Patches / Insignia

Cloth or metal, Shoulder sleeve insignia, chevrons, cuff titles, collar insignia, DUIs — all the adornments of the military uniform are covered in this section.

A German Feldgendarmerie/Wehrmacht Uniformed Police Officer directs traffic.
Patches / Insignia

Collecting WWII German Ordnungspolizei (Order Police or ORPO) Patches

Illustration from cover of United States Army Cap Insignia, 1902-1975, by Michael F. Tucker
Patches / Insignia

Book Review: United States Army Cap Insignia, 1902-1975, by Michael F. Tucker

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Patches / Insignia

Army announces update to Class B Army Green Service Uniform

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Patches / Insignia

Verified Fakes: WWII Waffen and Allgemeine SS metal "Totenkopf" cap badges

@MyNavyHR posted on Twitter, "Your concerns have been heard. The Navy has now authorized a new and more recognizable rank tab for optional wear. "
Patches / Insignia

Navy Approves Alternate Rank Tabs for NWU Type III uniforms

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Patches / Insignia

You will be seeing red patches on Marine Corps covers.  Do you know why?

Frontline Feature

MLT SPOT FOR SALECROP
Frontline Feature

UP FRONT AND CENTER!

This Spot Reaches More than 10,000 people a day.

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Patches / Insignia

On Patrol: Vietnam Insignia of Task Force 116

The Air Force's new Operational Camouflage Uniform has a smaller rank insignia displayed in the middle of the chest. The Air Force is switching to a lighter, three-color background for the Trank insignia, service and name tapes, and badges.
Patches / Insignia

USAF Adopts Easier-to-See Insignia

USARAK commander Gen. Raymond Palumbo is wearing the old-style rectangular tab as he stood at attention in -23 degrees temperature, rendering a salute as U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Gen. George Casey, departed Alaska in December 2010.
Patches / Insignia

The Army's new Arctic Tab insignia

Germany’s Nazi Party relied on a vast network of “political leaders.” Working as civil servants, they provided a network to educate the public about Party doctrines. The party leader above wears a standard armband on a tunic with no tunic piping — not uncommon for lower ranking officials.
Patches / Insignia

Political leaders of the Third Reich

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Military History

WW2 relics show how Germany used sports to prepare for War

Snapshot of Japanese Infantry officer wearing field cap and Type 98 collar insigina.
Militaria Collecting 101

WWII Japanese Type 98 Rank Insignia Identification and Value Guide

Machinists Mate (Weapons) 2nd Class David Gentry, from Buckeye, Ariz., gives a tour of the torpedo room aboard the Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) during a family day cruise. Oklahoma City is one of four forward-deployed submarines assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron Fifteen out of Apra Harbor, Guam. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelsey J. Hockenberger/Released)
Patches / Insignia

Man the Torpedoes!

In 1945, Story (left) became General Douglas MacArthur’s personal pilot, a position he served until MacArthur’s dismissal in 1951.
Uniforms

Favorite Find: Jacket Worn by MacArthur's pilot

Propaganda card showing members of Himmler’s SS Technische Nothilfe / Technical Emergency Aid organization. The TENO (Technische Nothilfe —Technical Emergency Relief) had been founded in 1919. Today, the organization still exists as the Technische Hilfswerke (Technical Assistance).
Medals

Teno

A Cleveland,Ohio, delegate wore this badge to the Die Freunde des Neuen Deutschland (FDND)Gau-Tag meeting held at the Palmer House in Chicago on October 20, 1934.
Patches / Insignia

The German American Bund: The Enemy Within

A three-man crew at the ready of their MG 08. Members of the MG-Scharfschuetzen (machine gun sharpshooters) who mastered their training were awarded a proficiency badge, first authorized in January, 1916.
Militaria Collecting 101

Maschinengewehr Abzeichen

Hitler’s elite members of the Allgemeine SS wore austere, black and white visor caps to incite feelings of pride, discipline, and fear. Mark Pulaski Collection
Headgear

Skulls & Eagles

This Totenkopf member wears his complete uniform with death’s head collar tabs.
Headgear

Black Knights of the third Reich: Part II

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Patches / Insignia

12 Years of USN Service Now Earns Gold Stripes

Robert Dalessandro, a Virginia native, has devoted his life to the study of the American Expeditionary Force and the role of its soldiers in WWI. He has published several books on the subject and is deeply involved in the work of the World War I Centennial Commission (WWICC).
Who's Who in the Militaria Hobby

10 Questions with Robert J. Dalessandro

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Patches / Insignia

Black Knights of the Third Reich

A World War I British Airco DH.9A bomber with the original pattern of an aircraft roundel. When used as aircraft or vehicle identification, this style has become universally known as a “roundel”— whether round or not.
Patches / Insignia

What's the Difference? Is That Military Insignia a Cockade or Roundel?

