8th BS, 3rd BG - 2 versions

[Yardstick]

I completed both these patches a couple of months back but was puzzling over IDs and whether both designs were used during WWII. I had reasonable images of confirmed original patches that were without doubt Australian embroidered, but I couldn't definitively track down whether the Liberty Bell version was used during the conflict - the only images I could find seemed to link its use to the Korean conflict. However, yesterday, I stumbled across the information in this link US Military Forum - 3rd Bomb Grp, which confirmed my suspicions that both were genuine WWII designs and were used at various points in the conflict.

So here are my versions of those original patches. The first is the original design for the 8th Bombardment Squadron (actually dating back to WWI), while the second is a replacement that was used for a comparatively short period during WWII before the unit reverted to the original design (more detail in the link). Both are Australian style, heavy embroidery on wool felt.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I have a crappy old pic of a veteran wearing his original a-2 with the liberty bell patch. so, I presume it was used during wwll. a few of these liberty bell patches were made for the 8th bs reunion some ten-fifteen years ago, or so, which the vet attended, and was kind enough to sell one to me. I could be wrong, but I believe that the liberty bell patch was a 1920s-30s design, possibly earlier?. outstanding work, my man. very convincing, too.

 

[Silver Surfer]

ps: I dug up the pix, and will post pix as best I can, along with the reunion patch at the end of the week or weeks end. I edited the above post to "8th bs reunion fifteen-twenty years ago" time flies like arrows, and fruit flys like bananas