Identify this WWII ARMY BADGE - Need FReeper help....

[mikethevike]

Can any of you military history buffs help me identify my grandpa's US Army badge from WWII ?
I know he was in North Africa and Italy...

[SkyDancer]

It’s reminiscent of those flags that people use to hang on their windows during the war. But being a shoulder patch, we don’t know (family looking at it).

[Perdogg]

North African Theatre

[Joe 6-pack]

You have it upside down, lol, but it's an Army of North Africa Command Theater Made Patch. Here's one emboridered in bullion thread:

[Doogle]

I think it’s upside down....it may be a unit patch

[mikethevike]

Thank You! That was it. I should have tried adding “North Africa” to my search. It also looks like I posted pic upside down perhaps.

[jessduntno]

U5031-0(AW) North African Theater

This unit was responsible for operations in North Africa and later, Italy during WWII.

Reference: “Sleeve Shoulder Insignia of the U.S. Armed Forces 1941-1945” by Smith and Pelz, plate 15.

[353FMG]

Makes sense — the outline of the patch is in the shape of the dome of a mosque. North Africa is predominantly muslim.

[CIB-173RDABN]

First - it is upside down. It is the North African Theater

[WOBBLY BOB]

http://www.google.com/images?q=Army+of+North+Africa+Patch&hl=en&biw=776&bih=438&tbm=isch&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1156l4328l0l5109l2l2l0l0l0l0l188l282l1.1l2l0&oq=Army+of+North+Africa+Patch&aq=f&aqi=&aql=

seems post # 3 is correct

[Doogle]

..there's one in this display box

[CIB-173RDABN]

You guys are fast - by the time I go out to my library, get my American Badges and Insignia book down, look it up and type what I found - someone had already beat me to it.

[David Isaac]

Friend of mine was in the 173rd, when it wasrestarted down at Ft. Benning in the mid 60’s. When on the Southeast Asian tour with them. Quite the outfit, that one.

[Hugin]

My dad served in Italy and had one of those. I don't think he was ever in Africa. Must have been for the whole Mediterranean theater.

[PhilosopherStone1000]

LOL! That’s ok, when I first saw it it looked exactly like what a “Fat Man” patch might have looked like (if they’d had them). If you has said “Army Air Corps, Pacific Theater” that’s what I would have suggested.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Here is the patch of the 509th Composite Group. No idea if this patch was before or after their missions, as the mushroom cloud motif had been in use by similar groups.

http://historywarsweapons.com/509th-composite-group/

“The 509th CG was created based on the 393rd Bomb Squadron, a unit of B-29 Superfortresses from the 504th Bomb Group, which had been sent to Wendover, Utah, to be converted into the Composite Group.”

Thus, until they had a unit patch, which might have been after their missions, they might have been wearing their former unit patches.

The current logo shown at Sandia, NM, for the 509th is an anniversary patch.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandia_Base

http://i.ebayimg.com/24/!B5rGUU!B2k~$%28KGrHqN,!g0EyrwpLPRQBMuls6ToGw~~_3.JPG

[CIB-173RDABN]

I will agree “The Herd” was quite and outfit and I am proud to have once been a part of them.

[Hot Tabasco]

It’s treasure map reader’s badge.......the “x” would signify where the treasure was buried. Those maps were highly coveted by pirates sailing the seven seas.......