Military Commands Patches

Information extracted from the book "US ARMY PATCHES"  by Barry Jason Stein

USED BY PERMISSION

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3rd Msl Cmd

The mission of the command is symbolized by the missile, and the lightning suggests readiness and retaliatory speed.

Msl Cmds

Worn from:  15 January 1953 - 1 August 1961.

Worn from:  15 January 1953 - 30 June 1978.

Persion Gulf Sve Cmd
  

The design of the insignia was approved in 1944 for the Persian Gulf Service Command, whose mission was to insure the uninterrupted flow of lend-lease arms and supplies to Russia.  The red scimitar, from the flag of Iran, represents the warlike spirit of the  descendants of the ancient Persians.  The seven-pointed white star, taken from the flag of the Kingdom of Iraq, represents the purity and religion of the Middle East.  The green shield denotes the agriculture of old Persia and also stands for Islam, the dominant religion both of Iran and Iraq. The colors red and green are also adapted from the flags of Iran and Iraq.

USA Rec Svc
 

The rectangular design of the insignia was approved in 1960.  The Liberty Bell, symbol of freedom, refers to the service's function in preserving the liberty of the United States.  The six stars represent the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Continental United States Army areas.  Another version of this design, with the words "US Army" in the upper portion of the patch and "Recruiting Service" at the base, was also worn.  

TRADOC
 

Re-designated:   Training and Doctrine Command -- Unites States Army (TRADOC).  Worn from:  ! July 1973 - Current.

This shoulder-sleeve insignia was formerly that of the Replacement and School Command.  The command was charged with the responsi- bility of training army personnel.  The three stripes are in the colors of, and refer to, the basic combat arms; they also refer to the components of the "One Army" concept:  Active Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard.

 Ryukyu Cmd

Official records show that this patch was not approved for this command.  It has been designated as such by the American Society of Military Insignia Collectors.  The patch has a sea lion holding a sword, which is placed on a shield divided vertically (red, white, and red) with three white starts on a blue field.

Ryukyu Islands

Re-designated:  Okinawa Base Command.  Worn from:  20 October 1965 - 25 June 1970.

Re-designated:  Ryukyu Islands -- United States Army.  Worn from:  25 June 1970 - 15 May 1972.

The insignia, originally approved for the Ryukyus Command in 1950, was re-designated in 1965 for the United States Army, Ryukyu Islands.  The torii, sacred entranceway to a Shinto Temple, alludes to Ryukyus as "the gateway to Japan."

SE Asia Cmd

The design of the insignia was approved in August of 1944 for the Southeast Asia Command which was assigned the mission of destroying Japanese forces in Southeast Asia and reopening land communications with China.  The Phoenix, a mythological bird which arose anew from its ashes after being consumed by flames, a symbolic of the mission of the command.

Atlantic Base Cmds

The design of the insignia was approved in 1942 for the Atlantic Base Commands, a network of bases in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea area formed for the defense of the United States.  The cetacean is representative of the famed "Pelorous Jack," the grampus who acts as a pilot fish to all vessels passing through French Pass, New Zealand.  This species, similar to a dolphin, is widely distributed in the seas of the Northern Hemisphere.

 Bermuda Base Cmd

The design consists of gold propeller blades which represent the air force element of the command.  Red represents the artillery element; blue, the background, is for infantry.  The white triangle symbolizes a coral island.

 Greenland Base Cmd

The design of the insignia, approved in 1943, is that of three waves, which represent the mission of the command to maintain an air route to England, provide weather data for operations in Europe, and guard the northern ocean frontier of the United States.  Red, white, and blue are the national colors.

Iceland Def Force

Re-designated:  Iceland Base Command.  Worn from:  3 September 1941 - 1 January 1946.

Re-designated:  Iceland Defense Force.  Worn from:  5 April 1954 - June 1962.

The design of the insignia was originally approved in 1941 for the Indigo Task Force, Iceland Base Command, which was re-designated for the Iceland Defense Force (the army element) in 1954.  The triangle, symbol of strength, represents the command's mission to defend Iceland from enemy attack.  The wavy line, symbol of water, indicates that Iceland is an ocean island.  Red, white, and blue are the national colors.

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