The History of the Military Patch
The military patch wasn't a common uniform adornment until World War II, although it originated on a limited level during World War I. The Army extensively uses patches, while other branches use them sparingly.
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Early Patches
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Military patches during the Civil War were limited to Union soldiers wearing corps, division or brigade patches on forage caps.
Rank Stripes
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No military patches were worn, except for rank, by soldiers in military campaigns against Indian nations, in the 1898 Spanish-American War and operations against Pancho Villa in 1916.
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First Patch
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The 81st Division Wildcats of the U.S. Army received the first official patch in October 1918 to promote camaraderie. Gen. John J. Pershing later pushed for similar patches for corps and brigades, according to Anthony Larsen at ezarticles.com.
Big Red One
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The oldest surviving official military patch identifies the 1st Infantry Division, nicknamed the Big Red One, which was authorized on Oct. 31, 1918.
Research
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The Army Adjutant General's Office's Institute of Heraldry has researched heraldry and symbolism to design patches since 1962, according to the Institute of Heraldry.
Today
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The embroidered military patch identifying the corps, division or brigade of a soldier can be placed on the upper left shoulder or on the helmet, and sewn on the uniform or attached with Velcro.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Beverly
