Military Unit Patches and Insignia

Military patches or shoulder insignia have had a short but colorful history of serving as insignia for military units. It was only in 1918 that a US Army unit wore a shoulder sleeve insignia. This historic unit was the 81st Division based out of South Carolina. Soon after, other units going to battle in World War I were also sporting insignias and patches.

By the beginning of the Second World War, patches had really caught on not just with the United States military but around the world. With the war seeing millions of soldiers drafted and brought to the battlefield, thousands of units were raised in the process. The military insignia from this and other eras provide a marvellous look at that particular time in military history. Vietnam, the Cold War and Desert Storm saw their own set of unique patches worn with pride by the men and women who served.

Today military patches are adored by collectors. But even with the wealth of history behind them, most military insignia are not worth a whole lot of money - they were usually prodcued in mass quantities and are not that difficult to come by. They therefore are an economical hobby if one is interested in military history.

This site features a unique collection of military patches, badges, and insignia from around the world.