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Mine is the 1st Marine Division, since I was in Vietnam (1/1 in 70-71) & Desert Shield/Storm (3/3 in 90-91) twenty years apart (!!!). The 1st MARDIV is the oldest and most storied of the Marine divisions. The patch was created in Australia after the division left Guadalcanal. Originally called a 'battle blaze', the stars of the Southern Cross represent south of the equator service (same as the Americal Div) and the 1 with 'Guadalcanal' signifies their part in having the Japanese their first defeat of the war. Canal vets wore it on the right shoulder same as Army vets today. As you may know, the Army allows the patch as SSI-FWTS today for qualified personnel.
Though the Corps did away with uniform patches in 1947, the patch today in full color and subdued versions can be found adorning all sorts of items indicating membership in "The Old Breed", the First Marine Division.
CWO3 (Join to see)
COL Mikel J. Burroughs COL Charles Williams
Maj Rev. Fr. Samuel WATERS - Traditional RC Priest
LTC Trent Klug CSM William DeWolf
Sgt Gus Laskaris
Cpl Craig Marton
SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan
1stSgt Ron Gallegos GySgt Melissa Gravila SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC (Join to see)
CPT Jack Durish SSgt (Join to see) SFC George Smith
SGT Damaso V Santana
CPT (Join to see)
LTC John Shaw
Though the Corps did away with uniform patches in 1947, the patch today in full color and subdued versions can be found adorning all sorts of items indicating membership in "The Old Breed", the First Marine Division.
CWO3 (Join to see)
COL Mikel J. Burroughs COL Charles Williams
Maj Rev. Fr. Samuel WATERS - Traditional RC Priest
LTC Trent Klug CSM William DeWolf
Sgt Gus Laskaris
Cpl Craig Marton
SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan
1stSgt Ron Gallegos GySgt Melissa Gravila SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL
SFC (Join to see)
CPT Jack Durish SSgt (Join to see) SFC George Smith
SGT Damaso V Santana
CPT (Join to see)
LTC John Shaw
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MSgt George Cater
COL Charles Williams - C'mon, Colonel, you read better than that. I said the Corps did away with the WW2 SSI in 1947. But the symbols live on. The MARSOC Marines adopted the Marine Raider name and patch and all sub unit Raider patches are a take on the original.
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COL Charles Williams
MSgt George Cater - I do read better... but, most times I read too fast. Why, did the Marines decide to do away with patches? In my time, I have only seen it as a SSI-FWTS on Soldiers.
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MSgt George Cater
COL Charles Williams - From what I've read, the much smaller post WW2 Marine Corps, barely 1 division and 1 air wing down from 6 divisions & 5 air wings, emphasized all Marines being part of the Corps and not any particular unit. It worked. When the Pusan perimeter was close to being overrun in Korea in 1950, the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade stopped the NKPA, then merged with Marines from posts & stations plus activated reservists to form the 1st MarDiv to land at Inchon and retake Seoul. Didn't matter who they used to be with, they were all Marines together to fight and win.
Sorry bout the history lesson. That's how it is with Marines.
Sorry bout the history lesson. That's how it is with Marines.
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MAJ (Join to see)
I like Old Ironsides, but if 2AD 'Hell on Wheels' or 3AD 'Spearhead' (Which was my Dad's unit in 1970...) were reactivated, I would want to wear one.
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1st Cavalry Division. It was my first active duty unit when I enlisted many years ago and I later served in combat with the First Team in Iraq.
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