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Military Army Air Forces Patches
Page 1 of 6
Information extracted from the book
"US ARMY PATCHES" ?br />
by Barry Jason Stein
Used by permission
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All army air force insignia shown
with dates after 26 July 1947 became units within the newly
established United States Air Force.
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AF GHQ
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Worn from: 20
July 1937 - 19 March 1942.
Three impeller blades represent the three wings of
the original Air Corps. The blades in motion symbolize speed,
mobility, and flight. The headquarters was established on 1
March 1935 at Langley Field, Virginia.
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USA Air Force
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Worn from: 19
March 1942 - Mid 1950's.
The ultramarine blue disk represents the sky.
The white star with red disk is the symbol of the army air forces and
the golden wings up stretched form a "V" symbolized victory.
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1st Air Force
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Worn from: 18
January 1944 - 23 June 1958.
This organization trained replacements for combat
units and provided air defense for the eastern United States.
The design is the wing and star, symbol for the air force with an
arabic number one representing the unit's designation. Activated
9 April 1941, Mitchell Field, Long Island, New York.
Campaigns:
American theater.
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2nd Air Force
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Worn from: 16
December 1943 - 1 July 1948.
This organization served as both an air defense and
a training organization. The design is of a flying falcon on an
ultramarine back- ground with the army air force star above. The
falcons, a symbol of controlled destruction, represents the fighter
and bomber groups of the Second Air Force. Activated 9 April
1941 at Fort George Wright, Washington.
Campaigns:
American theater.
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3rd Air Force
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Worn from: 1
September 1943 - 1 November 1946.
This organization trained units, crews, and
individuals for bombardment, fire, and reconnaissance
operations. It was involved in air-defense operations as well as
activities involving antisubmarine warfare. The outside border
is golden yellow with the unit designation shown by an arabic number
three projecting skyward as if framed by a search light beam.
The star in the center is symbolic of army air forces. Activated
9 April 1941, Tampa, Florida.
Campaigns:
Antisubmarine, American
theater.
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4th Air Force |
Worn from: 1
September 1943 - 1 September 1960.
The Fourth Air Force provided air defense for the
western United States until 1943. Later, it was engaged
primarily in training replacements for combat units. The winged
star symbolizes army air forces, while the four golden rays represent
the unit's numerical designation. Activated 9 April 1941, March
Field, California.
Campaigns:
American theater.
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5th Air Force
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Worn from: 25
March 1943 - Mid 1950's.
This air force lost most of its men and equipment in
the defense of the Philippines after 7 December 1941. In January
1942, reequipped, they were sent to Java to help delay Japanese
advances in the Netherlands Indies. The Fifth participated in
operations that stopped the Japanese drive in Papua, recovered New
Guinea, neutralized islands in the Bismarck Archipelago and the
Netherlands east Indies, and liberated the Philippines. From
June 1950 to July 1953, it was engaged in the Korean war. The
five small stars form the Southern Cross constellation under which the
unit fought in the Pacific theater. The army air force star is
encompassed in a comet taken from the unit's aircraft markings.
The three tails represent bombers, fighters, and troop carriers.
Activated 5 February 1942 in the Dutch East Indies.
Campaigns:
World War II (Philippine
Islands; East Indies; Air Offensive, Japan; China Defensive; Papua,
New Guinea; Northern Solomons; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Pacific;
Leytel Luzon; Southern Philippines; China Offensive), Korean War (UN
Defensive, UN Offensive, CCF Intervention, First UN Counter Offensive,
CCF Spring Offensive, UN Summer-Fall Offensive, Second Korean Winter,
Summer-Fall 1952, Third Korean Winter, Summer-Fall 1953).
Decorations:
Distinguished Unit
Citations (Philippine Islands, 8 - 22 December 1941; Philippine
Islands, 7 December 1941 - 10 May 1942; Papua, September 1942 - 23
January 1943), Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
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6th Air Force
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Worn from: 13
July 1943 - 1950's.
The Sixth Air Force served primarily in defense of
the Panama Canal and also engaged in antisubmarine operations.
The galleon suggests exploration, discovery, the Caribbean Sea,
and the spirit of the air force. The winged star is the symbol
of army air forces. The hexagonal shape indicates the unit's
designation. Activated 5 February 1942, Albrook Field, Balboa,
Canal Zone.
Campaigns:
Antisubmarine, American
theater.
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7th Air Force
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Worn from: 21
May 1943 - 1 July 1957.
Originally constituted as Hawaiian Air Force on 19
October 1940, this unit provided air defense for the Hawaiian Islands
and, after mid 1943, served in combat in the central and western
Pacific areas. The star on a blue disk represents the army air
forces and the arabic numeral seven is the unit's designation.
Activated 5 February 1942, Hickam Field, Hawaii.
Campaigns:
World War II (Central
Pacific: Air Offensive, Japan; Eastern Mandates; Western
Pacific; Ryukyus; China Offensive).
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8th Air Force
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Worn from: 20
May 1943 - June 1955.
This unit was constituted as VIII Bomber Command on
19 January 1942. The command conducted the heavy bombardment
operations of Eighth Air Force Bomber Command until re-designated
Eighth Air Force 22 February 1944. Afterward, it engaged
primarily in the bombardment of strategic targets in Europe, becoming
the Allied air offensive's daylight precision bombing force.
After returning to the United States on 7 June 1946, it became part of
the Strategic Air Command. Among the commanders of this famous
organization was Major General Ira C. Eaker and Lieutenant General
James H. Doolittle. The winged star represents the army air
forces. The arabic numeral eight indicates the unit's
designation. Activated 28 January 1942, Savannah, Georgia.
Campaigns:
World War II (Air Offensive,
Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central
Europe; Asiatic-Pacific theater).
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9th Air Force
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Worn from: 16
September 1943 - August 1954.
The Ninth Air Force began operations on 12 November
1942 by participating in the Allied drive across Egypt and Libya, the
Campaign in Tunisia, and the invasions of Sicily and Italy. In
addition, they helped prepare for the assault on Normandy and
supported operations on the beach. They took part in the drive
that carried the Allies across France and culminated in victory over
Germany in May 1945. On an ultramarine blue background, the
United States Army Air Force star sits above a winged arabic number
nine, which is the unit's designation. Activated 8 April 1942,
New Orleans Army Air Base, Louisiana.
Campaigns:
World War II (American
theater; Air Combat, European - African-Middle East theater;
Egypt-Libya; Air Offensive, Europe; Tunisia; Sicily;
Naples-Ardennes-Alsace; and Central Europe).
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10th Air Force
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Worn from: 25
January 1944 - Mid 1950's.
< class="style7">The Tenth Air Force served in India, Burma, and
China until March 1943 when the Fourteenth Air Force was activated in
China. Then the Tenth operated in India and Burma until it moved
to China toward the end of the war. On a sky-blue-disk, a winged
shield, with the arabic number ten superimposed, and the star above
are brought together to symbolize the army air forces. Activated
12 February 1942, Patterson Field, Ohio.
Campaigns:
World War II (Burma, 1942;
India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma; China Offensive).
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