Category Archives: WWII 101st Airborne Patches and Insignia

WW2 401st Glider 101st Airborne Division Purple Heart And Ike Jacket Grouping

Posted on by

401st GIR Purple Heart Group Front

This WWII Ike jacket and purple heart medal grouping belonged to a member of the 101st Airborne Division.  He was severely wounded in January 1945 losing fingers from his hand and toes from one of his feet. He spent nearly 300 days in hospitals recovering from his wounds. Luckily, he did finally recover from his wounds. Although purple hearts were most often engraved with the name of the Veteran for personal killed in action during WWII, they were also sometimes engraved for those who were seriously wounded or the veteran himself could have the medal privately engraved.  I think this purple heart was privately engraved.

I have some records from him that indicate that he was a member of the 401st Glider Infantry in 1945.  By 1945, many members of the glider infantry had also been parachute qualified, which would explain his jump wings instead of glider wings.  Also, he may have transferred into the 401st from a parachute unit.

Please note that we have blurred out his last name in the photos for privacy.

G Company 506th PIR 101st Airborne Division Grouping

Posted on by

G Company 506 PIR Group Front View

This WWII grouping belonged to a paratrooper of Company G, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.  It consists of his Ike jacket with 506th PIR oval, overseas cap, 506th PIR pocket patch, 506th DI, and some photos/paperwork (which are not picture).  I have posted the pocket patch and 506th oval in other posts on this blog, but I have never posted the entire group together.

This paratrooper saw action from D-Day to the end of the war with Company G.  His ribbon bar on his Ike jacket reflects his earning the bronze star and purple heart.

WWII F Company 506th PIR 101st Airborne Patch and Book Grouping

Posted on by

506th PIR Patch Grouping Front View

Here is more of the massive F Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division grouping that has been the subject of my previous three posts (M42 jump pants, M43 rigger modified pants, reinforced jump jacket).  Pictured are two variations of the airborne patch designed to be sewn on the overseas cap.  There are a couple of loose WWII 101st screaming eagle patches.

The 541 crossed rifles insignia were used by the 541st Parachute Infantry Regiment.  The 541st PIR was mainly used as an airborne training unit during WWII and never saw combat as a unit.  It trained and then sent replacements to the other airborne units. At the very end of the war in 1945 it was sent to the Pacific Theater, but WWII ended before it was ready to be deployed in combat.  This Veteran was attached to the 541st for training before transferring to the 506th PIR.

Also pictured is an paratrooper jump wing on cloth and officer 2nd Lieutenant rank.  The small 101st Airborne book was produced right after the war ended and became a popular souvenir of WW2 101st Airborne Veterans.  It is a brief history of the exploits of the 101st Airborne Division during the war.

WW2 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment Ovals and Jump Wings on 101st Airborne Paratrooper Uniforms

Posted on by
506th PIR Oval and Jump Wings on a G Company, 506 PIR Uniform

506th PIR Oval and Jump Wings on a G Company, 506 PIR Uniform

These original WWII 506th PIR ovals and jump wings are on uniforms that belonged to two different 506th PIR paratroopers.  This style of 506th PIR oval is the type most commonly found on WWII 506th uniforms and in groupings.

The first oval and jump wings are on a uniform that belonged to a member of Company G, 506th PIR.  The jump wings are sterling pin back wings.

The second oval and jump wings are on a uniform that belonged to a member of Company C, 506th PIR.  The jump wings are also sterling pin back wings.

The final two photos show another original WW2 506th PIR oval that is not on a uniform.  The photo of the back of the oval, shows what you want to look for on the back of these original World War Two 506 ovals.

WW2 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagle British Made Patch – Two Different Types From The Same Veteran

Posted on by
World War Two 101st Airborne Division Patch British Theater Made Front

World War Two 101st Airborne Division British Made Patch Front

These original World War Two 101st Airborne Division British made patches were purchased last week directly from a WWII 101st Veteran.

I got a call last week from my one of my good friends who is a picker, and he told me that he had just met with a WW2 veteran of the 101st Airborne Division.  He had been a clerk and was a member of the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters.  He was with Division Headquarters through all of the 101st campaigns and was glider qualified.

He had contacted my friend because he was looking for a couple of medals he was awarded, but never issued, for a shadow box display he was doing.  My friend was able to provide him with those medals.  The veteran brought both of these patches with them to the meeting and sold them to my picker, because he had enough patches for his display.  He had obtained them during WWII while he was stationed in England.

I was very happy to purchase them a couple of days ago from my picker.  I love to get items directly from the Veteran because you get all of the history to go along with the item.  As an added bonus, this 101st veteran also gave my friend a photocopy of his discharge to go along with the patches.  Also, like most collectors, I like different variations of items.

The first two photos are of a British made 101st screaming eagle patch with a British made Airborne tab.  Both the tab and patch have a black back.  The second two photos are of a second British made 101st screaming eagle patch with a white back.  The Airborne tab is not British made, but it is the tab the Veteran had with this patch when my picker purchased it from him.

WWII US 101st Airborne Division Patch Type 8 Sewn on a Paratrooper 506th PIR Uniform

Posted on by
WWII US 101st Airborne Division Patch Type 8

WWII US 101st Airborne Division Patch Type 8

This WW2 101st Airborne Division Patch is a style that is sometimes referred to as a Type 8 by collectors today.  It is one of the most desirable and hardest to find variations of the WWII 101st Airborne Division screaming eagle patch.

The first photo is this type of patch that was sewn on a uniform I own, that belonged to a paratrooper officer in C Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.  That uniform is part of a larger group that belonged to that 506th PIR veteran.  The second and third photos are of a different original Type 8 patch that is not sewn on a uniform.

WWII US 506th PIR 101st Airborne Division Pocket Patch

Posted on by
WWII US 506th PIR 101st Airborne Division Pocket Patch Front

WWII US 506th PIR 101st Airborne Division Pocket Patch Front

This WW2 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment pocket patch is a nice original WWII example.  This type of 506th P.I.R. pocket patch is the most commonly encountered wartime type.   This particular pocket patch is part of a larger grouping that I own that belonged to a member of Company G, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division.

The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment has become very well recognized among the general public in recent years because it is the regiment portrayed in HBO’s excellent miniseries Band of Brothers.