Greenlight Force

[Bill A]

Several Canadian units were committed to the Kiska operation. Those part of TF 9 wore the Kiska patches (actually TF9 patches). Members of the Canadian Fusiliers as part of Greenlight Force wore the Pacific Command patch with the unofficial addition of a small yellow star. Immediately after withdrawal from Kiska the "stars" were ordered removed.

[Voltigeur]

Hi Bill, my question is why.....
Jo

[Bill A]

Sorry Jo? Why did they add the star? Or, why was it ordered taken down?

[Voltigeur]

...yes why add it....then take it down after the troops are back in Canada...(I suspect the Ottawa high priced help did not like it....)

Jo

[Bill A]

Jo, from what I have been able to gleen from the documentation, the "star" was unofficially added, probably intended as a distinction for the service in Kiska. That would be contrary to the purpose of the formation patches; to be used as identification. Additionally, other units in Greenlight did not wear the "star", and when the Rocky Mountain Rangers asked permission to add the device to their patches they were denied.

[Michael Dorosh]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Jo, from what I have been able to gleen from the documentation, the "star" was unofficially added, probably intended as a distinction for the service in Kiska. That would be contrary to the purpose of the formation patches; to be used as identification. Additionally, other units in Greenlight did not wear the "star", and when the Rocky Mountain Rangers asked permission to add the device to their patches they were denied.

Begging the question of why they would ask permission to add an unofficial device that no one else apparently had permission to use anyway...

So what does the star represent? I know the Americans give "battle stars" for campaign ribbons, so I'm wondering if this is somehow related to that concept.

I'm not positive the star contravenes the "purpose of the formation patches," at least in an unofficial sense.

Soldiers in the Great War had a unique relationship with the Battle Patches of the C.E.F. when individuals were returned to Canada. Even though they no longer served in C.E.F. formations, they still had great pride in having been under fire with those formations, and the patches became something of a mark of distinction. I actually thought general orders were promulgated at some point that permitted the wear of battle patches for this purpose, but I may be remembering this incorrectly - I also seem to remember there being a blanket reversal of this policy at some point (perhaps after the war?) to the effect that C.E.F. battle patches would no longer be worn.

There were similar uses in the Second World War - all unofficial - the 8th Army patches being the best example, where Mediterranean vets sewed the patches to their shoulder straps even after returning to 1st Canadian Army.

The Americans have an interesting take on this, and from at least as early as the Second World War, if you saw combat with a formation, you were permitted to wear the SSI of that formation on the right sleeve of your dress uniform, with the SSI of your current formation on the left, which makes for all kinds of interesting combinations. For example Hal Moore wore the SSI of the 1st Cavalry Division while in Vietnam on his left shoulder, but as a combat vet of the 7th Infantry Division during the Korean War, also wore the shoulder patch of that division on his right sleeve.

Anyway, some food for thought. Other than just designating formations currently served in, there is precedent of varying degrees of legitimacy over the years for the use of formation patches as a kind of combat recognition device as well.