Dec 05, 2017 and thats that the 45th infantry division, nicknamed the thunderbird division because they had a shoulder patch, a beautiful soft felt thunderbird patch on their shoulders. This native american symbol became the divisions insignia in 1939. In later years the us army national guard 45th infantry division had a gold swastika patch on their uniforms prior to entry into world war 2. The insignia served as recognition of the great number of native americans proudly serving in the 45th infantry division. What does the 45th infantry division us army have to do with. In 1940, the thunderbird division was reactivated and deployed in late june. Most of their recruits hailed from the south western states of arizona and new mexico. The division, which recruited in arizona and new mexico, had a high proportion of indians native americans in pcspeak, who also thought the swastika was a symbol of the sun.
The patch was designed to tell a little about the region of the country the division hailed from. Patch, 45th infantry division 19241939 quartermaster inspector. During world war i, the american 45th infantry division wore an orange swastika as a shoulder patch. Photo provided the 45th infantry division originally used the swastika to represent the unit as a symbol of good luck. Til that the 45th infantry division of the united states army used a swastika on a red background as a unit symbol until the 1930s.
So i think, a sole combat division is around 14,000, 15,000 guys, round about 7000, 8000 will actually see combat. Their shoulder patch is a bright red square, balanced on one of its points, with a golden wingspread bird on it, a symbol of the navaho indians. This was the unit patch of the oklahoma army national guards 45th infantry division which was comprised of the consolidated colorado, arizona, new mexico and oklahoma national guard units. The 45th infantry division gained its nickname, thunderbird division, from the gold thunderbird. They were the national guard for oklahoma, new mexico, colorado before wwii. Apr 08, 2015 for the first 10 years of its existence, members of the 45th infantry division proudly wore on their left shoulders an ancient american indian symbol of good luck, commonly referred to today as the swastika an east indian word. Ideal as a gap filler in your display or for living historiansreenactors. A even had the swastika as there emblem during ww1 but was changed when the nazi party used the emblem. Each side of the square represents one of the four states.
The 45th infantry division was formed in 1924 from national guard units in the. The thunderbird division adopted this native american symbol in 1939 to replace the previous symbol. The use of insignia of organizations that have been banned in germany like the nazi swastika or the arrow cross are also illegal in austria, hungary, poland. The division was raised from guard units in oklahoma, colorado, new mexico and other western states with a large native population. Before world war ii, the armys 45th infantry division wore a swastika patch on their left shoulders in honor of native americans. So lets see your good, bad and the ugly swastika 45th id patches. Headquartered mostly in oklahoma city, the guardsmen fought in both world war ii and the korean war the 45th infantry division guardsmen saw no major action until they became one of the first national guard units activated in world war ii in 1941. Cliff and john met during r and r at the seaside hotel in karatsu,ky shu, japan in early september, 1953. However, with the rise of the nazi party in germany, with its infamous swastika symbol, the 45th division stopped using the insignia. The spanish colors, red and gold, indicate that the four states colorado, oklahoma, new mexico, and arizona represented by national guard units in the division were settled by.
A militia group in germany, called the freikorp, had already adopted the swastika and was using the symbol on arm bands that they wore in 1919 when they fought the communists in the streets of bavaria. Til the 45th infantry division featured a swastika patch on their shoulder sleeves as a tribute to the large population of native americans in the sw united states, this was changed in 1939 due to the nazi party adopting this symbol as their own posted by 1 year ago. Most collectors are aware of the fact that, from the 1920s to the late 1930s, the shoulder patch of the 45thinfantry division was a yellow swastika on a red square. Dec 10, 2014 the patch is not a real prewar example of the 45th division swastika insignia. Before world war ii, 45th infantry division members wore a swastika patch on their left shoulder in honor of native americans. Most collectors are aware of the fact that, from the 1920s to the late 1930s, the shoulder patch of the 45 th infantry division was a yellow swastika on a red square. It wasnt until hitlers rise to power did they change the divisions insignia. The 45th infantry division was an infantry division of the united states army, part of the. This was the shoulder patch of the us armys 45th infantry division before 1938. Before the 1930s, the divisions symbol was a red square with a yellow swastika, a tribute to the large native. Company sells swastika t shirts page 2 gun and game. The 45th infantry division insigniapatch was the swastika. Up to that time the insignia had been an indian swastika. Many native american tribes used the shape as a symbol of happiness.
