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 Author  Topic: PT Boat patch wear question
Patchcollector

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Nov 21, 2017 - 5:37am
Hi all,
I'm new to this Forum so I guess I should introduce myself first.I collect Militaria,mostly patches and badges but I also have some knives and uniform pieces too.
I'm active on the USMilitariaForum.com,where I'm also known as "Patchcollector".
What brings me here is a question that I hope some of the PT Boat experts can answer.
I know that the small circular patches of the Mosquito riding the torpedo and the "PT" variation were worn during the War,but what about the larger,more colorful patches like the one I've used in my Avatar?Were they made and worn during WW2,or postwar?
I've seen WW2 era photos Squadron insignia painted on the Boats,and on signs,but I've never seen a wartime photo of any PT Boat personnel wearing them as patches.
My feeling is that they were produced postwar,made up using images of Squadron signs and those painted directly on the boats.
Can anyone please speak to this subject,and confirm whether the larger,colorful patches were actually made and worn during WW2?

Any help will be much appreciated.Thanks!


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  TED WALTHER

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of TED WALTHER   Send Email To TED WALTHER Posted on: Nov 21, 2017 - 6:56am
Welcome Patch Collector;
You are correct, for the most part.
While there might have been a few squadrons that had patches made, most were created after the war, based on the individual squadron emblems. (exceptions to this might be RON 15, 22, 29 and 30-42, however, like you I can't remember seeing WW2 photos of any squadron patches on jackets.).
The individual Squadron emblems were developed in various ways while the squadrons were formed during the pre-deployment phase. The early squadrons only used the original Disney emblem that was on the port and starboard side of the cabins of 70' and 77' Elco PT Boats. At Tulagi the Disney emblem was used as the basis for squadron area signs, with Japanese kill marks added, there were a few variations. Several squadron emblems were created after the war. Later squadrons had painted emblems and decals made and applied to plaques, gear, and in some cases the boats. Not all boats wore Squadron Emblems during pre deployment or after. ex: RON 12 boats just had a 12 inside a square set on on edge. This was applied to several boats on the cockpit wing shielding Port and Starboard, see below.
jjyVk.png
RON 12.

jjB6A.png

RON 8 (RON 8 exception to this was PT 66, which wore this and the RON 8 Rooster emblem on both sides of the charthouse.).


Here is a nice current RON 35 offering from Japan: https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/smaclo/item/10016253/
Take care,
TED



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Patchcollector

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Nov 21, 2017 - 9:24pm
Thank you for the welcome and the helpful info.I've wondered about this for awhile,thinking why would the PT Boat Squadrons have had Wartime era patches made and,for the most part,the rest of the Navys' ships didn't have patches during WW2.(except for the Aviation related units of course).
I would love to see some of the large colorful PT Boat Squadron patches being worn in Wartime era photos,but if there are any I'm thinking that they would have surfaced by now.


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Frank Andruss

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank Andruss   Send Email To Frank Andruss Posted on: Nov 22, 2017 - 12:14am
Like Ted mentioned there are a few original Squadron patches that were made up during the war. I have 2 Ron 22 original patches, both on Navy jackets that were donated to my PT BOAT Exhibit over the years. I have seen little evidence that supports other war time patches. Many are done Post war and look very good, but are not the same as the war time ones. I suspect the PT VETS may have had the patches sewn on after the war on jackets they saved, as I can't find any photos of crew members or officers wearing them. http://mosquito-fleet.gdinc.com/





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Steve Wilson

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Steve Wilson  Posted on: Nov 22, 2017 - 9:55pm
My Uncle, Harold Wilson, was on PT 475 MTB RON 32. He had given my dad a Navy canvas type parka with a RON 32 insignia painted on it. He said he had it during the war. It was not a patch, but looked like the patch only much larger, close to a foot in diameter as I recall. My dad gave it to me in the early 60's, but it finally just crumbled away to dust.

Steve Wilson

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Frank Andruss

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Frank Andruss   Send Email To Frank Andruss Posted on: Nov 23, 2017 - 5:15am
That is too bad that it got lost in time. True, some painted the Ron insignia on the canvas jackets, heck look how they painted the bomber jackets during the war, some awesome art work.


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Patchcollector

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Nov 25, 2017 - 11:12pm
Interesting stuff guys.From what you,and others I've asked are stating I believe that the vast majority of the patches were made postwar.The painted on insignia were probably the best candidates for being Wartime made,as those could be done alot easier than having cloth patches made.
I have a few cloth examples I've picked up here and there over the years,my belief is that mine,like Frank stated,they were probably made for Vets in the 40's or 50's.


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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: Dec 9, 2017 - 2:54pm
Here are two pictures of PT Boaters wearing a Squadron emblem (RON 15 I believe) on their jacket. I believe it is painted on:

jjnxj.jpg

jjKtf.jpg

Charlie

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29navy

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of 29navy  Posted on: Dec 9, 2017 - 2:55pm
Quote:

Here are two pictures of PT Boaters wearing a Squadron emblem (RON 15 I believe) on their jacket. I believe it is painted on but not sure:

jjnxj.jpg

jjKtf.jpg

Charlie




Charlie

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