Combat Patches On The Cuff?

Every now and then a WWII uniform (usually an Ike jacket from an ETO veteran) turns up with what should be a shoulder patch sew onto the right cuff.  These uniforms are often decried as "FAKE!" on various internet collectors forums.  Not so fast!

Here's a period photo of just such a patch placement!  Note the 3rd Army patch on the cuff.

1930's US Army Air Corps Pilot

Great studio portrait of a US Army Air Corps pilot, likely from the 1930's.  I wish I knew who he was! Looks like 1LT rank on the shoulder, but the picture was done with "soft" tones which make it somewhat fuzzy looking.

25th Infantry Division, Korea

The 25th Infantry Division has a long history of service on the Pacific Rim.   Before the outbreak of the Korean war in 1950, the division was stationed in Japan on Occupation duty.  They deployed to Korea in July 1950 where they stayed until after the armistice in July 1953.  They returned to Hawaii, their native home, in 1954.  This patch and scroll combo is still attached to its original 1952 dated "Ike" Jacket.  Scrolls like the one shown here are very uncommon.

406th Mobile Medical Laboratory

The 406th Mobile Medical Laboratory was the first unit of its type to arrive in South Vietnam, with a detachment arriving from Japan in 1962.  The Mobile Medical Laboratory was part of the US Army's Medical Service, with their mission being to generate medical technical information for patient care, disease prevention, and forensic activity.  In 1965 the 406th was placed control of the blood program with the responsibility to: calculate estimates of blood requirements, establish blood depot facilities, coordinate for delivery, establish procedures for appropriate utilization of blood, consolidate blood reports, and conduct inspections of medical treatment facilities utilizing blood.

WWII 82nd Airborne Gliderman

Here's a neat period photo from my collection of a WWII glider man of the 82nd Airborne Division.  Likely that this photo was taken in England during the war.

1st Cavalry Regiment

Here's another great studio portrait.  This time it's a trooper from the 1st Cavalry Regiment (Mechanized), taken about 1940 or 1941.  The colorization was done after the picture was taken, a common practice with portraits back then.  Note the mechanized infantry, or "Tank Infantry" collar disk on this left collar (viewers right).

31st Infantry Regiment, Occupied Japan

Here's a great post WWII/Pre-Korean war studio portrait of a young member of the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.   Note the heavy cross stitching on the shoulder patch, a common enhancement of the time.