3585th pilot training wing

[williamc]

A lot of L-16s were stationed with the 3585th pilot training wing in San Marcos Texas. I'm trying to find a photo of a patch or emblem that was used by that squadron. Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks, Bill

[MikeB]

Bill,
I may have one in a book at home. On the road headed back right now but have to go around through Indiana for a funeral. I'll look once I get back ....remind me if I forget .

Do you still have the damaged L16??

Mike

[williamc]

Mike,
I still have it at the moment and a call this weekend will determine if its sold. I'll remind you about the 3585th emblem if you forget.
Travel safe.
Bill

[MikeB]

Bill,
I am home. I have one but it's pretty unreadable (in the book). I'll look some more among my various material. That said, I'm in San Antonio couple time each year and they have a CAF museum at San Marcos. I'm guessing they have a copy of some sort there. Pretty low keyed place and I can check the next time I'm up there which probably won't be until the fall. Too bad I didn't know sooner as I'm always looking for an excuse to wander around up there.

Let me know on the L16...wish it wasn't so far away.

Mike

[Richard Murray]

Bill (and MikeB)

I have one of the fellows from the FBO in San Marcos checking with the CAF chapter he hangs with. He sent a patch for the Air Training Command and I responded that I thought you wanted the Wing's patch.

Hope to hear something within the week.

Richard

[MikeB]

Bill, Is this the emblem you're looking for??

Mike


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Air_Force_Base

[williamc]

Mike,
What i'm looking for is a Patch/Emblem specific to the 3585th pilot training wing, not the general patch for the ATC. I feel certain the Squadron created one. Hopefully one of the guys will find one.
Bill

[dikholder]

Have you checked with the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB Ohio? they should have a historian with all the unit patches, or at least the official ones.

Dik
N1441H

[williamc]

Thanks Dik,
I checked the Air Force museum website and they only except requests by mail. If no answer comes from the forum in a reasonable time, i'll mail them a request.
Bill

[Richard Murray]

Bill,

Dik's suggestion was a great one. I am 60 miles north of the museum and need to go to Dayton in the next day or two. I will stop by and see what they have to say. I need to stop anyway for another project.

Richard

[williamc]

Thanks Richard,
Someday I want to make a trip there myself. Every Air Force Vet needs to go there at least once.
Bill

[Richard Murray]

Bill,

'No Joy' so far. I was at the Air Force Museum today and met a Jim Palmer. He directed me to Bob Laidslaw, who has over 4000 different patches and insignia. Bob did not have his books with him, but took my name and address and offered to mail me a picture if he found anything. I suggested emailing and he wasn't computer literate, but said he would enlist the help of Jim. Further, Bob said there was not a good chance anything existed for a four digit unit. Two or Three digit units were pretty much the norm he said. I questioned if it was an Army unit and he said not with the wing designation.

I called the director of the museum I volunteer at and he directed me to A-B Emblem where they buy all of the NASA patches they sell in the museum store. Again there was nothing to be found.

I have my fingers crossed Bob or the chap from the San Marcos FBO will come up with something.

By the way, if you do want to tour the Air Force Museum in Dayton, plan on at least two days. I have been there three times and it seemed bigger today than ever before. They've got stuff on the ramp I never knew we had and apparently you can tour the restoration facilities too.

Richard

[dikholder]

thats a strange comment about 4 digit units. During and shortly after the Viet Nam era there were units with 4 digit designators all over the service at several levels below Majcom. My first squadron had a 4 digit number when I was assigned to it, that changed later. Even in the early 80s after I came to Alaska most Combat Support Groups had 4 digit designators. They were quite often planeless like the ones at Shemya, Clear, Galena, and King Salmon. But even Eielson had a 4 digit Combat Support Group at that time and it had 3 flying squadrons attached to it. It was redesignated a wing with 3 digits around 1983 timeframe. All of those units had some kind of official patch. Would have thought the museum would have a historian office built right into it.

Dik

[Richard Murray]

Dik,

I was ready for anything and went to the information desk and explained what I was looking for. Jim Palmer said the Bob was the man and I should speak with him as soon as he finished with another gentleman. I even asked for a historian's office or where I might find the information in my initial request.

When I was stationed at Ellsworth we were in the 821st Communications Squadron of the 821st Combat Support Group supporting the 44 Strategic Missile Wing, 15th Air Force of the Strategic Air Command. I think I recall some four digit squadrons, but they would have all been at Air Training Command bases (Biloxi, Chanute, Lackland)

Richard

[dikholder]

All squadrons have some poor dude stuck with the additional duty of being the unit historian. Keeping up with changing patches was the most fun part of that duty. I was at Eielson and Shemya for 11 years and watched our Wing change names and patches at least 4 times in that period. My squadron when I wasnt attached directly to the wing staff was the 24th SRS and we changed official patches at least three times in that period and had a dozen more unofficial patches or belt buckles either made up by the crews themselves or by our support contractors. I did my 20 in the USAF and would do it again. Sixteen of those years were in SAC. I even enjoyed the jobs I didnt want, like flying B-52Ds out of Carswell and Dyess. Strange, I flew USAF birds that were built when I was 4 to 6 years old, now I am restoring a plane that was test flown 2 months before my birth.

You might be able to contact the base historian at your old base and see if he has the patches or at least pictures of them.

Dik