I always do very well finding stuff here.
Militaria show this weekend in Patterson, NY.
Category: militaria collecting
A Work In Progress
Last November I set up a small display with a few fellow enthusiasts and historians at the Veterans Chow Down held by Guardian Revival.
I usually display Cold War era radio communications equipment, and while that gear was well represented this time around, I also added some helmets, ephemera, and insignia to the display. Among the artifacts were a few Vietnam War era shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI), and a circa 1971 plaque from the 1st Calvary Division, US Army that had images of various subordinate units’ distinctive insignia. The insignia in the display prompted a few conversations from Vietnam War veterans who recognized their outfit’s patch from back in the day, and were glad to see their old outfit represented.
Based on the feedback I received from attendees, and a desire to run as light as possible (no R-390s or R-1511s LOL!) I decided to put together some Riker mounts of Vietnam War SSI for a future display. I decided to use full-color merrowed SSI for the display as they are still common and relatively inexpensive for the most part. A collector should be able to put together this display at any decent old-school army/navy store. At present my go-to place is run by my friends Brian and Jeanie, the father/daughter duo of The Duffle Bag in Patterson, NY. That’s where I do the vast majority (about 90%) of my militaria shopping. I’ve been going there since the early 1980s when the store was known as The Militaria Mart in Brewster and then Carmel, NY. It was in fact Brian who steered me towards insignia when I started collecting military memorabilia in elementary school. The Duffle Bag is at present one of the oldest and sadly one of the last old-school Army/Navy stores left in the Hudson Valley, NY region.
I referred to my copy of the late Shelby Stanton’s Vietnam Order Of Battle. Stanton’s book is one of my go-to references. I discovered that I was most of the way towards having a complete collection of authorized, merrow-edged, full-color Vietnam War SSI. The missing insignia were procured down at The Duffle Bag, along with a large Riker mount. I started arranging the patches, and discovered I need a few more mounts to cleanly display the complete set.
First Row (Left to Right): 1st Armored Division, XXIV Corps, 2nd Armored Division, 196th Infantry Brigade, 11th Infantry Brigade, 199th Infantry Brigade, 198th Infantry Brigade, 1st Calvary Division.
Second Row (Left to Right): 18th Engineer Brigade, 20th Engineer Brigade, Capital Military Assistance Command, Criminal Investigation Division, 38th Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile/Air Assault), 18th Military Police Brigade, 11th Armored Calvary.
Third Row (Left to Right): US Army Special Forces, 124th Transportation Command, 5th Transportation Command, 125th Transportation Command, 82nd Airborne Division, 173rd Airborne Brigade, 4th Transportation Command, 44th Medical Brigade.
The infantry units will get separated into another Riker mount, possibly two of them if the arrangement looks crowded. The other units will be arranged in their own mount. I might also add a few twill cut-edge subdued SSI.
Full-color SSI were used on the green Army Dress Uniforms from World War 2 until 2015, and started again in 2018 with the retro-WW2 style uniform. Collectors are still finding NOS boxes of WW2 era SSI. Late 60s to present day merrow-edged SSI are common and you can buy them from 50 cents to a few dollars each depending on where you’re getting them, and which unit you’re buying. If you are a military history buff with an interest in collecting memorabilia, insignia is a good, inexpensive way to start that doesn’t take up much space. The World War 2 stuff is beginning to gain some serious value. Common patches are hitting the $10+ range compared to their cost back in the 80s and 90s. The more common late Cold War to present day stuff is still reasonably priced, and a good place to start.
The US Army Wikipedia entry shows an overview of branches of service and major units along with their respective insignia. If you delve into the individual unit wiki entries you will discover what subordinate units are part of the division/command/brigade/et al and see the unit crests (distinctive unit insignia) of the various regiments. Some of those regiments go back to the American Revolution. After collecting Vietnam War era SSI, you could work on regimental DUIs with Colonial American roots. You could also switch services and collect Navy ratings or Air Force unit patches. Yeah, there’s a lot you can get into, and that’s part of the fun. I’ve been collecting for over 40 years and am not even close to finished. Collecting military heraldry is truly a lifetime hobby.
