45th Infantry then and now.

[congofal]

Working on a special project showing the uniform evolution of the 45th Infantry from Pre WWII era to today.

Shoulder Insignia , from Left to Right :
Pre WWII
WWII / Korea
1980's
Desert Shield / OIF 2003
OIF 2008
Afghanistan 2011



Uniform i have set up so far

Afghanistan 2011


OIF 2008



1980's



WWII





I will edit the thread as i set up the others.

[Junto]

Neat to notice that they were using the non-tilted swastika before WWII. People so readily establish it as a Nazi symbol that they ignore the /rest/ of history.

[congofal]

Yes , the 45th used the Swastika for 15 years , then when the National Socialist Party came to power in 1933 the Us Army decided to drop the use of the Swastika and the division had no shoulder insignia until the Thunderbird was adopted.

The Swastika was chosen as the unit insignia because the division had a large number of Native Americans in it and the Swastika was a good luck symbol for Native Americans.
The Shoulder insignia has 4 sides in honor of the 4 south western states that made up the membership of the 45th , Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona.
The yellow swastika on a square background of red symbolized the Spanish Heritage of the 4 Southwestern states as well.

[Unconventional]

I honestly never knew that.

It's true about learning something new every day. WOW...very interesting.

[Osprey]

The Swastika is a good luck symbol in India to, and I think a few other country as well. I saw it on Ancient Alien's weird sh*t

[Hamster]

It's true about learning something new every day. WOW...very interesting.

+1.

Them Nazis ruined a symbol of america.

Now I can respect it when its drawn a certain way. Kind of.

I want moar pictures. MOAR UNIFORMS.

[congofal]

Moar uniforms coming soon.

And the Swastika is older than the US.

[congofal]

Some more uniforms

OIF 2003


Late WWII / Korea


WWII
M37 Wool shirt


Class A

[Osprey]

Where did you get all these?

[congofal]

Many years of collecting and the WWII Living History Group i belong to portrays soldiers of the 45th I.D., so i put together the uniform timeline, still working on the modern gear for the Afghanistan set up.

[Orwell]

Swastika has been used by many civilizations over thousands of years as a symbol for good luck, peace, etc.

Hitler just ruined it cause he's a tool.

Concise. Perfect. May I use that and quote you, Welshy?

[MSE-CLAYMORE]

Love the 45th, they are from Oklahoma...We get to train with them at Camp Gruber from time to time. They are currently deployed in AStan, Godspeed my brothers.

[congofal]

Yes , the entire 45th is in Afghanistan , first time they have fully deployed since the Korean War.