J. Anderson Collection

WWII Patches & Insignia

First officially introduced at the end of World War I, shoulder patches were colorful insignia that denoted the unit or service to which a soldier was assigned.  Units applied for their own unique designs, and this heraldry also extended to Distinctive Insignia pins as well.  By the time WWII arrived, patches were worn to a degree by all branches of the military.  WWII-era examples are displayed below.

Distinctive Insignia (DI) pins were developed for each individual unit of the Army and Air Force in WWII.   Late in WWII DI pins were popularly worn on lapels of dress uniforms and sometimes caps.  Each unit, even today, has its own DI design.

J. Anderson Collection

Rank & Branch Insignia

J. Anderson Collection

Qualifications