|
This text is stored as a file in PDF format. You can change the text by clicking on the link below to open.
Below photo gallery contains the most important and/or special unit shoulder sleeve insignia that played a role in Augsburg´s U.S. history. Several smaller units that were under the command of a Corps, VII Army or USAREUR had no insignia of their own. The typical German usually had no idea of these so-called patches. For the GI however, they were expressing identity and patriotic belonging to a military unit with a long tradition. Usually a nichname as well as a motivating motto were attached.
Left: On April 28, 1945, 3rd Infantry Division, “Marne Division”, VII Army, occupied the city of Augsburg for a few days, liberating it of the NS dictatorship. Between 1977 and 1983, this Division stationed the 3rd/63rd Armor in Augsburg. Right: The HQ 7th Army was in Augsburg’s west from May until June 1945. Later, several units were directly under 7th Army. The stylized “A” for Army is formed by seven steps indicating the numerical designation of the unit. The colors represent blue for infantry, red for artillery, and yellow for armor.
Left: From May 1945 until February 1946, units of the 71st Infantry Division “Red Circle” occupied the Augsburg kasernes. They were relieved by the 9th Infantry Division (right). Both divisions still belonged to the WW II occupation divisions. The insignia of the 9th Infantry, Division, “Old Reliables”, is based on an octofoil.
Left: To maintain law and order of the public as well as of the occupation forces, Constabulary troops were in Augsburg from May 1946 until the end of 1948. Right: Reinforcement of this police-like military unit, partially equipped with Main Battle Tanks, led to a re-designation to Constabulary 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment. In autumn of 1951, the Constabulary was deployed to the German-German frontier in order to ensure the safety of the West German frontier. (Patch embroidered by hand).
Left: The U.S. Military Government had its own MG emblem until around 1950. Right: From the beginning of 1947 until August 1950, the Non-American personnel of the Industrial Police had a patch, later they became part of the Labor Service with its own insignia.
Left: After the 2nd Armor Cavalry Regiment of the Constabulary, the 43rd Infantry Division “Winged Victory” with units of the National Guard maintained the occupational status in Augsburg. The unit remained until May 1954. At the same time (right), the 109th Regiment of the 28th Infantry Division, “Keystone”, was also in Augsburg and Gablingen. Headquarters of this Division were, however, in the Göppingen area, Württemberg.
Beginning in 1947, special units were present under USAREUR’s (United States Army Europe) Blazing Sword insignia (left). Right: From May 1954 until March 1956, the 5th Infantry Division “Red Diamond” replaced the 43rd and 28th Infantry Division in Augsburg.
From the beginning of 1956, the troops of the 11th Airborne Division “The Angels” represented another change until summer 1958. A peculiarity was the Pocket Patch of particular regiments: Right the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, “Rakkasans”, 1st Battle Group. This unit was deployed to Lebanon in autumn of 1958 (Lebanon crisis).
From July 1958 until the beginning of 1970, the 24th Infantry Division, “Taro Leaf“, was in Augsburg. It was reorganized from exclusive airborne troops to a unit that was also equipped for a nuclear theater of operations. This was the longest stationing of a particular unit that left lasting marks on Augsburg’s military and social life. The Division band had a supplement patch as shown right.
From the end of 1951 until April 1992, most Augsburg units were under the command of VII Corps (United States), ” Jayhawk Corps”. When it was inactivated, Augsburg’s remaining units were subordinate to V Corps, “Victory Corps”. The patch on the right is the camouflage version of the signet.
Left: From April 1970 until ca. 1977, units of the 1st Infantry Division, “The Big Red One”, replaced the 24th Infantry Division that was redeployed to CONUS. Right: From 1978 until the beginning of 1992, the stationed artillery units belonged to the 17th Field Artillery Brigade, “Thunderbolt”, with the red-gold artillery patch. Until then, artillery units were directly under the command of a Division or VII Corps.
Left: The pocket patch of the 3rd Bn 63rd Armor Regiment, “Lions”, could be seen from 1970 until the beginning of 1983 on the breast pockets of U.S. tank crews. Finally equipped with the modern Abrams M1 Main Battle Tanks, they soon were deployed to Kitzingen. Right: The STRATCOM, Strategic Communication Command, patch in the 1970s. In the 1980s it was renamed 160th Signal Brigade. The unit worked at the telephone and telex centers, the relay towers at Reese Barracks and Sheridan Kaserne, as well as in the forest near Bonstetten.
Left: The hospital at Flak Kaserne belonged the 7th Medical Command from 1978 until 1994. After closure of this kaserne, the U.S. Army Medical Command (right) took the dispensary over at Sheridan Kaserne.
Left: From 1973 until 1990, the 236th Medical Detachment, “Bavarian Dustoff”, served with SAR choppers at the Flak hospital and at Gablingen. Then the SAR choppers were deployed for the Iraq War. Right: From 1991 until base closure, the SAR choppers were a component of the 236th Medical Company Air Ambulance at Gablingen.
Left: Starting around 1980, VII Corps installed the Noncommissioned Officer, NCO, Academy at Sheridan Kaserne with their own patch. Right: From 1956 until 1977, the 15th Military Police Brigade resided next to their Division MP companies in Augsburg.
Left: Beginning in 1982, the 14th MP Brigade took over the higher police service. Right: During the final six years until 1998, only a small unit of the 18th MP Brigade served. (During the years of their intelligence activities, also INSCOM resp. the 66th MI Brigade had their own MP units).
