Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of Basic Elements, Army Groups and Armies
United States Army
Second World War
Basic Elements
The entire army was divided into three basic elements: Army Ground Forces (basic combat units), Army Service Forces (logistical and support troops) and Army Air Forces (flying elements and their support troops). Those units not subordinate to some other headquarters, having an approved shoulder sleeve insignia, would wear the patch of these parent elements. It is very common to see patches of Army Service Forces and Army Air Forces on period uniforms. That of Army Ground Forces and its subordinate General Headquarters Reserves are less commonly seen as most Army Ground Forces units were part of a subordinate element that had its own approved patch.
A Private First Class wearing an Army Service Forces Patch His branch insignia is Coast Artillery (used also by Antiaircraft Artillery).
Army Ground Forces 1922 (1)
General HQ Reserves 1941 (2)
Army Service Forces 1941
Army Air Forces 1942
Army Groups
First 1944 (3)
Sixth 1944
12th 1944
15th 1945
E.T.O.
Southern France E.T.O.
E.T.O.
Italy
Armies
First 1918
Second 1918
Third 1918
Fourth 1927
Fifth 1943
E.T.O.
U.S. (training)
E.T.O.
U.S. (training)
Italy
Sixth 1945
Seventh 1943
Eight 1944
Ninth 1944
Pacific
E.T.O.)
Pacific
E.T.O.
Tenth 1944
14th 1944
15th 1944
1stAllied Airborne 1945 (4)
1stAllied Airborne 1945 (5)
Pacific
Not Active
E.T.O.
E.T.O.
E.T.O.
Notes:
Date approved as General Headquarters
Units assigned directly to General Headquarters
The First Army Group was redesignated 12th Army Group
Courtesy Jay Graybeal (original theater made)
Variation English-made ("Airborne" rather than "Allied Airborne")
ABBREVIATIONS
E.T.O. is the European Theater of Operations. The year given is the official date of approval of the insignia.
