Thanks.


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## Barnavelt (Jul 31, 2012)

My grandfather was in the army during WW2, stationed in basic training in Texas, I believe. One afternoon when they were near the end of the training and preparing to ship off for Europe, one of the officers called all the men together and asked for volunteers for a new program. I guess they always say not to volunteer for anything when one is in the military, but my grandfather did so along with a number of other soldiers. The next morning the barracks were empty except for my grandfather and the other gents who had volunteered for what turned out to be the halftrack "tank destroyer" group whose patch is above. For the rest of the war they travelled the US, training with the half tracks and providing instruction at various bases. The rest of the soldiers from boot camp had been sent to the Battle of the Bulge.

My grandfather died back in the 1980's when I was barely a teenager. Among his belongings were his army uniforms and a number of items emblazoned with this patch. Personally, and I was somewhat biased, I always thought it was one of the baddest patches around. One of the kids from "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" wears a vest during the whole movie, and the back is emblazoned with a huge example of this patch. Not exactly a "tribute" I suppose but nevertheless...


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

I've been wondering what some that I've seen recently (just started working for the Army last month) actually mean. Most are in photographs (my work is in the tech-sector and so I've been going through thousands of images lately). However, I was briefly in a meeting with 10 stars between three people and apparently that was a big deal. I don't know much about the Army hierarchy. Was that a big thing, or not as big as coworkers believed?


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

ChrisSmith said:


> @Oldsarge - This is my first post, so please forgive my ignorance... I have seen a lot of military unit patches with swords and arrows like this one https://www.popularpatch.com/army/socom-patch and I'm wondering if you know what the significance is beyond the fighting aspects. Like are the swords always attributed to infantry and arrows to air combat?
> 
> Thanks.


I can't give you a straight answer for that because military heraldry wasn't particularly interesting to me. All I know is that that patch stands for the US Special Operations Command, home of some the baddest asses and most brilliant minds the military has. I always like to believe that I fell under the latter category. :cool2:


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Tilton said:


> I've been wondering what some that I've seen recently (just started working for the Army last month) actually mean. Most are in photographs (my work is in the tech-sector and so I've been going through thousands of images lately). However, I was briefly in a meeting with 10 stars between three people and apparently that was a big deal. I don't know much about the Army hierarchy. Was that a big thing, or not as big as coworkers believed?


Ten stars among only _three_ people? That was a huge thing. The only four star I've ever come into contact with was Schwarzkopf and that was long after he was retired. I've gone out of my way to avoid three stars but in my position, brigadiers were the normal boss. However, I was once advised that a paper I wrote was briefed to the Joint Chiefs when Powell was COS.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Oldsarge said:


> Ten stars among only _three_ people? That was a huge thing. The only four star I've ever come into contact with was Schwarzkopf and that was long after he was retired. I've gone out of my way to avoid three stars but in my position, brigadiers were the normal boss. However, I was once advised that a paper I wrote was briefed to the Joint Chiefs when Powell was COS.


Wow, okay. I was there for maybe 3 minutes, so it hardly counts. I work for a completely public-facing project, so I didn't get to hear any "this is of vital importance to national security" lines thrown out, which was kind of a bummer. BUT! The husband of a girl I work with is a top-level database programmer for a healthcare firm and was in a meeting with 14 stars among 4 people during a consultation with DHA.


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## jm22 (Apr 18, 2013)

Tilton said:


> I've been wondering what some that I've seen recently (just started working for the Army last month) actually mean. Most are in photographs (my work is in the tech-sector and so I've been going through thousands of images lately). However, I was briefly in a meeting with 10 stars between three people and apparently that was a big deal. I don't know much about the Army hierarchy. Was that a big thing, or not as big as coworkers believed?


Huge thing. I've met a couple 2 and 3 stars. Not all at once. My best was meeting George Casey, when he was Army chief of staff. But never that many at once. This was over my entire time.


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## Semper Jeep (Oct 11, 2011)

I would imagine that 10 stars among three people might not really be a big deal in the Army in DC (especially if you work at the Pentagon or HQDA). Heck, when I worked at MARFORLANT in the 1990s we had 7 stars between three people in one office, not to mention the Admirals or other Marine flag officers (including the Commandant) that would be in and out of the office on a regular basis. At the time, I was working for Peter Pace and while he wasn't the highest ranking that I met back then, but he went on to become head of CENTCOM and then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs after he left MARFORLANT so he's the most impressive name that I can remember (plus, even though I don't agree with him politically these days, he was a genuinely nice guy and remembered me years later and sent my wife and I a nice gift when we got married and continues to keep us on his Christmas card list).

Working in the G-3 at MARFORLANT was my third station after working at the G-3 in the II MEF and G-1 in the 3rd FSSG. I figured all offices were full of full bird colonels and above. After I left MARFORLANT I went to an S-2 shop at a MEU and it was a totally different world. I wasn't used to having to call, "Attention on Deck" when *_just a lowly colonel_* would walk in!

In the end, the number of flag officers you see on a regular basis really comes down to the unit you are in. I was always more impressed when somebody from the SES would show up... but probably because I figured they were all spies or something.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Semper Jeep said:


> I would imagine that 10 stars among three people might not really be a big deal in the Army in DC (especially if you work at the Pentagon or HQDA). Heck, when I worked at MARFORLANT in the 1990s we had 7 stars between three people in one office, not to mention the Admirals or other Marine flag officers (including the Commandant) that would be in and out of the office on a regular basis. At the time, I was working for Peter Pace and while he wasn't the highest ranking that I met back then, but he went on to become head of CENTCOM and then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs after he left MARFORLANT so he's the most impressive name that I can remember (plus, even though I don't agree with him politically these days, he was a genuinely nice guy and remembered me years later and sent my wife and I a nice gift when we got married and continues to keep us on his Christmas card list).
> 
> Working in the G-3 at MARFORLANT was my third station after working at the G-3 in the II MEF and G-1 in the 3rd FSSG. I figured all offices were full of full bird colonels and above. After I left MARFORLANT I went to an S-2 shop at a MEU and it was a totally different world. I wasn't used to having to call, "Attention on Deck" when *_just a lowly colonel_* would walk in!
> 
> In the end, the number of flag officers you see on a regular basis really comes down to the unit you are in. I was always more impressed when somebody from the SES would show up... but probably because I figured they were all spies or something.


I'm with G-1. My COR reports directly to G-1 leadership.


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