This is Joe’s workshop. Ask his wife and she will tell you, “Joe knows where everything is!”
Medals

10 Questions with Joe Weingarten

Noncommissioned officers of the 77th Divison's 304th Machine gun battalion receive instruction in operating the Vickers machine gun from British Army Sgt. D. Harris, a member of the 44th Machinegun Company of the 44th Battalion in May 1918 in this still from a 1918 silent movie , "Training with the British Army in Picardy, May 1918" on the National Archve's wesbite. The 77th Division, composed of draftee Soldiers from New York City, was one of five American divisons which was trainined by the British Army after arriving in France. ( U.S. Army photo by U.S. Army Signal Corps via National Archives)
Militaria Collecting 101

Why World War I Matters

An army NCO on his beautiful black mare with dress saberattached to the saddle at the ready.
Patches / Insignia

Riders for the Reich

The NS-Frauenschaft empowered women to take part in the national movement as it swept over Germany. This photo was taken at the NS-Gaufrauenschaft Berlin rally in the Sportpalast. It shows Reichsfrauenführerin GertrudScholtz-Klink standing with (from left) Joseph Goebbels; the Italian Ambassador Dino Alfieri; Deutschen Arbeitsfront (DAF) leader Robert Ley; and the leader of the NS-Hauptamts NS-Frauenschaft, Erich Hilgenfeldt (Photo by Ullstein Bild via Getty Images)
Patches / Insignia

Frauenschaft: The Nazi’s Women’s League

This proud NCO wears a pilot’s badge on his flight tunic as prescribed by regulations.
Medals

WWII Luftwaffe Badges

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Photographs and Ephemera

Foreign Workers in the Reich

The triple-decker stack of patches from the uniform service coat belonging to Elmer Thompson, a Doughboy serving in Company “L” of the 332nd Infantry Regiment.
Uniforms

Multi-patched WWI Army uniforms

Soldiers assigned to The Caisson Platoon, 1st Battalion, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) were awarded, for the first time in military history, The Military Horseman Identification Badge, during a ceremony in Conmy Hall, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., Sept. 29, 2017. Requirements for the badge include the completion of 100 Armed Forces Full Honors Funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, the Basic Horsemanship Course, serve honorable for a minimum of 9 months at The Caisson Platoon and be recommended by the Commander of 1st Battalion, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard).
Medals

Army introduces new Military Horseman Badge

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Dakota Price, SOJTF-OIR)
Patches / Insignia

NEW Patch for Spec Op Joint Task Force

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Patches / Insignia

Navy reverses rating decision

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Patches / Insignia

Totenkopf: Nazi Germany's 'death head' of WWII

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Who's Who in the Militaria Hobby

10 Questions with James McDuff

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Militaria Collecting 101

Navy scuttles sailors' enlisted rating titles

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Patches / Insignia

Marine Special Operators get their own insignia pin

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Photographs and Ephemera

German Youth ID Card

Gold Star Lapel Button (left) are presented to and worn by surviving spouses, parents, and immediate family members of Armed Forces members killed in combat operations. On the reverse is the inscription “United States of America, Act of Congress, August 1966” with space for engraving the initials of the recipient. Next of Kin Lapel Buttons (right) are presented to and worn by immediate Family members of United States Armed Forces members who die while serving outside of combat operations.
Patches / Insignia

Honoring the Sacrifice

Sekret‰rin an Schreibmaschine
Photographs and Ephemera

Reich’s Recorders: The German Stenographers’ Union

Cockades Issued in Cuba: Top row left to right: Line Infantry, Light Infantry, Cavalry, Volunteer Cavalry. Bottom Row: Engineers, Artillery, Marine Infantry, “Universal” cockade.
Patches / Insignia

The Spanish Cockade of 1898

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Patches / Insignia

Poppy pins pay tribute to fallen at the Battle of Somme

Scherl Bilderdienst K¸nstlertr‰ume nach Feierabend. Tags¸ber bedienen die geschickten M‰dchenh‰nde im B¸ro die Schreibmaschine.
Patches / Insignia

Reich's Recorders

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Medals

German NSDAP Gau Tradition Badges of WWII

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Patches / Insignia

Army's 5th Special Forces Group to Resurrect Vietnam-Era Beret Flash

Flugzeug Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Bewaffnung
Patches / Insignia

Not all Pilots

Variations of 82nd Airborne Division patches from World War II to present surrounding the division headquarters unit crest which was approved on 23 October 1942. The fleur-de-lis is representative of the division’s battle honors earned in France during World War I. The wings are symbolic of the Division’s mission as is the motto.
Patches / Insignia

America’s Guard of Honor: The 82nd Airborne Division

First Lieutenant William F. Savidge, Jr., of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, proudly wearing his A-2 jacket with the club’s insignia painted on the back. The emblem features a Mustang flying over Fujiyama —Japan’s iconic mountain, and framed by a Shinto design. Where do you suppose his jacket is today?
Uniforms

An incredible A-2 jacket: But where is it today?

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Auction News

Museum auction features 9,000 military patches

Italian pilots and crew from the I Gruppo Caccia stationed at Campoformido, January 1944.
Patches / Insignia

Royal Italian A.F. Aircrew Badges of WWII

Uniforms

Zulu war soldier identified from tunic button

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Patches / Insignia

Collecting military patches

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Patches / Insignia

Vietnamese Star of the November Revolution

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Patches / Insignia

1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Pocket Patches

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Patches / Insignia

USAF Deployment Patches

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Medals

The German Cholm Shield