The history of the 45th infantry brigade signaleer. The 45th thunderbird division saw combat in world war ii and the korean war. Apr 01, 2017 i thought i would start a thread on the swastika patches of the 45th division. They were one of the handful of national guard units that were federalized and brought into service overseas for ww2. This close resemblance to the symbol of nazi germany constituted a source of embarrassment on several occasions. The 36th engineer brigade colors carry 23 battle streamers, many earned in combat while reorganized as infantry, including service at anzio where, for fifty days, soldiers wearing the seahorse shoulder patch held 7 miles of the front line and earned the distinction by the germans as the little seahorse division. It replaced another previously used native american symbol, a swastika, that was withdrawn when it became closely associated with the nazi party. Combat team was actually a divisionfirst the 45th division, then the 45th infantry division. Regardless of the swastikas provenance, its attractiveness as an insignia began to fall after it. Mitnick, a 27 yearold jewish american, served as a captain in the 65th infantry division, european theater and in the chemical warfare service, 91st. The 45th infantry division of the united states army was a major formation of the oklahoma army national guard from 1920 to 1968.
Their shoulder patch was a sun symbol indicating good luck. I would encourage members to post their samples of the patch so that we can build a database of good and bad patches. This was changed to the thunderbird with the rise of the nazis. Most collectors are aware of the fact that, from the 1920s to the late 1930s, the shoulder patch of the 45th infantry division was a yellow swastika on a red square. This native american symbol became the division s insignia in 1939. John helped cliff buy a bicycle for a pastor of a baptist church at yong dungpo. Priorservice is proud to offer a selection of items for the 45th infantry division. The division, which recruited in arizona and new mexico, had a high proportion of indians native americans in pcspeak, who also. Us army 45th infantry division shoulder patch footggett. Til the 45th infantry division featured a swastika patch. If you visit native american museums, youll probably see swastikas everywhere.
From swastika to thunderbird by brigadier general ross. History from swastika to thunderbird 45th infantry museum. The division adopted the thunderbird shoulder patch in 1939 after the rise of the nazi party in germany which used the swastika, a symbol that. And the swastika was part of the logo of the bauhaus, under paul klee. It is interesting to note that the year 1938 found hitler taking his first toll from the 180th infantry of the 45th division.
Anthony christy was the oldest active serving coast guard member. The yellow swastika on a square background of red symbolized the spanish heritage of the 4 southwestern states that made up the membership of the 45thoklahoma, new mexico, colorado, and arizona. Swastika to thunderbirds history of the 45th infantry division. The 45th was activated as a national guard division in 1924 in arizona, colorado, new mexico and oklahoma. Shoulder sleeve insignia of the united states army 45th infantry division, nicknamed the thunderbird division. The 45th infantry division insignia patch was the swastika. What does the 45th infantry division us army have to do. They changed it to a thunderbird in the late 1930s. Til that the 45th infantry division of the united states. The patch is not a real prewar example of the 45th division swastika insignia. From swastika to thunderbird community the newstalkers. The 45th infantry division was an infantry division of the united states army, part of the oklahoma army national guard, from 1920 to 1968.
The 45th infantry division has an illustrious history, in both warfare and american. The sooner soldiers swastika influenced the swastika of the union of soviet socialist republic swastikas ussr as a socialist symbol before the national socialist german workers party existed. Today i learned that the 45th infantry division used to have. The 45th museum still sells the old swastika patch. If the authors did not have real period pieces they used reproductions to fill a spot in their books. The thunderbird is a symbol of the southwestern indians meaning sacred bearer of unlimited happiness. The division adopted the thunderbird shoulder patch in 1939 after the rise of the nazi party in germany which used the swastika, a symbol that bore a resemblance to the original divisional patch. Company sells swastika t shirts page 2 gun and game the. Us army 45th infantry division shoulder sleeve patch with. The 45th infantry division was an infantry division of the british army, formed just prior to the start of the second world war. Us army, 45th infantry division, class a thunderbird patch.
The 45th infantry division was formed in 1923, and on august 11, 1924, it adopted an ancient symbol used by native americans, called the swastika. For a time, a gold swastika on a red background was the insignia of the 45th infantry division, oklahoma national guard. Thats why the new books that have come out try to use genuine period insignia to correct those early mistakes ie. It replaced another previously used native american symbol, a swastika, that was withdrawn when it. For more information, please visit the 45th infantry division website take a look at the gift shop at their site.
