D-Day as a whole is such an important part of WW2 history. The breakout through Normandy paved the way for allied success in Europe. On D-Day itself so many regiments, units and incredible men made an impact from all directions and we couldn’t begin to cover all of them in one post. So today we will have a look through some of the D-Day US Army regimental patches that we can find for sale across our partnered sites. It is worth mentioning that these are only a few of the units that took part on the 6th of June 1944.
US Army Rangers Diamond Patch
We start with possibly the most famous army regiment from D-Day. The US Rangers came to modern acclaim with the release of Saving Private Ryan back in 1998. The movie (for those few who haven’t seen it) follows a group of US Rangers inland off Omaha Beach, beyond Carentan and into the German-occupied territory in search of one Private Ryan, who has lost his brothers in other areas of combat.
However, before this – in a historical sense – the US Rangers were already world famous. Leading the breakout off Omaha beach, ascending the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc and then silencing the guns at the Maisy Battery. Overall, it was an incredible achievement and led to the presidential unit citation being awarded.
1944 Supply who are based in Carentan, Normandy have a near perfect condition US Army Rangers patch for sale for €190.
US Army 1st Infantry Division “Big Red One”
Leading the charge across Omaha beach along side the Rangers were the Big Red One. The 1st Infantry Division stormed the bluffs on Omaha beach with some sections of the regiment taking 30% casualties in the first hour of the assault. They then continued the push inside securing the town of Formigny by the end of D-Day. If you have an interest in the 1st Infantry Division, there is a dedicated museum just behind Omaha beach. Owned by Pierre-Louis Gosselin, the museum is made up of his personal collection of local finds, most with detailed provenance.
But, back to patches, this lovely condition patch is available from Military Tour in Canada for $79.95. It is also worth a quick note, if you want to stay on Omaha beach, Military Tour advertise that they have a holiday let on Omaha beach you can rent out!
US Army 2nd Infantry Division Patch
Next onto the 2nd Infantry Division. They didn’t actually land on D-Day but I am including them as they landed on D+1 and played a pivotal role in the push inland. They liberated Trevieres and then pushed further inland to secure Hill 192 which was a key defensive position en-route to Saint-Lo. This is a fantastic large size shoulder badge that is available for sale from Military Classic Memorabilia who are based in Grandcamp-Maisy, Normandy. It is listed at €50.
US Army WW2 4th Infantry Division Patch
The 4th Infantry landed on Utah Beach on D-Day over at the western flank of Operation Overlord. They landed with the first wave, moving quickly up the beach to secure Utah Beach much earlier than Omaha. Next they were tasked with meeting up with the scattered airborne troops. With the next objective being the port of Cherbourg, the 4th Infantry didn’t move too much for the first 3 weeks before clearing Cherbourg and pushing south east. The 4th Infantry are synonymous with the success of Utah sector and as such, a highly collectible regiment.
This very clean patch is available from IMCS Militaria in Holland for €65.
US 101st Airborne Patch
Now, no D-Day US patch post would be complete without the Airborne. Although not an Army regiment, the Airborne – much like the Rangers – hold a special place in D-Day history. This is partially because of Band of Brothers, their appearance in Saving Private Ryan, plus the overall bravery of jumping out of a C47 aircraft under Flak fire! The “Screaming Eagles” had the D-Day objective of St Côme du Mont, but with the mis-drops, D-Day was complete chaos for the airborne troops. With this said, they did complete their objectives.
This 101st Airborne badge is available from CS Militaria in the UK for £135.
US 82nd Airborne Patch
Landing alongside the 101st were the 82nd Airborne. The 82nd actually started life as a standard Infantry regiment, before becoming the first Airborne Infantry Regiment in 1942. On D-Day itself the 82nd had two main objectives, Saint-Mere-Eglise and La Fière bridge. There are so many famous incidents that could be discussed; however, for me, John Steele hanging from the Saint-Mere-Eglise church spire and somehow surviving is the most remarkable. Then the defence of La Fière bridge against German armour, which in itself – given the lack of ammo and reinforcements – deserves a particular mention.
This crisp example of an 82nd Airborne patch is available from The Collector’s Guild in the USA for $89.
US Army Rangers Scroll Set
Finally today we have something you don’t see too often. A complete set of all 6 Ranger Battalion scrolls. The 2nd and 5th Battalions landed in Normandy, and the other battalions all took part in important operations across the world during WW2. This makes them all collectible in their own right, but it is lovely to see a full set in comparable condition.
The group are available from Selles Military Antiques in Caen, Normandy. The price is €495.
Interested in more US Airborne items? We did a post recently on US Airborne Jackets – Click Here to read more.
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