Picked up this photo of a unknown US Paratrooper
Picked up this photo of a unknown US Paratrooper
Nice photo
Cool pick up
Fortune favors the brave 644th td
I like it.
He’s a glider rider rather than paratrooper isn’t he?
The combination glider/airborne garrison cap insignia I believe was established in 1944. Prior to this date Glider qualified personnel wore the glider patch and paratroopers wore the parachute patch on their garrison caps.
There were also an Officer version and an enlisted version of the glider insignia and later the glider/parachutist insignia. In order to show that the glider is always moving forward there are 2 versions..
The glider facing the right was the Officer version and the glider facing the left was the enlisted version..
Here are some examples of the Glider patch and parachutist insignia that were separate and the later combined insignia..
Smitty
Great photo.
And awesome info Smitty. I didn't know there was a different version to differentiate O's and E's.
Another day, Another thing learned here!!
Thank you!!
Semper Fi
Phil
Yep, that's pretty much how I understand it and the wing is clearly para not glider. The medal ribbon doesn't help either if I am correct that it is The American Campaign Medal (one of the few I recognise without reference) because that was an early war introduction wasn't it?
The only SSI visible being on the left sleeve is of course not the commonly called "combat patch" and I don't recognise what is visible as a light circle on a darker square (I can't discern any motif) especially amongst airborne units and must he not be airborne rather than just para qualified because of the cap patch? So, I am struggling to date the pic or attribute it to a unit.
Definately one for you Smitty
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Looks like an 82nd patch minus the airborne above it. Or a 508th patch both are square with a circle in the middle . Gary
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