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Oral - Textual or Investigative

Description

During World War I, the United States War Department ordered each combat division to mark unit equipment with a unique colored emblem. General Charles J. Bailey, the commander of the 81st Division, went one step further in creating a distinctive “wildcat” uniform emblem. When called to account for his breach of uniform regulations, General Bailey instead convinced Commander-in-Chief General John J. Pershing to approve the practice of wearing unique unit insignias, thus giving rise to an unbroken 105-year-old Army tradition. Yet, some of the details in the accepted narrative of the “wildcat patch” remain unclear. First, did the 81st Division truly create the first patch of the Army? Secondly, what was the significance of the wildcat? The paper will address these questions and more through textual analysis of primary sources collected during dissertation research at the National Archives. The paper will begin with a synopsis of the 81st Division’s role during World War I and a summary of the wildcat patch story. The author will then present the results of his research findings to corroborate or refute the orthodox historical narrative. The author will end the presentation by integrating follow-up queries into the broader scope of the ongoing dissertation project.

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Apr 17th, 10:00 AM

Obedience, Courage & Loyalty: Revisiting the Story of the First Patch of the Army

Oral - Textual or Investigative

During World War I, the United States War Department ordered each combat division to mark unit equipment with a unique colored emblem. General Charles J. Bailey, the commander of the 81st Division, went one step further in creating a distinctive “wildcat” uniform emblem. When called to account for his breach of uniform regulations, General Bailey instead convinced Commander-in-Chief General John J. Pershing to approve the practice of wearing unique unit insignias, thus giving rise to an unbroken 105-year-old Army tradition. Yet, some of the details in the accepted narrative of the “wildcat patch” remain unclear. First, did the 81st Division truly create the first patch of the Army? Secondly, what was the significance of the wildcat? The paper will address these questions and more through textual analysis of primary sources collected during dissertation research at the National Archives. The paper will begin with a synopsis of the 81st Division’s role during World War I and a summary of the wildcat patch story. The author will then present the results of his research findings to corroborate or refute the orthodox historical narrative. The author will end the presentation by integrating follow-up queries into the broader scope of the ongoing dissertation project.

 

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