Patterson, NY Militaria Show April 22, 2023
Spending part of the day finishing my packing for my friends’ militaria show next weekend. I’ve got an excess of stuff, so I’ll have my usual corner table next to the bleachers.
So far I’ve got three Sterlites full of stuff. I’ll have some French & Indian and Revolutionary War books, military TMs, military electronics, and other items Here’s a sneak peak:
Patterson Militaria Show
APRIL 22, 2023
Militaria, & Knife Collector’s Show
https://www.thedufflebaginc.com/militaria-show
SHOW HOURS 9AM-3PM
Admission: $7.00 at the door.
(Children under 12 admitted free with paid adult).
Join the Duffle Bag Saturday, APRIL 22, for its annual Militaria, & Knife Collector’s Show at the Patterson Recreation Center.
Children under 12 admitted FREE with paid adult, so bring the entire family for a good old fashioned militaria show. Come and find vendors covering a broad range of vintage militaria for sale. Choose from military surplus, insignia, vintage clothing, custom knives, edged weapons, and firearm accessories.
Bring your military treasures and have Brian Benedict of the Duffle Bag appraise them for you.
The Patterson Recreation Center is a beautiful facility located in the rustic town of Patterson NY. FREE PARKING adjacent to the building in the well lit Metro-North
Railroad parking lot. The Patterson Recreation Center is one block from the Patterson Metro-North Railroad station. An easy drive from Interstates 84 and 684.
Pictures From My Display At The Duffle Bag Militaria Show
Collecting Militaria: Insignia Part 1
Many history buffs find themselves collecting artifacts related to their particular interest. I’ve been collecting military memorabilia, in particular insignia, for the past 43 years. My friend Brian from the Duffle Bag was the one who got me started on this hobby. He pointed out a few advantages to collecting insignia:
- An insignia collection doesn’t take up much space compared to uniforms or field gear. A respectable beginner’s level collection will fit in a couple scrapbooks or shoe boxes.
- There is a wide variety of insignia available. So much that you’ll never run out of stuff to collect, and that if you get bored with one particular type, you can find another. You can start with World War II shoulder sleeve insignia, move over to Navy rates or Air Force squadron patches, and then try your hand at collecting unit crests. You can specialize in infantry units, and then move over to fighter squadrons. You can also concentrate on a particular time frame such as the Vietnam War era, or a particular location, such as military units based in New York .
- Insignia collecting can be inexpensive. You can find insignia for as low as 50 cents each. You can also spend upwards of a few thousand dollars for some particularly rare or desirable pieces.
The two biggest appeals of insignia collecting for me are aesthetics and history. Some of the designs are very attractive, and they all tell a story of the unit’s origin and history. When I get a new addition to the collection, once I identify it I try to find out where the unit was stationed , what they did, and what campaigns they were in. So for the collector, the acquisition of a new piece also usually involves doing research.
One of the types of insignia I started with is US Army shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI). SSI are worn on the sleeves of the US Army uniform to show a GI’s current (left sleeve) and former wartime (right sleeve) unit assignments. Shown to the left is a US Army GI wearing the SSI of the 173th Airborne Brigade, aka “Sky Soldiers.” (U.S. Army photo) The SSI pictured, by the way, is also an example of a subdued insignia worn on the combat uniform. The dress uniform will have a full-color version.
Here is an example of the same SSI in full color on a dress uniform. In this instance the SSI is on the right sleeve showing prior wartime service in the 173th ABN BDE. This picture is of Army Medic SP6 Lawrence Joel receiving The Medal Of Honor from President Lyndon Johnson on March 9, 1967 (US Army photo).
How many different SSI are out there for you to collect? Here are some examples:
These are assortments of World War II and Cold War era US Army SSI for sale at the Duffle Bag, and represent a very small example of what’s available. How much? The World War II SSI range from $5 to $20+ each depending on desirability and rarity of a particular patch. The Cold War era stuff are $2-$5 each for the most part, sometimes you can even find them for less than a buck.
To be continued…
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