Navy Patch
James Bullington
Does anyone know what the insignia in the shape of a book stands for on a Navy Uniform?
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Gen. Patton
Tom Mlinar
You may or may not know that Andy Rooney, who we all know from 60 minutes was a war correspondent in WWII and followed the military throughout Europe. I always admired Gen. George Patton, and [he] was one of my favorites in the war. All movies and articles about him were always that he was a tough no-nonsense officer, and demanded discipline from all his men. Andy Rooney made a remark that astonished me, that Gen Patton was not a good General, and did not do that much in the victory of Germany, and got a lot of credit for things he didn’t do, but gave most of the credit to Omar Bradley who I think is a great General. Andy Rooney didn't think Patton was or did what they all said he did. What is your opinion on this?
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Dress Uniforms
Harvey Wike
In the Army during WW II and the Korean War, we had three or four choices of uniforms. You could wear the Long Jacket, the Ike Jacket, or you didn't need to wear a jacket at all. Or you could wear Fatigues with or without a Field Jacket, which was somewhat of a waterproof work jacket. Even now, the Army has two different dress uniforms to wear on special occasions. I have a Dress Blue uniform with Gold Stripes and Trimming. Then there is also a Dress White uniform with Gold Trimming. When a person wears the White Uniform, we call them Popsicle Pete, because they look like they are selling Ice Cream.
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Buchenwald
JM
I am interested in liberators of Buchenwald, Germany concentration camps. If you have names of those who arrived first to that camp they could be honored doubly. Thank you for your work. Altogether it is a legacy the world will always remember.
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Korean War
Herbert G. Renner, Jr.
Master Chief, Hospital Corps,
U.S. Navy, Retired
Are you interested in first person articles about the Marine infantry in the Korean War, including letters written by the servicemen of that era?
For the past three years I have accumulated enough material to fill a manuscript of over 300 pages and a wealth of supplemental images.
I was a Navy Hospital Corpsman serving with the Marines in Korea with an infantry company on night patrols and in the battles of the Nevada Cities, which were outposts forward of the main line of resistance during the time the war had reached a stalemated opposing trench system, much like the Great War.
Editor’s Reply
We encourage all ex-military personal to share their stories or the stories of others and will provide as much Web space or magazine space as is needed to display these stories so that family members, school children or anyone else interested in learning can read them.
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Reply to Question of Stripes on Army Uniforms
Tom Packard
I was just looking through the Military patches, and thank you for the great site. Army uniforms having the dark larger stripe designates years of service, each standing for 3 years. The small yellow stripes signify combat duty, each one representing 6 months active combat duty
Here is an Alaska Command Patch. It was used in the 40s through the present day.
I wore this Alaska Command patch from October 1954 through April 1956. I was attached to HQs & HQs Company 8353 Big Delta Alaska (the army arctic center) assigned as a Signal Corp Supply Specialist. The name Big Delta, (which was an Army Air Corp airfield in WWII) was changed to Fort Greely in August of 1955, when a new post was built. I was there and took part in the initial ceremonies to dedicate it. It was also the headquarters for (ATB) Arctic Test Branch, which did testing of all Army equipment under Arctic conditions, -50 and colder. It was also the headquarters for (AIS) Arctic Indoctrination School, which trained military personal of all ranks for Arctic conditions, skiing, camping out in cold, and surviving. My eldest brother served on Attu Island from 1942 to 1944, when Japan invaded the Aleutians. He also wore this patch, but I don't know the outfit he was with.
This picture is of me on the left, buddy John Browy on right, and Roy Ludy in civies. Taken at a place called the Malamute Saloon. I shot a Moose on a hunt, and the people that ran the Saloon made a home cooked moose dinner for us and had the entire signal corp attend. The owners were from Wisconsin, and through my 18-month tour up there, always treated the GIs great. We didn't have a lot of money, but they would unlock the jukebox, and the place had a humongous fire place in the center of the room, and could burn 6 foot logs. They will never be forgotten for their hospitality to us. All I can remember is their last names was Donahue.
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Old Military Photos
Diane Daugherty
I have collected some old military photos that I have the names of folks, but I do not know them. Luckily, my Dad wrote their names and rank on the back. They are from around 1933.
I also have a journal that he kept in 1938. His last entry talks about Indiantown Gap and how he has to leave for service. I can type up some of that and submit it if you think readers would be interested. My Dad also kept a scrapbook that has lots of interesting newspaper clippings and photos of the time, instructions on use of gas masks and the like. I have wanted to scan those pages for some time because they are getting delicate from the years and type of paper he used. As far as the story goes with this photo, I believe the time frame is 1938. The name written on the back is Sgt. Bowers at Reg. Hdq., in Harrisburg, PA
The photo was taken by my Dad (Andrew J. Riley Sr.) I am pretty sure I could dig through my Dad's scrapbook and find out more information if you need more.
I have one [photograph] of my Dad taken at a photo studio in Gettysburg. He is wearing the same type of jodphur style pants in his uniform, however, it seems to be a dress uniform.
Sgt. Bowers in Jodphur Pants
If you are related to Sgt. Bowers and have any additional information to share or would like to communicate with Diane about this photograph, please contact us.
If you have an old military diary or letters written by a solder while he was away at war, please share them with us.
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Military Information Wanted
If anyone has information relating to the various units that wore Jodphur pants, including dates they were worn, please contact us. We are also looking for information on any other unusual types of uniforms such as the dates the Eisenhower Jackets were worn, various types of waterproof leg coverings that were used on D-day and military patches that are no longer active.
U S Legacies Magazine February 2003
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