Red Ball Express Patch

[gel65]

Hello I would like to share with you two patch I got at the local flea market. The Red Ball Express and the white ball express. I am not sure the point of the white ball express. Here is some info on the red ball express. The Red Ball Express was an enormous truck convoy system created in 1944 to supply Allied forces moving quickly through Europe after breaking out from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. The route, marked with red balls, was closed to civilian traffic; the trucks were marked with the same red balls and given priority on regular roads. The Red Ball Express supply plan originated in a 36-hour urgent committee meeting, and was co-designed by Lt. John Bridener Guthrie, Jr. The red ball express was primarily operated by African American soldiers. Thanks for looking Sean F

[RH1941]

How do they hold up to the blacklight test.

[SteveR]

The white center patch is an error. The red ball patch was the only one used by the American military truck supply units.

[gel65]

They pass the burn test and do not black light, I had never seen the white one before thanks for the info steve. The pictures do not do them justice they look like they have a lot of threads coming out but it looks better in hand

[KriegMann]

They pass the burn test

Just curious, what is the burn test?

[gel65]

It is a test used to tell the age of the material of cloth. You take a thread and put it near a flame a believe most old threads will completely burn.

[SteveR]

My uncle, JD Ray, transferred from an infantry division to the Red Ball Express because he could drive a truck. I have his Ike jacket around somewhere.

[gel65]

That is interesting could you post a picture of it if you find it Steve, I have seen very few of the patches on uniforms

[SteveR]

Sure.
Finding it will be the problem. I have a bunch of WW II US stuff bagged, mothballed and boxed so it might take awhile.

[gel65]

I understand what you mean, my father has the same problem well whenever you have time it would be great to see it thanks