Jump to content

Can anybody ID this patch?


VonL

Recommended Posts

My best guess is its a variation of the 29th Bomber Squadron. According to my Air Force Markings, vol. 1; they used a donkey riding a bomb as it was being dropped. Perhaps this was another version? The only other "donkey" insignia I could find was used by the MO Nat. Guard (a donkey's face over crossed bullets). Perhaps someone will be along soon with more definitive info! Best of luck!

 

GIL :smiley16:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back in the middle of the WWII years, National Geographic published all of the known U.S.Army insignia patches. I have the issue somewhere, but I'm drawing a blank as to where I put it. At the time, this display of unit patches was so popular that thousands of reprints were run. If I find it, I'll see if I can find this design.

 

Ed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went through my copy of "Air Heraldry." This is a book, printed 1944, of U.S. WW 1 and WW2 era unit aero unit badges. I cannot find it. What is the context of this badge or patch? Is it from a book or off a photo of an aircraft? Nick Filippone

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This patch is in the archives of the SD Air & Space Museum. Lots of 44th BG (B-24) material in the collection, given the ancestry of the deactivated 44th Strat Missile Wing. The base itself was a B-17 schoolhouse in WWII (Rapid City Army Air Field). That cuts both ways: The B-17 schoolhouse not only sent crews to various (mostly 8th AF) units, but had many such combat vets on staff as combat instructors. One local vet flew O-47 (sic) recce in response to the Pearl Harbor attack and later ended up here-!

Likewise, the USAF B-29 unit on station was previously the 28th BG transferred in c.1947, with a bunch of similar WWII vets on board. In WWII, the 28th BG was the eclectic 28th Composite Group of the Aleutian campaign, so their may be a connection there.

 

Hence many possible pathways for donated memorabilia. EX: There are several pix of the 498th BG B-29 "Lucky 'Leven" in the pile. The only connection I can imagine for that one is that a ground or aircrew member assigned to this bird on Saipan later served at RCAFB/Ellsworth on B-29's.

 

Visually, the patch appears to be a (US Army) mule with the blue star on the forehead, wings, bomb in the mouth, etc. Hey, it could also be a schoolhouse unit for bombardiers; AT-11, etc.

 

Thanx for your attention here, gents!

Edited by VonL
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could this be some unofficial "ad hoc" patch not recognized by the Air Corps/ Air Force? How strict was the Govt. in administering the creation and wearing of these things?

 

Not out of the question. There were a number of these, some made "official" when they got into the RKO "patch" project. I am in possession of one such patch purportedly from CAP CPB 16 (Civil Air Patrol Coastal Patrol Base 16, of whose museum I am curator) which had it's originals in a Disney caricature but was never official.

 

Bob L: How big is that patch and what is it made of ? It appears painted on something, not fabric.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The patch is painted on leather. Turns out it was the 347th Bomb Squadron of the 99th BG (B-17's in the MTO, WWII). The 99th BG is the WWII heritage of the 99th BW (former SAC/strategic tactics school), currently the 99th Air Base Wing at Nellis AFB, NV.

During the 1950's, somebody apparently changed the 347th BS flying mule emblem to one of those generic, globe-n-lightning-bolt designs, which is why this one fell off the radar. IMHO, the mule has far more character, and he probably had an interesting nickname, too.

 

FYI - These historical dots were connected by a respondent to a Hyperscale post, by a friend who forwarded the question there.

 

Thanx for your attention to it here!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The patch is painted on leather.

 

I'm not trying to start an argument here, I am truly curious. Not knowing the technology of the time, is it "painted", some form of decal or even some form of silk screening? When you look at the image Bob posted here, you can see carrier film around the mule and bomb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The patch is painted on leather.

 

I'm not trying to start an argument here, I am truly curious. Not knowing the technology of the time, is it "painted", some form of decal or even some form of silk screening? When you look at the image Bob posted here, you can see carrier film around the mule and bomb.

 

I don't think it's carrier film. I think it's caused by the leather being compressed. It's probably a stamped design. Good eye on spotting that, I didn't notice it until you mentioned it and I looked again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...is it "painted", some form of decal or even some form of silk screening? When you look at the image Bob posted here, you can see carrier film around the mule and bomb...

 

Good eyes! It's possible that the design was stamped as an outline and then painted on? The slightly 'off register' look of the gay/yellow areas may suggest a silk screen. Have seen some of these where the compass point left a tiny hole on the center, when they drew the circular border. I have no idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...