Left: The U.S. Army Security Agency had this patch from 1968 until spring 1977. Then followed the “Key, Lightning and Torch” of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, INSCOM, until April 1993 (right). From 1995 until 1998, these patches were also worn by the 66th MI Group, as separate patches were allowed only from brigade level.
The 66th Military Intelligence Brigade had its own patch from 1992/3 until July 1995 (sphinx with dagger. Here also the camouflage version of the official patch.
Two examples of unofficial but worn insignia: left the insignia of Army Aviation “Gator Flight” of the Field Station Augsburg-Gablingen (Flight Detachment). Right: The Bavaria elated insignia of the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Augsburg, USNSGA. This Navy unit worked at the Gablingen Field Station from 1973 until April 1996. Its personnel lived in Bldg 117, Sheridan Kaserne.
Two unusual patches at the perimeter of military operations in the post war years: Left, United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, UNRRA, personnel, right the patch of the official interpreters who were especially assisting U.S. dependents after their arrival and during their stay in Germany, but who were also required for official activities (e.g. interrogations).
Early and late name badges on U.S. Army Battle Dress Uniforms, BDU.
Schulterabzeichen (Shoulder Sleeve Insignia) des amerikanischen Heeres (U.S. Army) – eine kleine Abzeichenkunde
Nach dem Eintritt der USA in den Ersten Weltkrieg wurden im Oktober 1918 erstmals offizielle Schulterabzeichen (auch „Patches“ = Aufnäher genannt) eingeführt, die nach den damaligen Fertigungstechniken in der Gestaltung entsprechend einfach ausfielen (Filzabzeichen und mechanische Stickereien). Dessen ungeachtet sind viele dieser ersten Schulterabzeichen bis heute unverändert in Gebrauch. Da ist beispielsweise das Abzeichen der 1st Infantry Division („Big Red One“), das sich heraldisch von selbst erklärt, oder das Abzeichen der 3rd Infantry Division („Marne“ = drei weiße Streifen für drei entscheidende Schlachten 1918 in Frankreich auf blauem Grund) hingewiesen, die beide in Teilen auch in Augsburg stationiert waren.
Durch verbesserte Fertigungstechniken (durchgehende Stickerei auf einer Stoffunterlage) und die Schaffung eines riesigen Militärapparates wurden während des Zweiten Weltkrieges durch das US-Heer hunderte neue Schulterabzeichen eingeführt, von heraldisch im Schnellverfahren entwickelten, einfachen (geometrischen oder numerischen) Mustern, bis hin zu anspruchsvoll gestalteten Schulterabzeichen.
Ab 1945 wurden auch von deutschen Stickereien für die Besatzungstruppen und späteren Verbündeten unzählige Varianten von offiziellen und inoffiziellen Schulterabzeichen aus verschiedensten Materialien in sehr kleinen Stückzahlen für die amerikanischen Streitkräfte hergestellt - z. B. handgestickt mit erhabenen Silberfäden / „Leonischem Draht“-, (Beispiel das Abzeichen der U.N.R.R.A. oder Official U.S. Interpreter) bis hin zu maschinengestickten „Großauflagen" (z. B. das IP-Abzeichen der Industriepolizei).
In den Jahren von 1951 bis ungefähr 1960 war bei den amerikanischen Einheiten als Besonderheit das zusätzliche Tragen ihres Regiment- bzw. Bataillonswappens als zumeist recht groß geratenes, farbiges Brustabzeichen („Pocket Patch“) auf der Arbeits- bzw. Kampfuniform weit verbreitet. Diese Tradition wird bis heute nur noch von den Heeresfliegern (Aviation) und Einheiten der Rettungshubschrauber weiter aufrecht erhalten.
Eine Zäsur brachte der Vietnamkrieg mit sich. Die Heeresführung stellte fest, daß das Tragen von farbigen Abzeichen aller Art auf den diversen Uniformen dem Gedanken einer möglichst guten Tarnung des Soldaten, vor allem im Dschungelkrieg, zuwider läuft. Deshalb wurden ab 1966 bis spätestens 1970 auf den Arbeits- bzw. Kampfuniformen sämtliche farbigen Abzeichen durch „farbgedämpfte“ („subdued“) Abzeichen in oliv und schwarz ersetzt.
Auch das seit ungefähr 1950 getragene Namensband auf der Arbeits- bzw. Kampfuniform in der bis dahin eher auffälligen Gestaltung „weiß mit schwarzer Schrift“ und das Band „U.S. Army“ in gelb/goldener Schrift auf schwarzem Grund wurden durch die „farbgedämpfte“ Variante abgelöst.
Hinzuweisen ist noch auf die Tatsache, daß das Schulterabzeichen der derzeitigen Einheit des Soldaten auf dem linken Oberarm getragen wird; das Tragen des Abzeichens einer Einheit, mit welcher der Soldat früher im (Kampf)-Einsatz war („former wartime service“), zusätzlich auf dem rechten Oberarm zulässig ist.
Vervollständigt werden die Uniformen durch Dienstgrad-, Tätigkeits- und Truppengattungsabzeichen, die je nach Jahrzehnt ebenfalls farbig oder farbgedämpft gestaltet sind und aus Stoff oder auch Metall bestehen. Dazu summieren sich noch die meist auf der Kopfbedeckung und den beiden Schulterklappen getragenen und aus dem offiziellen „Wappen“ der jeweiligen Einheit abgeleiteten Abzeichen aus farbig emailliertem Metall („Destinctive Unit Insignia“ (DUI) bzw. „Crest“ genannt). Eine Ausführung zu diesen Einzelheiten würde jedoch den Rahmen dieser Beschreibung sprengen.
copyright Thomas Dollrieß 01/2016
|
