View Full Version : SOE/OSS Jump Wings
tac.viking
09-22-2011, 20:21
Gentlemen, I noticed on a recent USASOC News Service SWCS clip a SFQC SUT instructor was wearing a khaki cap with what looked to be 'old-school' British SOE/US OSS jump wings embroidered on the front. Pretty cool to see. Did the FSSF wear this style of wings as well?
Gentlemen, I noticed on a recent USASOC News Service SWCS clip a SFQC SUT instructor was wearing a khaki cap with what looked to be 'old-school' British SOE/US OSS jump wings embroidered on the front. Pretty cool to see. Did the FSSF wear this style of wings as well?
Nope.
The pic is LT (later MACVSOG CDR and a MG) J Singlaub when he was an OSS Jedburgh (Codename: Mississippi) during WW2 with his "SF" wings.
Richard :munchin
Gentlemen, I noticed on a recent USASOC News Service SWCS clip a SFQC SUT instructor was wearing a khaki cap with what looked to be 'old-school' British SOE/US OSS jump wings embroidered on the front. Pretty cool to see. Did the FSSF wear this style of wings as well?
Red Ball with the SF on it and wings on either side?
It is interesting to look at a collection of the world's Airborne Wings.
As a generalization you'll find a country's wings modeled after the other country that set up it's Airborne Program.
An interesting bit on US jump wings.
http://www.paratrooper.be/articles/jump-wings/
tac.viking
09-22-2011, 21:22
Thank you both for the information. It's much appreciated.
Don Bennett at SFA, Colorado - last year was building a display. All who had or willing to part with old OSS, 1/10 Det patches generously gave up family collections to assist.:lifter
Sinister
09-22-2011, 23:29
As a generalization you'll find a country's wings modeled after the other country that set up it's Airborne Program.
Very interesting article.
A very good (older) book by Graham Chapman, The Jungle is Neutral, has a snippet where British paratrooper custom is to wear the parachutist badge on the right sleeve -- unless the Soldier jumped in combat, when it was sewn above the pocket and ribbons. That practice seemed to still be the custom in 1985 when we confirmed it with SAS fellas we were doing an exercise with in England.
Mr. Bennett,
The Special Force (not Special Forces) wing was designed in 1944 during WWII by British Jedburgh Captain V. A. Gough and worn by personnel assigned to the London-based SFHQ (Special Force Headquarters). It was the result of merging the British Special Operations Executive (SOE) and the Special Operations Branch (SO) of OSS on 1 May 1944. SOE was the lead agency. SFHQ oversaw operations in the ETO, primarily France and Scandinavia, from 1944-45. It is not an OSS-specific insignia.
In SFHQ, the SF wing was worn by the Jedburghs and other troops/staff officers/national contingents assigned or under the direction of SFHQ. Other OSS units based in England that wore the SF wing include the French and Norwegian Operational Groups (OG), BARDSEA personnel, Special Force Detachments, and Inter-Allied Missions. The SF wing was worn by personnel of all services assigned to the OSS in SFHQ. Jedburgh and OG teams that entered France from North Africa did not wear the SF wing.
The insignia itself was never officially approved or sanctioned for wear. The OSS specifically told its members in Order #71 dated 28 October 1944 to remove the insignia from their uniforms when they departed the ETO. OSS personnel in countries other than the UK did not adopt the wing.
You might be interested to learn more about the OSS here:
http://www.soc.mil/OSS/index.html
I hope this helps,
Troy
Dr. Troy J. Sacquety
Historian, USASOC
910-432-9324
sacquett@soc.mil
sacquett@usasoc.socom.smil.mil
Peregrino
08-21-2014, 12:33
The picture you're referring to shows the current, unit issued, "distinctive insignia" for Camp MacCall cadre. It makes a nice tie-in between the Regimental heritage and today's SF. Somebody in SFTG(A) can give you the rest of the story.
What picture? Our QM for the SFA chapter sells those hats if that is what you are talking about. We also used it on the 60th t-shirt for 10th Group.
The Reaper
08-26-2014, 11:37
What picture? Our QM for the SFA chapter sells those hats if that is what you are talking about. We also used it on the 60th t-shirt for 10th Group.
Don:
It is not on the 4-24 Supply Room page.
Do you have a link?
TR
Just FWIW - a bit of history - SOE/OSS "SF" jump wings were designed by a British Jedburgh Captain named Victor Gough who was captured and executed by the Germans during his mission to France.
The idea of the wings was that it was to be a unifying emblem worn by those who had been trained at Milton Hall (ME65), an idea originated by George Musgrave, the Commandant and CO of the Jedburghs. A competition was held and Gough's was the winning entry. The wings were then manufactured by Lilleywhites on Piccadilly Circus.
The OGs who dropped into France also wore the wings with permission from SFHQ in London, and some Jedburgh trained personnel who went on non-Jedburgh missions also wore the wings.
Some British Jeds wore the wings on their chest after having been operational, but the practice was stopped by Royal command soon after the war.
Richard
If anyone is interested. A thread was started several years ago about "jump wings" from around the world.
It currently has 1339 posts on 34 pages and over 760,000 views. It is extensive, but not organized.
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?147395-World-Airborne-Wings&highlight=jump+wings
:munchin