The embroidered gold thunderbird design symbolizes the troops from the southwestern states of oklahoma, new mexico, colorado, and arizona, who formed the unit when it was established in 1942 as a national guard division. In march 1939, after the reemergence of germany as a significant military power and its occupation of czechoslovakia, the british army increased the number of divisions in the territorial army ta by duplicating existing units. Hopefully this will be a good reference for all collectors. Prewwii us 45th infantry division felt patch this auction is for one patch as pictured. The 45th infantry was made up of national guard units from oklahoma, colorado, arizona and new mexico. From swastika to thunderbird 45th infantry division museum. Historical insignia for the usa 45th infantry division.
The division insignia is a golden thunderbird on a red square. Most of the books out on shoulder insignia contain tons of fake insignia. Feb 6, 2017 the 45 division from ok, and their history in korea. The 45th infantry division the holocaust encyclopedia.
For the first 15 years, members of the 45th infantry division proudly wore on their left shoulders an ancient american indian symbol of good luck, commonly referred to as the swastika. Even native americans used the swastika and because of this the 45th infantry division u. Mitnick, a 27 yearold jewish american, served as a captain in the 65th infantry division, european theater and in the chemical warfare service, 91st chemical mortar battalion, 45th infantry division. The yellow swastika on a square background of red symbolized the spanish heritage of the 4 southwestern states that made up the membership of the. For the first 15 years of its existence, members of the 45th infantry division proudly wore on their left shoulders an ancient american indian symbol of good luck. It wasnt until hitlers rise to power did they change the division s insignia. The thunderbirds are members of the 45th infantry division of the national guard, mostly from oklahoma.
Felix sparks and wwiis forgotten 45th infantry division. Til that the 45th infantry division of the united states army. Brand new replica of the 45th infantry division patch, world war 2 era. The influence of american socialism is exposed in the union of soviet socialist republics. In the us army national guard, the 45th infantry division used a swastika as their shoulder patch. I thought i would start a thread on the swastika patches of the 45th division. What american infantry division had the swastika as its. The use of the swastika symbol in the pre ww2 us army national guard, the 45th infantry division used a swastika as their shoulder patch and incidentally. It was activated in 1941 as the us army built up to fight world war ii. Infantry division, 45th, infantry division, 45th stephen routh. It replaced another previously used native american symbol, a swastika, that. For the first 10 years of its existence, members of the 45th infantry division proudly wore on their left shoulders an ancient american indian symbol of good luck, commonly referred to today as the swastika an east indian word. The division wore the patch while fighting against germany in world war i. The division was part of the oklahoma nation guard from 1920 until 1968.
The yellow swastika on a square background of red symbolized the spanish heritage of the 4 southwestern states that made up the membership of the 45th oklahoma, new mexico, colorado, and arizona. Sep 05, 2016 the use of the swastika symbol in the pre ww2 us army national guard, the 45th infantry division used a swastika as their shoulder patch and incidentally. Permission reusing this file publicdomain source other versions. The original insignia was approved in august of 1924 and featured a swastika, which was a symbol. Here is a short history lesson of the 45th infantry division where my m38a1 has its roots. Other patches bearing the swastika symbol are to be found in collections, where often they are identified as variants of the sleeve patch of the 45th. That division had more native americans among its ranks. Oklahomas thunderbirds wear historic emblem local news. Com history of the 45th infantry division thunderbirds. Has the swastika ever been used by the us on their. They trace their lineage from frontier militias that operated in the southwestern united states throughout the late 1800s. The yellow swastika on a square background of red symbolized the spanish heritage of the 4 southwestern states that made up the membership of the 45th.
Pay attention before you ignorant peeps go flying off the handle and claiming that this is a nazi emblem, it is not. Headquartered mostly in oklahoma city, the guardsmen fought in both world war ii and the korean war. Cliff served at yong dungpo, s korea with the 45th infantry division. Today i learned that the 45th infantry division used to. Other patches bearing the swastika symbol are to be found in collections, where often they are identified as variants of the sleeve patch of the 45 th. The swastika was considered to be a native american good luck sign. Us army 45th infantry division shoulder sleeve patch with a. Patch us army 45th inf div swastika w yellow bdr, pre.
598 1533 819 758 1452 20 1038 1011 774 723 420 1569 360 1258 1435 740 149 816 1062 907 953 1275 1592 1338 43 1305 473 363 36 1131 668 319