Posted on Mar 31, 2014
SFC(P) Military Police
172K
1.46K
393
35
35
0
2e3843b4
What is your favorite unit combat patch to wear?
Avatar feed
Responses: 223
Votes
  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Votes
SSG Ray Murphy
2
2
0
9ba43575
Berlin Brigade
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
TSgt Electrical Power Production
2
2
0
As an AF member I enjoy seeing the different patches worn by soldiers. I was in a CE unit attached to the 101st (Bastogne) in 06 (FOB Warrior) so I appreciate those unit combat patches.
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SSG Jimmy Cernich
2
2
0
1st Cavalry Division!
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SGT Observer   Controller/Trainer
2
2
0
I have three that I would change up between. They are 3 ID, 25ID, and 1st Marine. My favorite is the 1st Marine because not very many Army soldiers have it and it was a long hard process to get authorized
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SGT Signal Support Systems Specialist
2
2
0
D07dd919
(2)
Comment
(0)
SGT Signal Support Systems Specialist
SGT (Join to see)
8 y
New School but at least not everyone and their brother has it yet
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
1SG Richard Trundy
2
2
0
1/75th Ranger Bn
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CW3 Human Resources Technician
2
2
0
I've earned 5, but my favorite is the Rolling A-hole, 3D Army / ARCENT. In the good old days of Kuwait, it stood for the tent you slept in /\, the cot you slept on -- , and the number of shots you fired O.
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
SPC Christopher Combs
2
2
0
04f8793a
Seven steps to hell!!
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CSM William Payne
2
2
0
42842d33
There are a lot of history behind all of these great patches but the the patch of the 81st Infantry Division, 100 years old, is the daddy of them all. The first combat patch authorized by in the modern Army.

Symbolism
The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved for the 81st Division by telegram on 19 October 1918. On 29 June 1922, it was officially announced. The insignia was redesignated for the 81st Infantry Division on 11 May 1964, retroactive to 1 August 1942. On 22 April 1968, it was authorized for the 81st U.S. Army Reserve Command. The insignia was reassigned and authorized effective 16 April 1996, for the U.S. Army 81st Regional Support Command. It was redesignated for the U.S. Army 81st Regional Readiness Command effective 16 July 2003. The insignia was redesignated effective 17 September 2008, for the 81st Regional Support Command and amended to add a symbolism. The 81st Division is credited as being the first unit to have a shoulder sleeve insignia. (TIOH Dwg. No. A-1-128).

It's 1917 and the 81st Infantry Division is training at Camp Jackson (now Fort Jackson) South Carolina. As the war progressed with the involvement of the United States, recruits from the northern states were pushed south into Virginina and North Carolina to train in milder climates.

So the recruits from North and South Carolina were sent to Camp Jackson, created for training the 81st. Division commander MG Charles Bailey went to Europe before the deployment of the 81st to survey the landscape of the war. While there he noticed that many of our ally units wore distinctive unit patches. Besides unit pride the primary reason for having the patches was during all the confusion of the battlefield, the fog of war if you will, especially in the trench warfare, patches made it easier for unit members to link back up with their own unit members after making mass movements.

Bailey returned to Camp Jackson and held a contest for a design of a unit patch. The winning design was that of the wildcat, which had become the nickname of the 81st because of the creek of the same name that ran through Camp Jackson. The longest road on Jackson going out to the training sites was also named Wildcat Road for the same reason.

The original patch had a three legged profile, combining the back leg to save on thread and making it easier to manufacture. So the Soldiers of the 81st sewed the patches on their uniforms, continued training and eventually boarded the train to New York to ship to France. When they reached the port of embarkation the patches were noticed, flagged as unauthorized and the Soldiers were ordered to remove them. So the Soldiers removed the patches and put them in their pockets only to resew them back on during the voyage over.

When they stepped off the the ships in France a photo taken of these American Soldiers with patches ended up on the front page of a magazine. This started commotion among the other American units there and in short order reached General John "Blackjack" Pershing's office. Pershing summoned Bailey to his office to explain why his Soldiers were out of uniform and wearing the unauthorized patch. Bailey finally wore Pershing down with his arguments; the fog of war, unit pride, esprit de corps and that his unit had trained under to patch and that it would be a morale breaker to have his Soldiers to remove it. Pershing finally gave in with words somewhat of this nature; Bailey, your unit can keep their damn patch but they better damn well earn it!

When other units saw that they 81st were allowed to keep their patch they of course complained, the which Pershing relented and authorized the other units to create and wear their own patch. So before the Big Red One, the 82nd, the First Cav, 101st Screaming Eagles or any of the other more famous patches, there was the Wildcat, for the 81st Infantry Division. It recognition of that honor, it is the ONLY combat patch that only comes in completely subdued format. There is no colored "Class A" format.

At the Infantry Museum at Fort Benning there is a World War I Lieutenant wearing a patch, that of the 81st. That Soldier in heat combat called to the rear to bring up more ammunition. When none arrived he made his way back to find out why. The ammo bearers feared the intense combat and had refused to bring the ammo up. To which the Soldier drew his sidearm and threatened the ammo bearers with their lives if they did not move the ammo up, which they did. That Soldier later received a battlefield commission.

Wildcat Pride - "Wildcats Never Quit, they win or they die."
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
CPL Kevin Kumpe
2
2
0
Bd3b86f0
29TH BCT
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.