Category Archives: WWII US Airborne Patches and Insignia

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

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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.

WWII 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Ike Jacket Uniform Grouping

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319th GFA Grouping

319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, Uniform Grouping

This World War Two 82nd Airborne Division uniform grouping belonged to a member of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion.  It was purchased from him in the late 1980s.  He was with the 319th GFAB through all of its campaigns during WWII.  This Veteran, and the 319th GFAB, first saw action while supporting Darby’s Rangers during the invasion of Italy in September 1943.  Darby had picked the 319th GFAB to be the artillery support for his Rangers during the invasion of Italy.  The 319th GFAB saw heavy action during this campaign.

He next saw action when the 319th GFAB was landed in Normandy via gliders on D-Day, June 6, 1944.  The 319th GFAB again saw heavy action during the Normandy campaign.  The next campaign for this Veteran was Market Garden, the invasion of Holland.  This was followed by more heavy fighting during the Battle of the Bulge.  The 319th GFAB continued to deliver artillery fire against the Germans as the 82nd Airborne Division pushed into Germany, in the closing months of the War.

This grouping consists of his Ike jacket, his wool shirt, overseas cap, and some letters and documents.  After the end of the War, he spent a brief amount of time assigned to the 17th Airborne Division before being sent home.  This is the reason his shirt and Ike jacket have the 17th Airborne Division patch on the left sleeve.  His Ike jacket has the 82nd Airborne Division patch on the right sleeve indicating combat with that former unit.

His Ike jacket has the pin back, distinctive unit insignia, of the 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion on the collar.  The red oval behind his glider rider wings indicates airborne artillery.  His overseas cap has the red piping used by artillery units and the cap disc is the style used by both paratroopers and glider towards the end of the War.  The ribbon bar is British made and has the arrowhead indicating participation in an invasion.  The final picture is of a letter that the Veteran included when he sold the grouping.

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

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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

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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 506th PIR 101st Airborne Division Pocket Patch

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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.