Anyone recognize this insignia? Found it in a box with Dad's Corps brass, but it could be Army. He was '46.
Bruce Riggs '83
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Insignia
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Last: 3 yr ago by HollywoodBQ
That is the unit crest of an Army Regiment. Not sure which one, as there are hundreds and hundreds of them. Was he in the Infantry, Armor, FA, etc......would make it easier to search for the regiment is we knew what his job was.
Considering the blue background, it could be an infantry regiment. Artillery would have had a red background. I have a book that shows most/all regimental crests from wwii. I'll check it tomorrow.
Corps of Engineers
Bruce Riggs '83
IDF?
Well, I've struck out. I checked in Shelby Stanton's "WWII Order of Battle" that has most regimental crests for Artillery, Infantry, Cavalry, Armor, Engineer, and some support regiments - found nothing resembling the above crest.
On an off chance, I also checked Stanton's "Vietnam Order of Battle" with the same negative results.
I tried Googling "WWII Army Regimental Crests" and went through several hundred with no success.
I don't know how things worked in WWII, but in Vietnam a subordinate unit (Company, Platoon, Battalion, etc) would create their own unique patch or crest. These were not officially sanctioned and would not appear in any official compilation of unit insignias.
On an off chance, I also checked Stanton's "Vietnam Order of Battle" with the same negative results.
I tried Googling "WWII Army Regimental Crests" and went through several hundred with no success.
I don't know how things worked in WWII, but in Vietnam a subordinate unit (Company, Platoon, Battalion, etc) would create their own unique patch or crest. These were not officially sanctioned and would not appear in any official compilation of unit insignias.
Rather than being US, he could have easily picked it up from a foreign unit he bumped into during his service.
After searching for awhile I did find that the coat of arms for Cherbourg France is almost identical.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherbourg-Octeville
Like the above poster said may be foreign. OP, did your father serve overseas?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherbourg-Octeville
Like the above poster said may be foreign. OP, did your father serve overseas?
Great find.
I wonder if maybe this was some kind of unit that was stood up in Cherbourg. Maybe a reconstituted unit or something.
Or, maybe it could be a French insignia that he found on the battlefield or even traded for with another soldier.
Total guess but maybe from the Army of the Occupation time period even.
I wonder if maybe this was some kind of unit that was stood up in Cherbourg. Maybe a reconstituted unit or something.
Or, maybe it could be a French insignia that he found on the battlefield or even traded for with another soldier.
Total guess but maybe from the Army of the Occupation time period even.
This is a good point. Many units were stood up for only a short period of time before being deactivated at the end of the war. That unit could have existed for only a few months or so, but the Institute of Heraldry would have made a crest for them not knowing how long they would be active.HollywoodBQ said:
Great find.
I wonder if maybe this was some kind of unit that was stood up in Cherbourg. Maybe a reconstituted unit or something.
Or, maybe it could be a French insignia that he found on the battlefield or even traded for with another soldier.
Total guess but maybe from the Army of the Occupation time period even.
Like the 23rd Americal Division, which was stood up from separate brigades in New Caladonia, hense the name Americal, which is short for American Division New Caladonia.
My best guess is that it's a French crest for Cherbourg. The article also mentions it received the French Croix de Guerre so maybe local Free French, Partisans, or French Army? I searched along time though US unit crests and had zero results. Funny thing is I swear I've seen it before but who knows.
For some reason, this on piqued my interest and I couldn't let it go.
The answer is the 333rd Engineer Special Service Regiment.
Web Site here:
http://www.333rd.de/index.html
Here are some pictures from the web site:
Note the Regimental Crest in the middle of the sign for this bridge.
The answer is the 333rd Engineer Special Service Regiment.
Web Site here:
http://www.333rd.de/index.html
Quote:
On March 1942, there was issued in Washington, D.C., a memorandum over the signature of Colonel Arlington, Chief of the Operations and Training Branch, Troops Division, Corps of Engineers, addressed to the Commanding Officers of engineer units to be formed for the militarization of overseas construction. This memorandum stated in effect that several engineer units were being formed for the purpose of constructing and improving overseas installations such as docks and port facilities, railroads, roads, and a variety of barracks, utilities, ordnance shops, engine assembly plants, etc. Among the units to be formed were five Engineer Special Service Regiments, the 333rd was one of these. According to the memorandum, Special Service Regiments were new units designed to meet special conditions in the theaters in which they were to operate, with specialists qualified to operate the equipment to be taken over from former contractors.
Here are some pictures from the web site:
Note the Regimental Crest in the middle of the sign for this bridge.
Same thing. When one of these things gets posted and I don't have much going on I'll jump all in. Nice find.
Interesting all the work they did in and around Cherbourg. I wonder if they took their regimental crest from the city.
Interesting all the work they did in and around Cherbourg. I wonder if they took their regimental crest from the city.
Very cool. Great find. Great history.
Good work.
Looks like the official crest had six-pointed stars, but the sign-painters sometimes went with five.
Looks like the official crest had six-pointed stars, but the sign-painters sometimes went with five.
From that web site:Quote:
http://www.333rd.de/index.html
Quote:
This site tells some facts about the history of the 333rd Engineer Special Service Regiment before, during and after its participation in the Second World War. Some photos could be found here as well.
The site is maintained by two Germans; a father-daughter-team. And in case you are wondering why two Germans are interested in the history of an American Military Unit, here's the answer: The senior team member (born 1947) is a GI's child. Together they are anxious to get more information of their father/grandpa, because very little is known about him up to now. The main point is where he came from or where members of his family are living now. Meanwhile it's very unlikely that he is still alive...
Hmmmm. The OP's dad was class of '47. Does the Op have a step-brother?
It was the Cherbourg tip from JABQ04 that helped me crack the code.CanyonAg77 said:
Good work.
Looks like the official crest had six-pointed stars, but the sign-painters sometimes went with five.
Once I saw the similarity between the crest and the city coat of arms, the rest was just searching internet keyword combinations until I found a match.
That is such a fascinating story about the children of American GIs. I assume there would be quite a few similar stories in many places like Vietnam, Korea, England, etc.
rca21978
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